From the economical choice (Taurus Model 85) to the upscale player. Part II of our .38 Special comparison focuses on a revolver known far and wide for its tough looks,…

It just so happens that three extremely-representative samples of these guns live in the nightstands of people in my family. My dad (who used to serve warrants as a part-time constable) owns probably the newest of these – the very-mainstream Taurus Model 85. My mom (a former Justice of the Peace who issued the warrants dad served) owns the original-and-even-more-ubiquitous Smith & Wesson Model 36. And last but not least, my 82-year-old grandmother packs in her pajama drawer one of the most premium small .38s ever produced – the iconic Colt Cobra, a derivative of the famous Colt Detective Special.