Colt Python .357 Magnum 4″ Double Action Revolver MFD 1967 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,810.00
LSB#: LSB260623AB014
Make: Colt
Model: Python
Serial Number: 67624
Year of Manufacture: 1967 / C&R
Caliber: .357 Magnum
Action Type: Double and Single Action Revolver with Swing-Out Six-Shot Cylinder
Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “PYTHON .357” over “.357 MAGNUM CTG.” The right side is marked “COLT’S PT. F.A. MFG. CO. HARTFORD, CONN. U.S.A.” The left sideplate has the Rampant Colt. The frame’s crane recess and the crane are each marked “67624”. Each grip panel has a gold-colored Colt medallion.
Barrel Length: 4″
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a serrated ramp blade pinned into the ventilated barrel rib. The rear sight is a square-notch sight adjustable for windage and elevation, mounted to the topstrap.
Grip Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered wood target stocks with smooth upper portions, a left-side thumb rest, and Colt medallions. The grips have been refinished. There are two small filled losses at the bottom-front edge of the left panel, scattered light handling marks, and light wear along the lower edges. The checkering remains well defined. The grips are in Very Good overall condition as refinished.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Refinished. The grips have also been refinished.
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright with sharp rifling. There is no erosion in the bore, just a little stubborn fouling. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 9/10.
Overall Condition: This revolver retains about 97% of its current metal finish. There is scattered minor erosion beneath the finish, along with light surface marks and a light turn line on the cylinder. The screw slots show light tool marks. The markings are light in places but legible. Overall, this revolver is in Very Good condition as refinished.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly.
We did not fire this revolver.
As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None
Our Assessment: The Python began with a target-revolver project that Colt had no experimental budget to fund. In 1953, sales chief Bill Henry brought factory superintendent Al Gunther the idea, and the first prototype took shape from existing components and steel worked in the factory. Gunsmith Al DeJohn later recalled starting with the Officer’s Model Match and strengthening its frame and cylinder for the .357 Magnum. The production Python reached the market in 1955, but the attention invested in it went well beyond adapting an existing revolver to a different cartridge. DeJohn described honing internal surfaces that received less attention in ordinary production, with only himself and Don Bedford initially entrusted to assemble the new model. The Python’s reputation grew from that deliberate investment in skilled labor.
This 1967 example shows how Colt carried those target-revolver origins into a more compact form. The Python first appeared with a six-inch barrel; the four-inch version shortened the revolver while retaining adjustable sights and substantial target stocks. The smooth relief above this example’s left grip checkering also reflects a practical refinement made during the model’s development: early, fully checkered stocks were narrowed at the top to provide more clearance for extraction. Colt eventually advertised Pythons for both sporting and police roles, even using the name Police Python in some catalogs without stamping it on the revolvers. That overlap explains the four-inch Python particularly well: its shorter barrel broadened its role while its sights, stocks, and labor-intensive ancestry kept it firmly connected to Colt’s target-gun tradition.