Page 54 - American Rifleman (February 2020)

COLT'S KING COBRA

Target variant weighs 36 ozs., while the Carry, coming with mistake it for trigger reset, but in order to reset and fully rotate
a bobbed hammer in double-action-only, is a slim 26 ozs. the cylinder, the stroke must go completely forward.
The shorter variants sport Hogue rubber Overmolded stocks While my shooting experiences with the various Kings was,
that echo the original’s but lack its embedded gold medallion. on the whole, enjoyable and without issue, I noted that potent
Nonetheless, a silver “prancing pony” inset does grace the .357 Mag. loads, though not unbearable or literally painful,
Match’s custom Altamont wood stocks, the lower portion of quickly become unpleasant. Shooting more than 15 or 20
which are stippled for grip security. The entire run is rendered rounds translated to diminishing returns in my practice sessions
in stainless steel with a brushed nish that falls between versus the milder 125-gr. loads, which I could shoot in double
the matte and bright stainless options on earlier Kings. The that number before fatigue set in. Naturally, the heftier KC
familiar markings are still there. On the left, however, “KING Target made it easier to cope, but with the shorter Carry and its
COBRA” brackets a ared serpent head on the barrel, while the increased muzzle blast, it was smart to cut off sooner.
trademark pony prances near the grip cutout. Etched on the Also, the Target model, in general, did not perform as
barrel’s right side is “COLT’S MFG HARTFORD, CT USA,” plus a well as anticipated. Not only did its trigger exhibit a bit
QC-code square on the frame’s lower front corner that adds a more pull weight—breaking at 5 lbs. even in single-action
21st century touch. As before, the cylinders are uted. mode and 9 lbs., 7 ozs., in double-action—we also expe-
Fitting of its purpose, the KC Target pairs a notched, rienced a fair bit of shavings that blasted the shooter's
adjustable rear sight with a red ber-optic front, but its hand along with a sandbag rest that received a few tears.
littermates are considerably more basic, with a squared And while it shot higher-velocity loads better, the last two
0.195"-wide channel in the topstrap aligning onto a brass rounds red would not allow the cylinder to rotate. In all
front bead. Some may question the accuracy potential, but fairness, those were handloaded 100-gr. .38 Spl. wadcut-
there’s no doubt about this set-up’s ruggedness and utility. ters at 987 f.p.s., and it appeared they had a primer-seating
Clearly Colt is prioritizing dependability for users confront- issue. Of note, the best three-shot group measured with that
ing short-range threats, and in use, one’s sole focus goes to load was 0.75", but ve-shot groups weren’t so spectacular.
the gold bead—an old-school approach to low-light sights Of course, a saving grace of .357 Mag. guns is that they also
that is fast and sure. There are no protruding edges to catch digest .38 Spl. ammunition, and so shooters can tailor their
on clothing. The bead is interchangeable via a set screw, and power level, for carry and/or for practice, according to what
the maker plans to offer options to the current brass xture suits best. Take my word that .38 wadcutters are sweet-shooting
(Brownells already has ber-optic and tritium offerings). and mostly accurate in all three KCs, and it's much the same
To reduce glare, both the topstrap and top rib surface are shooting the lesser cartridge with top defensive loads.
noticeably duller than the rest of the metalwork.
Also stout is the barrel diameter at 0.702", and its Will The King Reign Again?
slightly recessed crown is another carryover from the old The crux of all this is the question: How well will King
days. The six-groove ri ing matches that of the Cobra’s, a Cobras serve personal-protection needs? Only those open
Colt standby, according to Field Editor Wiley Clapp, likewise to revolvers for carry or home defense will get that far,
its 1:14" left-hand twist. and then primarily those insisting on .357 Mag. repower.
While the biggest upgrade isn’t visible, it will be readily That’s not a big chunk of today’s market, and not one
noticed by many shooters. Upon re-entering the Snake that’s growing; but it is a stubbornly enduring user group,
Gun business, Colt engineers developed a new mainspring as evidenced by strong sales, not only for these new entries
and trigger assembly, the double Linear Leaf, or LL2. It from Colt, but also for competing models from America’s
replaces earlier leaf springs most nd preferable to the coil biggest handgun brand names.
springs used in some revolvers by Colt and other makers, My observation after limited carry is that there’s little
which tend to “stack” or increase pressure in the course difference between the 3" standard and the 2" Carry, a
of a double-action trigger pull. Colt says the LL2 largely mere 2 ozs. And the former is a more manageable shooter
prevents that problem and, moreover, it makes the hammer in my book. That said, if one is mostly seeking a pocket
swing more linear—and thereby faster—than was the case pistol, the smaller gun sans hammer spur is the better tool.
in earlier iterations. I didn’t know all that during my rst So judge for yourself: Beyond the myriad more-concealable
go with the KC, but it was immediately apparent that in options with greater magazine capacities, comes this new
double-action mode the 9-lb., 2-oz. pull was smooth and entry in a marginally larger class that takes a markedly
quick. In single-action our test model’s trigger broke con- different tactical approach. Viva la difference.
sistently at 4 lbs., 1 oz., with no grittiness or take-up. While earlier Cobras and King Cobras weren’t considered
The ejector rod plunges 3/4" to faithfully clear the emp- particularly high-end, Colt is clearly positioning its new
ties, but some of my colleagues weren’t so keen on the cylinder wheelguns for an upscale market, blending technological
latch because it pulls rearward (in Colt fashion), and that can advances with ruggedness and mostly traditional looks.
mean shifting one’s ring grip when reloading. Also pointed Given that, it will be interesting to see if the Snake Gun
out to me—I hadn’t noticed at rst—is that the trigger return revival extends to some of the more coveted series members.
hits a tiny bump about halfway through its release stroke. For now though, suf ce it to say that the King is back and
Semi-automatic shooters used to that sort of tactile cue might offers great versatility in a portable, powerful revolver.
52 FEBRUARY 2020 AMERICAN RIFLEMAN