The Colt Python has been called the Cadillac of revolvers. The distinctive vent rib, smooth action, and potent .357 Magnum chambering have made it a favorite since its inception in 1955–in spite of its price tag. The vibrant royal blue finish also stood out in an era of commercial hot blue and stainless-steel options. But what happens when Colt introduces dull matte finishes for the iconic line? In the case of the Colt Matte Blue Python, it’s the same shooting experience in a format made for harder use.
Matte Blue Finished Colt Pythons
When Colt reintroduced the Python in 2020, it came in brushed stainless steel. It is a handsome finish, and stainless steel is a de facto manufacturing alloy commonly used in firearms that did not exist when the Python first debuted.
While I was no Colt fan, I was glad to see a legacy item back in production. Later, Colt brought a standard blued Python that better recaptured the lines of the original. The Matte Pythons that have since come out have left me scratching my head.
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These models feature dull bead-blasted stainless or blue finishes and are marked a few hundred dollars less than the standard models. All are available in barrel lengths ranging from 2.6 inches to 6 inches. Grip variations range from wooden boot grips for the snubnosed model to large rubber stocks with the long-barreled models.
I initially thought these models were a poor man’s Python, intended to broaden the appeal of the model. Ergo, the standard models must not be selling to expectations. But a univariable analysis of anything is nonsensical, and that was proven once I got my hands on one—a Matte Blue Python with a 3-inch barrel.
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Jim’s Odd Python
A .357 Magnum revolver with a 3-inch barrel offers a sweet spot between carryability, shootability, and power. The Matte Blue Python in this barrel length ships with neither wood nor rubber grips. Instead, it wears grey/black G10 boot grips embossed with silver Colt medallions.
These grips are dense and make the revolver feel more rear-heavy compared to a wood-gripped model, but I came to prefer it because the grip takes up enough space between trigger guard and grip frame for the fingers to be supported while the shorter grip aids in maintaining a compact size. As it happens, these are identical grips as seen on the Colt Combat Elite Python.
The revolver wears the same adjustable rear sight as other Pythons, but the front sight is an orange fiber optic post rather than a serrated ramp.
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Otherwise, the Matte Python has the same underlugged barrel with vent rib, serrated trigger, enlarged target hammer, and clamshell cylinder release as other Pythons. Out of the box, the revolver has a stacking double-action trigger pull that measures just over six pounds. The single-action trigger, with the hammer cocked, breaks like glass at four-and-a-half pounds.
Wearin’ and Tearin’
I did not expect to like the Matte Pythons, but five hundred rounds downrange and just south of a year of ownership have convinced me otherwise. The dull finish does dull the price point, but upon coming off some shooting with a polished blued Python, the shooting experience with its plainer cousin did not suffer.
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The revolver handles any .38 Special or .357 Magnum ammunition you can put into it. In my case, it ranged from light Remington 148-grain .38 wadcutters to Double Tap .357 180-grain hard cast bear loads. The light double action pull and the low-recoiling .38 Special round allow for very rapid shooting. Unfortunately, you only have six rounds, and they can come out in a hurry.
Any .357 round will make the Python jump, but the combination of the 3-inch barrel and G10 grips effectively keeps the revolver in hand and the direct muzzle blast away. This particular revolver shoots best for me with both the Federal 158-grain +P .38 FBI Load and the PMC Bronze .357 Magnum 158-grain soft-point round. In double action, I can keep six rounds in an inch at ten yards.
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Although a Wilson Combat sight would be preferable, the stock rear sight and fiber optic front sight present proudly. This, combined with the balance of the package, allowed for easy hits out to fifty yards and beyond—provided I remember the dope of the round at that distance.
My only quibble with the revolver lay with the sights, as the sight shot two feet high out of the box at twenty-five yards. It took some screwdriver time to fix.
Reliability
In terms of reliability, I had a few light strikes with the PMC Bronze load, but otherwise there were no failures to fire. There were also no failures of the action to cycle, which is more than I can say for other revolver brands of recent vintage.
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Although I initially thought of the finish as a downgrade, my mind was changed when I first lined up shots on steel at fifty yards in washed-out sun. The finish killed the sun glare and allowed me to see my sights.
Off the firing line, the finish proved itself as well. Cleaning up fingerprints and fouling is easier to do with the Matte Python compared to standard stainless. Light scratches from holsters, safe bumps, and the range bag were buffed out with a bit of oil and cotton. Although I expect the finish to wear in time, its rough look cleans up well, cuts glare, and I don’t hesitate to holster it and bring along a box of ammo to shoot.
The Colt Matte Pythons, and this one in particular, are ones that both look good enough to shoot and show.