Cobra .38 Derringer
- Thread starter Airpark
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
rayb
US Veteran
I bought one once. It was in .38 Special. Shot it a few times. Ok if you like 40 pound trigger pulls. I found it difficult to shoot and wasn't comfortable carrying it as I didn't trust the mechanics of it. I really just didn't like it , took it back and traded it for something else, I don't remember what..
Your experience may be different.
rayb
Your experience may be different.
rayb
Crazy K38
Member
I would say look for a j frame for a BUG, derringers are pretty hard to shoot and I can't find myself trusting one
GatorFarmer
Member
It's basically the same as the old Davis. Not a good choice for a general use BUG.
Quality control is going to be a bit on the iffy side.
Derringers in general aren't the best idea except under certain limited circumstances. I say that as someone who currently has two of the better ones. Bond and American Derringer Company (which may be out of business) make acceptable quality derringer. But they are only slightly smaller in overall size than a J frame, and they're rather heavy. I think ADC made some alloy ones, but my only experience is with an all steel 9mm ADC.
The Bond guns are even beefier, so you could just about club someone with one. But you have to manually click the safety off on a Bond, whereas it clicks itself off on the ADC.
(I used to have one of the old High Standard DM101 .22 Mag Derringers. Never could hit anything with, finally held it up real close to a target and discovered that it keyholed badly.)
In any case with a SA derringer you have to bring the gun up, cock it (which requires a good bit of force with the Bond) and hope for the best.
I don't have the same level of hate that many have for Derringers since they can be useful under certain very limited circumstances when their size will lend itself to being a BUG to a BUG or a forlorn hope piece. But their limitations preclude them from being good general purpose BUGs - low capacity, generally not that accurate, many makes of questionable quality, SA operation, etc.
If I were to get a Cobra Derringer, I'd get the .32 H&R mag one and load it with .32 S&W Long ammo. Why? I wouldn't trust JHPs to exand and probably wouldn't want them to in .32 Mag out of that short a tube since it would inhibit expansion. The .32 SWL with RNL will at least poke a hole. It'll also be more controllable and likely to last longer than the .38 Cobras (unless they've tweaked the old Davis design some, the .38 was pushing the envelope of that gun). If you do get the .38, I'd load it with wadcutters.
Quality control is going to be a bit on the iffy side.
Derringers in general aren't the best idea except under certain limited circumstances. I say that as someone who currently has two of the better ones. Bond and American Derringer Company (which may be out of business) make acceptable quality derringer. But they are only slightly smaller in overall size than a J frame, and they're rather heavy. I think ADC made some alloy ones, but my only experience is with an all steel 9mm ADC.
The Bond guns are even beefier, so you could just about club someone with one. But you have to manually click the safety off on a Bond, whereas it clicks itself off on the ADC.
(I used to have one of the old High Standard DM101 .22 Mag Derringers. Never could hit anything with, finally held it up real close to a target and discovered that it keyholed badly.)
In any case with a SA derringer you have to bring the gun up, cock it (which requires a good bit of force with the Bond) and hope for the best.
I don't have the same level of hate that many have for Derringers since they can be useful under certain very limited circumstances when their size will lend itself to being a BUG to a BUG or a forlorn hope piece. But their limitations preclude them from being good general purpose BUGs - low capacity, generally not that accurate, many makes of questionable quality, SA operation, etc.
If I were to get a Cobra Derringer, I'd get the .32 H&R mag one and load it with .32 S&W Long ammo. Why? I wouldn't trust JHPs to exand and probably wouldn't want them to in .32 Mag out of that short a tube since it would inhibit expansion. The .32 SWL with RNL will at least poke a hole. It'll also be more controllable and likely to last longer than the .38 Cobras (unless they've tweaked the old Davis design some, the .38 was pushing the envelope of that gun). If you do get the .38, I'd load it with wadcutters.
gunnut2u
Member
Cobra sells a .38/ .32mag combo . comes with .38 spl barrels and .32mag barrels .
USAF385
US Veteran
For $125 I'd be all over it... but as a novelty, nothing more.
BigRich315
Member
What he said.
pluspea
Member
I have a davis in thirty eight I bought years ago for less that a hundred dollars. It works if you are just a few feet away from your target.
By the time you get the tiny safety off, cock the hammer, you can just about empty a j frame. In my opinion it's just a novelty gun.
I had a twenty two derringer I bought when I was a teen for twenty dollars, kind of wish I hadn't sold it.
By the time you get the tiny safety off, cock the hammer, you can just about empty a j frame. In my opinion it's just a novelty gun.
I had a twenty two derringer I bought when I was a teen for twenty dollars, kind of wish I hadn't sold it.
Last edited:
flop-shank
US Veteran
As other suggested, go with a J frame.
If you would like something smaller than that, look into a Kel-tec P3AT.
If you want an even smaller BUG, look to the NAA Black Widow (get the fixed/drift adjustable sight model) . It holds five shots of .22 mag. and is very accurate. I carry one almost always. CCI maxi-mag TNT's expand to about .32 cal. when fired from the 2" barrel into Perma-Gel, even through four layers of denim, and penetrate between 7 - 9 inches.
If you would like something smaller than that, look into a Kel-tec P3AT.
If you want an even smaller BUG, look to the NAA Black Widow (get the fixed/drift adjustable sight model) . It holds five shots of .22 mag. and is very accurate. I carry one almost always. CCI maxi-mag TNT's expand to about .32 cal. when fired from the 2" barrel into Perma-Gel, even through four layers of denim, and penetrate between 7 - 9 inches.
HoosierMike
Member
As others have mentioned, These are not serious BUG choices. Any of the new plastic .32 or .380 autos or a good J frame would be much more accurate. The derringers are fun to play with but that is all. I have had one in .38 for years. The only thing that I have found it truly usefull for is a lawn mower gun. Loaded with shot shells it is quite lethal to Copperheads at around 20'. Horrible trigger pull though. No chance of accidental discharge with these.
gunlovingirl
Member
I used to carry a Cobra in 9mm. It wasn't exactly "fun" to shoot. I sold it and bought a Mod 60.
Thanks, Guys & Gals for all the input. My thoughts were pretty much along the same lines. I did not like the mechanics of it.
Plus, as someone said...the novelty of it appealed to me more than the usefulness.... "Impulse Buying". The reason all the magazines and candy are at the check out stand.
Carry a 640 and just wondered if the little Cobra was worth having in the other pocket.
Good Luck,
Bill H
Plus, as someone said...the novelty of it appealed to me more than the usefulness.... "Impulse Buying". The reason all the magazines and candy are at the check out stand.
Carry a 640 and just wondered if the little Cobra was worth having in the other pocket.
Good Luck,
Bill H
