Colt Python 5-inch
- Category
- Revolver
- Barrel
- 127 mm
- Weight, empty
- 1.23 kg
- Introduced
- 2024
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Colt Python 5-inch is a double-action/single-action revolver chambered in .357 Magnum, part of the modern stainless-steel Python family reintroduced by Colt in 2020. Added to the line in 2024 alongside a 2.5-inch model, the 5-inch barrel sits between the compact 3-inch and the target-oriented 6-inch guns, and is widely praised as a near-ideal balance of sight radius, muzzle velocity and carry weight. It retains the Python's signature ventilated barrel rib, full-length underlug, and hand-fitted double action, and also fires .38 Special.
The Colt Python debuted in 1955 as Colt's flagship .357 Magnum revolver and earned a reputation for its smooth action and tack-driving accuracy, becoming one of the most collectible production revolvers ever made. Colt revived the Python in 2020 with a redesigned stainless-steel action, expanding barrel options over the following years.
The 5-inch and 2.5-inch models were introduced in spring 2024. Offered in stainless steel with walnut target stocks and adjustable rear sight. Also chambered to fire .38 Special.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Colt's Manufacturing Company LLC
- Category
- Revolver
- Country
- United States
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 2024
- Variant of
- Barrel length
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 127 mm
- Overall length
- 267 mm
- Height
- 140 mm
- Width
- 39 mm
- Weight, empty
- 1.23 kg
- Weight, loaded
- 1.30 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Double action
- Firing mechanism
- Double action single action
- Trigger
- Double action
- Trigger pull
- 41.0 N
- Capacity
- 6
- Magazine
- Revolving cylinder
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Stainless steel
- Barrel
- Stainless steel
- Stock
- Walnut
- Finish
- Semi bright stainless
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 455 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 838 J
- Effective range
- 50 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Ventilated rib- Full length underlug
Adjustable rear sight
Interchangeable front sight
Walnut target grips
Six shot cylinder- 38 special compatible
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 53 .357 Magnum revolvers | 1.23 kg | 1.10 kg | Heavier than about 80% |
| Overall lengthAmong 50 .357 Magnum revolvers | 267 mm | 245 mm | Longer than about 60% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 53 .357 Magnum revolvers | 127 mm | 107 mm | Longer than about 70% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 53 .357 Magnum revolvers | 6 | 6 | Near the median |
Answers
Questions about the Colt Python 5-inch
How much does the Colt Python 5-inch weigh?
The Colt Python 5-inch weighs 1.23 kg (2.71 lb) empty and 1.30 kg (2.86 lb) loaded.
What caliber is the Colt Python 5-inch?
The Colt Python 5-inch is chambered in .357 Magnum.
How many rounds does the Colt Python 5-inch hold?
The Colt Python 5-inch holds 6 rounds, fed from a revolving cylinder.
How long is the Colt Python 5-inch?
The Colt Python 5-inch is 267 mm (10.51 in) long overall, with a 127 mm (5.00 in) barrel.
Who makes the Colt Python 5-inch?
The Colt Python 5-inch is made by Colt's Manufacturing Company LLC (United States).
When was the Colt Python 5-inch introduced?
The Colt Python 5-inch was introduced in 2024.
How does the Colt Python 5-inch operate?
The Colt Python 5-inch uses a double action, and its firing mechanism is double action single action.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- Civilian shooters
- United States
Provenance
Confidence in this record
85%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/colt-python-5-inch' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "colt-python-5-inch", "name": "Colt Python 5-inch", "manufacturer": { "id": "colt", "name": "Colt's Manufacturing Company LLC", "countryCode": "US", "foundedYear": 1855, "website": "https://www.colt.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": "American firearms manufacturer headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut. Founded in 1855 and now a subsidiary of Colt CZ Group, continuing production of iconic firearms including the 1911 pistol.", "status": "active", "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:38", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:43:38", "version": "7143c7ff3f7e156063a240f2df7b4746ee1c0394d7cd5f592d05bac43233d637" }, "category": { "id": "revolver", "name": "Revolver", "description": "Handguns with a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers" }, "country_of_origin": "US", "year_introduced": 2024, "barrel_length_mm": 127, "weight_empty_g": 1228, "action_type": "double_action"}