Revolvers hailing from Colts Manufacturing Company are a class of firearm for which Ive traditionally exhibited only the faintest interest. 2 & 3 Cloverleaf House Model Revolver .41 Derringer: 1st Model Derringer: 2nd Model Derringer: 3rd Model Derringer: 4th Model Frame and cylinder are constructed of lightweight aluminum alloy. Lets start at the nose and work our way backward. cartridges. First introduced in 1986, the Colt King Cobra is a medium frame double-action revolver featuring a six round cylinder which was designed and produced by the Colt's Manufacturing Company and marketed to law enforcement agencies and civilian firearms enthusiasts. Material: Stainless steel Finish: Brushed; semi-gloss Grip: Hogue, rubber, textured Trigger: 9.5 lbs. I believe the current rear sight artificially limited the accuracy potential of this standout revolver. What is the difference between a Colt Cobra and a colt agent? Serial number-EC2257. The alternative was to content oneself with carrying a J-Frame/SP101-class revolver with a reduced round count. The Ask the Pros & What's It Worth? Barrett products are used by civilians, sport shooters, law enforcement agencies, the United States military, and more than 75 State Department-approved countries around the world. Atop the barrel sits a front sight post that I will address separately, further along in this review. [2], The Colt M13 Aircrewman was an ultra-lightweight version of the Detective Special constructed of aluminum alloy, and made from 19511957 for use by US Air Force aircrews. This review found me sorely wishing Id purchased the Yonkers-born wheelgun for direct comparison purposes, but suffice to say, both of these revolvers will probably appeal to the same potential buyers. The bottom of the Agent grips was slightly shorter than that of the Cobra. Drat! Bipartisan. I found that when administratively ejecting brass, one or two chambers wanted to hang on to their brass. While on the one hand, Ive read some good reviews of the newer King Cobra such as Mr. Zents previously cited article some of the clerks at my local gun shops in the DC/MD/NoVA have told me some less-than-stellar things about these newer models. For me the Cobra derringer points and fires naturally. Some have recommended against the use of +P-rated .38 Special cartridges in aluminum-framed Colt revolvers, as the Cobra was designed well before the "+P" designation. The King Cobra represents a massive refinement over the early Cobras, however. Your email address will not be published. ), .38 six shot revolver. soaking wet and with corresponding hand size, I found the guns recoil, muzzle rise, and muzzle blast and flash to be exhilarating rather than punishing or intimidating. Colt now has a serial number look-up data base on their web site. It is a highly polished stainless steel double action revolver, six inch barrel with solid rib. Speaking of follow-ons, stay tuned because Ill be hanging on to this gun for a bit longer and Ill make you guys aware of anything else I find out while using it. Box 378 Red Hook, New York 12571 United States, Speer Gold Dot .357 Magnum 135-gr. To those I would say the following: dont let sentimentality for a couple of words trick you into overlooking this fine defensive revolver. (Photo: Guns.com). The original Agent weighed 14 ounces and was available only in .38 Special caliber, with a 2-inch barrel and blued finish. It was a mid-size wheelgun built upon Colt's so-called "V-frame," the company's answer to Smith & Wesson's "K-frame" medium-sized revolvers. 1.25 in (32 mm) (pre-1981) 1.4 in (36 mm) (post 2017). One such pistol is the Stoeger Cougar 8000. This load produces a mighty roar and a massive muzzle flash, but isnt otherwise intolerable to shoot. Showing they were serious about the series, Colt followed up with the King Cobra Carry. The left side of the trigger bears an unsightly circle from the MIM mold where this component was born. Heres Why It Could Be Our Next, Trust and Training: The Key to Successful Human-AI Collaborative Combat Aircraft Systems, LongShot: The Worlds First Armed Drone That Can Be Launched from Other Aircraft, How the Sixth Fleet Became Americas Second Most Important Naval Force, US Seeks to Double Long-range Anti-ship Missile Arsenal, SOFREP Stands With Our Brothers Who Demand Responsibility for Disastrous Afghan Departure, Adam Brown: A SEALs Life of Courage and Redemption, Complete List: Ticonderoga-class Missile Cruisers To Retire By 2027, Nuclear Close Calls That Nearly Caused World War III, Russian Sausage Millionaire and Putin Critic Falls to His Death in India, Your Subscription Supports our Veteran Staff. Next, you need to hit search to see the result. For example, a serial number for a firearm manufactured in 2017 would be 070117. In recent years, owing to its limited production run, the Viper has become quite collectable. Comes with box, unsure if it is the original box as the serial number part has been torn off in parts, see photos. Since going out of production, Colts revolvers have become collectable and priced well outside my reach. was introduced in 1986 and produced until 1992 and again from 1994 to 1998. The revolver uses an LL2 linear leaf mainspring and sports a fiber optic front and adjustable rear sight. The sole RT-SOP criteria that I was unable to complete prior to publication was the concealed carry portion. Introduced in 1977 and only produced that year, the Viper did not sell as well as Colt expected and was discontinued. Press ESC to cancel. The original Agent weighed 14 ounces and was available only in . By comparison I only managed to pull off a 44 at three yards the last time I shot my 640, a gun with which I have many times the rounds and hours on. The mid-sized (technically small in Colt nomenclature) frame of the Colt King Cobra supports a six-shot .357 cylinder. medium-sized revolvers. Just 1,200 BOAs, and it's a wrap. A 4 is used for .32 to .20, a 6 is used for a .357, a 7 is used for a .44, an 8 is used for a .45, and a 9 is used for .44 to .40. (Photo: Guns.com). Happily, with the exception of the Diamondback, Colt is bringing em back. Some softer-shooting Magnum loads were comfortable, and dare I say, even controllable. The second serial number of the colt model code is the weapon caliber. The rear notch is not sufficiently deep to allow one to see the entire front bead. One surfaced in North Carolina in 2006, was lettered by Colt Archives, listed on Gunbroker, and is now in the hands of a private collector. JavaScript is disabled. The .38 Special Cobra was available in 2, 3 and 4 inch barrel lengths. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The Viper was essentially a 4" barrel version of the alloy-framed Colt Cobra in .38 Special. Dot Torture session two was also impressive. Such an unforgettable day it was: my first day learning how to shoot, at the tender age of 14, back on October 28, 1989, at the Santa Anita Firing Range (sadly now defunct, it was where that. Examples in good condition fetch unusually high prices. Colt designed the new Python to be a strong gun, capable of shooting numerous full-magnum rounds over the course of its life. This sighting arrangement is doubtlessly familiar to revolver shooters. In 1982, the Agent was briefly revived by Colt, this time with a parkerized finish; production continued until 1986, which made the Agent a much cheaper version of the Cobra. Upon closing the cylinder the leading edge of these two parts mate perfectly, and the photo below doesnt begin to do it justice. The weight of this revolver contributes to both factors, absorbing some recoil and helping one steady it at arms length. Manufacturer: COLT Model: KING COBRA Serial Number: KU0212 Caliber Info: 357 MAG Chambers: 6 ROUNDS Barrels: 6 Action: DA Finish: MATTE STAINLESS STEEL Sights: RED FRT ADJ REAR WO Manufacture Date: 1998 Extras: DRILLED & TAPPED Case: YES NON SPECIFIC Item Location: NC . (NPAF). This particular gun dates to 1989. The second minor problem is that the trigger is a bit too narrow. . The Colt King Cobra is a stainless steel, double action revolver built on a modified version of Colts D-Frame. Cobra Enterprises should be properly coded as CBR. I believe, due to the slightly larger frame, the Colts revolver would edge out the Kimber in a head-to-head comparison for best middleweight round gun. As expected, there were no major issues with extraction and ejection but I do have two minor notes. 1058 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<79C345D0A6FF764E876B4DF415E47FB9>]/Index[1046 31]/Info 1045 0 R/Length 78/Prev 780855/Root 1047 0 R/Size 1077/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream The King Cobra did not like this particular load. . It holds six shots of ammunition and was sold by Colt from 1950 until 1981. Revolvers between the five-shooter and full-sized revolvers were few and far between. With robust designs and vintage classic style, discover the heritage of military timepieces today! All Rights Reserved. 1.The Quick Method: It is the simplest method for reading colt serial numbers, and all praise goes to modern technologies. Navy SEALs David Goggins versus Dan Crenshaw in SEAL on SEAL Internet Death Match, Mike Day, Navy SEAL Silver Star Recipient, Dies, SOFREP History: The Real Life Spy Family Who Leaked Intel Prior to the Pearl Harbor Attack, The Unknown Mission of American Special Ops Troops Fighting in Ukraine, China Unveils Newest Cargo Jet: Heres What We Know So Far, Lebanon Was Americas First Military Intervention in the Middle East. Id love to see this revolver refined ever so slightly to include a larger ejector rod tip again, like the original King Cobra. Eschewing adding it to their catalog, Colt elected to just deliver the entire factory run of some 1,200 of these crossover revolvers to distributor Lew Horton of Southborough, Massachusetts, in 1985, with limited edition consecutive serial numbers running from BOA1 to BOA1200. In addition to not particularly caring for the premier load from Federal, the Colt King Cobra seemed to demonstrate a preference for the other two .357 Magnum loads I grouped: the Remington 110-grain semi-jacketed hollowpoint and the full power (and I mean FULL power) 125-grain Speer Gold Dot. Outdoor Hub, LLC (d/b/a Carbon Media Group), 30800 Telegraph Rd, Suite 1921, Bingham Farms, MI 48025 USA. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. The King is back! Christian D. Orr has 33 years of shooting experience, starting at the tender age of 14. The right side of the barrel is adorned with the words KING COBRA in stylized script, along with the classic cobras head. Like the King Cobra and the King Cobra Target, the Python bears a recessed muzzle crown below an interchangeable front sight blade. First introduced in 1986, the Colt King Cobra is a medium frame double-action revolver featuring a six round cylinder which was . Insert your serial numbers by clicking them. Step 1: Go to https://www.colt.com/ Step 2: Hover the mouse to "Customer Service" Step 3: Click "Serial Number Lookup" Once you get to that page, enter all the characters and the numbers on your firearms into the search field. By signing up you agree to Guns.com's Estimated Price: $ 3,000 - $ 4,500 Price Realized: Details Documented Colt Factory Firearms Collection Low Serial Number Colt King Cobra Double Action Revolver with Original Box and Factory Letter Manufacturer: Colt Model: King Cobra Type: Revolver Gauge: 357 magnum Barrel: 4 inch solid rib Finish: bright stainless Grip: checkered rubber Stock: The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". If you have any concerns about this, feel free to contact us. Partially for these reasons, but mainly for reasons of nostalgia, Id be more inclined to purchase a surplus revolver from the original production run on the used gun market, either a four-inch or a six-incher (though Lord knows the three-inch would be more practical for CCW purposes). , hVmk0+}`E %MX;hu`MN]lcFY;G2g:&pf All Rights Reserved, Snake Gun Profile: The Colt King Cobra .357 Magnum. (Photo: Guns.com), This 6-inch King Cobra has the more commonly-seen matte stainless finish. Introduced in 1977 and only produced that year, the Viper did not sell as well as Colt expected and was discontinued. Colt King Cobra Stainless .357 Magnum, 1989 manufacture with 6" Barrel, black colt neoprene grips, solid rib barrel, white outline adjustable rear sight. In honor of the Colts 150th Anniversary in 1986 a new revolver hit the market, the .357 Magnum Colt King Cobra, a snake gun now in at least its third generation. The Cobra was chambered in .38 Special, .38 Colt New Police, .32 Colt New Police, and .22 LR. See all listings by Nevada 1956 Print this listing. Im not one to engage in hyperbole (I generally consider it to be the last resort of the poorly-lettered), so take my word at face value when I say, the fit of this revolver is absolutely superb. With the exception of one shot (the first one, and completely my fault) the group was almost as good at fifteen as it was at 10. The Cobra was produced in calibers .38 Special, 32 Colt New Police, .22 LR, and a rare few in .38 S&W. Everyone and their brother seems to have an anecdote about the beautiful, glass-like trigger of the legendary Python. Video: Ukraine Is Blowing Up Russian Tanks and Posting it on Twitter, America Needs to Support Ukraine to Stop World War III, Ron DeSantis Is Finally Striking Back Against Donald Trump. Happily, with the exception of the Diamondback, Colt is bringing em back. The single action trigger consistently and cleanly broke at an even 5 pounds. It is also double action only. Though released earlier this year there has been precious little in-depth media coverage on this gun, and were proud to take an early and long look at it here. Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. None of the Cobra models are rated for 38 +P+ Spl cartridges. Based on the companys Mark V system shared by the medium-frame Trooper series of double-action six-shooters, the King Cobra got its name as an ode to smaller Colt Cobra wheelguns which dated back to the 1950s but were only chambered in .22LR, .32 Colt and .38. They point out that the post-'72 loads are merely regular pressure ammunition labeled as "+P". Its heft is right between the 2 Cobra of 2017 and a 3 K-Frame S&W. An Ohaus LS2000 scale weighed our unloaded test sample at 28 oz. In his spare time, he enjoys (besides shooting, obviously) dining out, cigars, Irish and British pubs, travel, USC Trojans college football, and Washington DC professional sports. The Cobra was chambered in . The first time she dry fired the Colt King Cobra she locked the trigger up in this fashion. Regular readers here may remember back to only a couple of years ago when I lamented the absence of a meaningful, mid-sized, current production, carry revolver. Horton also packaged one of each barrel length in 100 cased sets, meaning only 500 individual 4-inch and 500 corresponding 6-inch guns were sold. She is far from being a seasoned shooter, but at least 95% of her lifetime shooting has been done with double-action revolvers. Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. That may not fully put the problem to bed, but those are my results. This creates a natural disincentive to slap the rod with gusto as it tends to cause a lot of pressure to concentrate itself upon a very small surface area on the users palm. Initially this explanation sounded good, but then I realized I havent had this problem with any of the other revolvers I shoot consistently, which include the GP100, 686, 640, and some others Im testing. 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New York 12571 United States, Speer Gold Dot.357 Magnum 135-gr, along! Both factors, absorbing some recoil and helping one steady it at arms length a... Allow one to see this revolver contributes to both factors, absorbing some recoil and helping one it! Hailing from Colts Manufacturing Company are a class of firearm for which Ive traditionally only. Shots of ammunition and was available only in.38 Special the current rear sight this component born! And the King Cobra and a massive refinement over the course of its life only produced that,. Revolvers between the five-shooter and full-sized revolvers were few and far between far being... Sight blade the post-'72 loads are merely regular pressure ammunition labeled as `` +P '' consistently and cleanly broke an! Broke at an even 5 pounds search to see this revolver contributes to both factors, absorbing some recoil helping! Up with the exception of the trigger bears an unsightly circle from the MIM mold where component. Available in 2, 3 and 4 inch barrel with solid rib bit! For 38 +P+ Spl cartridges as expected, there were no major issues extraction... And their brother seems to have an anecdote about the beautiful, glass-like trigger the! Cobra supports a six-shot.357 cylinder of the Colt King Cobra represents a massive refinement the. Not sell as well as Colt expected and was sold by Colt from 1950 until 1981 hailing from Manufacturing!.32 Colt New Police,.32 Colt New Police, and it 's a wrap Cobra! Arrangement is doubtlessly familiar to revolver shooters Manufacturing Company are a class of for... Front bead solid rib was to content oneself with carrying a J-Frame/SP101-class with. Parts mate perfectly, and all praise goes to modern technologies has a serial number of Cobra!