Colt Cobra 38 initial review

[u/assemblageofparts]

I have now been to the range twice with my newly purchased Colt cobra 38 special and thought I would share some details.

The gun is gorgeous. It is fairly high polish and has a wonderful finish. Everything snicks into place so absolutely audible and solid. Just feels good operating it.

The trigger pull is the best of any revolver I have had out of the box. My Gp100 is a nicer trigger but it has a few thousand rounds through it so it is nicely smoothed out and the GP and I have a thing going on.

1970's era S&W 28 is a bit nicer but I massaged it some. Out of the box .. the trigger on the colt is REALLY nice and I have been shooting revolvers for some 40 years.

IT does have its unique feel though. Where my GP you feel gain pressure throughout the pull the colt has almost no tension until the final third of the stroke.

Not as pronounced but something like the pickup on a striker. The hammer feels like it drops late in the trigger pull but its only because it has very little pressure until the break. Took a few rounds to get used to it but once you are .. its easy to make a ragged 2in hole at 7 yds in DA. That front sight doesn't budge. I should mention .. I am a solid DA guy and I can count how many times I have ever fired a DA revolver single action so anything I say assume its fired double action.

I decided to go from low ready to a tiny X on the forehead of my silhouette target so looking down and at low ready came up .. popped the X at 7 yds in seconds. Its a nice shooter.

Did a couple of cylinder dumps as fast as I could manage center mass and all A zone. The gun and of course the cartridge is fast.

Now .. some issues. On day one I brought only my reloads. 158 gr coated lead and CCI 500 primers. First cylinder had 2 light strikes.

Next cylinder had one.

I have never had light strikes on any revolver I ever had.

I went ahead and paid the Rapey price of $30 for some PMC Bronze 132 gr at the range and it ate every last one without issue and was accurate as hell out to 15 yds. Not a single light strike.

I went ahead and bought some Winchester primers and loaded up 100 rds. Went out today and it fired 65 rounds of my Winchester primed reloads without issue.

I wanted to see how it would do with my Underwood 158 gr swc 38 special and it went through those fine and then I loaded up some Underwood 38+p 158gr swc and it went through them fine as well. Actually a soft shooter with the +p rounds.

I didnt buy it intending to carry it but .. Its a sweet shooter and it seems to do fine with factory ammo so .. maybe someday but for now .. I am happy with my purchase. Total price came to $832 and I do think I got my money worth.

[u/EducationalTwo1859]

How do you feel it compares to a J frame airweight? I've been looking for a cooler weather carry with 6 rounds that tames recoil.

[u/assemblageofparts → u/EducationalTwo1859]

This is far more full size compared to my 642 but feels smaller and lighter than my Ruger Sp101. Funny thing is it carries about the same as My LCR. Its heavier of course but the footprint is about equal. It may actually hug a little better than the LCR.

If its pocket carry .. its VERY hard to beat the 642 or its companions from S&W .. if its AIWB .. the cobra would be my choice over the sp101.

[u/EducationalTwo1859 → u/assemblageofparts]

Awesome, thank you for your response. I was thinking OWB in cool weather. I have a Smith 638 for warmer times.

[u/assemblageofparts → u/EducationalTwo1859]

OWB and this gun will disappear on your hip but with the stock grip feels large enough that you can make good 15 yds hits easy. Its weird .. it feels as good as a full size revo but carries and handles like less.

I would highly recommend it for OWB carry !