BIG SCORE!!! Anaconda

[45Driver]

.....

[Blammer]

good deal!

[Mal Paso]

If you call Colt they will tell you the year of your gun free. They will provide papers on your gun for $75. I haven't yet found information on History or Production Runs.
I just scored a 4" Anaconda made in 1998, in Like New condition. Unlike most of the references I've found Mine has a Polished Finish and Serial AN 03xxx. All of the other Serials I've found are MM 00000.
A couple guys in the Colt Forum started threads to collect Serial info but I get the feeling the Anaconda is outside the traditional Colt arena and didn't get much response.
My Anaconda has the best Trigger of any 44 Revolver I've shot. I've opened it up and the Craftsmanship is much better than my Redhawk or S&W. The "combat" grips are terrible and may be the reason my gun wasn't shot much.
Any Anaconda experts out there? I'd love to know more!

Mal

[smkummer]

Towards the end of the original production (1991 to 1999) factory porting was available on all barrel lengths of anacondas and some King Cobras. I believe most 8 in. guns were sold with factory porting towards the end. Colt again made this gun from 2003 to 2005. And we are hearing rumors that Colt double actions are coming back. Which ones we don't know for sure but one has to believe this will be one of them. If one has a lot of elbow grease, flitz polish works great on these and in time will give these almost a bright stainless finish. If it were myself, start with the flitz and see if its to your satisfaction. Minor scratches will go away. Just the shipping back and forth to Colt will set you back at least $60. If you go to Colts web sight, they do offer bright stainless finish a gun sent to them but I believe they will charge you $135. So that $200 with shipping. Again, start seeing where the flitz polish gets you. Nice gun. And remember for fun target shooting, shoot 44 specials or down loaded 44 mags. They are just so much funner to squeeze off.

[GabbyM]

The "combat" grips are terrible and may be the reason my gun wasn't shot much.
Any Anaconda experts out there? I'd love to know more!

Mal

I know mine is unpleasant to shoot with full house loads. Never thought to blame the grips. Just figured I was a wimp / beat up old guy. You have an aftermarket grip you like or is it still a work in progress?

[Mal Paso]

I know mine is unpleasant to shoot with full house loads. Never thought to blame the grips. Just figured I was a wimp / beat up old guy. You have an aftermarket grip you like or is it still a work in progress?

Rubber Hogues Should have been here last Friday. Under $20. I have Hogues on my 4" Redhawk and full house loads are fun with that gun. The Anaconda Combat Grips don't fit (my hand) well and the gun rolls back in my hand hitting the web, wearing a hole on the thumb side. With the Redhawk/Hogue there's full contact and the energy is transferred to my whole hand lifting gun and hand as a unit. I am 170 pounds and 58 with entry level OMS (Old Man Syndrome) if that helps. I will range test the Hogue/Anaconda combination and report back.

Mal

I put 200 Hot 44 Specials (935 fps) through the Anaconda yesterday and it's a Shooter!

[Larry Gibson]

Congrats on the Anaconda. I have had a 4" Anaconda for 15 years. As mentioned it has the best trigger, SA or DA, out of the box of any revolver I've ever had, especially .44s. It is hell for stout and takes full bore magnum loads with aplumb. It is also the most accurate large bore revolver I've ever had. The factory grips did suck and made it a litteral pain to shoot with magnum loads. They were two piece and under recoil the rear halves split open and pinched the web. I went to Hogue combat grips and that solved the problem. I have smaller hands and the smaller length of the pull of the Anaconda vs a N frame S&W fits me to a "T". There is still recoil there but it is manageable now. I have turned down more $ than you paid for yours for mine. I just like it too much to sell it.

Mine likes the classic keith load of 22 gr 2400 over the RCBS 250 gr K bullet for right at 1200 fps. For hunting I cast Lyman's 429244 very soft, HP it with a Forster tool and load it over 24 gr H110 for 1220 fps. My My general purpose load is the RCBS over 9 gr Unique for 950 fps. The Lee TL44-240-SWC over 5 gr Bullseye in .44 Special cases duplicates factory .44 Special loads and is quite pleasant to shoot at 775 fps. Of course your velcities will be higher with the 6" barrel. The 429244 Gc bullet cast soft over H110 should do very well in the hunting fields.

Larry Gibson

[hoosierlogger]

you want to sell the scope?

[Mal Paso]

The Hogue Grips arrived Monday and my Anaconda looks like Larry's now. They are very close to Hogue Grips on the S&W 629. If you mail order like I did, you may have a friend or shop close by with a 629 to see how they fit your hand. They feel a little small to me compared to Ruger Hogues but the length is right. I've never had a problem with the 629 grips they just feel smallish.
Our Local Range is closed for motorcycle races so I'm headed North, 400 miles, to my private range to test. I loaded an Extra 600 rounds today just to be sure. I'll let you know how it goes.

Mal

[Grapeshot]

Congrats. The Colt Anaconda is a great revolver. I picked up a .45 Colt with a four inch Barrel back in the 1990's as a carry gun when I worked in a Gun Shop.

It is a very accurate gun and likes hot ammo. 10 grains of Unique and a gas checked Lyman 230 grain SWC or 17 grains of 2400 and the same bullet makes a ragged hole at 25 yards.

One of my customers had a eight inch .44 and used to aggravate others with his ability to eat the centers out of his targets with either LSWC's or 240 grain JSP's on a regular basis..

[Mal Paso]

Setting this Colt next to my 629 Classic 8-3/8" gun, the Colt looks to have a more massive frame and cylinder, I haven't taken any measurements but the Colt cylinder looks longer, too.


The Cylinder is bigger in both directions. At 1.752" it is the same length as the Ruger Redhawk and will chamber the massive 340 g +P+ Round from Buffalo Bore. It's only .030 smaller than the Redhawk in diameter.

How did it shoot?

[Larry Gibson]

45 driver

We are all waiting for the shooting results, that is one nice looking set up:-)

Larry Gibson

[Byron Cromwell]

Grapeshot:
How did you size the boolit for your Anaconda in .45? do you have any cylinder/bore dimensions on that gun?

I have a 4-cavity SAECO .45 Keith style SWC with gas check that I bought several years ago for mine and I am wondering if the gun would make use of the SAECO wadcutter mould as well

Thanks, Byron

[Mal Paso]

The Hogue Monogrip for the Anaconda is Much better than the Vintage Grips original to the gun. However they do move your hand forward 3/16" reducing the trigger distance and are a bit small for my XL hand. I haven't found bigger grips so I'll get a shooting glove for extended shooting. The trigger has only gotten better with shooting. Those guys with unfired weapons.....
I just wanted to follow up. The Anaconda has a few issues but Way More Potential. But that's another thread.

[Whitworth]

That's a really nice piece! I want one!

[Grapeshot]

Grapeshot:
How did you size the boolit for your Anaconda in .45? do you have any cylinder/bore dimensions on that gun?

I have a 4-cavity SAECO .45 Keith style SWC with gas check that I bought several years ago for mine and I am wondering if the gun would make use of the SAECO wadcutter mould as well

Thanks, Byron


First let me say that I forgot I replied to this thread. My Anaconda shoots .454 sized Cast Bullets very well. Jacketed stuff in .452 to .453 also shoot well thru my gun.

.454 bullets do not go thru the cylinder throats without a little help, so that's the way I size them. If they are slightly snug thru the throat they will shoot well out the barrel.

Your G/C SWC's should do well with a stiff charge of 2400 or 4227.

[Byron Cromwell]

Grapeshot:
That's all right about the delay; thanks for the information. I had purchased a .451 sizer die for my old Star Lubrisizer in anticipation of a post-War barrel dimension of .450-.452. I'll trade it in for a .454 now, or maybe just add one to my collection. I always seem to be needing just one more piece of gear...
Several years ago I cast up over two hundred boollits with the semiwadcutter SAECO mould and they miked to .453 out of 60% linotype / 40% wheelweights. I see I could get to work with them now, based on your information. I also have an older production 454190 for plain base work that mikes .454-.455. I guess bigger boolits are not the problem I thought they would be.
By the way, I only have Unique, Bullseye and SR-4759 at present. Can either of these propellants be used for target work in the Anaconda 6"? Load recommendations? I was thinking up to 10 grains Unique. Any suggestions?

Thanks again,

Byron

[Byron Cromwell]

Byron again;

I almost forgot to ask -- do these snug bollits you shoot through the Anaconda cut lead at the cylinder like the old single actions do? I am occasionally needing glasses to keep little flecks of boollit material out of my eyes; I used to feel it strike my face as well.

Now I'm through,

Byron

[Trey45]

http://images54.fotki.com/v239/photos/1/1256184/5635696/DSCF0216-vi.jpg

This is a thing of beauty. I am jealous big time. If I ever run across one, and have the ready cash for one, you better believe I'll buy it. Congrats on a great find!

[Grapeshot]

QUOTE=Byron Cromwell;989534]Grapeshot:
That's all right about the delay; thanks for the information. I had purchased a .451 sizer die for my old Star Lubrisizer in anticipation of a post-War barrel dimension of .450-.452. I'll trade it in for a .454 now, or maybe just add one to my collection. I always seem to be needing just one more piece of gear...
Several years ago I cast up over two hundred boollits with the semiwadcutter SAECO mould and they miked to .453 out of 60% linotype / 40% wheelweights. I see I could get to work with them now, based on your information. I also have an older production 454190 for plain base work that mikes .454-.455. I guess bigger boolits are not the problem I thought they would be.
By the way, I only have Unique, Bullseye and SR-4759 at present. Can either of these propellants be used for target work in the Anaconda 6"? Load recommendations? I was thinking up to 10 grains Unique. Any suggestions?

Thanks again,

Byron[/QUOTE]

Unique was the first powder I ever reloade with and I thought it was great. That was back in 1974. My load then was eight to nine grains of Unique out of a Colt SAA.

With the Colt Anaconda Unique still works in the eight to ten grain weight under a 230 to 250 grain cast bullet. I like the eight grain load better for plinking using a .454 diameter lead bullet.

I just sent my Colt New Service to my Gunsmith to correct a timing problem. When I get that back I plan to wring out a few loads to see what load it likes. It won't be shooting any hunting loads, but that eight grain charge of Unique or 6.5 grains of TraiL Boss shows promise as a plinket or a self defense round using a Lyman .45 Cowboy or the Lee .45-255-FN.[

[HEAD0001]

I believe the Anaconda's were out before 1991. I keep thinking 1989 or 90. But I could be wrong about that. My receipt would give me an accurate date. I will have to go back and check my paper work. I have two of the Colt Hunter models in my safe. One is the Python Hunter and one is the Anaconda Hunter. Both came from the factory in a case with a scope mounted. We always thought it was a bit funny because the Anaconda came with a nice variable pistol scope while the Python came with a cheaper(brand) fixed power scope.

I sold Colt for a distributor and picked up as many of the limited production pieces as I could afford. Then I put them in our gun vault for my retirement policy.

It seems the Anaconda has increased somewhat in its value, not really sure why. When it came to sales they were a real dog. I had a few of the Anaconda hunters allocated to me. And other than the one I bought I think I only sold one other one. They were not very popular when they came out. Tom.