A Classic Reborn: Colt’s Cobra .38 Special Snubbie—SHOT Show 2017

in Authors, Clay Martin, SHOT Show 2017

Updated: January 17, 2017 BY Michael O. Humphries

To learn more, visit https://www.colt.com/Catalog/Revolvers/Cobra.

OVERVIEW

Great news for fans of the Colt wheelguns, they are coming back in a big way in 2017. Colt has barely made a revolver in my lifetime, and absolutely haven’t since I was old enough to buy handguns. This has caused an almost cult like following of all the classics like the Diamondback, Python, and Anaconda. Colt has stuck with the snake naming convention for the newest 2017 introduction, the Cobra.

A Classic Reborn: Colt's Cobra .38 Special Snubbie—SHOT Show 2017

The Colt Cobra brings the Colt name back to the realm of revolvers.

SPECS

Chambering: .38 Special
Barrel: 2 inch
OA Length: 7.2 inch
Grips: Hogue Overmold
Sights: Red Fiber Optic
Action: Double-action/Single-action
Finish: Stainless steel
MSRP: $699

IMPRESSION

Cobra isn’t just a model, it is a designated frame size. The current “ Cobra” offering is a 6 shot in .38 Special, and Colt has made some improvements in this design over its earlier brethren. It is not the lightest belle at the ball, but Colt tells us this is by choice. The frame is slim, but it is a fist full of steel, no doubt about that. This gun was designed to be shot, and the full weight of stainless helps dampen the recoil. The frame has been stretched, and recoil absorbing materials built around this new frame. The trigger has been straightened and lengthened, which makes for a nice crisp pull. The pull weight is notably light and pleasant in double action. The Cobra is sure to find some fans, and I am looking forward to a full review on it.

Pricing & Availability

The Colt Cobra will be going into production in the coming months and will be priced at an MSRP of $699. Keep an eye out for this exciting new addition to the CCW world!

To learn more, visit https://www.colt.com/Catalog/Revolvers/Cobra.

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Related Tags: .38 Special, Buzz, colt, Concealed Carry, Feature Articles, SHOT Show 2017

Tony Baloney January 28, 2017, 2:26 am

Who is running Colt? Have they seen the market and prices for the old snake guns? Even the used beat up ones are bringing big money. All they have to do is bring them back and keep the quality up and they would make a fortune. I have been saying this for many years. This snubby does not look like it would fit into that category. Too bad.

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Tony R. January 23, 2017, 2:52 pm

We sell old collector Colts, Smiths. We have many Pythons, Anaconda’s, Cobra’s etc…. Colt, you
really need to start producing the Snake guns again!!! Other than the prices, People want these older
wheel guns more than all the others!! Nothing like the Python trigger, bluing, quality in these guns.
We sell a huge amount of revolvers, but have little to sell to the customers from Colt!!! Come back to
the Civilian Market and you will come back quickly!!!!

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Neal Rawls January 20, 2017, 1:43 pm

I’m an older shooter and have three Colts that I’ve had an carried for fifty years. A Colt Python, Detective Special, and 1911. I’ve carried them in my years of police work and since then, in the woods, concealed, and in my car. It may sound silly and weird to some, but to me, they’re almost works of art. Smooth finishes, flawless actions, wood grips, and beautiful design. All of these firearms were worth what I paid for them and after all these years, they are actually worth a lot more than I paid. But, this new Colt just doesn’t seem to have that same artistic design. It doesn’t say, I’d hang this on the wall next to a painting and just look at it, like my Python does. Many of us would like to have function and beauty in a firearm for eight hundred bucks. Colt should look at their SAA and how it sells. Function and beauty.

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Hank January 18, 2017, 9:50 pm

Too ugly to be considered or be labeled as a Colt ‘snake gun’. Yulk.

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Bo January 18, 2017, 8:43 pm

It’s great to see them back , however I (remember this is only my opinion) DO NOT like the front sight or the trigger guard shape ! What was wrong with the old design that has been COLT since inception ?

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Robert January 18, 2017, 7:23 pm

A $700.00 Stubby?

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- Jason January 19, 2017, 11:55 am
  
  No kidding….Taurus .38 Special MSRP is $386. Perhaps less features but I hardly can differentiate between these two revolvers…not at a 300+ price difference
  
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beenhereawhile January 18, 2017, 4:48 pm

I own several Colts, mostly revolvers and the old ones I love, The Colt Detective was and is the best Belly gun ever made.
We will have to see if this is anything. I would love to see Colt come back but don’t thank they have the management or funding to ever make it.

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FirstStateMark January 18, 2017, 4:29 pm

Why do manufactures think that the dull finish on stainless guns is attractive? It’s like the bead-blasted finish on the S&W 69.
Stainless guns should be shiny (IMO). Another over priced gun by Colt that is not even nice looking. I’ll keep my Shield.

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DMD January 18, 2017, 4:05 pm

As long as Colt was re-designing its revolver–why did they not engineer and machine the cylinder for moon-clips (ColtClips?) so that the new gun could shoot 9mm/.380/.38 interchangeably ? Or maybe even add .357 magnum capability? It would not cost very much more, and would be a unique entry into the marketplace!! DMD

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Frank January 18, 2017, 3:27 pm

Maybe Colt filing for bankruptcy will make this a collectors piece down the road. Who knows what their future holds.
Does anyone have input on the action of these new Colt revolvers? The old Colt revolver actions are like hot butter.

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Robert Keiser January 18, 2017, 2:52 pm

The original Cobra was a lightweight with alloy frame. This is steel. Why not callit the Detective Special, which was the steel snubby? I’ll stick with my LCR.

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Leonard Feinman January 18, 2017, 2:23 pm

Way back in the 1980’s, I had picked a Colt Agent as a carry gun. It is the same gun, only lightweight, and it was my favorite. Too bad it was stolen by some baggage handler at the airport after I followed the rules and declared it.
Colt has always made great handguns. It is a valuable brand, and usually worth the money. But, in this case, I think the MSRP is a bit too high. I could purchase another .38 and save money, but, this is a colt. Still, this price is hard to justify. I want to see what the market does before I but another. Right now, I have a Ruger LCR but I hate shooting it.

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Bill January 18, 2017, 1:16 pm

$700???!!! I can buy a brand new Smith 642 at the San Antonio gun show for HALF THAT!!!! And for a hundred less than the Smith, I can get a Taurus or Rossi.

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- Pg February 4, 2017, 1:38 am
  
  I own a S&W 642. It kicks like a magnum with non +P .38 rounds and is not comfortable to shoot. There is a reason why it is cheaper than the stainless and blue steel revolvers S&W produces. $700 is about what some of the j-frame non alloy S&W revolvers go for, so the new Colt is in the ballpark for price. Don’t believe me, check it out at the on-line gun auctions.
  
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Marcelino January 18, 2017, 12:20 pm

$650 I get a Ruger AR 556 with a more serious home defense gun. Colt lost the civilian market by going after the military contracts. They completely ignore us; now the military is ignoring them.

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- Alb January 18, 2017, 1:55 pm
  
  Very well said. I agree colt completely ignored the civilian market.
  
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  - American January 18, 2017, 7:55 pm
    
    I agree you don’t see many new COLTS for sale. It looks like they made a safe version of the Cobra and took the firing pin off the hammer.
    
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ert January 18, 2017, 10:31 am

Just a ploy to attract investors to bail them out since they are going down in bankruptcy flames. The timing is NOT coincidental!

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Duane Storm January 18, 2017, 10:24 am

Bought an Anaconda fired it enough to start having problems In short it had developed timing problems Had it repaired several times new springs, original parts replacement and fit. I sold it and bought a 629 classic and have been happy ever since. Colt should stick to autos as their revolvers are way over rated

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Michael Acosta January 18, 2017, 9:29 am

love it, love it, love it, is it California legal, I am in

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Billybob January 18, 2017, 8:49 am

y AWR Hawkins15 Jun 2015208
On Sunday, Colt Defense LLC announced it is filing for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection and looking to sell operations, or portions of operations, in the U.S. and Canada to pay off $355 million in debts.In 2013, Colt lost the contract to supply the Army with the M4.

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- shrugger January 18, 2017, 9:21 am
  
  Wouldn’t be like that if they hadn’t snubbed consumers over contracts for so many years.
  
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Mark Tercsak January 18, 2017, 8:13 am

Glad to see the re-birth of the Colt~Cobra.

It was our Father’s carry pistol when he was a Detective for most of the he was on the job.

The Cobra- was the son of the all steel Detective Special.

Like to see Colt reintroduce the Colt New Service with a Python like trigger, 45 colt, 44 spl, 357 magnum.

with the original style cylinder release, not a huge fan of the rounded knob.

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Chris January 18, 2017, 7:47 am

About freaking time. Would love to see a nice family of frame sizes/calibers in stainless. Welcome back to the world of wheelies!

‘Not as clumsy or random as an autoloader; an elegant for a more civilized age…’

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Billyd January 18, 2017, 7:32 am

A retired person don’t have that kind of money to spend on a competition gun..
especially something as green as this one. I owned one of the old ones and I didn’t
think much of that one.(It was a smooth one). Billyd

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Jeffrey L. Frischkorn January 18, 2017, 6:53 am

“Colt has barely made a revolver in my lifetime…” Holy Moly, Kid; do you still sleep with a Teddy bear and does your mother tuck you into bed at night? You don’t need a revolver to protect you when it get darks outside; you just need to leave a night light on…

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wtsane January 18, 2017, 6:03 am

I am sorry, but it looks like a Charter Arms product. Nothing wrong with that, but if I am going to plunk down Colt prices, I want a Colt level product. This isn’t it.

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- Kuch January 18, 2017, 2:08 pm
  
  Your absolutely right.looks like they cheeper out on the trigger guared,cylinder latch, hammer and grips. Just sad.
  
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- Bill January 21, 2017, 10:40 am
  
  I love my Charter Arms revolvers. They are very high quality, tight fit, reliable, they look and feel good, and the price is fantastic. In looks alone, this Colt does not rise to the Charter Arms level. The price is ridiculous. Why bother?
  
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Larry Baker Jr January 18, 2017, 5:53 am

Why doesn’t Colt put the Python rib on these and the larger guns? Thats one of key points to me is the look that sets them apart from all other Mfgs

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Rooster T. Cogburn January 18, 2017, 4:17 am

I have one problem with this new colt revolver. I’ve looked over pictures and read articles about it and have not heard any mention of an internal lock. What is going to stop people from accidentally discharging this weapon? And for god’s sake think of the children…THE CHILDREN!?! Ok but seriously good job Colt. I’ve wondered for quite a long time why they didn’t start making revolvers again with the demand being what it was. Hopefully the quality can match or come close to matching that of my father’s Colts. The old expression “they don’t make ’em like they used to” hopefully doesn’t apply here. Time will tell, but I’m excited to get my hands on one and send some lead down yonder with extreme prejudice.

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- Billibob January 18, 2017, 11:54 am
  
  Seriously, your looking for a safety? It’s simple…. not pulling on the trigger is the best safety. Next best is don’t leave it cocked and pull on the trigger. Wheel guns don’t shoot them selfs with out help.
  Stay safe and mind the finger control / placement.
  
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  - david hamilton January 18, 2017, 2:09 pm
    
    He…was…joking. You know, ‘tongue-firmly-planted-in-cheek”, kind of thing.
    
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  - Greasy January 18, 2017, 2:12 pm
    
    Billibob doesn’t understand jokes.
    
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- murray[thanks- psalm 45] stroupe January 18, 2017, 1:16 pm
  
  Good question; 10 commandments of gun safety solves that. Learned those as a kid.
  
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Aiden O January 17, 2017, 4:49 pm

A little meth bump to start the day?

Welcome back Cobra. I love that’s its stainless.

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