Colt cobra 38 special serial numbers, colt cobra age, colt cobra serial number dates, colt cobra serial number location, colt cobra serial number lookup.

The Colt Cobra is a lightweight, aluminum-framed, double-actionshort-barrelled revolver, not to be confused with the Colt King Cobra. The Cobra was chambered in .38 Special, .38 New police, .32 Colt New Police, and .22 LR. It holds six shots of ammunition and was sold by Colt from 1950 until 1981.^[1] In December 2016, it was announced that Colt would be producing a new run of the Colt Cobra with a steel frame and a fiber optic front sight. This model was released in early 2017.

• 2Production subvariants

Product development and usage[edit]

The Cobra was made in two models: the First Model, made from 1950-1971 and weighing 15 ounces unloaded with 2-inch barrel, and an improved Second Model, made from 1972-1981, recognizable by its shrouded ejector rod, with an unloaded weight of 16 ounces. The Cobra is the same overall size and configuration as the famous Colt Detective Special and uses the same size 'D' frame, except that the Cobra's frame is constructed of lightweight aluminum alloy as compared to the all-steel frame of the Detective Special. In the mid-1960s, the Detective Special's and Cobra's grip frame was shortened to the same size as that of the Agent.The Cobra was produced in calibers .38 Special, 32 Colt New Police, .22 LR, and a rare few in .38 S&W. The .38 Special Cobra was available in 2, 3, 4, and 5 inch barrel lengths. The .32 caliber version was available in 2- and 3-inch barrel lengths. The .22 LR Cobra was available only with the 3-inch barrel.

Standard Cobras were blued with round-butt grip frames. The .38 Special Cobra with a 2-inch barrel was available with a nickel finish at additional cost. Early models also had a square-butt option.

It was announced in 2016 that Colt would re-release the Colt Cobra in 2017. The Third Model (2017-present) is offered only as a 6 shot DA/SA revolver in .38 Special (+P Capable) with a 2' barrel. This model will be offered with a Matte Stainless Steel finish and has an unloaded weight of 25 ounces. At the 2018 Shot Show, Colt debuted the Colt Night Cobra, which has a matte black finish and a front night sight. It is also double action only.^[2]

Production subvariants[edit]

Colt Aircrewman[edit]

The Colt M13 Aircrewman was an ultra-lightweight version of the Detective Special constructed of aluminum alloy, and made from 1951-1957 for use by US Air Force aircrews. They are distinguished by the Air Force medallion in the place of the Colt medallion on the checkered wooden grips, as well as a cylinder made of aluminum alloy. Within two years of issuance, reports of cylinder and/or frame failure began to plague the Aircrewman and its Smith & Wesson counterpart, the Smith & Wesson Model 12, despite issuing a dedicated low-pressure .38 Special military cartridge, the Caliber .38 Ball, M41 round.^[3][4] However, the cylinder fractures continued, and the weapons were eventually withdrawn from service.^[5]

Colt Courier[edit]

The Courier was produced in .22 Long Rifle, 32 Colt NP, 32 S&W long and short. Frame and cylinder are constructed of lightweight aluminum alloy. It was made from 1954 to 1956. Approximately 3000 were produced in the two years.

Colt Agent[edit]

The Colt Agent was another model similar to the Cobra. The original Agents were very well made, with high polished finishes and highly checkered walnut grips. The bottom of the Agent grips was slightly shorter than that of the Cobra. The original Agent weighed 14 ounces and was available only in .38 Special caliber, with a 2-inch barrel and blued finish. It was made from 1955 to 1979. The original Agents had a smaller grip frame from the Cobra which made for a deeper concealment and the grip frame was later changed to match the Cobra in the late 60s. A slightly revised version of the Agent was released in 1973 with a shrouded barrel with a weight of 16 ounces. 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.

Colt Viper[edit]

The Viper was essentially a 4' barrel version of the alloy-framed Colt Cobra in .38 Special. Introduced in 1977 and only produced that year, the Viper did not sell as well as Colt expected and was discontinued. In recent years, owing to its limited production run, the Viper has become quite collectable. Examples in good condition fetch unusually high prices.

Ammunition[edit]

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. Others point out that +P ammunition is the same pressure as the regular pressure ammunition was before SAAMI lowered the standards in 1972 as a result of industry requests. They point out that the post-'72 loads are merely regular pressure ammunition labeled as '+P'. Some experts have done considerable testing so as to prove that +P .38 specials are not truly hot loads.^[6]

In the owners' manual accompanying some post-1972 Cobra revolvers, Colt recommended the use of +P ammunition for 2nd Model Cobra frames only, with the stipulation that the gun be returned to the factory for inspection every 1,000 rounds (compared with a 2,000–3,000 round interval for the 2nd Model steel-framed Detective Special).

The new 2017 reintroduction Colt Cobra revolver is rated to accept +P ammunition.

The Cobra should never be fired with extreme-pressure +P+ ammunition as there are no industry standards for such loads.

Notable users[edit]

• Jack Ruby used a Colt Cobra .38 to kill Lee Harvey Oswald on November 24, 1963 as Dallas, Texas law enforcement officials were transporting Oswald from the city jail to the county jail.^[7] The infamous gun was purchased for $220,000 at an auction held by Herman Darvick Autograph Auctions in New York City on December 26, 1991 by collector Anthony V. Pugliese III of Delray Beach, Florida. It was consigned by Jack Ruby's brother, Earl Ruby.^[8]
• Lee Marvin carried two Colt Cobras while playing Detective-Lieutenant Frank Balinger of the Chicago Police Department on the TV series M Squad.
• Monika Ertl used a Colt Cobra .38 to kill Roberto Quintanilla, the man who cut off the hands of the corpse of Che Guevara, in 1971.
• Legendary music producer Phil Spector was convicted of murdering actress Lana Clarkson with a Colt Cobra .38 at his Alhambra, California home in 2003.

References[edit]

1. ^Gun Collector's Club: Colt Cobra
2. ^'COLT COBRA (.38 SPECIAL +P)'(PDF). Colt's Manufacturing Company, LLC.
3. ^TM 43-0001-27, Army Ammunition Data Sheets - Small Caliber Ammunition, FSC 1305, Washington, D.C.: Dept. of the Army, 29 April 1994: The original USAF .38 M41 ball cartridge had a pressure limit of only 13,000 CUP, propelling its 130-grain FMJ bullet at a mild 725 feet per second.
4. ^Williams, Kevin, Colt Two-Inch Revolvers in U.S. Military Service, The Rampant Colt, Colt Collectors Association Magazine (June 2009)
5. ^Williams, Kevin, Colt Two-Inch Revolvers in U.S. Military Service, The Rampant Colt, Colt Collectors Association Magazine (June 2009)
6. ^http://shootingwithhobie.blogspot.com/2009/01/p-phenomenon-by-saxonpig.html
7. ^Christianson, Scott (2006). Bodies of Evidence: Forensic Science and Crime. Globe Pequot. p. 83. ISBN9781592285808.
8. ^Trask, Mike (March 11, 2008). 'From Jack Ruby to Las Vegas: A gun's trajectory'. Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved 13 November 2014.

External links[edit]

• Colt M13 Aircrewman RevolverForgotten Weapons

WHEN WAS MY COLT MADE?

WHAT COLT MODEL DO I HAVE?

A common first question for a Colt owner is 'When wasmy Colt made'.The second questionis often 'What Colt do I have'?

And therein lies a real can of worms.

Before you can determine when a Colt was made, you firsthave to determine WHAT Colt model you have.

This can be a most difficult question to answer.

First, identifying a Colt revolver can be frustratingbecause beginning in 1840 Colt always started each new model at serial number'1', and progressed upward until the model was discontinued, OR untilthe mid-1960's when the serial number system changed to meet Federal law.

Since all Colt's started off at number '1' it'spossible to have a number of older Colt firearms all with the same serialnumber.

In 1968 the Gun Control of 1968 was passed.This law mandated that from then on all newfirearms had to have a serial number and that number had to be unique.

To comply with the law, Colt began adding letters to theserial numbers as prefixes and suffixes to make each firearm have a uniquenumber.

An added issue is Colt's often confusing serial numbersystem.Colt often mixed several modelsin the same serial number ranges or split models out by caliber.

During the mid-1950's the serial number data is so mixed asto be almost incomprehensible.

As example you may have a model of revolver made in .22 andin .38 Special, with the .22 revolver serial numbers mixed with a differentmodel Colt, and the .38 caliber version of that model in yet a different modelrange.

Even after Colt began using unique serial numbers in the1960's, Colt often combined a number of models into one serial number range.

As example in the late 1960's Colt started combining allsmall 'D' frame models like the Detective Special, Cobra, Agent,Diamondback, Viper, Police Positive Special, etc in the same serial numberranges.

Because of Colt's serial number systems it may not bepossible to identify what model a Colt is based on just the number.

Since many of these guns used the exact same barrel exceptfor the model name stamped on it, we have situations where an owner isconvinced he has a rare, unknown model of aluminum frame DetectiveSpecial.

In fact, he doesn't. What he has is an aluminum frame Cobrasomeone installed a Detective Special barrel on.

When he attempts to determine when his Colt was made, itcomes back as a totally different model than what is stamped on the barrel.

Since these guns shared the same serial number ranges, itcan be quite confusing as to just what you have.

The problem with identifying a Colt is that Colt onlystamped the model name on the barrel.Most Colt revolvers had the same thread size and it was often possibleto install a barrel from a totally different model on a frame.

Since the frame had no identifying name and often sharedserial numbers with a totally different model, identifying what Colt model youhave can be almost impossible in some cases.

Years ago gun parts were terribly expensive and often almostimpossible to obtain.A gun owner or evengunsmith couldn't just log on or call up a big parts house and order the partshe needed.

Since parts were so difficult to get, it was common forbarrels from other models to be used as replacements.Most people were happy to get their gun repaired and since thebarrel was entirely usable, most people didn't care that the gun was one modelbut the barrel was marked as something else.

When you have anomalous information and just aren’t surewhat you have, then is when you need the experts and that's the experts on theColt Forum.

In most cases they can help you identify exactly what modelof Colt you have.Then you can proceedto determine when it was made.

This leads us to HOW to determine when your Colt was made.

There are several ways.

Colt Cobra Serial Number Lookup

The first source is the Colt Firearms Company.

Colt now has a serial number look-up data base on their website.You plug in the serial number andit will give you a list of guns it could be.Since the data base seems to be a work in progress, many newer modelsmay not be listed.

Here is where problems may first appear when the data basedoesn't list what you think your Colt is, or returns no information.

If that doesn't return valid data, you can call Colt duringnormal business hours and they will give you a production date over the phone.

Note that they won't give you any more information.For that you have to buy a Colt ArchiveLetter.

Also note that the people working the phones are rushed, maynot be totally familiar with Colt models and have been known to give outincorrect information.

Colt Cobra 38 Special Serial Number Location

Another source of information online is Proofhouse.com.

This site has a data base that ends in 1979, so any Coltmade after that won't be covered:

R.L. Wilson is the last outsider to have access to the ColtArchive, and he has Colt serial number listings in several books andbooklets.His book 'Colt: AnAmerican Legend' has all Colt serial numbers for all models from 1836 into1986 along with magnificent color photos of every Colt firearm model made since1836.

On his web site he sells 'The Blue Book Pocket GuideFor Colt Dates of Manufacture' that goes into 2008.

Colt Revolver Serial Numbers Dating

Last, you can ask for help on the Colt Forum where a gooddeal of data is available from the members.