Python

The Colt Python .357 Magnum (as referred to in the Black Ops guidebook) is a revolver featured in Call of Duty: Black Ops, Call of Duty: Black Ops II and Call of Duty: Black Ops: Declassified.

Campaign
The Python is the main secondary weapon of Mason. It first appears as a usable weapon in the mission "Executive Order" and is used in "S.O.G." to shoot the NVA who is about to kill Woods. It is later used in "Victor Charlie", in clearing a Viet Cong tunnel with the Flashlight attachment. The Flashlight is held in the Harries technique, just like the Tactical Knife in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

Later, in "Payback", it is used by the VC Bookie in a game of Russian roulette between Mason and Woods. After the gun fails to fire on Woods, Mason, gambling the next shot is in the gun, uses it against one of his captors and kills him. The gun is unusable for the rest of the mission, presumably since there was only one round put in it, so the Bookie's CZ75 is kept.

The Python will always kill an enemy in a single hit, and is capable of tearing the limbs of Viet Cong enemies encountered in the tunnel. Note that the campaign Python has a slower rate of fire compared to it's multiplayer counterpart.

Multiplayer
The Python is unlocked at level 18. It has the highest maximum and minimum damage of all the handguns in multiplayer, making it a highly effective secondary. The Python also has the highest hipfire accuracy of any weapon in the game. It is able to kill in two shots at close range and four shots at long range. In Hardcore modes, it is by far the most effective handgun, as it is a one shot kill at any range. The main disadvantages of this weapon are the low six round capacity, high visual recoil, and a long reload time without a Speed Reloader, Dual Wield and/or Sleight of Hand.

The Dual Wield attachment is very effective, especially in close quarter combat as it can kill with a single shot combination (one shot from each Python). Dual Wield Pythons also receive Speed Reloaders for free as well, meaning all six shots are reloaded at once. The main downside to the Dual Wield attachment on the Python is that the weapon will have a much slower switch time, which can mean death when needing switch weapons in the middle of combat. The ACOG Scope for the Python is also useful, helping to control its high visual recoil and increasing its range, making it an ideal secondary for use with shotguns and SMGs.

Attachments

 * ACOG Scope
 * Snub Nose
 * Speed Reloader
 * Dual Wield
 * Flashlight (Single-player only)

Zombies
The Python is a one-shot kill in the early rounds. After that it becomes a two-shot kill to the chest, but remains capable of one-shot kills, provided they are headshots. It is often not favored in Zombies, due to its low capacity and slow reload. It can, however, be a powerful secondary to use in a pinch, like the Pack-a-Punched Colt M1911.

When Pack-a-Punched via the Pack-a-Punch Machine, the Python becomes the Cobra, which doubles the magazine size, giving it 12 shots per cylinder with 96 extra rounds and the Speed Reloader attachment. The damage up-close does not increase but its damage at range does which may occasionally be useful at long range engagements.

The Python does not appear in the Wii version of the game.

Call of Duty: Black Ops II
"The Python .357 magnum revolver. No thank you, I have reproductive organs of my own."

- Marlton Johnson, when obtaining the Python from the Mystery Box in Green Run.

The Python returns in Call of Duty: Black Ops II, only available from the Mystery Box in Zombies mode, and briefly seen in the campaign (only seen holstered and carried by Jonas Savimbi and several Batallón Dignidad fighters). It is exactly the same as its Call of Duty: Black Ops counterpart, being able to get one-shot kills up until round 9 and is a good backup weapon to use if in a pinch. Its downsides are it holds six rounds which can run out fast if fired quickly and the fact that it reloads one round at a time. Its Pack-a-Punched counterpart, the Cobra, also functions the same as its Call of Duty: Black Ops counterpart. It doubles the magazine size, is a one-shot kill until round 16, and adds a Speed Reloader (via the Fast Mag attachment), making reloads significantly quicker. As well, the minimum damage is doubled. Like all other non-2025 weapons, it can only be Pack-a-Punched once.

Both the Python and the Cobra can benefit significantly from Speed Cola due to the faster reloads, and benefit extremely from Double Tap Root Beer, due to the weapons effectively obtaining double the damage

The Python only appears in TranZit, Die Rise, Nuketown Zombies and Origins. It does not appear in Mob of the Dead (but it seen in the cutscene with a snub nose barrel) or Buried (where it is replaced in function by the Remington New Model Army).

Attachments

 * Fast Mag
 * Snub Nose (unobtainable; cutscene only)

Call of Duty: Black Ops: Declassified
The Python appears in Call of Duty: Black Ops: Declassified as the .357 Magnum. Unlike its counterpart in previous games, it has a Speed Reloader by default.

Attachments

 * Tactical

Call of Duty: Black Ops

 * Pack-a-Punching the Python removes the tritium on the iron sights, much like how it was early in development.
 * The Python is capable of gibbing enemies.
 * In early stages of development, the Python was called .357 Magnum.
 * There is a fingerprint on the top of the Python's barrel.
 * The Python was originally supposed to have black iron sights with an Upgraded Iron Sights Attachment, but the hour-long interview showing Gun Game with "Python Speed Reloader" showed the newer, white sights as default.
 * When reloading without the Speed Loader attachment, the reload animation will show the character inserting every round individually, however, the cylinder chambers remain empty. This can be clearly seen when increasing the field of view on the PC.
 * In Zombies, the Pack-a-Punched Python is called the "Cobra". Both names are a play on words, as both weapons are named after types of snakes.
 * Originally, the Python in Gun Game was to have a Snub Nose and Speed Reloader, rather than just a Speed Reloader. This can be seen in early Gun Game videos.
 * While reloading without a Speed Reloader, one can see up to three empty slots for the bullets, even if the player is just putting one or two cartridges into the revolver.
 * After each shot, a shell casing hitting the ground can be heard.
 * If the player looks closely when reloading, one can see that spent cartridges are being put in.
 * Upon acquisition of the Python from the Mystery Box in Nazi Zombies, the recipient will give a negative comment about the gun, despite its one shot kill capability in early rounds.
 * At full FOV, one can see that the cartridges being put into the gun is not inside the cylinder.
 * In the E3 demo, the Python had the same firing sound as the PSG1

Call of Duty: Black Ops II

 * Jonas Savimbi has a holstered Python on his hip. He also has 12 Python bullets near his Python.
 * If the Python is put into the Locker in TranZit or Die Rise and is subsequently taken in Buried it will become a Remington New Model Army and vice versa.