THE COLT DIAMONDBACK, PYTHON, DETECTIVE SPECIAL AND COBRA SNUBBIES: WHERE DID THEY GO, COLT?

For many decades, Colt snubbies we the chizz, as my friend A.J. MacReady would say. When I began policing in the early 80's, my first purchase a week out of the Academy was a Colt Cobra. I still have it. A fine firearm indeed. A very pleasureable and accurate six shot lightweight snubbie to carry and shoot. It's probably the gun I've carried most over the past 30 years, with the Smith and Wesson Bodyguard Airweight being a close second runner up.

Why did Colt stop making these fine firearms? I assume they weren't selling, which sounds like a marketing problem because Smith and Wesson has been selling the CRAP outta their J frame Centennials. In fact, I've read several places where one of their five shot J frame hammerless guns is the best selling handgun of all time, and is currently the most sold gun in the U.S. of A.

I've always been a Colt man. The .22 Huntsman and Woodsman back in my youth, followed by the AR-15 and the 1911 and it's variants. I've always liked Colt revolvers, although my taste generally revolves around the shrouded ejection rod models, the more modern guns.

The Colt Python Snubbie is a big gun. It's also a gun with a supurb action that is smooth as butter. I've shot many custom firearms with serious trigger jobs, and even owned a few, but from the factory the Python was as good as any custom job I ever shot. If not better. Guys who carried Model 19's or 15's marveled at the trigger on my Python when I was a rookie. My friends and I all bought 4" Pythons when we were in the Academy. It was simply the best gun available for a street cop at the time.

Althought The Diamondback resembled the Python on a smaller frame due to the vent rib, it didn't have the excellent trigger that the Python did. It had a great trigger, like the Detective Special and the Cobra, don't get me wrong. They were 75% as smooth and nice as the Python's trigger pull. The Python just goes that extra bit to "11" to acheive perfection.

But the Diamondback .38 Special (not .357 magnum OR .38 Special like the Python) was also a joy to shoot. A steel frame, it was basically a nicer Detective Special. The Diamondback was also available in .22 caliber. Both calibers came with a 2" and a 4" barrel choice.

The Colt Detective Special and the Cobra were always, to the guys I worked the streets with in Houston, a big upgrade from a S&W. The S&W was the workhose, the cheaper but durable pistol. The Colt was all that, for a little more money, and with a bit more pizazz.

So I wonder why Colt doesn't make these guns anymore? As I said, S&W is selling them as fast as they can make them. Everyone I know who owns at least one gun for self defense has a Smith and Wesson snubbie.

Figure out a way to reduce manufacturing costs on the Python and the D-Frame Snubbies and build some self defense snubbies that the people will buy. Consider building some DAO versions of several snubbies, like the Detective Special, with a spurless hammer.

There are reasons inherant to the design quality of the Colt revolvers as to why they shoot better than S&W guns, in many cases, imho. I sorely miss seeing new Colt revolvers and the chance to buy one. You've continued making the venerable 1911, but Colt needs to continue it's revolver tradition as well.

While I'm at it, how about a single action Colt that the working man could afford? Something like $700 bucks or so? Nice rubber grips, case hardened finish, add the transfer bar safety and sell some history, my friends. I should be the CEO for Colt American consumer operations.

Maybe it's because I'm Texan and of long Texas ancestory that I'm enamored with the evolution of the creation of Sam Colt and that it should be sold by his company.

I'm a revolver guy anyway. I saw a damn nicely engraved, with gold engraving, nickle plated Colt Single Action with Ivory Grips. It was sweet and high dollar. But if'n I'd had the $2,500 they wanted for the gun, I'd have bought it over the similarly priced and outfitted 1911's and Hi Powers that were in the same case.

God made men. Sam Colt made them equal. It's time for Colt to step up to the plate and make some great revolvers again.