Post-SHOT Show Colt Cobra Update

And they used Viper already. Basically a Cobra with a 4" shrouded barrel.

Thanks again DPris for giving us the updates.
Got mine on order and am also looking forward to range reports as the guns show up.
Don't think the guns will be in my hands before the gun show where I put up a small Colt display.
Would love to have one for it though!

With the steel frame and some wood stocks it will handle fine.
The 329PD is the only pistol with fiber optic sights I've ever tried and I did think much of them (or the gun),
so I'll get my gunsmith friend to make me a ramp to replace the FO front sight.

Just a bit heavy for 'dropped in the front of my shirt' carry, which is my preferred method
as I l live where two shirts are the appropriate dress for most of the year., so I'll just shove it behind the belt.

Really hoping this sells for Colt so that they will screw on some 3" barrels on that frame for an option.
And maybe branch out with the frame cut for an adj. rear sight and chamber some .22s with a 4" barrel.

Same frame in alloy would carry better, so while my marketing skills are lacking
(I predicted to anyone who would listen that the 17 HMR would be a total flop),
may I suggest that Colt call the future alloy version 'The Garter (belt) Snake'.
I was going to go with 'The Rattler' until I realized that the name might be suggested as casting
aspersions on the guns' long term durability.

JT

They are going to have to make it better than their SAA for it to sell to other than the Colt fanboys.

I brought a new nickle Colt SAA in the mid 1990's. First box of ammunition blew the nickle plating off of the cylinder. Returned cylinder for replating. Then the plating on the rest of the gun pealed off and the gun had to be returned for replating.

Then there was the matter of oversize .457 - .458" chambers. Even Bob Munden said the gun wasn't worth a hoot. Sent gun into Colt who returned it with a note saying it was in factory specs.

Then we have the Double Eagle and All-American Model 2000 pistols. Now they are start making a double action revolver after how many decades of not building them?

Colt screwed me once out of over $1,200. Not really inclined to let them screw me again.

DPris said:

You're way behind the times.
Denis

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If you mean me what revolvers other than the SAA is Colt making?

Heck they have been making the SAA off and on for over 120 years at the time I brought mine and they could not get a simple thing like the proper size for the chambers and cylinder throats.

$1,200.00 may not mean much money to some but it did in the 1990's and still does today. I would love to be a gun 'riter and get guns especially made to send to them to get glowing pre-production articles. I understand that gun 'riters can't bite the hand that feeds them.

We have see this many times over about how the manufacturer holds a special range day with gun writers with hand built guns made to exacting tolerances and quality control. Then production actually starts. Just look want happened with Remington recently. I may be a little slow...

Screw me out of $1,200.00 with a gun out-of-spec....

But then folks have sent money for guns like the Bren 10...

And how many are still waiting on the new, improved R51?

To the "non gun owner" contemplating buying a weapon for concealed carry, there are just a few brands that they have even heard of, and Colt is ALWAYS going to be on that list. This fact alone gives them an effective edge in the market.

For those who wanted to label all this as "marketing", they are correct in a sense, in that Colt is keeping their LGS and distributor accounts from being forced to look elsewhere for revolvers. They manage to do that with something distinctive (6 rounds).

BSA1

Yes Colt, S&W, Ruger, and a lot of other gun manufacturers have turned out the occasional clunker but Colt the past few years have been making some very decent 1911s (I should know because I have bought quite a few of them). With this new entry back into the revolver market I'm inclined to give them the benefit of a doubt and see if this new Cobra measures up to the expectations of what we have for it. Hopefully if it's quality is good and sells then it may lead to lot of other new revolvers from Colt.

Adder has a nice ring to it.

460Shooter said:

Adder has a nice ring to it.

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I don't know... "adder" doesn't exactly have the snake ring to it. Sure, it's a snake, but not everyone know's that.

I think the Colt Garter would be a great name, especially for a .22 version!!

More than a few would not consider buying a new gun from Ruger or S&W, so a new Colt offering should be of particular interest for those with an open mind. Sample guns binding up in test firing was not a good start, but the steward should have done the same cursory cleaning as anyone else would have done while firing so many rounds of what may have been a dirty load.

DPris said:

Colt's currently building some of the best Peacemakers they've ever done, your older sample came from a different period & philosophy where Colt wasn't actually building them to be shot much.

As for the 2000 & the Double Eagle, ancient history.

If you're not interested, you could consider stepping aside from the discussion so we who are can proceed without you.

And we don't mind at all if you don't buy the new gun.
Denis

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Why should I step aside from the discussion?

I cited my actual experience with a new Colt SAA 45 I brought for a premium price and the poor quality, lack of proper specs of it and their refusal to replace the cylinder with a new one with the chambers and throats being the proper specs. I have not read any objective reports of the Colt improving their quality control since them.

What I originally said is;

"They are going to have to make it better than their SAA for it to sell to other than the Colt fanboys."

What you call "ancient history" is for me a good predicator of what to expect with them introducing a totally new double action revolver especially when they have not manufacture double action revolvers in several decades.

I am not impressed with the report of shooting a new gun that is probably hand made and carefully inspected before letting it be examined and shot by gun writers at a special wine and dine range day.

I think there is a market for 6 shot 38/357 snubby revolvers. Whether it is big enough to support another new one is a different issue.

Any ideas when these new Colt Cobras will be seen in the wild?

Joe

I am excited just to see a Colt DA wheel gun hit the market again after listening to people say it never would happen again for the past decade.

Something I noticed in a few of the videos from the SHOT range day:

A Colt rep specifically said that all of the small frames from Colt would be put into the Cobra "family". That basically confirms that more variations are definitely in the works and you can expect them to all be named Colt Cobra Something. I'd be willing to bet that an aluminum framed Lightweight Cobra is just around the corner, and that we may also see a Cobra Magnum or maybe even a Cobra Target (Diamondback replacement) if the demand is high enough.

I think its also interesting that King Cobra synergizes pretty well with that naming scheme if they were to revive it for a new medium framed gun.

ArchAngelCD said:

There are other snake names available that weren't already used by Colt. They could probably used them this time around, no?

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Maybe a 3rd model Colt "Garter" would sell to the ladies.
Get it? Garter snake? I know ... a cornball comment!

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I too would be interested in a Colt Cobra. I have a Ruger LCR .357 which I only shoot .38 +P ammo through (Gold Dot short barrel) and wouldn't mind 1) a real Colt, and 2) a compact revolver that weighs a bit more than an LCR to make it a super comfortable shooter (shouldn't carry a CCW gun without a good deal of practice). I don't really care about old Pythons, Anaconda's etc. Happy to carry on a new tradition of Colt revolvers. I too have shot some of the new Colt 1911's they are producing, and they appear to be top notch for the money (my comparison 1911 is my Les Baer PII). Can't wait to get my hands on a Cobra!

p.s. great to have an insider like DPris on the site to give some genuine industry insights

It's really great to hear that Colt took all that "stacking" out of the traditional "Colt" DA trigger pull and threw it in the trash where it belonged. I never could get used to those triggers but they were beautiful and finely fitted revolvers to be sure. Everyone take note - Colt actually did something intelligent in their marketing strategy after many years of blowing every opportunity. Now if they would just build us a 5 shot medium frame .44 Spl.......... (nah -never happen)