Python

The Python (simply .357 Magnum during the Call of Duty: Black Ops E3 2010 trailers expo) is a revolver in Call of Duty: Black Ops.

Singleplayer
The Python is only fully used by Mason in the mission Victor Charlie in clearing a Vietcong tunnel with the Flashlight attachment. The flashlight is held similar to the manner to the Tactical Knife in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. It is your secondary weapon in the mission "Executive Order" and is used in the mission "SOG" to shoot the NVA who is about to kill Woods.

Later on it is used by Vietcong troops in a game of Russian roulette between Mason and Woods. Mason, gambling the next shot is in the gun, uses it against one of his captors and kills him.

Multiplayer
The Python is unlocked at level 18. The weapon has the highest maximum and minimum damage of all the handguns in multiplayer, and for this reason is highly effective. It is able to kill in 2 shots at close range and 4 at long range. The snub nose attachment increases it to a 3 shot kill at short range, but its long range abilities are improved due to the fact that the recoil will settle faster. The ACOG slows down initial ADS time but allows for precise aiming and nearly doubles the weapon's effective range. Dual Wield can make the Python a very powerful, almost shotgun-like secondary, albeit only at close range. At its maximum damage, Dual Wield allows the two Pythons to kill instantly (provided that both weapons are fired simultaneously and both shots hit). Steady Aim helps when using this tactic, as it boosts the chance that both shots hit. An added bonus of Dual Wield is that it automatically causes the Pythons to have Speed Reloaders, further increasing the usefulness of the weapons. The main disadvantage of this weapon is the low six round capacity, high visual recoil, and a long reload time. Its long reload time can be mitigated with the speed reloader attachment and sleight of hand. It is by far the most effective hand gun, and secondary as well, for hardcore modes, as it is a one shot kill at any range. Its hardcore performance is further increased by the snub nose attachment, as its recoil decreases and its minimum damage keeps it killing in 1 shot at any range. Another smart decision for hardcore is the ACOG scope, as it allows for precise long range effectiveness, and can serve as an essential sniper rifle secondary.

In the Gun Game mode, this gun, albeit with the Speed Reloader attachment, is Weapon Tier One, thus it is the first gun players use in the match.

Attachments

 * Flashlight (Singleplayer only)
 * Snub Nose
 * Dual Wield
 * ACOG Scope
 * Speed Reloader

Nazi Zombies
The Python is a one-hit kill from round 1-10, after that it becomes a two-three hit kill to the body.

When the Python is put in the Pack-a-Punch Machine, it becomes the "Cobra", which gives it 12 shots per cylinder and the Speed Reloader attachment. It is a 1 hit kill until round 16

Trivia

 * The Python is capable of decapitating and/or gibbing enemies. When Mason shoots the Viet Cong soldier after exiting the caves, his head seems to explode.
 * Even though it looks like it has a very high recoil, it can be fired rapidly with almost no loss of accuracy.
 * In the E3 demo, the player is capable of reloading the Python using one hand (the other holding the flashlight) at a similar speed to a user with two hands.
 * There is a fingerprint on the top of the Python's barrel.
 * The Python and the Webley are the only revolver handguns that are used in Call of Duty series campaign. The .44 Magnum and the .357 Magnum are only used in the bonus level "Museum", bonus mode Nazi Zombies, respectively, and mutiplayer.
 * Even though the Python is used with two hands in First-person view; when running, the character model with the Python is the same as sprinting with the G18.
 * 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.
 * The Python is the only handgun to support the ACOG sight attachment in the entire Call of Duty series. It is also the first time in the Call of Duty series that a secondary can equip an ACOG scope.
 * Fidel Castro is holding a Python in the cutscene of "Five".
 * In Zombies, the Pack-a-Punched Python is called "Cobra". This is a play on words of the weapon's name, as both of them are types of snakes.
 * In the campaign when the Russian roulette is played, the gun appears to be fully loaded. This is probably intentional as the pistol could have 5 empty shells and one live round, this makes it harder for the players to cheat.
 * The Python's reload is noticeably faster with the dual wield attachment.
 * When shooting the Python, you can hear shells falling as though they were being ejected after every shot.
 * A snub-nosed Python can be found in the level "Payback", where the player is forced to play Russian Roulette.
 * When picked up by a character in Zombies, the character will usually respond negatively, despite it being a good handgun to use, most likely due to it not having a speed loader like previous revolvers in the CoD series.
 * When reloading using the Speed Reloader attachment, all of the cartridges are removed from the weapon, even if not all have been fired. This is unusual as it would be very wasteful and modern revolvers are designed to empty only the spent cases using the ejector rod (which oddly enough is not used in the reload animation anyways).
 * In real life attaching the 'Snub Nose' (shortening the barrel) would actually decrease accuracy dramatically not increase as shortening the barrel would shorten the time allowed for the bullet to travel in a straight line, thus why Rifles and Sniper rifles have long barrels. What is true is that damage would be decreased due to the shorter barrel preventing a complete burn of all the powder in the cartridge, thus lower muzzle velocity and less damage.
 * This is the first revolver to individually put in the bullets by hand.

ru.357 Magnum