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Thread: Colt Cobra AW snubby and +P?

  1. #1
    Boolit Bub
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    Colt Cobra AW snubby and +P?

    I have a .38 cal. Colt Cobra 2" air weight revolver that I bought for self defense use in the house and throw in the glove box if I want. I have some Federal Flat Nosed +P ammo that I used to use in my steel framed 2" SW Mod 10 snubby. I recall that a steady diet of the +P ammo in an air weight is verboten but will shooting 6 rounds, if necessary, ruin the revolver? Would there be a better commercially available ammo for this Colt and this purpose? My Mod 10 is too nice to use for this purpose and I have several other semi autos that I could use but want to keep it simple for the wife. Thank you.

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master
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    A Colt Cobra won't die if fired 6 times with plus P ammo. But do not practice with it, don't "Run a few boxes through it" through it to see where it hits. Parts are hard to come buy and there are not many gun smiths left who under stand and can work on those v-spring Colts. I have 10, ranging from a 1950's Agent, A Cobra, a Third generation Dick special, up through a Police Positive, to an Army Special, an official police, and a pair of Pythons.
    I'd recommend the Federal 110 grain low recoil Hydro-Shock ammunition. It is standard velocity.
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  3. #3
    Boolit Buddy


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    I use standard pressure only loads in mine. If you reload you can bump up a swc over factory loads and still be in the standard pressure range.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master Walkingwolf's Avatar
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    I carried one for a bug for a while as a LEO, since it was a close range get off me gun I had it loaded with wadcutters. Since I put my faith in shot placement I did not feel the need to use +P ammo, kinda hard to miss at very close range. Alas I traded the Cobra for a j frame because it fit the pocket better.

    At close range there is not going to be a noticeable difference in point of impact. Practice with standard, carry +P if you think you will need them. IMO people make too much of POI between loads, I have found shooting anything from 38-44 to powder puff loads there is not going to be much more than a couple inches at 10 yards. Most shootings are under 7 yards.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master Guesser's Avatar
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    Back in the day...when Colt produced the original Cobra they stated that the gun should be sent back to Colt to be safety checked and repaired accordingly after only 3000 rounds. And that was with the standard pressure rounds of the day. I read a hazard warning in a 1964 Colt product brochure that specifically warned against high pressure 38 Special loads in a Cobra. At that time it would have meant the loads for the S&W 38-44 revolvers, as +P hadn't darkened our horizon yet.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    Over many years of shooting both steel and alloy frame snubnoses, I've experienced cracked frames with two alloy frame guns, a Colt Agent and a Smith & Wesson Bodyguard. I fired neither revolver with anything other than standard pressure-equivalent handloads.

    The Agent was well-used when I got it, but it locked up tight and appeared to be in sound condition. However, I did not know its history. I probably shoot snub nose guns far more than most, and that may not be a good idea with the alloy-framed guns. I would never use +P ammo in any such revolver unless +P use was stamped on the barrel.

    The S&W appeared to be a new gun that had been fired little, if at all, but was probably thirty years old when purchased. It failed in about a hundred rounds. S&W replaced it, but I doubt that would happen today. Some claim these guns fail because the barrel was overtorqued in the frame at the factory and that the frame in such guns usually cracks with just a few rounds of shooting. I don't know this to be factual. Those who claim it is may not know either.

    Regardless, look at how thin the frame is where the barrel screws in. This alone may be enough to discourage one from shooting +P ammo in a gun not specifically designed for it.

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master Outpost75's Avatar
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    All good advice. Pre-1972 steel frame Detective Specials and Police Positives shouldn't be fired with +P either!

    Winchester makes a standard pressure 110-grain Silvertip which performs well in the 2" guns.

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  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master


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    The Cobra is like my Smith 36 no dash. Not rated for +P but shouldn't fall apart if you shoot a couple through it. However, with the newer boolits like Speer Gold Dot 135gr. loads which give very good expansion at regular velocities. I don't feel a need to even shoot +P's.
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  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    Good advice. Standard pressure loads may not be as puny in real life as some theorists claim. Also, recovery from recoil can be noticeably quicker in comparison with +P in a small, lightweight gun. It's easier for most shooters to shoot better overall with standard pressure loads.

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master FergusonTO35's Avatar
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    Stuff it with wadcutters and call it good. Sedate full wadcutters actually penetrate quite well and the big flat nose should do some damage. I feed my S&W 637 3.1 grains Bullseye under a 148 grain Lyman for a very consistent 712 fps.
    Currently casting and loading: .32 Auto, .380 Auto, .38 Special, 9X19, .357 Magnum, .257 Roberts, 6.5 Creedmoor, .30 WCF, .308 WCF, .45-70.

  11. #11
    Boolit Bub
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    Thanks to all. Sounds good to me. I'll start looking for a box of 110's locally. AND, as I cast for several rifles, I may order a mould , maybe 9mm too!

  12. #12
    Boolit Master Shawlerbrook's Avatar
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    Great advice above. I assume you are talking about the original Cobra and not the new, recently released version. I think I read where the new one is suitable for +P ammo, although I agree it probably is not necessary.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master smkummer's Avatar
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    I carry my original alloy cobra with plus P. If I ever have to use it, the last thing I will worry about is accelerating wear. Colt’s last recommendation for alloy 38 revolvers was after 1000 rounds of plus P, that the gun should be inspected for wear. Problem is of course that they no longer provide this service or can correct a gun that is out of spec.

    Maybe once a year, I do fire a cylinder load of plus P to see that I can keep a good group in the black at 7 yards. True that be told my homemade wadcutters with 3 grains of bullseye are fired for practice and leave nice sharp holes in the paper.

  14. #14
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Definitive word on not Plus P versus Plus P and what to expect if you do or do not choose to do so, plus advice on what to do and sound reasons as to why.

    http://www.grantcunningham.com/2006/...-p-ammunition/

  15. #15
    Boolit Grand Master FergusonTO35's Avatar
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    FYI, the Rossi 461 is a snub nose .357 with six rounds about the same size and weight as a Detective Special. Darn good guns for the money, and probably a better choice for a carry and range gun than anything that has been orphaned by the manufacturer.
    Currently casting and loading: .32 Auto, .380 Auto, .38 Special, 9X19, .357 Magnum, .257 Roberts, 6.5 Creedmoor, .30 WCF, .308 WCF, .45-70.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check