The alloy frame is fairly weak which makes it susceptible to cracking and stretching. Even Colt suggested sending them back to be checked out after a certain round count (1k or 2k?), but they won't touch them now. Don't shoot it a lot. Definitely no +P. Alloy frame revolvers are accidents waiting to happen and can become paper weights without warning. Sell it and get a Detective Special. Exact same design, except it's all steel. Good luck.
Not quite correct. Colt said to have the frame checked for stretching after every 1000 rounds of +P use. There are no such restrictions with the use of standard pressure rounds. There's nothing wrong with aluminum frames...sounds like global warming alarmist talk.
The Cobras are excellent small revolvers but with the light weight you get increased felt recoil. I have a Cobra I carried as my off-duty piece when restricted to revolvers...occasionally a Detective Special but the Cobra far more often.
Not quite correct. Colt said to have the frame checked for stretching after every 1000 rounds of +P use. There are no such restrictions with the use of standard pressure rounds. There's nothing wrong with aluminum frames...sounds like global warming alarmist talk.
The Cobras are excellent small revolvers but with the light weight you get increased felt recoil. I have a Cobra I carried as my off-duty piece when restricted to revolvers...occasionally a Detective Special but the Cobra far more often.
They would never get past 1K rounds of +P without cracking. Colt's aluminum frame was weaker than Smith and Wesson's, and the S&W frame was crap with even standard velocity ammo, long before +P existed.
So no +p+ ammo through it if I want it to stay in one piece. Got it.A lot of misinformation about ammunition. Years ago the .38 Special round was downloaded by ammunition makers due to the large numbers of cheap quality guns flooding the market. Today's .38 Special +P is essentially the standard .38 Special from many years ago. The standard .38 today is downloaded from several generations ago.
The +P designation didn't come about until the 1960s or '70s. Colt only certified their aluminum frame revolvers from post-'72 as they never tested their prior aluminum frame guns with +P.
I've seen photos of aluminum frame Colts that had the top strap ruptured and even blown off...but that was from use of +P+ ammunition. I know someone who against all warnings has used +P+ is his aluminum framed Colt...it hasn't harmed the gun...yet. Cobras and Agents are perfectly safe with standard pressure rounds. What can happen with them is with enough shooting they can go out of time but that was considered normal wear and can be fixed by stretching the hand. What caused aluminum frame guns to crack is trying to replace the barrel improperly without the use of tooling designed for it. When re-barreling a steel frame revolver isn't tough for someone who knows how but can easily break an aluminum frame. Basically...don't do it.
The myth that Colts aren't durable seems to live on.
So no +p+ ammo through it if I want it to stay in one piece. Got it.
Limit the amount of +p ammo in it. Check.
The cylinder locks up tight with virtually no wobble.
The only real issue is that the firing pin is loose. That shouldn't be too hard to fix/replace.
1/32-1/16" I think....HOW loose?
You're aware that this pin will have some up and down movement, as it is designed to pivot?
1/32-1/16" I think....
Didn't know it was designed to pivot a bit.
1/32-1/16" I think....
Didn't know it was designed to pivot a bit.
At least the advisor checked it over and gave me his best judgment on it.You clearly got bad advice in the gun shop.