Colt Cobra

[popeye]

I bought this gun last week. It's a '71 Cobra with a hammer shroud. There's some question as to whether it left the factory like that. I'm looking for some short (hard to find) Agent stocks for it. Gun came with rubber aftermkt. junk on it. I added these stocks and Tyler for now. I really like the DS/Cobra/Agent format for carry.

 

[gulogulo1970]

Camp out on eBay. You'll find what you need in no time.

 

[Old Fuff]

Colt did make some D-frame Detective Special's, Cobra's and Agent's with the shroud. I have no way of telling you if you have one, but if so it was probably noted in the shipping records, but it will cost you whatever a historical letter is currently priced at to find out. I doubt that it would add enough collector value to cover the letter - unless the revolver was like new in box with papers & manual so I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[dh1633pm]

I have no idea what anyone above just said. Not a pistol guy. Have to say that is a nice looking revolver. The insert (whatever it might be called) that serves to get a lower hold between the grips and the finger guards has to help shoot the thing. I always found light revolvers killed my middle finger when the trigger guard would hit me during recoil.

Does the exposed ejector rod cause issues when carrying? Never carried a pistol so I am asking out of ignorance.

 

[CajunBass]

Dh, the "insert" is called a "grip adapter." It's an aftermarket part that is intended to do just what you said. It fill in the gap between the grip and the trigger guard, allowing a lower and more consistent grip. The one pictured was probably made by the Tyler company, and is called a "T-grip." They're held in place by a copper clip that slips between the grip and the grip frame, then the grip screw is tightened down. I have them on most of my revolvers. You pretty much have to order them by mail these days. You used to find them in every gun store, but that day has passed. They sell for about $25-30 bucks or so. If you're looking for one for a Smith & Wesson there is another company called "BK Grips" that sells a similar product, but I don't think they make anything to fit a Colt as far as I know.

The shroud over the hammer is designed to prevent the hammer from snagging on a person's clothing during the draw, but still allows access to the hammer for single action shooting. Colt offered them as both standard and aftermarket equipment I understand.

My everyday carry gun is a Colt Cobra. It has the grip adapter, but not the hammer shroud. I've never had any trouble with the exposed ejector causing any trouble when carrying, but pretty much I holster it, and leave it.

 

[dh1633pm]

Thanks CajunBass. Excellent explanation.

 

[Jim K]

In my experience, those grip adapters are OK for SA, but for DA firing, having the middle finger up into the frame will work better in controlling the gun. I know that is contrary to "conventional wisdom", but I tossed my grip adapters when I went to DA almost exclusively.

BTW, I don't think those grips are factory in spite of the Colt inset.

Jim

 

[Cocked & Locked]

Here's some more of those grips...and this 1974 Cobra didn't come with them. Makes no difference here.

 

[popeye]

They are Colt stocks and came standard for a while on Colt Agents in the Colt labor problems in the 80's - 90's. Those guns as well as the steel frame Commando (DS format) were finished matte black, and considered economy models. I prefer them on my carry guns as they're easier to hold on to (even sans checkering). The distance between the trigger guard rear and grip frame from is greater than on a J Frame Smith. So I like the Tylers on the D Frame Colts and used them for the last forty years.
Exposed ejector rods have always lent themselves to the question "what about bending rendering the gun useless" While Murphy's law always applies (and should be considered in all matters of gun safety) the exposed ejector rod on Colt seems more susceptible to losing the knurled knob on the end than bending.

 

[SwampWolf]

QUOTE: Exposed ejector rods have always lent themselves to the question "what about bending rendering the gun useless"

There is the argument that an exposed bent ejector rod can still allow the cylinder to be closed and rotated whereas a bent ejector rod will not fit into a shroud, rendering the revolver useless. An esoteric argument, to be sure, but certainly worth entertaining.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

Cool looking Colts.

 

[Old Fuff]

The exposed ejector rod on Colt hand-ejector revolvers was introduced in 1889 and continued until about 1973. The only notable exception was the Python that was introduced in 1955.

Literally millions upon millions exposed ejector rod revolvers were produced. If the rod was unusually prone to being bent it's likely the design would have been changed no later then the early 1900's.

But it wasn't.