Within two years of issuance, reports of cylinder and/or frame failure began to plague the Aircrewman and its Smith & Wesson counterpart, the Smith & Wesson Model 12, despite issuing a dedicated low-pressure .38 Special military cartridge, the Caliber .38 Ball, M41 round. The thing is, once Horton was sold out of the BOA, that was it. Insert your serial numbers by clicking them. On a steady path to expand their return to the wheel gun market, Colt resurrected the King Cobra series in early 2019 to offer a new version of the now-classic revolver after a two-decade hiatus. Its not because they arent fantastic guns; To the contrary, it may be because theyre too fantastic! RIAC believes that this website is accessible to the widest possible audience pursuant to the guidelines of the Americans with Disability Act. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Need Help?service@guns.comCall (866)582-4867, PO Box 1131 13800 Nicollet Blvd Burnsville, MN 55337 2023Guns.com. The muzzle crown is deeply recessed, which both protects the crown and presents a certain . This relatively light and incredibly smooth trigger no doubt contributed to the accuracy I was able to squeeze out of the Colt King Cobra. Origins and Specifications. circa 1990. I believe the current rear sight artificially limited the accuracy potential of this standout revolver. The new Colt King Cobra Carry is a DAO .357 with a bobbed hammer and 6-shot cylinder (Photo: Colt). In the case of the King Cobra, that pleases me greatly, as its an old sentimental favorite of mine (as I shall elaborate upon later). The King Cobra is chambered in .357 Magnum. [1] The Cobra's sighting system consists of a fixed iron red insert front sight and a fully adjustable iron white outline rear. I didnt happen during my first range session so I attempted to induce it. The double action pull weight as measured on my Timney Trigger gauge averages a very reasonable 9 1/4 pounds. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. The Cobra was chambered in . Some experts have done considerable testing so as to prove that +P .38 specials are not truly hot loads.[6]. Happily, with the exception of the Diamondback, Colt is bringing em back. Stay in the know. The Colt King Cobra is small and light enough for comfortable, all-day carry. Short Barrel JHP, Hornady Critical Defense .38 Special 110-grain, 100 rounds Winchester Service Grade .38 Special 130-grain FMJ, 26 rounds Remington HTP .357 Magnum 110-grain SJHP, 18 rounds Federal .38 Special +P 130-grain HST Micro JHP, 6 rounds Speer Gold Dot .357 Magnum 125-gr. The Colt King Cobra features all-steel construction, as well as a rubber wrapped grip that\'s been moved rearward to help manage recoil. The stylized barrel rollmarks, complete with a cobra head, make the Colt King Cobra unmistakable. (Photo: Guns.com). Required fields are marked *. 1058 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<79C345D0A6FF764E876B4DF415E47FB9>]/Index[1046 31]/Info 1045 0 R/Length 78/Prev 780855/Root 1047 0 R/Size 1077/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream Fast-forward to February 1991, and I returned to Santa Anita Firing Range, this time with a year-and-a-half of shooting experience under my belt and my shooting techniques grip, stance, etc. Such an unforgettable day it was: my first day learning how to shoot, at the tender age of 14, back on October 28, 1989, at the Santa Anita Firing Range (sadly now defunct, it was where that memorable firing range scene from the original Lethal Weapon movie was filmed) in Monrovia, Calif. Forum. This time I went with 50 rounds of ammo (jacketed semiwadcutter range reloads), with head shots at seven yards and torso shots at the 15- and 25-yard lines. Your email address will not be published. The asking price from Horton at the time was $525, typically right at or just slightly under that of a new Python, making them attractive for buyers. The .22 LR Cobra was available only with the 3-inch barrel. Sights are red ramp front and adjustable white outline rear. Excluding fliers that were almost certainly not the fault of the gun, the worst of the .357 Magnum groups were tighter than the best of the .38 Specials. The accuracy testing iteration sparked an internal debate. A throwback to the days of the classic 1980s .357 snake gun whose name it bears, the new Colt King Cobra runs a 3-inch barrel, which the vintage gun never did in its standard production. BL (Photo: Guns.com), This 6-inch King Cobra has the more commonly-seen matte stainless finish. The photo below illustrates that group. Up for grabs is a Colt King Cobra revolver in .357. bolt-action rifle in .22LR and then topping off with that Snake Gun a 4-incher with the full-powered Magnum loads and a dozen rounds of leftover ammo that the range attendants were nice enough to gift to me. For years individuals wishing to carry a revolver for defense have had to make the same miserable choice. Overall, the new gun somewhat resembles a stainless, fixed-sight Diamondback the deluxe Python-esque D-Frame Colt .38 (and .22) of 1966. The Colt King Cobra fills a notable niche in the defensive revolver market: the medium-sized revolver. Press ESC to cancel. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The Courier was produced in .22 Long Rifle, 32 Colt NP, 32 S&W long and short. Colt King Cobra Stainless .357 Magnum, 1989 manufacture with 6" Barrel, black colt neoprene grips, solid rib barrel, white outline adjustable rear sight. I can shoot it quickly with one hand as well as slowly with two hands. Reply Quote. The sight picture is fine for close-in work (of, say 15 yards and under) but difficult to refine at distance. In recent years, owing to its limited production run, the Viper has become quite collectable. For exact location of these items, please see the King Cobra owners manual, page 36 [opens to .pdf]. OH-58 Kiowa: The Forgotten U.S. Army Helicopter. Features a red ramp front and white outline rear sights on a solid rib barrel, serrated hammer and trigger, six round fluted cylinder, and black checkered three finger combat style grips with Colt 150th Anniversary gold plated Rampant Colt medallion inlays on both sides. Estimated Price: $ 3,000 - $ 4,500 Price Realized: Details Documented Colt Factory Firearms Collection Low Serial Number Colt King Cobra Double Action Revolver with Original Box and Factory Letter Manufacturer: Colt Model: King Cobra Type: Revolver Gauge: 357 magnum Barrel: 4 inch solid rib Finish: bright stainless Grip: checkered rubber Stock: Bipartisan. In addition to not particularly caring for the premier load from Federal, the Colt King Cobra seemed to demonstrate a preference for the other two .357 Magnum loads I grouped: the Remington 110-grain semi-jacketed hollowpoint and the full power (and I mean FULL power) 125-grain Speer Gold Dot. A slightly revised version of the Agent was released in 1973 with a shrouded ejector rod, with a weight of 16 ounces. 1076 0 obj <>stream Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Featuring Hogue overmolded grips and a user-replaceable brass bead front sight, the newest wheel gun uses the same Linear Leaf spring trigger as in the rest of Colts Cobra line. King Cobras are equipped with either oversized Walnut target-style or hard rubber black finger-grooved combat-style grips, and an enlarged target hammer. I failed.). Single-action Colts (models Frontier Scout, Peacemaker, etc.) This was due to unavailability of leather in time to get the requisite hours in. The rear notch is not sufficiently deep to allow one to see the entire front bead. Incorporates a full length, snag free, ejector shroud and interchangeable front sight on the barrel. Frame and cylinder are constructed of lightweight aluminum alloy. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Weight: 1 lb., 7 oz. It is thicker than those of the slightly older Cobra and Night Cobra models to handle the more powerful .357 Magnum cartridge. . The bottom of the Agent grips was slightly shorter than that of the Cobra. The King Cobra represents a massive refinement over the early Cobras, however. Original Reporting. Hearing protection is a must while shooting. This time around, according to the manufacturers official info page, the gun was reincarnated for 2019 as the 6-Shot .357 Magnum big brother of the Colt Cobra Double Action revolver, which in turn had been reintroduced back in 2017. For me the Cobra derringer points and fires naturally. For seekers of the seven serpents, however, a couple of these guns are almost impossible to find: the Viper, which was just a regular catalog item for Colt in 1977, and the BOA, which is even rarer. If you intend to use the King Cobra for defense of life and limb, mastering its trigger should also mean mastering the triggers full reset cycle. It is capable of using either .38 Special or .357 Magnum loads. With robust designs and vintage classic style, discover the heritage of military timepieces today! My exemplar proved itself capable of extremely good accuracy within the confines of its sights, and it is pleasant with all but the heaviest Magnum ammo. And of course, the three-inch, Goldilocks barrel and the beefy frame really make this revolver something special. In light of the accuracy results below, I dont dislike this setup as much as I otherwise might. When at rest, less hammer is exposed than in the earlier design. Top to bottom: 2020 Python 6, 4.25, New Colt King Cobra (image courtesy JWT for thetruthaboutguns.com) I got on the order train as fast as I could, asking for both a 6 and 4.25 gun from my distributor. The Cobra was made in three models: the First Model, made from 19501971 and weighing 15 ounces unloaded with 2-inch barrel, and an improved Second Model, made from 19721981, recognizable by its shrouded ejector rod and Baughman-style ramp front sight, with an unloaded weight of 16 ounces. Some softer-shooting Magnum loads were comfortable, and dare I say, even controllable. Others point out that +P ammunition is the same pressure as the regular pressure ammunition was before SAAMI lowered the standards in 1972 as a result of industry requests. The interplay of these two components is one that is easy to overlook, but on the King Cobra it is a thing of beauty. Manufacturer: COLT Model: KING COBRA Serial Number: KU0212 Caliber Info: 357 MAG Chambers: 6 ROUNDS Barrels: 6 Action: DA Finish: MATTE STAINLESS STEEL Sights: RED FRT ADJ REAR WO Manufacture Date: 1998 Extras: DRILLED & TAPPED Case: YES NON SPECIFIC Item Location: NC . Ballistics By The Inch tests of the .38 Special cartridge. Below are the six other loads for which I recorded groups. While on the one hand, Ive read some good reviews of the newer King Cobra such as Mr. Zents previously cited article some of the clerks at my local gun shops in the DC/MD/NoVA have told me some less-than-stellar things about these newer models. typically have the serial number stamped on the flat area in front of the trigger guard. Accuracy was a breeze, thanks to the smooth trigger in double-action and single-action trigger modes alike not as smooth as the Python, mind you, but still plenty smooth an easily acquirable sight picture, and those recoil-taming rubber grips. The new Colt King Cobra Carry is a DAO .357 with a bobbed hammer and 6-shot cylinder (Photo: Colt) Colt's new magnum-caliber snub weighs 26-ounces and features a stainless steel barrel. Grips was slightly shorter than that of the Americans with Disability Act hand as well slowly! The exception of the accuracy I was able to squeeze out of Cobra! 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