Kobra Carry: 25 Years of Ed Brown’s Best-Selling 1911
Ed Brown Products is marking a significant milestone with the release of the Kobra Carry 25th Anniversary, celebrating a quarter century of what the company describes as its most popular and longest-running custom 1911 model. First introduced in 2000, the Kobra Carry quickly distinguished itself by combining features that would later become widely adopted across the 1911 market, while remaining closely associated with Ed Brown’s own design language.
From its inception, the Kobra Carry stood apart as the first custom 1911 to incorporate the Ed Brown Bobtail frame, a rounded mainspring housing designed to reduce printing during concealed carry. It was also among the first to feature the company’s Snakeskin treatment, a proprietary texturing pattern applied to the frontstrap and mainspring housing to enhance grip without the sharpness of traditional checkering. The pistol was additionally offered in an all-stainless configuration at a time when such finishes were far less common in the custom 1911 space.
According to Ed Brown Products, the Kobra Carry has remained the company’s top-selling model for 25 consecutive years, a longevity rarely seen in the premium 1911 market. While many manufacturers have adopted similar design elements over the years, the original Kobra Carry continues to be produced and refined within Ed Brown’s lineup.
The pistol is chambered in .45 ACP and features a 4.25-inch Commander-length barrel paired with a single-stack Commander Bobtail frame. Weight is listed at approximately 35 ounces unloaded.
Standard features include a single-side carry-profile thumb safety, fixed black rear sight with an orange HDXR front sight, and Ed Brown’s Snakeskin treatment on the forestrap, Bobtail housing, and slide. Additional custom touches include a recessed slide stop, flush barrel with recessed crown, and heavy chamfering. Each pistol ships with two Ed Brown Performance magazines, a pistol bag, tools, lubricant, and owner’s documentation.
Special features included on the 25th anniversary edition:
- Frame is engraved "25th Anniversary".
- Exotic Cocobolo wood double diamond checkered grips, with EB logo. A throwback to the original!
- Available in all stainless, or black Gen4.
- Flat wire recoil spring system.
- Hex head magazine catch lock.
- The stainless version also includes our stainless extractor and stainless ejector, for a complete stainless look.
The Kobra Carry 25th Anniversary serves as both a functional carry pistol and a retrospective on a design that helped shape the modern custom 1911 landscape. Do you carry a 1911, or did you choose a more modern design?
The price is in the region of $3,295. Since my initials match, I should probably get one.
Just make sure you hurry, since no more orders will be taken for this limited edition after December 31, 2025. Click here to find out more: https://www.edbrown.com/kobracarry25/
Ex-Arctic Ranger. Competitive practical shooter and hunter with a European focus. Always ready to increase my collection of modern semi-automatics, optics, thermals and suppressors. TCCC Certified. Occasionaly seen in a 6x6 Bug Out Vehicle, always with a big smile.
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