And they are RARE. I was encouraged by the pull experience you had but yours must have been worked on to get the pull weights you claim. Leather, nylon, or Kydex holsters, it doest matter; youre going to get finish wear. Looks like a handsome gun to keep in the fishing bag though. Same for my little S&W mod 60 38 five shot. In the mid-1960s, he purchased a Colt Trooper from Massey Hardware in downtown Conway, Arkansas. The Colt Cobra holds six rounds of .38 Special ammunition, despite its compact dimensions. Shame they cant put the same effort into reviving their revolver line. Or is this their last-ditch effort at trying to make a buck off of something that seems to be poorly put together with a finish that you can get on a Taurus. So, they pack up their new purchase, along with the rest of the ammo, and park it in their safe. Some new Colt Python problems have been widely discussed online, including heavy single action triggers and a cylinder issue covered by Youtubers like Hickok45, but Colt has taken steps to address the concerns. I dont care for j-frames because of capacity and weight there arent enough bullets and the j is just 15 oz. The new Python has a 5-pound trigger pull, and it isn't clean and crisp. Nightwood Guns 9.57K subscribers Subscribe 60K views 2 years ago Keep the content flowing on Patreon!. Also, what is with the take off on Pachmyer grips? Folks expect a certain fit and finish from a Cobra, and by failing to achieve that, Colt is hurting their image much more than if theyd released the gun under a less auspicious title. A new design, made in America to join the other plastic fantastics would actually be a boon to them I think. (My 53 Colt Cobra is about 15oz, spec sheet for the new model lists 25oz). (Photo: Kristin Alberts/Guns.com), The ejector rod is short, no doubt due to housing constraints of the snub barrel, but is more than adequate to push spent rounds far enough to dump the cylinder. The Cobra holds 6-rounds, one more than many revolvers the same size. Ordered it in June of 2017 took 10 months. Colt didnt quite get the SF stainless series trigger right- I have a DS-II thats no better than okay, and the Magnum Carry I had was better but not sensational. It will be interesting to see what Colt does next. The IWI Galil ACE Full Review, Previous post: US Responds to Russians After Shooting Down Syrian Fighter Jet: We will not hesitate to defend ourselves, Your email address will not be published. Buy a Smith & Wesson. Wide rear sights have very easy to adjust screws for windage and . Not hardly. A. The pain on the hand is prominent after practicing. Colt CAN make high end firearms, their latest 45/70 custom Gatling gun and BAR 3006 semi auto version are works of art. In double action mode the trigger is smooth, and in single action mode the break is crisp and clean. Only then will I open the wallet for another Colt. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I do like the Colt 38 spcl Night Cobra, 6r. Some of these vintage gems can be found in the Guns.com Vault. Colt King Cobra - Problems, Malfunctions, and Failures OH MY! Aside from that, very satisfied with the weight balance, look, feel, functionality and fit. This is Colts first time wading into DA/SA revolver market in over a decade. They are awesome. Alberts achieved six-shot. The new Pythons are definitely the sort of guns that will go with you to the range every time you head out this year, and probably also next year and the year after that But they're also serious shooters. There are a number of Colt small-frame .38s in the house here, but in the end, the one that goes for a ride in the big world most often is the Agent, the dull-finish version of the real Cobra. Claims of as smooth as a python intrigue me a lot. The second version was produced from 1972 to 1981 and can be identified by its shrouded ejector rod. Have a gun thats collecting dust? As I looked the gun over, I realized that Colt must have come to believe that their customers are actually adults, as the gun had no key lock, nor were there endless admonishments to read the instruction manual (and avoid running with scissors) inscribed on the gun. But what were seeing today is that when a new shooter goes to a gun shop and selects a small-frame revolver thats lightweight and chambered in .357, they might buy a box of ammo and take it to the range once and lose their taste for it after just a few rounds. I believe these guns spawned legacies because they were more than just the parts that went into them; they represented unparalleled American craftsmanship in an era when national pride was still a shining virtue. I am not happy with sharp edges on trigger guard. , rifling 1/14 LH twist. Not meant to disparage, but to point out that the downgrade Troopr looks a lot nicer than the new Cobra. I fired the gun double action first shot cylinder started to rotate probably 15 degrees or so and the trigger stopped wouldnt let me press any further and the cylinder stopped as well. To correct a previous post the original Cobra was a 6 shot snubby not a 5 shot like the S&W J frames. In either case, our data indicates that the new Python hasn't impacted the demand for the original. The problem here is that many of the writers at TTAG havent been around enough guns that arent made from injection-molded cheez-whiz in their lives. Buzz, This Cobra looks like a Taurus. Best trade I ever made. Gist of what I heard: I agree with you that would have been a much better plan of attack. And they had the gall to actually come out with a faux Cobra version of it, too. by Chris Bird. What the market really needs is a good hunk of American steel. According to our friends at Revolvy, the first model of Cobra was made from 1950 to 1971 with a 2-inch barrel. Rabbit and squirrel are easily taken with this loading. They need to handle a lot more guns from the BG (Before Glock) era. Very very smooth revolver. Was a lot easier to conceal than the S&W model 10 with 5 barrel. Original Cobras were produced from 1950 to 1981. I remember the 90s like it was yesterday and I can remember seeing a lot of revolvers not just the snake series guns but Smith and Wesson Taurus and a half a dozen other ones sitting in the gun cabinets constantly collecting dust. I just dont get it. The combination of the grip angle and rubber grip makes shooting controllable and comfortable. To gunsmith came over started messing with it and then started taking it apart at that point they couldnt figure out why the gun locked up so they put it in a lock box and put it back with the rest of their gear. I personally Believe The Colt 1851 is the most beautiful firearm ever produced. Firstly, go to the "Colt" site and select "Customer Service.". Jim crewhead05 .38 Special, For full auction info and info on other online ammo & sporting goods auctions visit www.paauctioncenter.com. Is it produced by Colt 100%, or has Colt partnered with anyone else? Is it produced by Colt 100%, or has Colt partnered with anyone else? They kept the same good looks but modernized the internals. Colt 1911 Combat Commander Series 70 Steel Frame c. 9MM LUGER 1911 COMMANDER COLT COMBAT SEMI AUTO PISTOL LIKE NEW IN BOX G PETERS 1500-6. Trigger pull is rated from the factory between 7- and 9-pounds in double-action, and 3- to 4-pounds in single-action. In all I may try one when the price becomes more reasonable. I wish Colt & Smith&wesson would revamp and reintroduce a 100th Anniversary Model 1917, in .45 ACP. KING COBRA 357 MAGNUM. S&W 617 vs. Colt King Cobra Target .22. The little Colt Cobra arrived in an innocuous brown cardboard box. The all-stainless steel Colt Cobra revolver is built for concealability. (If youve already posted a passing review of it, let me know I probably missed it in the deluge.). Im hoping the new Pach. Every cowboy needs a revolver. As for the old Detective Specials: Colt a message from a customer that youve had since the early 1980s please hire some gunsmith and have a revolver line that was made exactly the same way youre early guns were. It will fit in a box 7.2 inches x 4.9 inches x 1.4 inches. Is there any talk from Colt to bring back the other lines of revolver will guns?? Like the 6 rounds. The one concern I experienced was the cylinder latch button lever is loose, it works fine but shakes when I touch it. Second of all, why not increase the barrel to 2.5 inches and get just a little bit more muzzle velocity and slightly better balance? You have entered an incorrect email address! The last handgun I purchased was a Smith and Wesson model 5906; its 2 1/4 pounds of solid American stainless steel thats at least as old as I am and both looks and shoots better than a new polymer gun, at least in my opinion. The pace slowed, but not nearly to the degree that some revolvers I have run required to score accurate hits. I guess Im just too dumb to understand the brilliance of someone in marketing. Add some Icing, Strengthen the cylinder & ream the chambers slightly so we can fire 38 Super +Ps to get a 125 JHP up to 1,000fps! Source: Just thinking! If you criticize the company because you have legitimate concerns about the quality of its product, fine. https://www.colt.com/Catalog/Revolvers/Cobra, https://www.gunsamerica.com/Search.aspx?Keyword=Colt%20cobra, An Israeli .308 AK? But the best news inside this article is the trigger pull. I would buy a light weight Cobra rated for +p preferably with a shrouded hammer, otherwise, no thanks. Looks like a charter arms for a whole lot more money and who wants heavy, big, bulky, outdated, .38spcl caliber either yawn waste of time reporting on this dead out of the gate no one wants revolver . So theres been an opening in the market for somebody like Colt to bring back theyre snake guns and trust me if they can hit it out of the park on this one they will sell. The Cobra was designed to be a family name. Guns.com writer Kristin Alberts took a Cobra for a test drive, discovering the Cobras trigger broke at 3.6-pounds in single, and a hair over 7-pounds in double-action. Yet in this new small Cobra frame. We fed a mix of ammo to the test Cobra with decent accuracy. The double/single-action Cobra is the baby in Colts wheelgun lineup. For a return to the double-action (DA) revolver market, a market we have a long and storied history in, .38 Special makes a lot of sense. Survival Trainer and Author. Perhaps Batman as well. I dont have high hopes for the return of the Colt snake line. Lee Marvin carried two Colt Cobras while playing Detective-Lieutenant Frank Balinger of the Chicago Police Department on the TV series M Squad. Hell, before Kimber changed things up, revolvers were even plastic. Have you ever heard of the term the past repeats itself well this is exactly whats going on people have been Auto crazy for the last 30 years now we want something else a little different and a lot of these new automatic handgun Shooters have not spent any or very little time behind the trigger of a big bore revolver. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Fourth, offer a shrouded hammer variant as well. I can believe its two pounds on single action. Regardless, the MSRP is $670, which means the gun will actually settle in at around $525 retail. Ergonomics on the Cobra are exceptional. Thank you for reminding me of such wonderful memories from my childhood! Whaaa, they named it something that was better OK, well get this, probably 90% of the firearm crowd has never seen an original or if they did they didnt know what it was. Oh mommy. I waited almost an hour to shoot it and when it was my turn to shoot I got handed the revolver and I loaded it went to take my first shot and the cylinder stuck in between Chambers and locked up and even the cult Smiths that were there couldnt figure out what happened so they just put it away. Yeah, the same ol, same ol striker fired polymer affair. If a gun that was specially prepped and pampered by Colt failed, how many of the ones shipped to their distributors that did *not* get that special love and care are likely to fail? (Photo: Kristin Alberts/Guns.com). Smith & Wesson Model 586: Reviewing A .357 Revolver With Class. First of all, I like the idea that they made it a bit heavier but I think they made it too heavy. First revolver since my 1932 Nagant, which, sniggers aside, was a fun little gun and just funky enough to enjoy at the range. I was able to find a DeSantis belt holster and a speed loader without much effort that seemed to be made for the Cobra. It is June 27, 2017 and it is still not available anywhere. Immensely popular in law enforcement circles, the 38 Special, six-shot revo dominated concealed carry . The problem with repairing these revolvers, is a strong tendency to decide to alter a part so that it will work instead of replacing it as intended. I was hoping for better reviews. Not true, the Cobra target is a 357 magnum revolver. Install a nice large WHITE ramped-post front sight (better than my K.Cobra). Accuracy was impressive. A Cold War era classic with smooth lines, a legendary back story, and an exotic-sounding name, Beretta's Model 71 was definitely a mouse that roared. Carried it a tour and a 1/2 and it came in quite handy on several occasions. A target load of a 148-grain wadcutter at 700 fps offers excellent accuracy. Absolutely; hands down winner. Dont make them generally available. The U-style (soft-V-style?) This revolver is of the same quality as a Taurus 85. Rifle, Savage 22 Cal. *After 7 months of ownership the new Colt Cobra was in my hand and operational for only 4 of those months. I have seen Glocks fail to fire on the first shot out of the box. I just read that S&W is coming out with some new 7-shot 686s including one with a 3 barrel AND its chambered in .357 Mag / .38 Spl+P Why oh why did Colt not chamber this roadkill snake gun the same? Substantial recoil but not uncomfortable recoil. Cylinder lock-up? It will show less wear and tear with use that blued or polished up. We simply have not had a large selection of revolvers to choose from when it comes to full size revolvers. So who will see it? Colts made a big business decision and its their dough tahtst risk. Model 487T Rifle, 1917 Eddystone Enfield Mfg 4/18 Cal 30-06, Terni 1940XVIII 6.5 Cal, Mauser Spanish . Making the parts on CNC, EDM or MIM machines does, however, more than suffice in a S&W or Ruger. Ive been hearing hype about this gun since late 2016. Look at which way the cylinder rotates. Before they stopped making revolvers they made a Lawman (.357 mag) with a 2 barrel. Mine is Nickel though, which I prefer! Theyre the only Gun Company besides Caltech that you you have a constant supply of firearms being shipped back to the manufacturer because of design problems and just poor quality parts. And the option to load from light .32 S&W and .32 S&W Long all the way up to .32 H&R Magnum and finally .32 Federal Magnum. 327 Meteor. I stopped buying 38s years ago and Ill tell you why. Many other guns in the same size category hold only five rounds. Sadly, its passed into history, but Ill never forget the smell of fresh peanuts roasting or the coal-fired potbelly stove in the center of the lower showroom and the classic mini-tiled entryway and doors. Running a hit piece like this because a demo gun jammed up during range demo day is silly and irresponsible.. Colt also offers a tritium front sight as an upgrade. First, the cylinder stop will drop before it even hits the recesses in the cylinder. The Nylon 66, a relatively inexpensive rimfire with faux woodgrain, was the first successful synthetic-stock firearm. I found many positive features. This new design appears to be more where it should be. Since I carry Two at all times I dont feel the need to run out and buy Colts for $699 to get one more round. Once I learned where the sights needed to be pointed to deliver the shot where I wanted it to be, it was dead on. And beautiful. RIP Bill *****. Give us a grip option with more meat in the web area just behind the hammer (like my K.Cobra). Just like if youve been in a car crash, you dont go run a marathon the day after you get out of the hospital. Q. My 1974 Cobra is my usual carry. The latest Cobra also features a redesigned leaf mainspring that . Only the Python and the custom shop got the extraordinary level of attention that the author is thinking of here. Ever since they announced a six-shot Cobra Ive been scratching my head. I recently handled a new Colt King Cobra at my LGS. The Colt Cobra holds six rounds of .38 Special ammunition, despite its compact dimensions. Insert your serial numbers by clicking them. There is minimal recoil on this Colt. With its small frame, 2-inch barrel, an unloaded weight of 25-ounces, it makes for an ideal carry or backup gun. I would expect a gun brought in by Colt as representative example of their work would have been gone over by them with by a fine-tooth comb before it was displayed. The Cobra features a transfer bar safety that ensures the revolver will only fire when the trigger is pulled. Stroking the side of the revolver feels less like stroking the slick scales of a cobra and more like a cat licking your hand. Im thankful to see something not made out of plastic. Nor anywhere near as light as the Charter Bulldog. Greg, this blog is called The Truth About Guns. Right hand drive The new Cobra, like the Colts that came before it, has a cylinder that rotates clockwise (or to the right), as viewed from the rear. Thats not necessarily a bad thing for a concealed carry styled handgun, but the better option for this specific line would be something similar to the deep blueing that came on the original guns. Could it have beed dressed up a bit more? Why are you so sensitive about this? . Good review. After all, it is what the market demands more than anything else, the name Colt still carries a lot of weight with people, and they could leverage that. The new Colt King Cobras are guilty of slide plate screw misalignment, sticky ejector, trigger spring/ hammer issue, long trigger reset and double action problems. How about split the difference at 20 ounces? Here's what it's like to shoot this classic scattergun. Then re-start the Diamondback and Anaconda. If I move the cylinder latch lever a little, the cylinder will rotate on the . In my admittedly limited experience with various revolvers, the only one Ive personally experienced that locked up (and not in the good revolverish way) was a colleagues Taurus. The reason why the snake gun revolvers werent selling very well in 1990 through the discontinuation of them was simply because everyone had made the jump from revolvers to semi automatic handguns such as a clock. Great way to show reliability and quality of craftsmanship the day they released the gun so that people can get a side at it and actually shoot it one of their seven test guns takes a dump. Re-design Phase? The trigger guard of the new Colt King Cobra, like those of the new Cobra and Night Cobra, looks as though the gun was dropped on it. Comparing a Colt t a Night Hawk??? Bead blasted finish? Not the first rimfire "snake" gun-- Colt marketed the original circa 1950s first issue Cobra in .22LR and made a .22LR Diamondback into the early 1990s-- the new Baby Snake fills a hole the . These have the same general size of frame and the same size cylinder as the older small frame models. Gun looks like a Charter Arms product. That would be the bomb. Additionally Colt isnt even accepting old Pythons back to the factory for repair because A) They are out of most of the partsand more importantly B) Most if not all of the Colt employees who could actually time them are gone. Where is the new Colt Cobra produced? I have an original Colt Cobra that was made in the 1950s. Cougar attacks are on the increase in several western states, and the new King Cobra would be an ideal carry gun for hikers, mountain bikers, and others who would rather not end up as kitty kibble. A Colt king cobra with a high gloss polish stainless steel finish two and a quarter maybe two and a half inch barrel I cant remember Ill have to open the safe and look at the Box but I have to agree with you its only a six shot 357 Magnum but it is sexy with original Pachmayr grips. It stood alone not only in Colts line at that time, but in American mass-production gunmaking at that time. Why are Colt Pythons so Expensive? Retain the allure of the Python by offering only a limited run every year. Now old and retired, it is my wifes preferred concealed carry, and we both love to shoot it just for fun. Its just a drag when a company comes out with something new, particularly an icon, and its nothing but complaining for the most part. Something isnt right in Colt-Land with either the design, manufacture or QA of that gun. I had a Colt King Cobra in 357 Magnum a Colt Anaconda in 45 Long Colt and a couple of Colt pythons 1 in 4 inch 1 in 6 inch. Back around 1974 I bought the colt detective special which is still my carry gun today. Lower the cylinder release a bit. The Anaconda also ships with Hogue rubber grips, which help dampen recoil. The original snake guns from Colt were high-polish, hand fitted masterpieces. The original Colt AGENT is a nice gun-i have 1- But the 3 barreled Detective Special is the finest handgun, for personal protection, that Ive ever seen. Colt, much like many other gun companies, has gone with MIM parts. Are you sure about the specs? The Phlster Floodlight Holster - Concealed Carry Ready, New Legislation Would Create a Centralized Database of Gun, Full Pistol Review ft. You do realize that 38 Special can be fired in 357 Magnum chambered guns..right? It holds 6-rounds of .38 Special and is capable of firing the hotter +P ammunition as well. They have graphs, charts other tests that resemble a pathological liar's polygraph test. The New Cobra seems like an updated Detective Special. For how long we will see. They locked up well, but their finish was quite rough by comparison to the Python. I bought a Colt Cobra back in 1965 when I heard I was going to `nam. Nov 5, 2022 at 2:55pm via mobile. Q. GOOD ARTICLE!I have the 3.8Det. The items in this catalog will be sold at a live auction with online bidding starting on Saturday March 18, 2023 @ 9:00am. HORSESHIT Colt mislead you with their verbage. Youll never see Colt manufacture a revolver with the same quality as the old snake guns again, its just not cost effective in todays markettheres always hope though. is beyond me ? Colt can produce the old style pistols if they actually want to put a couple bucks at it but apparently from your review it seems that there CNC Machining all the parts and assembling them on assembly lines buy gun techs not gunsmith theres your freaking problem Colt. And they still turn out excellent Gold Cup 1911s. Excellent suggestion. The trigger pull needed some work. Out of the box, there was one inner internal scratch, not noticeable until one opens the cylinder, in a spot where it would not affect function, so I did not mind, it added character like a body scar. I am very interested in the Cobra for these very same reasons. I dont believe all the Colt revolvers were great. So I get it. The front sight pops into view immediately. I am one of the Nations Senior Citizen, But I am and avid reader. Firearms dont get much more iconic than John Moses Brownings legendary Auto-5 semi-auto shotgun, affectionately called the Humpback for its distinctive drop at the rear of the receiver. Instead of a high polish it looks like Colt went for a bead blasted exterior. Barrel not too short nor too long. The Anaconda & Diamondback blued revolvers had a pretty nice finish, but it was just a reasonable polish-n-blue job. The Ruger SP101 was made for a concealment purpose a little brother to the GP100. Defender 45 ACP 3IN BBL Matte Stainless Cerakote Handgun. Anyone who wants a small (concealed carry) revolver can choose from Smith and Wesson, Ruger, Taurus, Charter Arms, and probably more. Im no exception; in fact, the very first handgun I purchased with my own money was a Colt Lawman. From the moment I found out that the Colt Cobra would be reintroduced and that there would be updates and changes made, I had a few questions running around in my head. Hoping this is the start of the return of the Colt snake guns to the market. I guess you have to fill up space and sell clicks but coming out of the gate with a slam like this is a bit lame. Maybe reintroducing their Snake gun line will keep them above water. Re-profiled and radius the trigger face more like an vintage colt or S&W pad. People are getting over the polymer Plastic Fantastic guns now and were reverting back to a cold piece of Steel a hog leg if you will. Took a chance on it, because I love the balance and handling. I almost slapped down my credit card right then and there, but Im married so Ive been saving up for it. This should steer some of you towards the new Colts. Someone else said if Darth Vader had a 38 snub, this would be it. They are great guns. Never was much of a Colt lover but wish I had scooped up more of those unpopular snake guns in the 90s when you literally couldnt give them away. Just got my Colt Cobra 38. And it's not just for defense against four-legged attackers. Back to the Colt, I see where its finally making it out to a few hands on reviewers (late June 2017). I may take it with me. Tauruss biggest thing going for it is that they are affordable. Never gonna happen, Colt left most of the Python tooling in the old Colt building in the area where US Patent/US Firearms was making their SAAs. A vintage Colt Cobra 2nd model located in the Guns.com Vault. Not sure that anyone is beating on them for releasing a revolver but to place it in the same genus and species as their renowned snake series, instead of giving it a more generic name is the issue. For Colt to come up with this gun as a namesake.holy shit.are you kidding me.wow Colt.what a shame. Quick and powerful, it every bit lives up to its namesake. The above posters that wondered why Colt couldnt come out with a polished, blued finish like the old ones maybe dont understand what it takes for skilled craftsmen to get that finish.