Value of a Colt Cobra?

[J-Bar]

Value of a Colt Cobra? pix added!!

I hope it is OK to post this question in this forum.

A friend has inherited a Colt Cobra .38 Special from his father. He wants to sell it but neither of us has any idea what it is worth.

It has a 5 inch round barrel with no shroud, 50% of bluing gone, most of the checkering in the original Colt wood grips gone. It is marked as having once been property of Venezuelan "Policia Del Distrito Federal". Serial number is late 1950s with "LW" by the number.

The defects appear to be cosmetic because it still locks up nicely with no visible wear on bolt, notches, or ratchet.

Sorry he does not want to post pix.

Anyone care to give a range of value?

Thanks.

 

[Chindo18Z]

Never heard of a Colt Cobra with a 5" barrel. However...they did make them with 4" barrels (and square butt). Are you measuring barrel length from muzzle to the rear of the forcing cone (end of the barrel protruding inside the frame window)? That would give you an extra inch of measurement on what is probably a stock 4" version. See if you get four inches measuring from the muzzle to the point where the barrel joins the frame.

Sounds like a surplus police weapon from Venezuela. You need to make sure that the weapon is actually a Colt, especially if it actually has a five inch barrel. Might be a Spanish or South American knock-off.

In any event...if a genuine Colt...as described, I'd guess ~ $300 - $400. Hard to be definite without a better description or picture. Condition is important.

If it actually is a 5 inch version, I'd go over to Colt Forums for input:

http://www.coltforum.com/forums/

In that case, you might have a rare bird. Price would vary accordingly.

 

[J-Bar]

got pix after all!

perhaps a few photos will help.

The barrel is marked as you would expect a Colt barrel to be,

"COBRA" over ".38 CTG" on the left, "COLT'S PT FA MFG CO HARTFORD CONN USA" on the right. So I think it is an authentic 5 inch Cobra.

The import mark is on the bottom of the barrel, "CENTURY ARMS INC ST ALBANS VT"

Is it trash, average shooter, or something special?

 

[ColtPythonElite]

A little Googling turned up one that was NIB on Guns American that sold for $1150. It looked in far better condition than the one in the pic and did not sport import marks and ID engraving...I'd guess the one above is a $400-$500 gun.

 

[Chindo18Z]

Hmmm...Learn something new everyday.

I was unaware that Century had ever imported a batch of 5" Colts (or that Colt had ever made a 5" Cobra). Searched Gun Broker for an example yesterday with no luck.

Looks like the inspiration for the eventual 4" alloy Viper.

Concur with ColtPythonElite: $400-$500

 

[skidder]

Sweet gun...Offer your buddy $300 and tell him, "the only reason I'm going this high is because we're pals".

 

[brnmuenchow]

It usually is priced anywhere between $500-$800 depending on condition.

 

[Guillermo]

While it is rare, I would not pay more that 400 for it.