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.

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. Purchasing it unlocks the CZ75. 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 does reduce it to a 3 shot kill at short range, but it's long range abilities are improved due to the reduced recoil. The ACOG slows down initial ADS time but allows for precise aiming. The main disadvantage of this weapon is the low six round capacity, high visual recoil, and a long reload time. It's long reload time can be mitigated with the speed reloader attachment and sleight of hand.

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

 * Snub Nose - Increases accuracy while decreasing damage
 * Flashlight - Singleplayer only
 * 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.
 * When the Python is put in the Pack-a-Punch Machine, it becomes the "Cobra", which gives it an additional 6 shots per cylinder and the Speed Reloader attachment.

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.
 * 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.
 * 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 running with the G18.
 * The Python was originally supposed to sport 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.
 * 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 because the weapon model appears fully reloaded. Also it has the snub nose attachment when playing.
 * 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 ever shot.