Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns 5" colt Python update

My new Python's trigger did get better with use. I decided after looking at the ratchet I could polish it to help the DA trigger pull. I used my Dremel with a polishing stone that fit almost perfectly to smooth the bearing surface between the hand and the ratchet. It helped so I then took the side plate off and smoothed the surfaces that interact. They were all pretty smooth, so I put a mirror finish on them with a felt wheel on my Dremel. My DA trigger pull is on par with my 686 that has a Wolfe reduced rebound spring. The SA pull is noticeably better. Still more than my L & K frame Smiths. IMHO for the money the trigger should have been better out of the box. Smoothing the ratchet only took a couple of minutes.
Dave

That's great news, Dave.

Dave I can appreciate your frustration but as a former smith ( who didn’t work on Colts, hardly) I would suggest to anyone thinking of working on cylinder ratchets to ( 1 ) don’t do it and ( 2 ) touch em about at lightly as a mouse fart. Actually the hand and ratchet interplay will not actually affect either your SA or DA pull unless the hand is binding up in the window or the cylinder is binding up. The tip of hand and lugs of the ratchets do pretty much nothing but index and control timing. This may not pertain to you but many first time Colt owners that have been from the S&W world need to understand the big difference between the two’s trigger pulls. The Smith trigger starts much lighter then as the main spring loads and stacks the end of the pull gets harder. The Colt on the other hand starts harder but finishes lighter. On stock revolvers I alway shot Colts better in DA

For S&W comp work the smith tries to reduce the resistance or harder break at the end of the trigger pull. Reduced mainsprings or custom shaped springs and lessening and the rebound spring usually reduces pull weight enough for the casual but demanding shooter. On Smith K,L and N frames a good mechanic can fit up an oversized hand ( thicker ) file and stone the window to eliminate side play or the hand trying to push off the ratchets. In doing so this will reduce carry up and allows the shooter to index his shots or pull the trigger until the cylinder locks leaving only a SA like pull to fire. Colts are different animals as the entire lock work is controlled by a very sophisticated flat mainspring that does a lot more than drop the hammer like a Smith. There aren’t many Colt mechanics around anymore or since the fifties maybe early to mid 60’s. The exceptions were some PD’s that still had detectives and personnel that carried them so their armorers had th know how and parts.

Regards
Rick

Rick, thanks for the info. I was very light on the ratchet.
Dave

Dave, the way Mike Heffron described his work to me was that he has jigs set up that only allow the pieces he is working on to be touched at a specific angle.

This is where the original Pythons hand -fitting shows up.

Ashame the price and reputation of a Python, needing work, but hope it all turns out well.

How's the accuracy?

65BR, It seems good to me but I'm sure it is more accurate than I am.

Thanks for the update.


RS

Dave I had a 6", mfg in the 90s, a SS model, and it was hands down the most accuracy ctf handgun I had fired other than TCs.

Dave,

I have only shot a new Python a couple of sessions, but I have been a little disappointed.

The older I get the more trigger pull becomes more important. I have shot original Pythons, and still do,I am constantly aware of the original excellent triggers.

That being said, I am well pleased that Colt has a new Python. I cannot fathom the cost to duplicate the old models.

I have an old Viet Nam Era Colt Armourer, he is excellent , when he is sober. I imagine we will both go away..............