This was actually a fairly common conversion back in the 70's and 80's. Putting Python barrels on S&W frames resulted in "Smolts" and "Smythons", and on Ruger frames as "Rattlers" and "Cougers".
At least one "Rattler" appeared on the cover of a magazine - I believe it was "Guns", though I'm not positive of that.
The idea was to take the Python barrel - which people assumed was responsible for the legendary accuracy of Colt's flagship revolver - and graft it to a frame that had a "better" action. ("Better" being defined as not having an increase in pull weight, aka "stack", in the action.)
As it turned out, the resulting guns were not entirely successful. While there were reports of phenomenal increases in accuracy, my experience suggests that there was more than a little hype in such claims. The Python owes its accuracy not just to the unique barrel, but also to the "bank vault" lockup of its cylinder and its resulting perfect alignment - something neither the S&W nor Ruger had.
On the other side of the equation, there were a number of gunsmiths who could tune the Colt lockwork to have the sought after "linear pull." This gave the shooter exactly what the conversions couldn't (and at a better price): a gun with no stack in the action, and true Python accuracy. The market soon figured this out, and the conversions faded into relative obscurity.
Today the conversions are starting to become recognized as a unique collectible, much as the ASP and Devel modifications of S&W autopistols are. Prices on these conversions, particularly if done by a "name" gunsmith, are increasing.
On rare occasion I receive a request to build one, but the current price of Python barrels and the labor required quickly pushes the project well beyond what people think it "should" cost.
__________________
-=[ Grant ]=-
"The earth isn't flat, your gun shouldn't be either!"
http://www.grantcunningham.com
