Being an S&W guy, I don't know anything about Colt revolvers. Turns out I just inherited a Colt Cobra 2" 38spl. Nice little gun with wood grips and in very good shape.

I was curious as to when it was born; I'm guessing in the 50s. Does anyone know when a revo with a serial # 5205XX was made? It also has an "M" stamped under the serial number.

Check proofhouse.com under colt.You may find it there.

Thats a classic snub nosed revolver and nice that it is being passed down.
Here's great site for checking serial numbers on some guns, Colts included. http://www.proofhouse.com/

I'm not sure your serial number is complete as posted.

Uh-oh. You'll be a closet Colt collector soon.

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Memory of Randy Freas-Rimfired

Your serial number is not complete. It will have a one or two letter prefix or suffix.

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Dick

The Cobras with the M Ser# are from 1975-6 but you have one number too many. Mine is a 76.

OK, looks like I made a typo. The serial # is 1205XX followed below that with an "M". Thanks for the "proofhouse" link, but those numbers are confusing. The number itself appears to indicate the revolver was made in 1961, and it appears there is "LW" stamped below the "M" but that is a smaller size and much harder to read. Am I reading that right?

Maybe this is why I like S&Ws!

That number followed by an m would fit a mid 70s detective special...

Forget the M, if the LW is after the serial number, it was shipped in 1961.

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Dick

Thanks for all the help!

Absent a photo, you can approximate some. If the extractor rod is shrouded/full lug, it's after 1972. Before 1958, the extractor rod was shorter, about half the length of the barrel.

Do not shoot much Plus P ammo. Colt advised that light alloy frames be returned to the factory for examination of stretching and other issues after 1,000 rounds of Plus P. Steel frame .38's could go to 3,000 rounds, like the Detective Special and Police Positive Special. This didn't apply to the much larger Official Police.

I hope this helps someone.

I appreciate that Texas Star. It has an exposed ejector rod and it is almost the length of the short barrel. So that seems to correspond to the 1961 date.

My photo box isn't set up so I can't post pics yet.

Thanks. Take off the grips and see if the frame is full length. I just recalled that about 1966, the steel frame was shortened to the length on the Agent .38 for all Colt snubs and PPS guns. On these later ones, the wooden stocks come down beyond the shorter steel or light alloy frame on all but the Agent model.

You might want to pick up a grip adapter for it from Numrich. My DS in this pic has a pachmayr 7L on it (sold out of the 7s)...it does show the 7L for the Cobra also, so it should fit...for under 10 bucks they are a pretty decent deal...

http://www.gunpartscorp.com/catalog/...er=pachmayr+7l

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Thirty characters. Exactly...

Sip's gun was made after 1972, and originally had sort of semi- target or "combat" stocks. He (or someone else) added the earlier grips and adaptor.

The fat stocks detracted from concealibility; were presumably employed as a cosmetic feature that made the gun easier to use on the range.

Mine is one fo the last runs of the DS, made in 94 and was actually shipped that year with the pachmayrs pictured.



Of course, I've never been a fan of rubber on revolvers, so off they went. A friend on the forum did give me a pair of the target/combat stocks TS speaks of and they do look great on the gun.




I also picked up a pair of older style grips from Numrich along with the grip adapter as this set up is a bit slimmer for concealment...

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Thirty characters. Exactly...

OK....another Colt question. Did the Colt Cobra evolve into the Detective Special?

No. The Cobra was a lightweight variant of the DS...as was the Agent.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_Cobra#Colt_Agent

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Thirty characters. Exactly...

The DS dates from about 1926, and early ones had square butts. In 1933, the round butt arrived. In 1950 or '51, the Cobra appeared, as a light alloy framed DS.

Well I just learned some more great news. I have already received the revolver and an iwb holster. But was just told I will be getting the original box and sales ticket but not for a week or two. The gun is indeed from 1961; he paid $80.81 back then. I will get some pics up as soon as I can.

Here are some quick pics. Original box, receipt, and IWB holster to come. Texas Star, I checked, the frame is full length,

This does look consistent with a 1961 gun. Congratulations on a nice piece.

Hey...your horse is in the wrong spot!

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Thirty characters. Exactly...

Yea, I see the pony is further back on the Cobra compared to the DS.