Smython and Couger
Smython and Couger
Sorry jg
I've not handled any myself, but your photos got me to reminiscing about that time period. A lot of peace officers frequented a small shop I helped out in back then and I remember the motor officers seemed to prefer Pythons and N frame Smiths. A common mod/add on that many of their guns had was a metal butt plate (for want of a better term). You ever see any of those?
Here's a shot of one from the S&W forum:
Regards,
Greg
No Greg I never saw one Must have been on mod. 28s
But I did get to handle the Smolts and Cougers. The Smolts were a thing of beauty in balance and trigger pull. The Cougers not so much.
Back then I once in a while shot a Python in Steel Plate matches. There weren't many of us, maybe 10 shooters. I was in the top three. My main competition was a guy with a Smith mod 19. At the beep I could out draw him, but because of the Smith's grip angle he would get off his first shot on steel before I could align my front sight. A Smith's grip angle was more natural then me having to cock my wrist. Split seconds difference.
As you probably know the Smolts first came to be because of PPC shooting competitions. I never knew what the purpose was for the Cougers with their so so trigger pull.
When I got to shoot a Smolt I fell in love with it and offered to buy it. The guy was a true PPC competitor, so no sale. Then pistol smiths started to build PPC guns out of Smith mod 10s with bull barrels and sight ribs. So much for what was originally called Police Pistol Combat matches. Or later called Practical Pistol Competition matches.
I never really believed that the Smolt had a nicer trigger then a Python but the feel and balance made up for it. Shorter trigger pull, fast trigger return. Really for timed fire PPC shooting, trigger return wasn't a big thing