Page 52 - American Rifleman (February 2020)

COLT'S KING COBRA

was extremely fortunate to fall in with a great Anaconda clad from butt to muzzle in Realtree camou age,
mentor when the time came to diversify my meager at that time a heavy, vinyl-like transfer lm that had all
gun collection. More than twice my age, he’d been the swank of plastic seat covers in Grandma’s living room.
working on his own collection since boyhood, a The big .44’s look was so disturbing he immediately went
lifetime stalking gun-show aisles, browsing area shops and and fetched a blued, walnut-stocked Trooper to remind me
seeking out the Bannerman’s catalog or surplus ads in each what a “real” magnum revolver ought to look like.
new edition of The American Ri eman and Shooter’s Bible. His discriminating eye notwithstanding, I’d invite him

While it would be wrong to pigeonhole the man’s taste to to nd a aw in the sample King Cobras I’ve been shooting,
any speci c type or brand, he clearly liked Colt handguns, primarily a 3"-barrel model introduced early last year, plus

especially big old Single Action Army and Navy revolvers. I recent follow-ups, a 2" snubbie called the Carry and the
think he was disappointed I never paid them much atten- King Cobra Target, tted with a 4¼" barrel and an adjust-
tion, but nonetheless was a great help when I developed able rear sight. All three stand up to my scrutiny with
an interest in a couple of Colt semi-automatic pistols. One machining as precise and spotless as any I’ve ever seen,
summer, we searched local gun shows for a Woodsman, the and that applies to bore and inner cylinder surfaces, too.
stylish, long-running .22, before it became apparent that But it wasn’t metalworking artistry that initially sparked
that classic model was impractical and too expensive for my interest. Rather, it was how natural it felt shooting the
my ambition of joining an indoor bullseye league. So, to new King Cobra right from the start, plus the results of those
ensure that I didn’t come away empty-handed, he helped me shots—a clean sweep of a plate rack at 15 yds., not such a
acquire a surplus M1911A1 in NRA Pretty Good condition. feat for a skilled handgunner, but because of a lack of dedica-
Writing this review of Colt’s new King Cobra (yes, you’ve tion to practice, that’s not me. After that encouraging intro at
the 2019 SHOT Show range day, I was motivated to dig deeper.
heard that name before and we’ll get to that directly), I’ve
heard that name before and we’ll get to that directly), I’ve the 2019 SHOT Show range day, I was motivated to dig deeper.
been thinking quite a lot about that gentleman who was
a true “in uencer” long before Twitter or Instagram came

to be, wondering what he’d have to say about a medium-
frame, stainless steel .357 Mag. revolver markedly different KC TARGET
frame, stainless steel .357 Mag. revolver markedly different
than his favorites, but whose uted, six-shot cylinder still
than his favorites, but whose uted, six-shot cylinder still
rotates clockwise, the way God and Sam Colt intended in
making us equals.
Let’s not assume my mentor would be impressed. When
Let’s not assume my mentor would be impressed. When
it came to newly manufactured guns, he was given to old-
it came to newly manufactured guns, he was given to old- KING COBRA
man scof ng about how “they don’t make ’em like they
used to.” Before even considering feel or performance, he
would carefully inspect t and nish, and if any tooling
marks were visible, he’d nd them. One time he couldn’t
do so occurred in the ’90s when I showed him a Colt KC CARRY

The chief internal innovation with the new
“Snake Guns” is a Linear Leaf spring that
produces a smooth, non-stacking trigger pull.
50 FEBRUARY 2020 AMERICAN RIFLEMAN