I got greedy and bought a new 8 inch Anaconda, I have an old one, a Colt Gunshop Custom. I also got a new 6 inch Python. I own 2 old style Pythons, a two and a half and a 6 inch Colt Gunshop Custom (since 1982.) I bought a King Cobra .22 ten shot revolver also.
The new Anaconda is heavy, stoutly built and the quality is very good. It doesn't match my 6 inch Royal Blue Python in good looks but fit and finish are excellent. I have fired about five hundred rounds of mostly 240 grain hardcast TC bullets at nearly 1350 fps through it. I have killed steel plates, rocks, gongs, a laptop computer and other inanimate objects. I have had some serious health problems that have precluded any hunting yet.
I owned a Redhawk for fifteen plus years. I believe this is anything the Redhawk was and better. It is a better shooter than my old Anaconda and is a better hunting partner than my snubby Super Red Hawk.
My criticisms of the new Anaconda include:
1. Single action from the factory had rough creep definitely not present in the Gunshop Anaconda. Pull was 6lbs 3 oz. Double action was a healthy 9lbs 12oz. A trip to Heffron Engineering (641)732 -0050 brought the DA to smooth 9lbs and the SA to 2lbs 13oz.
2. The rear sights are like a turd on an award winning Black Forest Cherry Cake. I would have gladly given Colt a couple hundred dollars more for the Wilson Combat Elliason sights that I bought to replace the worthless original equipment sights. I also installed a Wilson Combat Gold Bead front sight. I liked the Wilson combination well enough to put them on all three of my new snake guns.
When you pay $1500 for a top quality revolver you should not have send it out to have further work done.
In summary, excellent handguns worth the money certainly equal to or better than the Redhawk and probably the venerable S&W 29.(I never owned the S&W but have fired several.) Colt just really missed the target (backstop, even) on the sights.
