Ed Brown Kobra Carry vs Executive Carry

[pacecars]

Somehow with all the revolvers I have been accumulating I find myself without a .45 1911. I need to rectify the situation and knock one off the bucket list at the same time. I have always wanted an Ed Brown Kobra Carry since I saw the first one in a magazine way back when. It was tops on the list until I ran across the Executive Carry. I am assuming that the difference between them is the checkering on the Executive and the Kobra having the “scale like” treatment. Anyone own one or both? Good and bad? Is it a big enough step above a Dan Wesson to justify the price? I blame Dub for me wanting a .45

 

[Dub]

I have just a single Ed Brown.

It's a Kobra Carry.







Unlike most of the iconic 1911 that I've sought after and added, this one was not one I ordered to my own specs/options.


Some of those iconic .45's that I truly enjoy shooting.






I found it nib at a dealer and it was mostly configured how I wanted it.....price was good....and I jumped on it.


I typically prefer carbon steel (blued, DLC, hard chrome or Cerakoted) 1911's vs stainless.

When it comes to Ed Brown, however, I yield to their specialty...stainless is their wheelhouse.
Time will tell how well I can maintain it.







Granted, I haven't put the round count through it that I have with most of my other 1911s....the rounds have been flawless and promising.




After the first 200rds of ball ammo I did a good cleaning and then swapped the grips from the standard ones that came on it to some other EB wood grips....then later to the grips she wears today.







The initial break-in wear was looking very favorable. Good barrel fit was evident. Even lug engagement on slide stop pin, etc.


There are a few iconic 1911s that have always been on my radar.....the Kobra Carry was one of them. Mighty grateful to have added it and looking forward to the years ahead shooting and carrying it, Lord willing.


Commander config with a bobbed frame and mainspring housing. Ed Brown bobbed guns seem to have set the markets "spec dimensions" for such. Grip makers tend to follow the Ed Brown bobbed contour when you ordered bobbed grips.



Snakeskin frontstrap is very misleading....doesn't look like it would grip as well as my preferred 20 lpi checkering.....but once you apply minimal grip pressure it locks into the paw very, very effectively. Zero slip. You won't be regripping during firing. The snakeskin on the mainspring housing is excellent gripping surface, too.....yet the smooth bobbed area allows a shirt to glide over it....no printing...no snagging.










The sights & trigger were the main things that I would have ordered differently. I prefer the ledge rears with gold bead fronts.

I've become a convert to flat triggers on many of my guns, too.


Last week a box arrived from Ed Brown.....I'll soon be spending the time to get this gat dialed in more to my liking.











As far as .45s go.....this one has been my primary carry gun once is ran it's first 500 rds trouble free.....had a good thorough cleaning and some thicker grips added.







It's been super. 1,500 rounds and zero issues of any type. Zero.






She's got a heap more milage on her now.....but performance is never in question.



Carrying it today, in fact....Tucker HF-1 OWB.