Handled a new .22cal Colt King Cobra at the LGS yesterday

[Rodfac]

Went back to Ky Gun Co. in Louisville to handle that King Cobra .22 in the display case.....and then asked if they had anymore in stock.....the answer was six plus the display one and I was welcome to check them all...I did...and all had as good triggers in both DA and SA as the display model...and weren't sporting finger prints all over that shiny polish job. Note to self, "gunna be hard to bad mouth this if it shoots as good as the triggers work!"

....I bought one....film and notes later but....only had time for two cylinders of ten each through it, just before dark, 20 rounds total. Got an inch for the 1st 10 shot group with CCI Sub Sonic HP's at 10 yds from my unsupported Weaver stance...and the 2nd ten went into same tight cluster or just a hair smaller at 7 yds DA, Weaver. I'll just tease with a comment that the trigger in DA and SA is as good as any Smith I've ever shot....The DA may even be better....

I'll report back with further pics & notes after Mrs. Rod and I get back from a Florida sojourn, in a cpl weeks. Best Regards, Rod

 

[JDeere]

My lgs has one and it's been there for a bit at msrp. It's a nice revolver but I don't need a 900 buck .22. The only .22 revolver I have is a 60s era Ruger single six...

 

[tubeshooter]

Kind of begs the question - how much is too much for a high quality double-action .22 revolver?

Because people have been saying "I want one but don't want to spend so much" since forever...


I have and like single-action .22 revolvers, and if they work for the task then fine. That being said, the .22 double-action revolver has almost always been a "pay to play" endeavor, generally speaking. I will say that I wouldn't expect to be able to buy something that is presented as a top-shelf commercially available .22 DA revolver for just $400 or so in today's money. But in turn - I would then expect K-frame level performance at a minimum.

 

[Ohen Cepel]

....I bought one....film and notes later but....only had time for two cylinders of ten each through it, just before dark, 20 rounds total. Got an inch for the 1st 10 shot group with CCI Sub Sonic HP's at 10 yds from my unsupported Weaver stance...and the 2nd ten went into same tight cluster or just a hair smaller at 7 yds DA, Weaver. I'll just tease with a comment that the trigger in DA and SA is as good as any Smith I've ever shot....The DA may even be better....

I'll report back with further pics & notes after Mrs. Rod and I get back from a Florida sojourn, in a cpl weeks. Best Regards, Rod

Please let us know how accuracy is once you get to shoot it more. It is a great looking revolver and very tempting, but I would like to know they shoot very well before I put that kind of $$ down on one. Already have a Korth and nice old S&W's in .22 that shoot very well.

 

[Archer]

Just over a thousand rounds through mine now, and the trigger is really quite smooth in DA for a rimfire. Practical accuracy is superb, capable of 1” groups at 25 yards off a bag. It appears to prefer slightly higher velocity ammunition for optimal accuracy. Only issue is that if you dry fire on expended cases, it will tie up ejection. So, don’t do that.

 

[doubleh]

he didn't have a bad word to say

Does he ever? I have quit him because he is so windy. Gotta give him credit for being a great shot with about anything though.

 

[DS-10-SPEED]

Cylinder: While I do prefer the recessed cylinder chambers enclosing the .22 rim...it's strictly from a cosmetic point of view, as I've never in almost 70 yrs of shooting experienced a blown out .22 rim. It did seem a bit odd to find Colt's method of chambering...

We have a .22 bowling pin league at our club with many 1000's of rounds fired and over the years and I have seen 3 rim blow outs, 1 in a Ruger MKII and 2 in a 617. I would feel safer with a recessed cylinder.

 

[pharmer]

I like it, a little spendy for a .22. I kinda get turned off by firing pin hitting rim on the ejector plate (bottom) instead of outside (top). Guess if'n you keep it clean shouldn't be a problem Joe

 

[Alfred Mitchell]

Always wear safety glasses! One of these 22s is on my short list!

We have a .22 bowling pin league at our club with many 1000's of rounds fired and over the years and I have seen 3 rim blow outs, 1 in a Ruger MKII and 2 in a 617. I would feel safer with a recessed cylinder.

 

[Rodfac]

We've been on vacation for a cpl weeks so haven't spent any range time with the new Colt. Did get to my outdoor range with a little light rain and wind blowing ~10 knots. I've got the sights to my liking now with CCI Mini-Mags, zeroed for 25 yds at the top of the post. At 10 yds impacts are running 1/2" low but that's no hinderance.

Tried more of the Mini-Mags as well as Remington Golden solids/hps, with Fed Auto-Mag to go...I've got a ton AM layed up. CCI still makes a better .22 cartridge for all of my guns with accuracy that's a bit better and virtually zero FTF's. Remingtons are OK for plinking but I did have one that went phufft on me. Checking the bore/cylinder, I found it made it out of the bbl. but there was an oblong bullet keyhole in my 7 yd target. Can't say I've ever had that before with a .22. Plenty of duds over the years but no phufft's.

Accuracy is good/great but still haven't benched it at 25. Weather's been the problem. But Weaver stance, from 15, it'll hit my 1-1/2" medallion spinner every time...about as good as I can do with any of my .22 handguns, to include a Smith M-41 and M-18. From the 10 yd line, I'm getting 1" or better groups from all ten chambers...& that's as good as I can do with any gun.

The action's also getting smoother with use. Out of the box, it was a good in SA, and had one of the best DA trigger pulls I've ever tried. There's just no glitch nor stacking towards the end of the pull just before let off that seemed to be an inherent Colt thing with every Colt I've tried in the past. This one is great, better even than my M-18 Smith now and that's really saying something.

I like it a lot....the gun carries well, feels great in my size "L" paws and seems to be size-wise, about 1/2 way between a Smith "J" and "K" frame. while I've grudgingly warmed to the rubber grips...Hogue Mono's I think....they work well, fit me well...but they're fuggly as hell. My call to Altamont grips to see if they were planning on making their "Roper" target models for it came up negative, however. Those grips (the solid wood variety) on my K, L, & N Smiths fit to a T and I'd love to have them on the new "Mini-Python" .22 at some point.

Pic below of the "Ropers" on my 629 so you get the idea....they'd be great on the KC, especially with its non-existent .22 cal. recoil.

Best Regards, Rod

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