Colt Cobra and +P loads

[lancem]

I have a Colt Cobra, alloy framed 38 special 2" barrel. It was made in 1958 and except for carry wear looks and shoots like new. My question pertains to +P loads. I read in some places to minimize or don't shoot +P loads in alloy framed guns, I have also read that standard loads in the time frame of this pistol being built were in the +P range and some changes to loading's in the 70's or so dropped standard loading's below this level for the new standard so shooting +P loads would be the same as shooting standard 38 specials in 1958. The one thing I am sure of is that this pistol loves the FBI load, +P 158gr LHP, will shoot under an inch all day at 15 yards to point of aim if I do my part. So anybody have any opinions yea, nay, in moderation?

[Outpost75]

Do you have a factory trained Colt revolver Smith who is able to inspect and repair the gun? What is the B-C gap now and is there ANY end shake which can be detected by feel? Barrel cannot be set back on a light alloy frame. So unless you have a factory "+" length cylinder to fit when gap exceeds 0.008" after the end shake has been corrected you have turned a $600 gun into an expensive paperweight.

If the gun has zero end shake which can be felt, indexes and carrys up correctly in both SA and DA, has no cracks in the yoke cut adjacent the barrel shank and gap does not exceed 0.008" with rear gage in place, then test fire only enough +P to establish function and POI, use standard pressure ammo for training and practice. Carry the +P for defense, six in the gun and one reload. Expend the carry ammo quarterly and replace with fresh, not to exceed 1 box per year. Have gun inspected annually during your HR218 retired officer annual requals.

[smkummer]

I am with the above when it comes to shooting plus P in my alloy colts. I don’t practice with Plus P in my alloy colts but maybe once a year the lead plus P ammo that was carried gets fired. And I recently replaced my jacketed plus P 125 gr. ammo with the a lead 158 SWC plus P like the FBI load for carry. That came from comments from someone who stated he worked at one of the warranty repair stations for Colt way back when those existed outside of the factory. His findings were that jacketed bullets caused the most stress on the alloy frame. Back before there were factory SAMMI plus P ammunition at a known pressure standard there was Super Vel of which I would not fire in an alloy gun. Maybe that was the load causing the issues as there was no mention of not using them in an alloy gun other than word of mouth. Colts last recommendation was after 1K of plus P in an alloy D frame to have the gun inspected of which Colt doesn’t accept or work on them anymore. I used to shoot a 30 cal ammo can full of 148 wadcutters with 3 grains of bullseye yearly when I could get all the primers I could find and one of those guns was my mid-70’s colt agent. It was easy on my hand. That gun is still tight and has only fired a few cylinders of plus P and is carried with lead 158 SWC plus P. I believe I have 6 cobras/agents that get cycled as carry guns.

[Shawlerbrook]

I also have a Cobra of that time frame and it never gets fed +P ammo. They just were not built for continuous use of high pressure ammo. They are great little carry snubbies and the gun Jack Ruby used to snuff out Lee Harvey Oswald.

[FergusonTO35]

Wadcutters for the win!

[lotech]

I had an Agent (from the '60s) that I fired with only factory equivalent standard pressure cast loads. The frame cracked after less than a few hundred rounds. I bought the gun used. It appeared to be in good, sound condition, but I didn't know the history. I'd never fire +P in an alloy-framed Colt revolver.

[FergusonTO35]

FYI, if you want to shoot plus P's in a six shot snub then the Taurus 856 is the way to go. It comes in steel or aluminum frame versions and Wolff now makes springs for it.

[gc45]

So how is the Taurus 856 trigger? especially with the red dot site?

[Anchorite]

I have an Agent and three Cobras. Considering there is no real way to service them with factory support, I don’t shoot them much anymore, and even when I do it’s very light loads. Take the advice of others - shoot a S&W or a Taurus because both are still serviced by the Mothership.

[Outpost75]

Wadcutters for the win!

Truth be told, while I shoot factory WC or standard pressure 158 lead SWC for training and practice, I have been known to assemble "full charge" wadcutters in new factory-primed brass with either Remington Winchester 148 HBWC component bullets to match the case headstamp, with.either 4 grains of 231, 3.5 of TiteGroup or 3.2 of Bullseye, for carry, which all approximate from a snub, the 4-inch velocity of factory wadcutter, when fired from a 2-inch gun.

[FergusonTO35]

So how is the Taurus 856 trigger? especially with the red dot site?

The stock trigger on mine was ok, no worse than my S&W 637 when I first got it. I added the Wolff rebound spring and kept the stock hammer spring, now it's quite good. I would guess 8 pounds DA and 4 pounds SA which is just fine with me.