Cobray Mac 11 any good?

[wcoats]

I know someone selling a Cobray Mac 11(semi auto) for really cheap and I'm thinking about buying it. I know it isn't a very practical gun, but it looks like it could be a fun range toy, and 9mm is fairly cheap to shoot. I just want to make sure I'm not going to buy something that's not worth owning. I've done some googling about it and it seems like a decent gun for the price point. I have a few questions tho…..

1. It evidently has a ball bearing mag release, which is evidently kinda crapy. Would this fix that and make it easier to use? http://www.cobray.com/SA_49_MAG_CATCH__NEW_STYLE_PM_MODELS-details.aspx
And if not is there a way to change it to a better mag release mechanism?

2. I might want to convert it to being a side cocking upper and put better sights on it. I’ve found some side cocking uppers online for about $200 that include a barrel and everything(which is as much as I’m paying for the entire gun). Do I have to buy the assembled with a barrel upper to convert it to side cocking? Or does anyone sell just the parts needed to change it, that would use the barrel and other parts that are in the top cocking upper?

Thanks for any advice or info

 

[hogrdr]

check out the mpa mac-11's, they are a way better gun and you can get the side cocker with a rail a lot cheaper than changing a cobray, they use a cheap sten mag too,you can find them at rk shows for 15=20.0, the cobray mags have a habit of splitting at the mouth. pretty sure the barrel would be different in a side cock, not positive though, i have 3 mpa's but they are all side cock. if you can get a cobray for 200.00 though its well worth that. the ones ive owned function good. its probably a swd or lianad right? check the mags for splits and replace the nylon buffer if you buy it.

i meant top cock

 

[wcoats]

ok, thanks for the reply. The main reason I'm interested in it is because I have the chance to get one fore fairly cheap. I don't really have any need for it, but for the price it could be a fun range toy, and 9mm isn't expensive to shoot. But I have a feeling I might start throwing a lot of money at it if I buy it.... side cocking upper with a 16" barrel, butt stock, forward grip, ect. I kinda wish I could throw a forward grip or a butt stock on it with out going for a 16" barrel

 

[EHL]

I had two of them. One was a Leinad and the other an MPA. They were okay range toys. But I found them, both uncomfortable to shoot. I had to wear gloves to be able to absorb some of the trigger slap. It wasn't the recoil, just how the trigger kinda hit you back during recoil that kinda wore on me. I ultimatly sold them to fund another 1911 and I'm glad I did. I would not buy another one, given the fact that they like to jam as well. (The Leinad more than the MPA, but they both jammed too much for me.)

 

[hogrdr]

my mpa's have never jammed, 2 mini's and one full size. some of the cobrays did that i owned.one had the hammer crack and went full auto. i wouldn't throw money in to any of them, you'll never get it back.

 

[USAF_Vet]

For $200 I'd get it and run a few mags through it first. Then flip it for a profit, since they lose their appeal rather quickly since they are very impractical. Showing off at the range is only fun a few times. $200 is a steal for the gun, but I wouldn't sink any more money into it.

 

[Justin]

You know what's even more pointless than a submachinegun?

A semi-auto version of a submachinegun.

If you have a need for a semi-auto pistol, get a semi-auto pistol, not an overgrown paperweight that fires bullets.

 

[hogrdr]

they are fun though, till you get tired of them.

 

[Girodin]

I kinda wish I could throw a forward grip or a butt stock on it with out going for a 16" barrel

Unless you live in state that wont allow it, pay your $200 and go for it.

You know what's even more pointless than a submachinegun?

A semi-auto version of a submachinegun.

I pretty much agree with that but sometimes pointless guns are fun just because. If I had my gun "needs" covered already and I thought it was something that I would get some kind of enjoyment out of then I might buy something totally pointless. I have had a lot of fun with some guns that I would label as rather pointless:

DE .50 A&E

PLR-16

1887 lever action shotgun

SBR GSG-5

NAA mini revolver

The list could go on and on. Non of those are serious use guns and non of them do anything that other guns I own wont do better, but they are still fun. I agree that a semi auto mac pistol is a fairly useless gun and for me there are a lot of guns I would prefer as a range toy. If the price is cheap enough why not? You could probably sell it when the gee wiz factor wore off.

At various times I've thought a semi auto SBR MAC or an UZI would be a fun "just because" toy. However, I think I'm going to just spend the money and get full auto MAC.

 

[wcoats]

I think I'm going to end up not getting it since I'd probably be fun for a few trips to the range, then I'd get tired of it and it would just sit around.