Colt revolvers are one of the undisputed kings of arms collecting, revered for their craftsmanship and historic appeal. The Colt Python and its serpent-inspired counterparts have emerged as rising stars in the genre. We’ll take a look at each of the seven Colt snake guns and find out what gives these predators their bite.
What are the Seven Colt Snake Guns?
In order of original release date, the seven Colt snake guns include the Cobra, Python, Diamondback, Viper, Boa, King Cobra, and Anaconda. Each model in the series was named after a fearsome ophidian, a creative marketing tactic to stress the speed and precision of these desirable double action revolvers.
From the debut of the .38 Cobra in 1950 to the .44 Magnum Anaconda in 1990, countless arms enthusiasts have gotten wrapped up in the coils of snake gun collecting. For those hunting these scarce sidewinders, some of the finest and rarest examples of the genre can be found at RIAC’s December 6 – 8 Premier Firearms Auction in Bedford, Texas, and you can click on the images to learn more about each revolver.
The Colt Cobra
Hitting the market in 1950, the Colt Cobra was built on the company’s tried-and-true “D” frame, the same used for the Police Positive Special and Detective Special. The greatest innovation this six shot, short-barreled revolver offered was the lightweight aluminum used for the Cobra’s frame, a material dubbed “Coltalloy” by the company. At 15 ounces unloaded, the Cobra presented a significantly less hefty sidearm than its Colt D frame predecessors and competitors like the Smith & Wesson Military & Police. Available in .22 LR, .32 Colt New Police, .38 Colt New Police, and .38 Special, the latter chambering was by far the most popular option.
The Cobra’s original run ended in 1988, but in 2017 the model became first in a series of Colt snake gun rereleases. Paul Spitale, a Senior Vice President at Colt, pointed to a number of upgrades offered by the new Cobra, stating, “The grip was moved rearward to not only allow for more comfort and recoil control, but this also opened up the trigger guard area to allow for a flatter, more intuitive feeling trigger, as well as easy use with gloved hands.”
The Colt Cobra prototype pictured below, which sold at Rock Island Auction Company last May, is documented as shipped to Newington Gun Exchange in Newington, Connecticut for Colt chief engineer, Paul Hochstrate on March 24, 2017. The factory letter states that this Cobra revolver featured a bar stock hammer, trigger and hand, a rapid prototype transfer bar, and a prototype mainspring. The revolver was also used for company testing and as part of the 2017 SHOT Show display.
The Colt Python
Premiering in 1955, the Python brought real fangs to the Colt snake gun line with its .357 Magnum chambering. Dubbed the “Rolls-Royce of Colt revolvers” by R.L. Wilson and hailed the “best revolver in the world” by British author Ian V. Hogg, the Python was marketed as a premium wheelgun from the start.
Designed to compete with the finest factory double actions, the mighty Python became known for its smooth trigger, hand fitting, small tolerances, and a super polished blued finish known as “Colt Royal Blue.” The model’s ventilated rib and full underlug barrel give this mesmerizing snake gun a distinct profile, and Colt boasted that while their competitors were rushing their revolvers off to shipping, the Python was still in the factory being polished with the care and respect it deserves.
In advertising, Colt asserted that the Python’s “very name means craftsmanship and incomparable value” and urged arms enthusiasts to pick up one of the top-of-the-line revolvers because “the value of the Colt Python won’t be going down tomorrow.” This prediction turned out to be a massive understatement. In recent years, the serpentine superstar has tipped the scales at auction, and even the reintroduction of this popular snake gun model hasn’t impacted the impressive prices commanded by original examples.
The Colt Diamondback
The next Colt snake gun was released in 1966 and dubbed the Diamondback. Where the Python employed Colt’s large I frame, the Diamondback was built on the D frame like its concealable Cobra counterpart. Though the Diamondback lacks some of the finesse of the Python, this reliable rattler offered a well-made wheelgun with adjustable sights and a long, grooved target hammer that’s a joy to shoot.
Like the Python, the Diamondback has been featured in numerous films and television roles. This superb serpent was chambered in .38 Special and .22LR, and it was produced in 2 1/2 inch, 4 inch, and 6 inch barrel lengths. The .38 Special snub nose version found favor among detectives, earning a strong reputation with West Coast agencies like the LAPD. Discontinued in 1988, the Diamondback has yet to be reintroduced by Colt, but original examples continue to enjoy popularity among collectors and handgunners.
The Colt Viper
Colt’s next serpent standout was revealed in 1977. The Colt Viper was built on the same compact, lightweight aluminum D frame as its popular Cobra predecessor, but shed its smaller sibling’s skin by offering a longer grip and four inch barrel length.
Other than the choice of blue or nickel finish, no other variations were available for this .38 Special venom shooter. The Viper wasn’t able to match the success of its Cobra and Diamondback cohorts and was only produced for a single year, becoming one of the shortest lived species of Colt’s iconic sidewinders. This rarity has made the Viper a valuable collector’s gun today. In 2024, the Viper surprised some revolver fans by becoming the latest Colt snake gun to receive a modern update.
The Colt Boa
Even more elusive than the Viper, the Colt Boa was another .357 Magnum that used the same barrel as its powerful constrictor cousin, the Python. The Boa was produced in 1985 as a special limited edition revolver from Massachusetts distributor Lew Horton that was developed with the Mark V frame and finished in the Python’s high polish blue.
Only 1,200 Boa revolvers were produced, 600 with four inch barrels and 600 in six inch barrels. 100 matched sets were offered like the example pictured above. Thanks to its extreme rarity, the Boa has become one of the forbidden fruits in gun collecting, a temptation for not only Colt snake gun completionists but a must have for any advanced arms collection.
The Colt King Cobra
Introduced in 1986, the King Cobra was developed around the Colt Trooper MK V, the first Colt revolver to offer a matte stainless steel before a blued version. This .357 Magnum powerhouse was also the first Colt wheelgun to feature an image as part of the standard barrel stamp, in this case a roll stamp of the gun’s fierce namesake with its hood unfurled.
This serpent sovereign could be purchased in six barrel lengths and a number of special variants, including the rare Whitetailer II, the snub nose Combat Cobra, and the Colt Grizzly. An example of the latter pictured below was produced by Colt Custom Gun Shop and features a Magna-ported Python barrel and an unfluted cylinder. In 2019 the King Cobra was reintroduced as a .357 Magnum version of the new Cobra, and a 10 shot .22LR variant was later released as the King Cobra Target.
The Colt Anaconda
Released in 1990, the .44 Magnum Anaconda represents the apex predator of the Colt Snake gun genus. The company’s first large frame revolver since Colt’s New Service line, the stainless steel Anaconda was built on the hefty “MM” frame and intended to compete with the likes of the Smith & Wesson Model 29, Ruger Redhawk, and .44 Magnum Dan Wesson revolvers. While the Anaconda found a modest niche with hunters and shooters, Colt’s coiled colossus was late to the .44 Magnum market by several decades and missed the height of the craze.
Like the Python and King Cobra, the Anaconda saw numerous variants that appeal to today’s collectors, including a somewhat short lived run of Anacondas chambered in .45 Colt and several special issue of the model like the “Colt Anaconda First Edition” series, the Anaconda Realtree Camouflage revolvers, and Colt Kodiaks like the example pictured below. With the success of the rebooted Cobra and Python lines, Colt decided to lure the Anaconda out of its lair for a fresh run in 2021.
Snake Guns for Sale
As the gun collecting pursuit expands, comparatively modern classics like the Colt snake gun family have become increasingly sought-after. From the Cobra to the Anaconda, these serpent-themed sensations carried the legacy of the Colt double action revolver in the last half of the 20th century and have become synonymous with beauty, balance, and a precision worthy of their lethal namesakes.
While most vintage Colts hold their value and increase in over time, Colt snake guns have been rattling the market in recent years with notable price spikes. With rarities like the California Combat Python and Boa setting five-figure records and popular everyman models of the genre trending higher each year, now is the time for gun collectors to strike, and the finest examples of each species can be wrangled at Rock Island Auction Company.
For arms enthusiasts, the Rock Island Auction newsletter offers a range of gun blogs and gun videos on revolvers from every era, including 19th century Colt classics like the Paterson, Walker, Dragoon, Navy, Army, SAA, and Lightning, as well as blackpowder Smith & Wessons and Remingtons and 20th century favorites like the Model 1917, Registered Magnum, the .44 Magnum, the Model 10, and more.
