Colt Cobra
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I recently traded back into the Colt Cobra that I'd sold a few years back and it's good to have it back home again.
A couple of tips about it. First keep +P ammunition out of it. Colt hasn't made DA revolvers for several years now and replacement parts are getting scarce and expensive. Also, your Cobra uses Colt's older double pawl lockwork which is quite different from most other DA revolvers and gunsmiths able and willing to work on one are few and far between these days. Older revolvers with aluminum frames (both the Colt Cobra and Agent have aluminum frames) don't generally tolerate +P ammo very well and have been known to stretch their frames causing symptoms like excessive endshake in short order if fed too much +P ammo.
If you want to carry your Cobra, Hornady's 110gr Standard Pressure Critical Defense would be my recommendation followed by Federal 125gr Nyclad or a good old fashioned 148gr HBWC loading if the Hornady isn't available.
Also, the Tyler T-Grip is on my Cobra for a reason (though I was lucky enough to have it come with the gun). While attractive looking, the shape of the original grips leaves a bit to be desired and the addition of a grip adapter or a nice set of aftermarket grips makes the gun much more comfortable.
Finally, as to accessories, many pocket holsters made for S&W J-Frames work well with Colt D-Frames so long as they're not tightly molded (most pocket holsters aren't). Mine fits very well in a Galco Front Pocket Horsehide holster that I also use for my S&W J-Frames. Likewise, even though HKS makes speedloaders specifically for the Colt, I've found that the HKS and Safariland Comp II loaders designed for S&W K-Frames work quite well. Because the K-Frame loaders work so well and I already had several of them, I've never felt the need to buy and Colt-specific speed loaders.
A couple of tips about it. First keep +P ammunition out of it. Colt hasn't made DA revolvers for several years now and replacement parts are getting scarce and expensive. Also, your Cobra uses Colt's older double pawl lockwork which is quite different from most other DA revolvers and gunsmiths able and willing to work on one are few and far between these days. Older revolvers with aluminum frames (both the Colt Cobra and Agent have aluminum frames) don't generally tolerate +P ammo very well and have been known to stretch their frames causing symptoms like excessive endshake in short order if fed too much +P ammo.
If you want to carry your Cobra, Hornady's 110gr Standard Pressure Critical Defense would be my recommendation followed by Federal 125gr Nyclad or a good old fashioned 148gr HBWC loading if the Hornady isn't available.
Also, the Tyler T-Grip is on my Cobra for a reason (though I was lucky enough to have it come with the gun). While attractive looking, the shape of the original grips leaves a bit to be desired and the addition of a grip adapter or a nice set of aftermarket grips makes the gun much more comfortable.
Finally, as to accessories, many pocket holsters made for S&W J-Frames work well with Colt D-Frames so long as they're not tightly molded (most pocket holsters aren't). Mine fits very well in a Galco Front Pocket Horsehide holster that I also use for my S&W J-Frames. Likewise, even though HKS makes speedloaders specifically for the Colt, I've found that the HKS and Safariland Comp II loaders designed for S&W K-Frames work quite well. Because the K-Frame loaders work so well and I already had several of them, I've never felt the need to buy and Colt-specific speed loaders.
This is true, though I never realized it until I bought an HKS speed-loader for my Cobra (marked "DS"-for the Colt Detective Special, I imagine) and eventually determined that it and the HKS model made for Smith K-frames (marked "10", for the S&W Model 10, I suppose) worked equally well in both revolvers. I've never actually measured either loader to compare, but I have to guess they are identical in size.
petepeterson
Inactive
Great looking revolver! I grabbed one a few years back for 3 bills, and was thrilled, but it wasn't nearly in the condition that one is. Congrats.
I throw mine on every once in awhile for nostalgia's sake (my GF used one as his off-duty- now my uncle CC's it). My 442 is much more comfortable to shoot and carry with the concealed hammer and boot grips, but 20% more ammo on board is nothing to sneeze at, for not a lot more size.
I also agree with avoiding +p ammo, not because it won't handle it, but for the reason given above. It's getting hard to find parts and people willing to work on them. You'd hate to end up with a "Jack Ruby paperweight" just for the sake of an extra 100 fps.
I throw mine on every once in awhile for nostalgia's sake (my GF used one as his off-duty- now my uncle CC's it). My 442 is much more comfortable to shoot and carry with the concealed hammer and boot grips, but 20% more ammo on board is nothing to sneeze at, for not a lot more size.
I also agree with avoiding +p ammo, not because it won't handle it, but for the reason given above. It's getting hard to find parts and people willing to work on them. You'd hate to end up with a "Jack Ruby paperweight" just for the sake of an extra 100 fps.
I never bothered to try the Colt-specific loaders because about the time I bought my Cobra, I also happened to read a magazine article by an ex-cop who said that a Detective Special had been his preferred backup/off-duty gun because it could use the same speed loaders as his full-size K-Frame service revolver. After reading the article, I tried some of the K-Frame loaders I already had to find that, low and behold, they worked perfectly.
I figured this was probably useful information even to those who don't already have a S&W K-Frame because HKS 10-A speed loaders are probably about the most common speed loaders out there and can often be had for a little bit of nothing from the "bargain bin" at the LGS or gun show.
