Can you elaborate?
Korth 357 & 44Mag
- Thread starter Huntolive
- Start date
- Status
Can you elaborate?
Obturation
Member
I think you might be able to find the info on the internet, Michael Zeleny may have posted some of that history. Graf v. Bernstorff went into bankruptcy after outsourcing more work than Willi had done and he pulled many people down with him. He lost his castle over that. He had little experience with manufacturing and even the samples of the barrel sleeve he gave to a sub contractor was out of spec.
I spent over a decade researching Ratzeburg Korths and found most subcontractors and also talked to the last two master gun smiths that worked in the second Ratzeburg factory. I also know the Industriemeister personally that had gotten the out of spec barrel sleeve sample from Korth.
In 2008 Korth had two certified (not self proclaimed) master gunsmiths and a secretary in the plant and sold under a dozen guns a month, making it more of a custom shop than a factory. The cylinders were outsourced, the barrels bought by the obvious quality manufacturer. Nill hade the grips since 1969 and the wood was bought from Theo. Nagel in Rothenburgsort
. Bluing was outsourced and so was hardening, using the same company that SIG Sauer in Eckernförde used.I think you might be able to find the info on the internet, Michael Zeleny may have posted some of that history. Graf v. Bernstorff went into bankruptcy after outsourcing more work than Willi had done and he pulled many people down with him. He lost his castle over that. He had little experience with manufacturing and even the samples of the barrel sleeve he gave to a sub contractor was out of spec.
I spent over a decade researching Ratzeburg Korths and found most subcontractors and also talked to the last two master gun smiths that worked in the second Ratzeburg factory. I also know the Industriemeister personally that had gotten the out of spec barrel sleeve sample from Korth.
In 2008 Korth had two certified (not self proclaimed) master gunsmiths and a secretary in the plant and sold under a dozen guns a month, making it more of a custom shop than a factory. The cylinders were outsourced, the barrels bought by the obvious quality manufacturer. Nill hade the grips since 1969 and the wood was bought from Theo. Nagel in Rothenburgsort
Interesting, what are the manufacture years to avoid?
Quality, trigger feel and value were the other question criteria, not just accuracy.
two shanks
Member
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2020
- Messages
- 21
Totally agree. MMBI has a German partner that is a Korth dealer. He is on EGUN. She got one for me and put her import mark under the barrel lug.
Michael Zeleny had put all that info together very nicely so that his pages at larvatus prodeo are a must read in the English language. Willi Korth had used Dynamit Nobel as a distributor and they wanted to push numbers, they were more interested in profits, not so much in quality. Many people consider the 31 to 33 series to be hit and miss after Willi got out of the company and the old staff had been fired. It took a while to have the new guys learn about the guns.
The chief master gun smith had given me the tour of the factory one Friday afternoon a few months before Korth, then owned by Freylinger of Luxembourg, closed shop.
Apparently Chapuis,Armes, a very old and reputable manufacturer of classy hunting rifles is also struggling with the quality control of revolvers. Revolvers are not that easy to make perfectly well.
I hope that she also got you that missing grip bushing.
Targa
Member
It really is as simple as this. If you want it and have the means to do it….well, there you go.
Obturation
Member
I never said they weren't . I was commenting on the part that I have knowledge of. That being said, my point seems completely relevant to the conversation . What's your point?
It's a requirement of federal law. Firearm importers must mark the guns they import.
https://www.atf.gov/firearms/firear...rms-ammunition-firearms-verification-overview
Name of Importer
- Must be conspicuously engraved, cast or stamped (impressed) on the firearm frame, receiver, barrel or slide
- For firearms imported after January 30, 2002, the engraving, casting or stamping (impressing) of the importer’s name must be to a minimum depth of .003 inch
- Must be conspicuously engraved, cast or stamped (impressed) on the firearm frame, receiver, barrel or slide
- For firearms imported after January 30, 2002, the engraving, casting or stamping (impressing) of the importer’s city and state must be to a minimum depth of .003 inch
two shanks
Member
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2020
- Messages
- 21
Accuracy was only one of the criteria in the OP.
I think the question was, do the import marks have to be that huge, a little more discreteness would be nice.
There is a minimum size and depth of 0.0625 and 0.003, which is actually very small. The now commonly used laser engraver can be set to precise sizes and depth.
You mean it would be nice if they were inconspicuous?
There are exceptions to the marking requirements, private imports are one of those. Marking variances can also be requested from ATF. Conspicuous in itself is not a clearly defined term, look at S&W revolvers being serial marked on the grip strap, which is usually covered by the grips or inside of the frame, covered by the crane.
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
I guess they're going to the trouble of importing and marketing them, so Nighthawk wants their name on it. Who cares?
Nighthawk should, if the prominence of it turns off potential buyers.
A side note, the dealer I bought my Korth from said when he put the import marks on it, it was the most difficult marks he's ever done due to the hardness of the steel.
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
Do you really think people look at the new Korths and are turned off by the Nighthawk name and not the rest of it? Seriously.
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
Taken as a whole, I don't see what the big deal is. If they were made and finished like the older guns pictured above, I could understand it.
Taken as a whole, I don't see what the big deal is. If they were made and finished like the older guns pictured above, I could understand it.
They do sell, so apparently some people agree with you.
- Status
