"The Colt Python is a double action/single action revolver chambered for the .357 Magnum cartridge. It was first introduced in 1955 by the Colt's Manufacturing Company.

Pythons have a reputation for accuracy, smooth trigger pull, and a tight cylinder lock-up. Pythons, built on Colt's large I-frame, are similar in size and function to the Colt Trooper and Colt Lawman revolvers.

The Colt Python is intended for the premium revolver market segment. Produced from 1955 to 2005, and again since 2020, it was described by historian R.L. Wilson as "the Rolls-Royce of Colt revolvers", and firearms historian Ian V. Hogg referred to it as the "best revolver in the world." Some firearm collectors and writers such as Jeff Cooper and Ian V. Hogg have described the Python as "the finest production revolver ever made""