Colt Cobra questions

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Croyance

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I saw a Colt Cobra today in a store. The bluing is worn in places, mainly the cylinder. Splotchy wear showing steel, but no rusting. The trigger is excellent - smooth and not too light. Timing seems fine. Firing pin on hammer. Asking price - $300.
I forgot to look at serial number.
Is this a good price? I assume that rebluing will kill resale value.

Can I use the same grips as other D-frame Colts?
Which other revolvers share the same speedloaders? I thought I read somewhere that some Colts used the same speedloaders as some S&Ws.
Are some generations or serial number runs know to be better or worse?
Anything else I need to know about this gun?

I really don't need this to fill a nice and don't believe in investment guns beyond blazingly obvious ones. The trigger and lightness makes it a sweet little gun though.
 
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Those are great little snubnose revolvers. That price might be a little high, depending on condition, but they aren't being made anymore. So, if its in good shape, and you can afford it, pick it up.

It will use K-frame speedloaders.


And, it will make you smile.
 
What generation Cobra we talking about? For instance, I just picked up a
gem mint Colt Agent with a 100% geniune blue finish (not parkerized),
NO cylinder drag mark, firing pin on the hammer, shrouded barrel (made
starting in '72), without doc's or box for $120; from an individual whose
wife wouldn't let him keep a gun in the house with kids~!:eek: :cool: :D
 
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$300 is a good price that seems to be about the minimum you can get a decent D frame.

Also, I've always found it easier to shoot and use a gun that isn't perfect, finish wise. The perfect ones I don't want to mess up, maybe you'll carry it more being that its not perfect. Plus, you always can get it refinished.
 
If you want a gun for carry then finish means nothing. If it functions flawlessly then you are game. $300 is about the minimum for a hand gun that isn't crap...and most of those don't say Colt. :D And since its used you are getting a lot more gun for the money.
 
Cobra

I'd go for a good older Colt at that price. I just bought a Junior in .25ACP and gladly had it reblued. It looked like it had been in a tacklebox for a century or two. I found some new wood grips and a couple of NEW spare mags for it. $197 for the pistol and $90 for the blue job and I have a nice little memory of years ago when they could be bought new for $75. That old Cobra will gladden your heart over the coming years.
 
Not a bad price, really.

The Cobra is a superb carry revolver, only slightly larger than the J-frame S&W. I'd probably buy it if I found an old model for such a price.

Best,
Johnny
 
I forgot to check the serial number - the guy at the counter was irritating me with his nonsense. I've never seen him before, so I'll drop in during the week (was at store because of Beretta Range Day).

How do I tell the difference between the generations? Is there a quality difference? It has the firing pin on the hammer, so I assume it is pre-70's.

For some reason it made the impression of being smaller than the J-frames I have handled. Don't know why.

Since the gun showed up in a dream last night, I'm guessing that if it checks out okay when I take a more thorough look, it will be mine.
 
100_5032.jpg

It seems the price, for the condition, is a bit high, but I haven't bought a Cobra/DS in over a year or so, so perhaps the prices might have gone up a bit.

I love my D Frames. The Cobra's actually spend a lot of time as my vehicle firearms when I'm traveling.

Note my Cobras are early models with exposed ejector rods, while my DS is a later "shrouded" ejector rod model. I like the Cobra's/Detective Specials no matter when they were produced.

Just quality firearms with no "stinking locks" :D

You can't go wrong with the Colt's if they are in good working order. I understand that there are not many folks who are as good at repairing D frame Colts as they "think they are", but you could always send it back to Colt if you had to to get it fixed.

I would recommend you make sure the "timing" is not off, and when I buy old firearms I even get the seller to allow me a reasonable "return" time "just in case". I then go home, clean the firearm up and go out and shoot it. If it shoots well and you feel good about it, it's a keeper.

I rescued one of my Cobra's from a pawn shop, and it's just as accurate and fun to shoot as the nicer (looking) other Cobra and nickle DS.

They aren't making any more of these examples of what many consider to be a "high water" mark for quality in American made snubby's.

Hey, Dick Tracy couldn't be wrong, right? :D

Best Wishes,

J. Pomeroy
 
All Cobras have the firing pin on the hammer.
The later ones had a shrouded ejector rod.

Yes K-frame speedloaders will work but D-frame loaders will work a little better.

Just remember that the frame is anodized Aluminium. That's why it appears black. It cannot be reblued.
The barrel and cylinder are steel and of course can be reblued.

Like all pre-Mark III Colt revolvers a Cobra should NOT have a drag line from firing. You'll only get a drag line on an old Colt from closing the cylinder between chambers and manually rotating it into lockup.
So you can't judge useage by the drag line. I've seen old Colts that had been shot thousands of times that had no noticable cylinder line.
 
The serial number is F91XXX, so that makes 1874 the year of manufacture. The ejector rod is shrouded.
So it isn't a first generation. Which generation is it and what is the significance of that?

The trigger is really nice. I could get a S&W J-Frame for $100 more, but the triiger wouldn't be the same.
 
You really think Gen. Custer used one?
Click to expand...

That's unalloyed madness! Everyone knows the first military unit to issue the Cobra was the Light Brigade.

After all, if Custer had had Cobra's he wouldn't have had so much trouble killing the Indians. They're natural enemies.

:evil:
 
So no luck in adding value to the next THR buyer.

Anyways, there was a "B" under the serial number, what does that mean?
 
Croyance,

According to my brand spanking new Blue Book the shrouded ejector rod is the distinguishing feature between the 1st issue Cobras (1972 and earlier) and the 2nd issue guns ('73 to '81). If yours was made in '74 it's a 2nd issue model. The one I'm looking at to buy is also a blue 2nd issue but in pristine condition.

The Cobras were all alloy and were available in blue and nickel, but I can't see why we'd need a "B" to tell the gun wasn't steel and/or all shiny. Which doesn't mean Colt didn't want to make sure. ;)
 
Well, we don't need letter to tell which S&W is dark or shiney either, but nonetheless S&W still marked parts with an N to indicate that they were manufactured specifically to be nickle plated later in the process.

I always though that Colt also similarly marked guns that were to be blued or blackeded.
 
Colt Cobra

I recently attemted to sell a nickel version of the same gun and $300 was listed in the blue book I looked in as for a 100% condition. If you like the revolver, and the price seems fair to you, it's not too far off the mark.

Check the tightness of the cylinder. Cock the empty revolver, then place a little pressure on the trigger, while holding the hammer, and feel if the cylinder moves. Colts lock their tightest just before the hammer falls. If it's loose, it has probably seen a lot of use. I would make an offer a little lower than the dealer is seeking.

The frame is a Colt "D" frame and you can put several different types of grips on it. The wood grips aren't for the recoil sensitive.

I paid $250 for mine in about '92, and carried it on an armored car for several years. :)
 
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