Custon Ruger

I have a custom handgun I'm trying to figure out what the value may be. I't's a Ruger Speed Six frame with a 3" Colt Python barrel. The barrell was originally 4" and was shortened to 3. The vented ribbing on the barrell was also removed for easier concealment. The piece was manufactured in 1983 at a dealer called David and Co. (located in West Sacramento, CA). The dealer is no longer in business, however the gun was featured in two magazines that same year. Any info you can give me on where to go from here would be helpful.

Thanks.

A Python barrel on a Ruger? I have to see a pic.

Here's a pic for you non-believers.

So awesome, it's invisible.

There was a bit of a cottage industry in the late 70s (?) and 80s with gunsmiths putting Colt barrels on S&W or Ruger revolvers. Supposedly, the Colt barrels were more accurate and "harder hitting" (no, really, that was the argument) than the others, but some folks wanted to keep the operating characteristics of the guns they were used to using while gaining the advantage of a Colt barrel. Thus Smolts and Cougars were born (SMith + cOLT or COlt + rUGER -- COUGER/COUGAR, close enough). As a competition (PPC) revolver shooter back in those days, I handled a few of these guns, and remember shooting one Smolt. It functioned perfectly, and accuracy did seem to be better than the stock S&W from which it was born, but that could also be attributed to the glass-smooth action job that was performed at the same time as the re-barreling.

They were custom guns, they looked cool, they were fairly unique, and if done correctly, they shot REALLY well; good enough reasons for any conversion/custom handgun to exist, I'd say. I've never heard of or seen one quite like the OP described, above, but I imagine there were many variations on the theme.

Here's a Couger (Ruger Security-Six .357 with Python barrel) photo I found on the 'Net and re-hosted:

http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/1414/couger.jpg

It does look cool. It reminds me of the Johnny Cash song "one piece at a time".

Value wise...no clue. My 3 1/2 inch custom 44 mag is cool too but im 6'4 n 250 lb. Its not real popular to everyone. But to someone like me i could definitely get what i pais for it...maybe more.

Probly the same with that gun. I always liked the balance of Rugers. Does the python barrel affect the way it reata in your hand? And btw... thats a really cool gun, why sell it? You'll most likely never find another one.