Cobray Terminator At RIA
Every now and again, a manufacturer decides to market a weapon that seemingly speeds right past all sense of aesthetics and functionality, to happily embrace a level of crudity and expedience normally reserved only for improvised or homebuilt guns. The Cobray Terminator is one such gun: an open barrel, backward recoiling single shot shotgun that makes one wonder what was wrong with an NEF Pardner. Ian of Forgotten Weapons has a hands-on video of one of three Terminators available at the current Rock Island Auction:
It’s difficult to imagine what utility a gun like this really has. It is at least “A Gun”, but a more inconvenient, ineffective, and uncomfortable weapon is difficult to imagine. Versus a simple single shot shotgun of the kind in use for over a hundred years, the Terminator is a tidier package, but much less useful (I couldn’t imagine trying to hunt birds with the Terminator, for instance). As a self-defense or guerrilla weapon, it seems less comfortable and useful than a host of other designs.
It is, however, interesting, and a little endearing in its shortcomings. If that is enough to get our readers interested, the gun in the video is of course available for auction.
Nathaniel is a history enthusiast and firearms hobbyist whose primary interest lies in military small arms technological developments beginning with the smokeless powder era. He can be reached via email at nathaniel.f@staff.thefirearmblog.com.
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IF it is dirt cheap, it might do well as the 'gun' one keeps in the truck or trunk in the event of being stuck in the heart of no cotton-pickin' where.
It does remind me of the designs I worked on when I was in High School, as cheap military weapons. Mostly pistol caliber type thingies.
I think Royal Nonesuch his built nicer-looking shotguns in his home armory...