Why not a Colt Cobra?

[Clark]

I have a lot of Colt and a lot of Smiths, and Colts are better.

But I spent a lot of time fixing Colts with this book in hand
http://www.amazon.com/Colt-Double-Action-Revolvers-Manual/dp/B000IXMGDS

Some times I give up, and pull out the strut, spring, and pin.
Then I just use them as a single action revolver.
The hole in the frame for the latch pin gets enlarged.
A 100 year old revolver for $100 at a gun show will have problems like that.

 

[jhco50]

Buy 'em both and be sure.

 

[Cocked & Locked]

Cobra works.

 

[4v50 Gary]

I would buy it if I didn't already have a Colt Detective Special. You may be sorry later if you pass it up now.

 

[golden]

Recoil is a problem

RECOIL is pretty bad in the first generation COBRA'S. I have one and while it is controllable if you have rubber grips, it is a painful weapon to shoot with just about any ammo using the wooden grips.

You may not be as sensitive to recoil as I am, but I carry a mid size .40 S&W with a polymer frame and that does not bother me. Even wadcutters were unpleasant out of the COBRA.
I also shoot the even smaller SMITH & WESSON and CHARTER ARMS 5 shot .38 Specials and they are not nearly as bad in the recoil department because I have rubber grips on them.

For a home defense gun, I think the COBRA is a very poor choice. A mid size .38 Special with at least a 4 inch barrel will be much more controlable and have greater stopping power due to the longer barrel and consequently higher velocity of the ammo.
You would also have the option of a +P load in the mid size gun. If you want a revolver and do not want to use .357 magnum ammo, then try a S&W model 10 with a 4 inch heavy barrel. The slightly bigger and heavier COLT Official Police (long out of production, but still common on the used market), the RUGER GP 100 and S&W 686 are much, more effective weapons for home defense.

The COBRA may be a good choice for Concealed Carry, but not with the wooden grips that it came with. At least to me.

Jim

 

[icanthitabarn]

I would not pass on a Cobra and didn't a few months back. It, so far, has shot a tighter group than my Gold Cup and 6" Dan Wesson, both with target hand loads. It was at a lesser distance and was a shocker !!.

 

[PabloJ]

I would not pass on a Cobra and didn't a few months back. It, so far, has shot a tighter group than my Gold Cup and 6" Dan Wesson, both with target hand loads. It was at a lesser distance and was a shocker !!.

"Miracles" do happen especially when we really want them to. In Ransom rest your results
might be different.

 

[icanthitabarn]

I recommend the load that shocked me. Fed red box 158 RN lead. My reloads fell far short of these.

 

[PabloJ]

I recommend the load that shocked me. Fed red box 158 RN lead. My reloads fell far short of these.

You can also get those in violet/grey box from local Walmart for about $18/50.

 

[icanthitabarn]

Too much. The big gunstore had em for $10 until last year, now $17 or $18

 

[Edarnold]

Colt snubbie

I found a Colt Agent last year, a relic of a friends' father who had shot it enough to wear a lot of the finish off the left side of the frame. Inside was immaculate and locks up tight. The only double-action I've ever encountered that was as smooth was (surprise?) on a 1960's era Python, and the single-action is amazingly light and crisp.

The one drawback were the original grips, which positioned my 2nd finger knuckle right where the trigger guard could smack it hard enough to create a bruise within 20 rounds. Fortunately I found a set of Pachmayr Gripper Pro grips that cured that problem. With light 158gr. range loads, this is now my wife's favorite pistol, which she shoots with deadly accuracy.

Best $140 I spent in a long time.

 

[LKB3rd]

I have some Colt revolvers and I like them. You can still send them back to Colt for repairs and service, and they do a good job, obviously it isn't as convenient as it could be..

 

[doc540]

You need to have a strong heart

 

[Jaxondog]

Those Cobra's are nice looking pistol's. May have to look into shooting one.

 

[PabloJ]

If I reloaded I would have picked up S&W 'Airweight' with alloy cylinder. I just adore weird stuff. The gun was in top shape and would make interesting conversation piece plus be excellent carry piece stuffed with .38 specials loaded with solf lead hp slugs to .38S&W levels. Colt revolvers never did anything for me.

 

[BullfrogKen]

The one drawback were the original grips, which positioned my 2nd finger knuckle right where the trigger guard could smack it hard enough to create a bruise within 20 rounds.

The stock grips on the later generation D frames plain sucked. They do that to everyone's knuckles. I have three D frames, and none of them have the factory walnut grips on them anymore.

 

[smkummer]

I have several

Great gun for carry as its light and that means it will get carried. I believe it also is a great house gun as its very hard to grab a 2 in. barreled gun from the good guy. When checking out a noise, its simple to just put in in your pocket. Colt states after 1000 rounds of Plus P have it checked for wear. Who the heck is going to shoot a 1000 rounds of Plus P out of one of these anyway? Practice with standard and carry Plus P. I find myself shooting alot of mid-range wadcutters for practice as the recoil is very managable. If it has the post 1966 short grip frame it will have several options for rubber and wood stocks. All shrouded barreled cobras have the short grip frame. If it has the smaller service stocks, a pachmayr grip adapter helps to tame the recoil. What is the price and is it blued or nickel?

 

[Jaymo]

The 1980s Colt factory rubber grips for the D frame were very comfortable.
My mom has a Commando Special (Dick Special with parkerized finish) made around '87.
I love that revolver. It's a great shooter.

Damn, now I need to find one.

 

[Fat Boy]

Smkummer- the Colt is blue-steel with a non-shrouded ejector. Grips are wood- after/market. Price is $519.

 

[ssyoumans]

Colt states after 1000 rounds of Plus P have it checked for wear. Who the heck is going to shoot a 1000 rounds of Plus P out of one of these anyway? Practice with standard and carry Plus P. I find myself shooting alot of mid-range wadcutters for practice as the recoil is very managable.

I pretty much agree with the above. I use to carry mine quite a bit. Bought a 1969 Colt Cobra in 1996. It was a police trade in, decent shape.. $200. I've fired probably 500-750 rounds of 158gr LSWCs through it over the years. Best trigger of all the handguns that I own. Despite the warning below, I always carried mine with 158gr LSWCHP +Ps, then later, Corbon DPX +P, and then Hornady Critical Defense +P loads. Only fired maybe a cylinder or two of each +P load through it, to confirm function and chrono the loads. I have since retired Cobra to safe queen status. Today, I would probably opt for the Buffalo Bore 158gr LSWCHP in the NON +P configuration. I WOULD NOT fire Buffalo Bore +P loads in a Cobra. Those loads are VERY HOT for a pre-72 aluminum frame Colt. I would even be leary of the Corbon DPXs, they were pretty hot too.

My understanding was that:
Post-1972 Aluminum framed Colt Cobra was rated for 1,500 rounds of +P, then they changed it to 1,000 rounds. The gun he describes w/o the shrouded ejector is a pre-1972 and was never rated for +P by Colt.

Here's an interesting thread on the topic from about 10 years ago..
http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-2118.html


BUY it, you won't regret it!

 

[silversport]

I prefer my Cobra to my Smith 642-2 and it seems lighter despite the extra round over the Smith...in the Smith's defense...it is a Centennial but it has been worked on by Teddy Jacobson...nice but not the Cobra...Good luck with your choice...
Bill

 

[Owen Sparks]

Why not a Colt Cobra?

Parts availability, that's why not.