Colt King Cobra - Problems, Malfunctions, and Failures OH MY!
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- Опубліковано 28 сер 2024
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4 years later, just bought a King Cobra Target and haven’t even shot it yet, only dry fire about 200 times and the gun is broke. Hammer won’t cock on single action and trigger is stuck towards the rear, just like you. Paid $1000, I am pissed.
Sorry to hear that. I can’t believe this is still happening. Thanks for sharing your experience 👍
Thanks for the response. I can’t believe it either. Was a proud owner of my first colt and now I am sick to have owned it. I will keep everyone posted on how the repair goes. More than likely will be selling it for an HK USP or P30.
have a 2020 king cobra carry ive definetly dry fired it over 200 times and im over 550 rounds half being .38 special and other half in .357, i took the whole gun apart once to mirror polish the whole thing and even after being manipulated by me still not a single failure.My glocks have caused me more headaches honestly. I Feel like its a hit or miss. Are the new guns the same as the old? no. but theyre damn close and who cares CZ owns colt send it back and get it fixed.
Sent to Colt, got it back 6 weeks later. 20 rounds in the gun is broke and I can hear a rattling from of broken part inside the frame. Will be selling when it comes back. The gun has been at Colt longer than I’ve had it
@@codycornell5036 sounds like you’re one of the unlucky few. Mines been great. I trust it.
There is something seriously wrong with how we do business
in this country when an American gun company can not even make a functioning
revolver. This is old technology and in this day and age a customer, not even
one, should be receiving a malfunctioning revolver. This is indicative of a
much bigger problem. People, especially corporate leadership, do not give a
shit about producing a quality product. How is it that a prestigious gun
manufacturer can let this happen, there is no good excuse.
Exactly. Couldn't have said it better myself.
The problem is more within Colt itself and it goes back quite a long time.
It's about the most you can cheap out on while being a passable product. Most companies have a 75% profit margin, meaning it cost them $250 to make while retail is $1000. Sadly no one wants to stand behind their product with confidence and making sure they are quality.
I don't have the numbers, but if you take your average Shot show a significant percentage of the products that are released have some kind of flaw. There isn't a range day where somebody complains about a new gun that doesn't work. Reputed rifle maker completely messing up the headspace, new Smith and Wesson has a timing problem, a Dan Wesson in .41 Magnum thrown clear across the gallery in frustration. Brand new CZ Shadow, a dream to shoot out of the box, three sessions later there is a huge crack in the frame. I'm old enough to remember that even higher-end cars wouldn't always start first time, appliances had glitches in them and guns made until a few decades ago were considered absolutely fine with glitches that would cause people fits of apoplexy today. I'm not defending Colt, bringing back old guns even with modern updates is a risk, the hand on the Python has always been problematic, even in the old guns, but they were never designed to go through half a dozen boxes of Buffalo "Jam as much powder in the case as is humanly possible" Bore each and every time you take them to the range. The King Cobra was the mid-range model, similar design, but with slightly looser tolerances which required less hand fitting than a Python. Old technology isn't always perfect technology, the surviving guns are the ones that ran fine out of the box back in the day or were fixed to work, all the bad ones have been turned into rebar long ago and the people who complained back then are no longer around, so we get the impression that the old timers were magical craftsmen who turned out perfect guns each and every time and today's gun are nothing but crap, despite the fact we have better steel, tolerances that would make John Browning blush and the ability to make match grade guns almost as standard. Take Wilson 1911's, their guns are made to specs far beyond the GI standard of say 1918 or 1943 because they had engineers go over the parts and get a much better standard that was ever possible when the Prophet designed it in the first place. King Cobra and Python have exactly the same weaknesses as the originals, and possibly one flaw in the new Python that is worse than the original, possibly because somebody figured they could get an extra five bucks out of a part by making it more cheaply. We're kinda spoiled about guns today because they can be incredibly reliable to standards far exceeding those even two or three decades ago. From my point of view the King Cobra and Python have major issues today, if they still have issues a year or three years from now they do deserve all the flak they get, in the meantime just hope they can get iconic guns right to begin with.
@@rotwang2000 Very wise perspective. I think Colt is getting so much heat largely because the perception is out there, be it fair or not, that they are not a 2A friendly company, are more interested in just selling guns to the government, and have betrayed their customer base. I honestly don't have the background to know if that is a fair assessment or not, but I sure have seen it in a lot of places.
If Colt had a better perception in the shooting community, I think these SNAFUs would be largely forgiven and the company would be getting a lot more leeway.
Colt was going bankrupt during the making of this video. CZ bought them in February 2021 and their customer service has been stellar ever since. Worth buying today.
That is great to hear! Thanks for sharing! 👍
Just bought one. Not shot yet but the fit and finish is perfect
Picking up a King Cobra 2" this Saturday. Super excited.
I sent my king cobra back about a 4 weeks ago and it still hasn't come back, I'll update when I get it back
Colt needs to stand by their products and name.They need to fix the guns that had problems and move on, instead of providing excuses.
Couple things.
(1) Its really fantastic to see a young person into revolvers.
(2) You did a really good honest review. Your very well spoken and know what your talking about.
I really really wanted to believe Colt could bring back a Python as good or better than the Python from old, but sadly after doing just a little research it's obvious that they have not done that. It's also very disturbing thier customer service/support is so poor.
Appreciate your video review. Thank you.
Thanks for stopping by! :)
All the materials they used to build this gun are imported from china!! I work at the machine shop, so one thing i knew that, 80% of ss 316stainless,304ss,.... imported from china!!!
I love my OLD Colts, would not buy a new one now, though. Did not know about the King Cobras. Thanks for the heads up.
Thanks for the great feedback on your experience. I was so looking forward to getting a KC but not anymore. Seriously, this kind of thing just makes me sad that it reinforces the notion that "Made in USA" doesn't mean crap. Seriously, don't bother with that as a selling point, folks. If your product can't speak for itself, in a GOOD way, it doesn't matter where it's made.
I've had nothing but 100%success with my Colt King Cobra .I have to say it's one of my best shooters .It sucks you got a lemon but it happens sometimes with firearms.
Yep, lemons happen. I was more disappointed in how they handled it. I’m glad yours is solid, though! 👍
500+ through mine and not a single problem at all. Mine also is a 2022 so maybe they worked out the bugs 🐛
@@joshradford1989 I picked mine up in 2019 and absolutely love it. n.I my have to get a Colt Python
2024 . lol just got a new 3 inch version . perfect form so far, 150 rounds and no issues. hope they saw your video and upped their game :) good video.
Good to hear! Keep me posted if anything changes 👍
Bought a King Cobra August 23 and it worked fine until Feb 24 when the action locked up completely. Contacted Colt and got an RMA right away. Gun is due back to me in two days so we’ll see how it goes. Work order says broken hammer. Only had 300 or so rounds through it. I want a revolver for carry so I’ll have to see how it works after a few hundred rounds. If all is well I will carry it again, but not until I can trust it.
I have the new Colt KC in 3". She works beautifully. I have completely disassembled and inspected every little piece and everything looks great! Never have had a problem.
I’m glad to hear it! That’s how it should be! 👍
I also bought one a couple months ago and so far i have no issues. I've put about 150 rounds through it at this point. hopefully they upped their quality on them between when this one mentioned in the video was bought and i bought mine.
Sorry for your disappointments. I'm an old Colt wheelgunner for decades and have owned a Python, Trooper, Trooper Mk 111, Lawman, and 4 'D' frame snubbies, and only had a S&W .22lr "J" frame among them. Have disposed of all those except a 'D' frame carry gun. Went to a large retail gun store to check out the new King Cobra and Kimber K6S DA/SA. Viewing these in the case was not inspiring enough to ask a sales associate to take 'em out for show and tell. But did spot a used police trade in S&W "K" frame stainless gun which I purchased. Now running a couple of Rugers and some "J" and "K" 'Smiths, tried and true. Hope you resolve the issues with Colt.
I was SO excited for the new King Cobra 3" buuuuuut I couldn't be one of the first people to buy it. I knew there would be problems, and I wanted to wait a solid year and see how everyone on UA-cam likes them and what, if any issues arise. I am absolutely heartbroken over Colt's response to the King Cobra issues, and then the Python, and the issues and Colt not communicating and owning up to the issues... I will Never give Colt a penny of my hard earned money, their Horrendous customer service and lack of making a quality product here in 2020 are enough to keep me away. But boy am I bummed that this American Legend is choosing to walk away from customers and make such a shotty product, it's uncalled for and I'll keep my business with Smith and Wesson.
Better yet, rely upon Ruger or Charter Arms. They actually respond to respectful customers.
My colt king cobra its perfect
Colt made only 2 awesome handguns. SAA 45 colt,and the original blued Python 357 mag. That’s it!!! I’m curious to see if the new Baby King Cobra 22lr will be any good. I won’t buy the 22lr until I watch a lot of reviews on UA-cam.
@@albertforletta1498 your on crack
@@sparky_-mf2cs , lol 😂
I bought a used 3” King Cobra that was manufactured in May 2021, it looks great all around, no side plate issues, no ejector misalignment it has been flawless for me!
Good to hear! 🙌 If anything changes be sure to come back and update us. Hopefully it continues to impress! 👍
I have been reading up on these and supposedly the issues were fixed around the same time the Python was released. They supposedly upgraded some parts to be more similar to the Python.
Holy Hell, I wasn't expecting to see a vid from you. I always liked your stuff, especially after your P938 vid saved my dad from wasting his money. That Colt, man, that sucks. They better fix their problems all around. Good vid, I'm glad you posted it!
Thanks for commenting, man! I'm officially back, so expect to see more vids soon!
@@NightwoodGuns Glad you decided to give it another go!
Pre Lock S&W's, older Colt's when it comes to the classics. For current revolver productions can't go wrong with a Ruger - my two cents.
Thanks for sharing your Colt story.
I agree with you 100% 👍
Thanks!! I’m not bothering with this company.
Bought a 6" king Cobra in the mid 90's and it was awesome. Always regretted selling it so I
was considering buying a new one. Now I'm not. Thank you!
As expensive as colt is you shouldn't have any problems
I agree 👍
It is such a shame at one time without a doubt the best handgun manufacturer to wind up this way, in 2019 I purchased the 2 inch Cobra in stainless my first time at the range with it the cylinder was very hard to open, I sent it back to Colt after 4 weeks the gun came back filthy from all the firing and still the cylinder was extremely hard to open it got to the point Colt called Sportsman's Warehouse told them to give me a new gun which they did and that one was flawless, I hope Colt gets their act together and starts producing Colts the old fashion way, don't give up send it back tell them to make good on that King Cobra.
Unfortunately, they don't have the money or the talented craftsman to make revolvers like they used to.
First, thank you for being a wheel gun guy. I've been a wheel gun guy my whole life. I have my Dad's 1958 Python 4" service pistol and many others. It is the best handgun I've ever shot. Be that as it may, I bought one of these new Colt King Cobra Target and a few other Colt's. Of all of them the Target gave me problems. I sent it back to the factory and they had it quite a while before sending it back. The good news it is fixed and with 450 rounds through it now and no malfunctions, I'm good. I knew they would figure it out. But I didn't have the issues you describe. My issue involved cylinder rotation like the new Python. I'm just glad it's fixed and taking it out again today to enjoy. Like you, I don't deal well with delays, incompetent customer service people from any company. And most of all, I don't like things that I buy not being in my possession. I'm sorry that you feel you have to sell it, but maybe it's best for you.
There's nothing quite like a wheelgun! And the original Pythons were works of art. And with my King Cobra: If I ever needed to grab the gun, the next shot would have broken the trigger return spring. That's an insta-sell for me. It bugs me that they didn't even tell me what was wrong with it. If it was the trigger return spring, the hammer sear could be next. Not a chance I'm willing to take. Keep up the wheelgun love!
I have a Colt diamond back. Blued 4” ..It’s super nice. Too bad about the new ones.
Nothing no worse about the new ones than the old ones they're sweet.
I am literally deciding between a king cobra and a GP 100 .... You settled it for me, Thanks for the video! I think I was sucked in by the Colt name as well. Ill get the GP 100 ,You can Never go wrong with a Ruger.
100% Great choice on the Ruger! 👍 You’ll love it!
The truth is a simple one: Colt is no longer Colt.
Unreliable Junk
Colt's anti-gun ownership in the late '90s had them make a deal with the Devil ... the Clinton admin. Then the Obama admin reneged on the Clinton deal. Colt may not survive ... pity, I was looking forward to buying a new Python. If it were made to the same standards as the original Python, it would be well worth the $1500 price tag.
Glad to see this . . . saved me(and many people) time and headaches . . . *thanks for independent consumer reviews!*
I’m glad my message got to you. It was a very frustrating and disappointing experience all around.
I came to your channel recently and i cant unsee you without your trademark glasses and ball cap 😂 you look so "un-nightwood" to me!! Haha
Yeah, I used to put forth an effort to “clean up” for videos because people accused me of being bald with the hat and made fun of my glasses. Now I just come back from the range and shoot the vids and don’t care what other people think 😂 I accidentally created a brand with the glasses and hat when my channel picked up 🤣👍
Fist gun I bought when I got my permit in 1991 was a Colt King Cobra. 6” blue. It’s a beautiful gun and I’ve never had a problem. I’ll never let that gun go..
Definitely a keeper! 👍
I had a Charter Arms revolver develop a cracked frame. Contacted their customer service chief, she issued me an return auth. # and two weeks sent me a new gun. That's how well they treat their clients. Too sad situation with Colt. Old man Sam would be shaking his head in disgust.
Accidentally came across this video and wanted to add input.
First, nothing about service or attitude - I would be livid. Period.
Second, I’m original owner of a King Cobra Target (Feb. 21) and have put over 1,000 rounds of .38 special+p and another 500+ rounds of .357 target. A high % of these were fired single action.
Never a hitch.
Individuals compliment and ask my opinion about this beautifully crafted piece at the club and range I frequent and I’ll have to temper my enthusiasm in the future.
I spent many years in retail, and owned a small sales / service enterprise for a bit;
To err is human, but how well you remedy your mistakes is how your business will be remembered.
I’m glad yours is running well and I hope it continues to work as it should! 👍 Any company can make a lemon. I can forgive that. But learning that they don’t/can’t back their product with the prideful service they advertise was disappointing. Their 1 year warranty is the main reason I ended up selling it. I knew if I had any issues in the future, it would only be a worse experience without the active warranty. Your analysis is 100% correct. Thanks for sharing your experience. 👍
I had the ejector stick in mine also. My solution was pinching the knurled end in a piece of sand paper and spun the cylinder with my other hand. I had it fixed in about 10 minutes. I was lucky and that was my only issue.
Matthew Brinkley As long as people such as yourself are willing to “fix it yourself,” Colt will continue to produce flawed revolvers packed in new Colt boxes.
What a difference 2 years makes. Thankfully I never saw this video (though I don't put much stock in "sour grapes" renditions) before purchasing my King Cobra. Fit and finish is superb. The polish is very very good. There have been no issues mechanically although the design is unchanged. The only issue that I've had is finding front sights ..... I want to try some others in addition to the brass bead. It's hard choosing between adding a second KC or a target model or .....
All that try my KC comment on the trigger, it is so nice! The DA is perfection.
Thanks for adding your experience to the comment section! I’m glad yours is up to par! 👍 If anything changes be sure to update!
My 22lr king cobra broke it's return spring in a few hundred rounds. I'm assuming this may be common
Did you have any endshake at all. Mine isn't to bad but the cylinder dose make contact with forcing cone but dose not seem to hang up..
Not the first time I have heard stories like this from their customer support. Hopefully now that Colt is under a new parent company (CZ) they'll get rid of the incompetence and start hiring people that take pride in what they're making.
That’s my hope as well 👍
I have good experience with my two CZs. Lets hope the fix Colt.
@@johnjohnson3447 CZ is one of the best manufacturers out there. I am hopeful. It will just take time.
NOBODY wants to hire people like that! That's like the A-B-C! Don't blame the workers, they don't control anything.
I just picked up a 2 inch colt king cobra after putting 117 rounds through it and doing a little bit of dry firing with snap caps the trigger broke and now does not reset forward without being manually pushed forward you also can't pull the hammer down to single action. It's now been 2 days of me calling colt customer service no matter how early or late I call I get the same message saying all the lines are busy. Seriously not a great expierence save your money guys I wanted to love this thing so bad but after this catastrophic failure I'm left with a $900 paper weight. And the customer service is horrible I've heard horror stories of colt hanging on to guns for months so them not answering and taking it is seriously ticking me off.
I hope the Colt “defenders” in the comments see this. It’s STILL happening. Thanks for sharing your experience. Sorry it happened, but hopefully you can get it fixed up in the next couple of months. Most people don’t put enough rounds through it to see if it will break… and that’s probably what Colt is counting on.
@@NightwoodGuns Update my gun has broken and been back to Colt 4 times until I asked for a replacement they then forgot to send me one for 4 months but now offered to send me a new 3 inch python which I will probably be selling so I guess I'm satisfied but my god it took so many trips and calls chewing them out just to get a bone but I guess I got a $1,400 gun when I only spent $900 after a year.
@@hatchetwound666 Oh wow! At least your persistence paid off, but what a horrible experience. Thanks for updating us. 👍
Hi , I work there for years , all outsourced, same as the m4s they , usually let the more advanced workers go , to keep the cheep labor !
Eric Ohop Not the first time I’ve heard that. It’s very unfortunate. Thanks for commenting.
Eric, you should have paid greater attention in high school.
Thank you brother great service to the community!
Thanks for watching, I’m glad you found it useful 👍
Had to send a S&W back bc the cylinder was out of time on a brand new out of the box 38 spl. They ALL can have problems... Still bought the new colt king cobra despite reviews like this one and so far have been very pleased with it. I considered buying the new Kimber 357 when I heard the new Colt was having issues but guess what they also have problems. So my advice is to buy what you want. Also I have experienced none of the problems from this review. My side plate alignment is perfect!
You are correct. Smiths, Rugers, and any other manufacturer can put out lemons. I am more concerned about Colt because they are aware of a faulty part in their Cobra line and they refuse to issue a recall. Their customer service is also much, much worse than Smith or Ruger. So if something happens to go wrong with your Colt, you are in for a fight. Whereas Smith has acceptable customer service and Ruger has good customer service. The amount of people who have had the same breakage in their Cobra or King Cobra that I've had is disconcerting to say the least. When CZ can really dig their hands into Colt and make some meaningful changes in the company, I will happily buy a few revolvers from their lineup again. But after this experience, I choose to roll my dice with S&W and Ruger. I hope your King Cobra continues to serve you well. It is still one of the best "feeling" revolvers I've ever held.
@@NightwoodGuns Ruger undoubtedly has the best customer service, Smith & Wesson will always fix it but pretend like nothing was wrong with it. Hopefully I won't have to send the Colt back but it is what it is if I do, like you said it's one of the best feeling guns I've ever shot and because of that I might put up with some shortcomings. I'm certainly not brand loyal I have Smith & Wesson's Colts Ruger's Taurus's Henry's Thompson Center ECT. I like them all.
@@NightwoodGuns fixed the problem with the ejector rod sticking. If you go to my profile it's the only video I currently have posted.
Same thing that happened with me on a 686. Colt is having really bad issues with their revolvers
I have a 1987, 4 inch King Cobra and a 1991, 6 inch King Cobra. The fit and finish are perfection and they both function 100% of the time and are absolutely amazing. You had to know there was a reason you could buy a new one for half what you would pay for an old one.
The classics are much better, in my opinion! 👍 You can feel the difference just by cocking the hammer.
There is a reason Colt has had so many bankruptcy.
Tbj Tbj Yep, they’ve been a couple hundred million bucks in debt for a long time now. The reintroduction of the “snake guns” that are mass produced definitely feels like a desperate cash grab.
Almost bought one of these. COLT rep told me they knew gun had problems. Was disappointed, but glad I dodged that bullet...pun intended...
Good call skipping out on it. At least there are a couple of honest people at Colt that admit the problems. If only they cared about fixing those problems instead of cash-grabbing based purely on name recognition and legacy. Thanks for commenting, man!
FINAL UPDATE:
I purchased a Colt King Cobra 3” in early 2022. Owned it about 9 months a shot a few hundred 38 special and a few hundred .357 mags rounds through it during that time. Good news: Didn’t have any catastrophic failures or broken parts with the firearm that caused it to stop working.... as others have experienced. Also, while it originally had cylinder sticking issues when unlocking the cylinder,
That went away as the firearm got broken in from shooting and dry firing with snap caps. (Dry fired this gun with snap caps well over a thousand times). Bad news: The Colt King Cobra had light primer strikes from the beginning (with multiple ammo types) and that continued to increase in frequency the more I shot it. The Colt King Cobra 3” feels great in hand, great to carry, easy to shoot accurately, but at the end of the day it is worthless to me (and many others) if it isn’t reliable. For the price tag on this firearm, it is ridiculous that Colt can’t make a reliable King Cobra revolver these days. I fear many people won’t find out how unreliable their Colt King Cobra could be because they don’t actually shoot it enough. If you want a pretty safe queen to shoot at the range once or twice per year (with potential issues), then perhaps this gun is for you. If you want a reliable revolver for both the range and self defense, I suggest looking elsewhere. For the same price range you can purchase a Smith and Wesson revolver or a Ruger revolver. Even the lower priced Taurus 85 and 605 revolvers I’ve owned in the past were reliable. Sad for more than double the price of those the Colt King Cobra was not reliable.
Thank you for the update! It’s especially helpful since yours was a 2022 purchase. I agree with your assessment 100% 👍
There are also bad problems with S&W Ruger and of course Taurus. Looks like no manufacturer is able of building revolvers in constant quality anymore!
Just bought a new one from PSA sale in 2023. We will see.
Brett...you waited two weeks over Christmas and 7 more weeks for the factory hammer spring repair. You had better buy some hair color before you order another new Colt. Your hair will turn gray whilst waiting.
Exactly! If I ever buy another Colt, I will preemptively buy some hair color and a cane.
Man I'm really sorry to hear you had all of these problems. Early production revolvers did have QC issues. I'm guessing they employed a lot of new hires to staff their production lines and these issues were due to trainees learning their jobs. I've purchased a number of new Pythons and King Cobras in different models in the last 6 months and so far have not had any problems (cosmetic or functional) and I'm a very very picky gun collector/shooter. I'm hoping their current products are now being made by fully trained, experienced and fully qualified production people as well as having a competent QC inspection of every gun they make.
Yeah, it was a disappointment for sure. There's no excuse at that price point and marketing it as "built one at a time, proven every round." After that I can never trust the company again. Not to mention, I understand lemons happen... but the customer service was horrendous. I want to know that if I have any issues, the company will stand behind their product and make it right. Colt did not impress. I'm glad your's have been solid and I hope they hold up as their round count increases. Thanks for your input!
I still have my 70s 6” Colt Python. Royal Blue. Extremely Accurate, Beautiful Action, and of Course the most beautiful Revolver ever made. Anyone having an old one KEEP IT!!!
I take my stunningly beautiful Royal Blue '79 Python out of it's gun rug ever so often to run a box of American Eagle 130 gr .38 Spcl FMJ through it, clean it thoroughly, wipe it down with a silicone cloth and then back into it's cocoon!! Worth at least $3,500 now!!
That’s a shame. Colt is long gone. Only large scale production revolver manufacturers id recommend are s&w and ruger
Normally I would agree, but I just saw the two worst S&W Performance Centers back to back and decided to pass. Was going to get a 19 Carry Comp, but both would not fully cock on one or two chambers: they would lock up. And they were blemished to hell. I don’t think Smith QC can keep up with demand. I’d probably wait to get a Smith until they can catch up with the craziness. Rugers are still good to good though, in my experience. 👍
Colt should change their slogun to "Colt, having worse quality control than Taurus. One gun at a time."
That’s certainly what it felt like.
I have two beautiful Smith & Wesson revolvers (686 and model 29) and I could see no need to buy the new Python especially since I thought they were way overpriced to begin with. I would like to have an older model, but they command a really stupid money price. I did just purchased a new Series 70 1911 Classic and I’m hoping for the best on that one, since I’ve wanted one since I was a kid. So sad to hear that Colt seems to be on the outs with making a quality product. You expect a legendary product from a legendary name. What a shame.
I own a Colt King Cobra 3” produced late 2021 / early 2022 and here are my thoughts so far. PROS: Fit and finish looks good. GREAT, smooth trigger. Easy to shoot accurately because of the good trigger.... in both double and single action. Nice all around size, weight and width. CONS: Price relative to what you get, trigger has three reset clicks and must be let out all the way.... long reset, before you can shoot again. It is VERY easy to short stroke this firearm.... especially during rapid fire. People carry revolvers because of simplicity and reliability. Pretty annoying it is so easy to short stroke this revolver and the trigger locks up. I have owned 4 other revolvers and this has the worst reset / easiest to short stroke out of any revolver I have owned so far. Not a great trigger reset design for a carry revolver.... making it too easy to short stroke. If you are just shooting slowly at a range, one shot at a time, it shouldn’t be an issue. Then again, there are better revolvers or less expensive revolvers with more weight, etc if you just want a range toy. EXPERIENCE / ISSUES so far: I have fired 100 rounds of 38 spl and 50 rounds of 357 mag through the revolver so far.... not nearly enough. However, 40
Of those rounds were Perfecta 38 spl and the Colt King Cobra had 1-2 light strikes out of ever six rounds on that ammo. The primer had a good dent, but I had to restring those rounds many times to get them to fire. Could have just been the ammo but I shot some of it a few days before through my Ruger sp101 with no issues. Generic 357 mag and federal 38 spl fired with no issue through the Colt King Cobra.... 100 rounds combined of those two. The cylinder also is difficult to open / release. The cylinder sticks during the release. It does not appear to be an issue with the ejector rod or the actual cylinder release from what I can tell. It appears the cylinder stop locks in tight and sticks in the cylinder bolt notch (stop channel) when trying to release the cylinder. I just expected better given the price and supposedly quality of the firearm. If this was a Charter Arms or Taurus I wouldn’t think much of it. Actually, I have owned two Taurus revolvers in the past and both were great. But with the Colt King Cobra it is pretty annoying I have to hit the cylinder with the heel of my hand or push very hard while holding the release back to get it to disengage..... the cylinder kind of pops out if I push hard enough. (Anyone else experienced this on a new revolver before it has even been fired). I thought perhaps if I broke the gun in by putting a few hundred rounds through it that it would loosen up. We will see. Good news the cylinder lock up is nice and tight. I really want to like the King Cobra, but given my experience so far and reading all the other comments, I fear this firearm will fail in the near future. Please feel free to share any thoughts or feedback. So far, I would give this revolver a 5 out of 10. I do kind of regret getting it so far, but that may change for better or worse in time. Hoping for the best!
UPDATE: I own the 3” Colt King Cobra. (late 2019 / early 2022 production). I have now put a little over 200 rounds of 38 special and 50 rounds of 357 mag through it. Wish it was more but ammo prices are still high. That said, I have dry fired this revolver so many times that have of the snap caps have literally broken into pieces around the back and I had to throw them away. After watching this video I’ve been doing what I could to see if mine would fail. As mentioned before the cylinder would originally stick and was difficult to release. It is much better now after repeatedly opening and closing it. The gun is fun to shoot and still the most accurate revolver I have shot due to the amazing trigger. While I haven’t had anymore light strikes, I do still believe this revolver will light strike ammo with harder primers in double action because of the design. I primarily shoot it in double action. The weight and size is awesome. I like this revolver more and more the longer I have it. Still not sure I would trust it as a CCW based on this video and other issues mentioned in the comments. But, just wanted to report mine has not broken yet and I like it more each time I shoot it. I do still feel it is over priced. I was going to purchase a Kimber K6 but handled one at a local fine store and it was defective out of the box.... cylinder was near impossible to open. The gun store employee tried it and said it was defective and would be sending it back. Didn’t make me feel real good about Kimber... but perhaps that was just a lemon. I really hope this firearm keeps performing because I like it overall now. If you want a revolver to CCW, Rugers are very reliable and built to last so perhaps start there. I have tried to find more videos / reviews on the Colt King Cobra but not many are out there from people who have really put the revolver through its paces yet. Let us know what you think if you own one.
FINAL UPDATE:
I purchased a Colt King Cobra 3” in early 2022. Owned it about 9 months a shot a few hundred 38 special and a few hundred .357 mags rounds through it during that time. Good news: Didn’t have any catastrophic failures or broken parts with the firearm that caused it to stop working.... as others have experienced. Also, while it originally had cylinder sticking issues when unlocking the cylinder,
That went away as the firearm got broken in from shooting and dry firing with snap caps. (Dry fired this gun with snap caps well over a thousand times). Bad news: The Colt King Cobra had light primer strikes from the beginning (with multiple ammo types) and that continued to increase in frequency the more I shot it. The Colt King Cobra 3” feels great in hand, great to carry, easy to shoot accurately, but at the end of the day it is worthless to me (and many others) if it isn’t reliable. For the price tag on this firearm, it is ridiculous that Colt can’t make a reliable King Cobra revolver these days. I fear many people won’t find out how unreliable their Colt King Cobra could be because they don’t actually shoot it enough. If you want a pretty safe queen to shoot at the range once or twice per year (with potential issues), then perhaps this gun is for you. If you want a reliable revolver for both the range and self defense, I suggest looking elsewhere. For the same price range you can purchase a Smith and Wesson revolver or a Ruger revolver. Even the lower priced Taurus 85 and 605 revolvers I’ve owned in the past were reliable. Sad for more than double the price of those the Colt King Cobra was not reliable.
I purchased mine at the end of 2019 and have had zero issues. Every company has and have had lemons out there. Never had to contact customer service for this particular firearm. But, I do agree their customer service needs great improvement.
I agree. I would have completely forgiven them (praised them, even) if I had a good customer service experience and if they had fully fixed my firearm. But, I must say, it’s concerning how many people have commented with similar issues. I’m glad yours is running well, and I hope it continues to serve you well! 👍
How many rounds have you put through your KC?
Had any problems yet?
Mine had tons of issues too. Cylinder just kept locking up and gritting. Had to go back to get fixed. Bought in 2023.
Thanks for sharing your experience. Interesting that they are still having issues.
As of writing, Colt explicitly does not provide warranty, only a reluctant in-house repair good only for the original owner and only for a year. It really does seem like Colt is banking on people buying these as collector pieces and not expecting them to actually, yknow, use them, and the ammo scarcity is working to that advantage. If you're going to buy a snake, it may be best to wait for CZ to roll in and make some changes around here. Even the slimiest of shill reviewers are posting reviews of these going "oh haha looks like a light primer strike, my trigger locked up, and my fucked up side plate is in direct view of the camera. what a sweet shooter :)"
100% agreed. I’m hoping CZ can turn things around. If they do, my wallet is ready 👍
This just burst my bubble !!! I was really wanting a Cobra and a Python. Guess I wait awhile to see what happens with Colt's QC. Thank you for the info..
Len Brownoff Yep, it would be smart to wait and see if they can get it together. 👍
Feeling the same way.
bought mine a month ago, and it's and excellent revolver. the finishing is something smith & wesson could learn from, very very good, put 300 rounds of .38 & 100 rounds of .357 through it no problems
Glad to hear it!
My cobra did that 3 times, the hammer hook that links the dog bone to the main spring snaps off easily.
Commenting on this to boost it up so others can see it.
I broke down and picked one up last month. After about 50 or so dry-fires( with snap caps) same issue - didn't even get to live fire it, back at Colt now,hoping they sort it out.
I guess smith and wesson. Got no problems. Less expensive better gun period😂
UPDATE: I own the 3” Colt King Cobra. (late 2019 / early 2022 production). I have now put a little over 200 rounds of 38 special and 50 rounds of 357 mag through it. Wish it was more but ammo prices are still high. That said, I have dry fired this revolver so many times that have of the snap caps have literally broken into pieces around the back and I had to throw them away. After watching this video I’ve been doing what I could to see if mine would fail. As mentioned before the cylinder would originally stick and was difficult to release. It is much better now after repeatedly opening and closing it. The gun is fun to shoot and still the most accurate revolver I have shot due to the amazing trigger. While I haven’t had anymore light strikes, I do still believe this revolver will light strike ammo with harder primers in double action because of the design. I primarily shoot it in double action. The weight and size is awesome. I like this revolver more and more the longer I have it. Still not sure I would trust it as a CCW based on this video and other issues mentioned in the comments. But, just wanted to report mine has not broken yet and I like it more each time I shoot it. I do still feel it is over priced. I was going to purchase a Kimber K6 but handled one at a local fine store and it was defective out of the box.... cylinder was near impossible to open. The gun store employee tried it and said it was defective and would be sending it back. Didn’t make me feel real good about Kimber... but perhaps that was just a lemon. I really hope this firearm keeps performing because I like it overall now. If you want a revolver to CCW, Rugers are very reliable and built to last so perhaps start there. I have tried to find more videos / reviews on the Colt King Cobra but not many are out there from people who have really put the revolver through its paces yet. Let us know what you think if you own one.
Thanks for the update! Excellent info!
Well I finally found a Colt King Cobra to handle in-person, I'm not willing to buy one online and all of the shops here in western WA are only interested in stocking Glocks, ARs, and the occasional bargain bin SDS 1911. I very quickly found the rough side plate fit and the sticky ejector rod, and this was on a supposedly recent production KC. While the Python it was next to was considerably nicer in the fit and finish department, the 1699 price tag scared me off when i could buy two and a half 686s for that, or one 686 with a great trigger job from the Performance Center or TK Custom and still have ammo left over as well as a lifetime warranty.
I wanted to come back to this video and thank you for making this, I think if I hadn't seen this months ago I'd have bought a KC without second thought upon seeing one.
I’m glad my video saved you from the frustration I had to deal with. Thanks for coming back and sharing your story! 👍
"Sadly, America ain't what it used to be," as my Grampa says.
He’s not wrong, unfortunately.
I bought a new Gold Cup Trophy in 2017. The slide to frame fit is loose as a goose. It rattles like crazy. Not what I expected from a $1600 1911.
Yikes...
Hahaha. I bet your beaver tail grip safety rattles around like mine too. $1600
It is absolutely true that some of the new colt revolvers have been problematic. I have a new Colt Cobra that I bought used, and it has been flawless through many hundreds of rounds and is a joy to shoot and handle. I would encourage anyone who watches this video to make your decision with the knowledge that there are likely hundreds of Colt revolvers that will never have a problem for every lemon that they put out. This is true of almost every gun maker out there, and you can find videos of problem guns from every brand. Of greater concern I would say is the seemingly casual approach Colt took to solving your problem and to the actual repair (leaving the sideplate mis-aligned). I suspect that Colt may improve in this regard with the acquisition by CZ who has a strong customer service reputation.
I agree with you. My biggest problem was with how customer service and the repair department handled my case. It completely turned me off. I have had problems with Smith and Ruger in the past (like you said, no manufacturer is immune from lemons) but they have handled it well. Especially Ruger. But Colt’s approach was unacceptable to me. I am looking forward to seeing how CZ changes things at Colt. For now, I keep seeing people (to this day) commenting on this video about their broken Colts, so it will take some real magic from CZ to get me back on board. I’m glad yours is running great, and I hope all Colts moving forward will be perfect. I’m just not convinced yet. For me, it’s not worth rolling the dice on another Colt right now, knowing that if it breaks I’m in for an absolute nightmare.
@@NightwoodGuns I was recently on the fence over this revolver, unlike many people that prefer the modern subcompact auto loaders for CCW I happen to be an oddball that enjoys the way revolvers carry, handle and the power of the rounds they fire, currently my daily CCW is a Ruger SP 101 chambered in 357mag and while working, hiking, or doing outdoor activities I carry a Taurus 627 with a 7 round cylinder which I keep loaded with 5 357 cartridges and 2 CCI varmint rounds which I use to despatch snakes around the property, I was hoping the new Colt Cobra and likewise their Pythons would have been a mirror image of Colt's golden years and a redeeming firearm for the failing company but sadly that wasn't the case, and with the recent sale of Colt to CZ it's currently a wash to see what the future of Colt will be, but we know Colt's history and honestly in recent years the craftsmanship of Colt revolvers and likewise their newest AR rifles prior to the sale were seriously lacking in craftsmanship leaving much to be desired, if CZ can prove to me and thousands of others that they are producing high quality revolvers that warrant the price associated with Colt revolvers while bearing that legendary Colt name then perhaps at that point I may purchase one, but as of now I think this video describes well every reason I'm not currently the proud owner of a new Colt Cobra or Python.
Thank you for your review. I ordered the S&W 686 plus PC but when I saw how beautiful the Cold KC was I almost switched my order to Colt KC.
You made the right choice 👍
Very Joe Friday style delivery...
All the info I needed - will stay with S&W.
Thank You!
Dragnet references are welcome here! 👍 I’m glad the video was helpful!
Colt is taking advantage of our younger generation who accepts sub standard products and actually expects them. I couldn't wait to get my hands on a new Python to go with my 1966 Python but fortunately I couldn't find one and instead I found videos of the problems purchasers are having with the new Pythons. A new Python is no longer on my wish list as I am a senior citizen and can remember when Colt and S&W produced quality products. I don't mind paying more money for a quality product but then I'd better get a quality product and that doesn't happen all that often today.I think that Colt made the King Cobra and Python quickly and more inexpensively to get a cash flow coming into their company. If they would have made the King Cobra and Python at less expense but no loss in quality, that would have been fine, but the price Colt is charging for these handguns means they should be some of the finest quality handguns your money can buy. , but they are far from it. As for me I hope I never have to use a firearm to protect myself or my family from serious injury or death but I have a carry permit and do carry. I would never trust my life to a New Model King Cobra or Python. Colt being more than willing to fix my defective Colt, after I'm dead, just don't instill confidence in Colts products. It's a shame, Colt made some of the finest firearms ever, but apparently not any more!
alphaone101 We are on the same page. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want Colt to fail. I want to see them turn things around. But what they are doing right now just isn’t right: making guns cheaply and selling them at a premium. I was lucky to grow up around many “older generation” gun owners. Thanks to them, I know what should be expected of an expensive revolver. Especially one with a Colt logo on it. Thanks for commenting and say hello to your 1966 Python for me! 😁
Colt should have taken care of you! Too bad, I was going to get the Target model, but I guess I won't. Thank you for your video.
Agreed. I would definitely recommend steering clear of their new revolvers.
That happened to me, pulled trigger UNFIRED GUN and trigger did not return. Long story three and a half months later after loosing the repair order on my new unfired Colt King Cobra I finally had it back. Well still have not fired the gun a year later after they ASSURED ME the issue was fixed, could dry fire and shoot the gun with no problems. Guess what I dry fired it a few times and it Broke AGAIN trigger stuck back and would not return. IM TALKING MAYBE 18 DRY FIRE PULLS AND ITS BROKEN AGAIN IF I dry fired THAT MUCH. Now I have a useless revolver that will have to go to COLT AGAIN AND ANOTHER THREE TO FOUR MONTHS OUT OF SERVICE. IM GOING TO TRADE IT OFF.
I feel your pain, man. I wish I could say I was surprised. I’ve had too many people comment on my video and message me with the same problem. It’s unsettling to say the least.
As a novice I really appreciate your information, I see the attraction in owning a colt however it doesn’t seem to be a good product.
From my experience, newer Colt products aren't built with the craftsmanship or the quality control of their older offerings. And their customer service speaks for itself. I'm glad you enjoyed the video! Be sure to check out other channels to get other opinions as well!
Thanks for making the video. I was so close to buying a new python and glad I never did! It really is a shame.
C. Nicholson One of the reasons I bought the King Cobra was to support Colt in hopes of them bringing back the Python. Big mistake on my part. I’m glad you dodged a $1500 bullet.
I think Colt is contracting their new snake gun series with High Standard ! LOL Quality isn't what the old ones were but the price is still there. It's all about the money !
Haha, exactly!
I have handled a new King Cobra and owned an old one. Not even close. It's a shame Colt isn't what it was.
I'm hoping CZ will turn Colt around.
I have gotten myself a CKC a few months ago. Of the issues you listed there indeed was a misaligned sideplate. I was afraid it was truly of mismatching shape and it would have to be either cut by a gusmith or replaced altogether. But fortunately when I disassembled it it turned out that the sideplate can be simply put back into its correct position, so the edges are prefectly smooth now again. (One would think that plates like that would have railings so they would fit together like puzzle and wouldn't misalign when the screws loosen up a wee bit - but apparently not.)
My cylinder is OK, the coarsening on the ejection rod doesn't fit into the hole so it can't stuck in this or any other way. But I make extra sure it's well oiled at all times. I haven't had any issue with trigger yet, either, fortunatelly, but will keep an eye on it.
Thank you for the video!
Thanks for sharing your experience! I definitely tried to realign my plate to no avail. But I'm glad yours was easily fixed! Hopefully your CKC holds up and serves you well for years to come! If anything changes be sure to update us here.
@@NightwoodGuns Thank you! I have shot four packs of 38 special and one magnum so far, so it's not much. But I carry it regularly, sometimes I switch for CZ RAMI decocker. I have to admit, tough, that the existence of the issues you and other people experience(d) ruins the joy from the new gun. Instead of being honeymooned with your new piece you keep thinking is it alright, did I do the right thing, ain't I the dupe here in the end? Unpleasant.
@@richardbolla3713 I completely understand that feeling. It sucks. Hopefully your King Cobra is fine and continues to serve you well. If not, I've heard that Colt's customer service is slightly better than it was when mine broke. So hopefully they will take care of you if anything happens.
Nobody makes 'em like they use to including Smith's, Sig's, Remington etc etc etc
That seems to be the truth regarding everything nowadays.
Everyone is trying to keep up with demand while keeping costs low. Quality craftsmanship and customer satisfaction is a low priority nowadays.
MPGunther1 my $1200 performance center S&W had to go back before I even shot it . The flash shield above the cylinder fell off when I opened the cylinder initially
MPGunther1 Ruger does
U.P. Woodtick I agree with that! I have eight black hawks, two red hawks, three 10/22’s, and just bought a 44 special, since you mention it NONE of them have EVER had an issue! I do have a couple S&W 629 and a 29, never failed. I do carry a Charter Arms bulldog pup 44spl every day and after 200 rounds that cheap bastard has never let me down, yet. But my new Rugers are still built just like my old ones.
New gun comes out. Wait one year during which you watch video review (like this) then think about it
That's what smart folk do!
You are correct , same with about anything.
I know this is an older video. And always appreciate your information and opinion. I love revolvers. But don’t have one. Got caught up in semi autos and rifles. Now I’m circling back to the type of handgun I learned on…. A revolver. I am looking at this colt and s&w model 19 carry. After watching a few videos and reading I am leaning towards the smith. ? The colt is very good looking hand gun with history.
Since this video, S&W QC has fallen off quite a bit. But at least it doesn’t have a design flaw like the King Cobra does. I’d recommend the Smith because if you have any issues, you can always send it in to get fixed. I recommend checking timing and cylinder gap at a minimum before purchasing 👍
Wow, what a nightmare. I can't believe Colt is letting this happen. Can't wait to get mine.
I know, right? I hope yours turns out okay! Fingers crossed 🤞
Very good video, I have a 1st gen Colt King Cobra and it is like your Anaconda tight as can be and I will never get rid of that 6 gun. I just hate it like many others that Colt has dropped the ball on their new wheel guns, we have all waited so long for them to start making them again.I guess we can never go back no matter what brand it is quality is a thing of the past. Thanks for posting 👍👍
dav1099 I would love to see the craftsmanship of the past return... but I think all we can hope for is a refinement in technology to the point where affordable mass production is so precise, a quality control department isn’t even needed. Thanks for watching!
Colt and s&w r not the same. Ruger is now on top.
Chewy Porter The SP101, GP100 and Redhawks are still built like tanks 👍
@@NightwoodGuns Not necessarily so. The indoor range I frequent recently showed me a brand new low-round count 4" GP100 rental in 2 pieces; its barrel literally fell right onto the floor after only a few HUNDRED rounds. YEAH, THIS IS R-U-G-E-R we're talking about. The barrel threads where it screwed into the frame fractured from metal fatigue. It's how it is nowadays; there are no American gun manufacturer that build them like they used to. When the range owner who rents out these guns for some serious high-mileage use tells me these things, about how his "new" guns from all name brand manufacturers suffering from QC and durability issues, I have my ears wide open and mouth shut. So, if you can, get them low mileage used revolvers made prior to the 90s, regardless of make. They were all better made than the new crap and lasts longer.
@@willywonka4340 You make a strong point. I saw a new Smith 686 rental get its barrel blown off at the range as well. I would still take a new Smith or Ruger over a new Colt just because of customer service, though. But 100% absolutely get an older Smith or Ruger in excellent condition before anything new. Thanks for the insightful comment.
@@NightwoodGuns 100% concur, thanks for your reply!😸
I have a review on my channel of my King Cobra (CCW model), made in Nov 2020. I have had zero problems with mine, it is by all accounts perfect and has none of the issues in your video. I've also shot close to 500 rounds out of mine. It should be noted mine is the updated model.
With that being said I've had several people comment on my video saying theirs had problems. I also work in a gun shop and my buddy has seen some VERY BAD examples of them! A retired Army COL who builds guns for a living (and has his shop near ours) checked out my King Cobra and said it's the best one he's seen from their new production which makes me feel good and bad about it lol. I think as you said the first batch was very poorly made. My updated model is flawless, but I can't help but wonder if other KC's were made to the same standard.
I don't blame you for not recommending the KC, Colt has had some serious issues and with CZ buying them out its not awe inspiring. Some other people who have seen my KC think its beautiful and very well made but wouldn't buy one.
My advice would be to INSPECT IT (not directing this at you), which I literally did for like 10 minutes before buying mine.
The actual breakage that occurred in mine and others’ couldn’t have been spotted from an inspection. Which is why I can’t recommend it even with an inspection. But, I’m glad yours is working great! That’s how it should be! 👍 I’m hopeful that CZ will turn things around so they can have more consistent quality. I love the look and feel of Colt revolvers, so I truly want to see them succeed! Thanks for your input!
@@NightwoodGuns Thanks for your response!
Thank you very much for taking the time for this review. I take negative honest feedback very seriously. I just purchased a colt cobra that should arrive in a week. I'll check mine out before I sign the transfer fee.
I’m glad you found it helpful. Good call checking it out before accepting it. I hope it serves you well! 👍
I have a new colt cobra and I think it's ok but definitely not worth the price . I like my ruger SP 101 better .
SP101 is a mini tank. Great revolver, especially for the price.
is the ruger SP 101 nice?
Your Not Alone: The Iconic Python Is A Mess Too - Why I Bought A Kimber K6s ... I Wake Up HAPPIER Every Day - Good Luck Bro
The Kimber k6S has a problem with cylinder release button. I work at a gun shop every kimber has this issue
Had one for about a year. No problems at all. Use it for my everyday carry.
Glad to hear 👍
NG’s informative video saving me money once again 🕺🏻
I'm glad the video was helpful. Unfortunately all revolver manufacturers are slipping up with quality control now. But this is an actual design flaw in the Cobra lineup. Thanks for the comment!
I am currently researching King Cobra, very seriously considering buying it for fun and EDC and hearing all this is borderline heartbreaking. I'll certainly focus very carefuly on all these tips you and other kind folks have listed. What makes me worried is that buying it here in Europe the odds are many of the pieces available will be of the older batches with higher likelihood of all the issues present. Sweet God, I feel like opening a bottle and crying myself to sleep.
If you live in Europe, I would imagine sending it back to the factory for any issues would be a massive pain. I would recommend against anything in current production from Colt. No matter what you decide, I wish you luck.
Hahaha, yeah I was excited about it too and I'm also saddened.
I just bought the King Cobra as an impulse buy. The fit and finish on mine is great. I've only shot a few dozen rounds though. My favorite carry gun so far is the Kimber micro 9.
My 2022 return spring snapped lengthwise. Except for that bad part, the gun is fucking awesome.
My Colt Cobra has a flaw in the cylinder. I understand Colt has been inundated lately and probably overwhelmed. I finally mailed a letter to customer service last week since they’ve never returned my calls. I’m hoping they respond.
Gene Miller No one should ever settle for a repair on a new piece. Colt owes you a brand new revolver, ready to go out of the box.
2021 king cobra purchaser here. I ignored you thinking it would be better now. But mine came with a damaged crane and hacked extractor star and a ding in the mim hammer.
I feel your pain. Thanks for coming back and leaving a comment so others can see 👍 I can’t believe they still can’t get it right.
Colt is replacing the firearm.
@@kakusei3672 Wow! As they should! They absolutely refused for me... But that was also a year ago. Now hopefully the one they send you won't break, haha! For real, I'm putting out the good vibes for you that it will show up quickly and in perfect condition!
@@NightwoodGuns new colt has been a blast. Over 100 rounds of 357 and 38. Double down and got a custom lobo holster for it 😁
@@kakusei3672 That's great to hear! I hope it continues to run well for ya! I'm glad it all worked out!
I bought a 2" CKC about two months ago. Havent pumped a lot thru it yet but hopefully 2023 guns resolved the issues. I havent seen any yet. 🤞
Just had a guy comment that his 2023 King Cobra broke. Went from a collector/fanboy to losing all confidence overnight. His lasted longer than mine at least 👍 I hope yours is good to go, though! You deserve to have a perfect revolver at that price point.
Nightwood is correct and I'm the guy he's talking about. I began collecting these new Colts & have some version of every new production King Cobra made to date. That includes the 3", Target 4", and several 2" snubs. The MIM trigger & hammer never did set well w/me, but I liked these new D frames enough to mostly overlook it. I never thought twice about running 500 rounds (mostly .38) or more thru any of them at a range visit; until my DAO 2" laid down on me June 1st. I knew the multitude of clicks on the trigger return (5 to be exact) could make short strokin a touch and go subject (ask SGT1911 his opinion). Still, the trigger pull was smooth and as a Colt, if I did my part, I expected it to run and run. It didn't and I'm sorely disappointed. My snub is back at Colt as we speak, I imagine for a faulty return spring. Not that Colt will likely say, but I'll keep y'all posted. I hope yours is G2G Svede12 and Tyler R, I truly do. Run it hard but keep your eyes open. If it lays down or doesn't, please let us know as your round counts trend upward. All the best, Smooth.
Bought a .38 Cobra about a year after they were introduced- During the first 6 months of ownership I got to use it for maybe 3 weeks,,, the rest of the time it was in the Colt shop--. Will I recommend or ever buy a Colt again? NO. Would I REALLY trust this as a primary carry weapon? NO-. Am I still jaded regarding the Reliability of revolvers over semi autos? NO,, Beretta semi-autos are now my go to handguns.--.
M. M. I feel your pain, my friend.
The older models were definitely built better.
Agreed 100%
Reminds me of the Colt Magnum Carry I had. That thing had all kinds of problems. Thank you for reminding me not to buy a double action Colt revolver. I love my Colt Single Action Army’s 3rd gen though.
I’m pretty sure the Magnum Carry was one of the last revolvers ever produced by old Colt before they ceased revolver production altogether. Not surprised. I bet your Colt SAA Gen 3 is phenomenal, though! 👍
The Colt Magnum Carry has been my regular carry gun for over two decades and in that time it has never missed a beat. The current King Cobra is the old Magnum Carry with a slightly larger trigger guard and different front sites
Take it back to the dealer for a full refund. You don't have to take this from Colt. Having a slew of defective guns returned to them for a rebuild after refunding everyone will get their attention. And next time don't be in a hurry to get the first of anything from anyone. Thanks for your vid.
Don Thursby I certainly wish I could get a full refund. I’m having a hell of a time trying to sell it.
@@NightwoodGuns I'll bet your wife would find a way. They are good at that stuff. Nobody messes with mama bear! Good luck.
Kimber K6
Has two new models
For 2020
4inch combat and target
They are bowling shoe U.G.L.Y
However kimber do make some fine working guns
I'm with you, I wish Kimber's revolvers didn't fall out of the ugly tree. Nice triggers, though!
Nightwood Guns The K6S has different models available. I find them to be one of the best made revolvers today. The action on the Kimber is almost like a custom job. I carry the K6S now. The 640 S&W double action sucks compared to the Kimber.
boostimalaka1 I’ve been eyeballing the DASA for a while. I might pick one up if I can ever sell the King Cobra.
Thanks for the heads-up. That is very disappointing, I agree. You can't return it either, and just buy that S&W Performance Center. I was going to buy a King Cobra Target and I'm glad I saw this in time. I think I'll get the Performance Center 60 intead or even the Taurus Executive 856.
I think that’s a smart move. Be sure to check over the Performance Center if you decide to buy it. Smith’s QC is still recovering from keeping up with panic-buying. But at least there aren’t any design flaws and their customer service is decent 👍 Ruger seems to be the most solid at this point in time if you are willing to consider one of their revolvers.
Everyone forgets the Colt anaconda was a total mess when they first came out . They had serious accuracy problems requiring barrels to be replaced by colt
Trent Woodfin You speak the truth. That’s why you typically don’t want to buy a ‘91 or ‘92 Anaconda. Mine’s a ‘94.
@@NightwoodGuns - Mine's a '96 Custom Shop Magna-Port and it is PERFECT.
Both Colt and Remington have lost their quality control and no longer send out quality products
I remember 10 years ago when Remington re-introduced their 1911 the front of the slide on a lot of them were scraping along the frames. I saw I don't know how many like that at gun shops from 2010-2012.
I live in AZ and I have never dealt with rust in my life. I bought a Remington Tac-14 that was covered in surface rust after sitting in my safe for a week. I stay far away from modern Remingtons and Colts, now.
Just bought one a day ago. I think they fixed these problems because mine works great
Mine worked great after one day, too. I really hope yours is good to go, but I wouldn’t bet my life on it just quite yet.
Mine had a similar issue, but colt completely fixed it for me, my gun is awesome now! But I do think colt should lower the MSRP a bit or just cut their losses and stop making them to at least give us some collectors value to it
I'm glad they fixed it up for you. Hopefully it doesn't happen again... I agree, either a lower MSRP to better reflect the quality or cut their losses and turn them into collectibles.
@@NightwoodGuns I tried to change my front sight to their tritium one and it would not budge, and I made sure to double check I was twisting it the right way before I took it out and I gave it a good twist and it just sheared off the edges of the hex screw, I'm guessing their genius "gunsmiths" put too much loctite, seems they should be putting burgers together instead.
Colts are absolute garbage
@@jayperez7360 Yikes. Sorry, man. That's rough.
I was so excited that the snake guns were coming back on the market. I'm happy I didn't get one yet! There crappy reviews and issues all over the web. Sucks that Colt went to shit
Jason Bloom I was super excited, too. It’s a bummer, for sure.
I bought the 357 python sent it back soft Strick on the primer
William Knabe I’m sure they’ll fix it up. But for the price, that never should have happened. Hopefully it’s back in less than 5 weeks.
S&W 686 it is!!! Or Ruger sp 101!
Man, sounds like you just got a lemon 🍋? I bought a Colt Cobra Classic, and the gun has functioned flawlessly, and it’s crazy accurate to boot.
That’s awesome! I’m glad yours runs! I wouldn’t have cared so much that mine was a lemon if Colt would have handled it and fixed it the way they should have. I hope yours keeps running! 👍
Nightwood Guns Thanks! I hope it keep running well also. And yeah for sure, that had to have been frustrating, and very disappointing that they didn’t fix it 👎🏽
@nightwoodguns well I sold my Cobra classic. I was dry firing with snap caps one morning when one of the internal parts broke locking the gun up. Colt fixed it up after I sent it back, but I couldn't trust this gun after that. I really liked the gun but I dont want to carry a gun that could fail when I need it most.
Consider investing that money with a Dan Wesson M715. Those are built to be reliable as a bank vault. Interchangable barrel assemblies increase that .357's versatility too.