Colt King Cobra or S&W 686 Plus

You want the Colt
Get it
I have the 3 “ king cobra love it
I also have a 7” 686 plus Extremely Account beater gun for deer hunting so not a bad option But the deal you’re getting on that called king cobra is unbeatable I would buy a second one at that price for the hell do you see it at that price

Colt trigger much smoother out of box and better resale value
For a 3” get the Colt
For hunting 5” or longer 686 or 629

I’m a big S&W fan but just recently bought my first Colt revolver. After a range trip with both manufacturers I’m still of the mind that a S&W is the better gun. If your seeing marks ask to see if they have a different 686 to show you.

I've become a huge fan of the King Cobra. Perhaps I just got lucky, but it's got an absolutely phenomenal trigger -- better than my tuned 19-4, better than my new Python. I've owned two 686s, a 5" half-lugged "stocking dealer's special" and a 4" 686-plus, both worthy, but for me, awkward for anything other than the square range. In Smiths, I prefer a K-frame for carry; the KC is a sweet spot in size, concealability and power.

Just an observation: The two guns
are really quite different.

The Colt is, I believe, a beefed up
D-frame, more a competitor to the
S&W K-frame.

The 686 is on Smith's L-frame,
comparable to the Colt Python
I-frame, and designed for regular
.357 magnum use. And it's
quite a bit heavier.

Out of the box, I believe the Colt
is going to have a lighter weight
trigger pull whereas the Smith's
will seem quite heavy though
smooth. The Smith weight can
be easily changed with Wilson
or Wolf springs if you wish.

By the way, is the Smith a
4-inch barrel or a 3-inch or
maybe a 2.5 inch?

So back to Kleanbore's earlier
question, what's it for?

dh1633pm said:

.

It’s just for fun. Or to have.

Click to expand...

I've never heard anything so outrageous!

I have both. I've had the 3" 686 for a few years. Shoots well, better after smoothing things out inside and a set of springs.

I used Wolff springs. Extra power locking block spring, the type 2 mainspring, which had me looking for a new strain screw as the original was too short. I dropped in the 15# trigger return spring as the 13# made the SA scary light. Under a pound. All 7 throats were undersized, and needed reaming. The forcing cone needed work. Chamfered the chambers and recut the crown.

After all this its a great shooter, good enough that I would carry it if the political climate bans semi-autos. That real possibility is why I bought this pistol.

I picked up the 3" KC a few months ago. I expected to have to do everything I did to the Smith. None of it was needed. Only problems I had were finding decent grips and a front night sight.

The KC out of the box was a better gun. More accurate and the perfect size. Just a bit smaller than the K frame. It fits an old detective special holster I had a while back.

If I were to do it over I would have just gone with the KC to begin with. I've only owned a few Colts and was underwhelmed by all of them. Even the legendary Python was just not that great. I lean towards S&W but this little KC snake is definitely a keeper.

I did a pretty lengthy write up with photo's here. https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/first-357-wheelgun.896892/#post-12098411

Colt King Cobra... If for range fun or carry, the stock Hogue grips are the best for that, and don't need changing. I paid $850 plus tax for the same 3" KC in the picture. S&W 686 currently are starting around $800 NIB, do not have the better trigger, and the biggest turn off is the internal lock that does not exist on the Colts. The 686 do have better sights than the specific colt you are looking at. I would go with the 4" Colt King Cobra Target which comes with adjustable rear sights and wood grips. You can still purchase the Hogue grips afterwards.. That's ONLY if the have the Target for just as great of a price to because $715 is approx. $200 under the MSRP of $899. No tax is the icing on the cake.

I love my new model 3" Colt KC

They got this gun right in so many ways....if it holds up to the test of time without problems, this gun will earn unicorn status in my book.

I also love the Smith option, that deign is tried and true...but the Smith variant will probably still be available for sale in a few years without having been discontinued (ok, maybe it will be a dash-13 variant)..... Colt may or may not have such a reputation.

If I could get the KC for that price with no tax I would. I have the 686-6 with a 3" barrel. Mine was used, private sale, so I also got it with no tax, but it didn't have any tool marks on it either. That would worry me. I've always herd great things about S&W guns. I'm not an expert on them, (or revolvers in general) I only have a few, but the ones I have are perfect. Maybe QC has taken a nosedive of late? I would still prefer the S&W. I just like their style of cylinder release better. Springs, and such can be changed out to change the trigger feel, but there is no changing from a pull open, to a push open... I only have one Colt, and it just feels so weird to use it. It's like changing over from an AR to an AK. Still works, just feels wrong.

For that price of $715 and no tax, I would be all over that King Cobra!

dh1633pm said:

Went to Fort Drum and paid for the Colt. Sent the paperwork into the county. Waiting for it to return so I can pick it up. Loaded some .357 with my new dies. Got some replacement grips. Hopefully can pick it up in a week or so. Can’t wait.

Click to expand...

You will love it.
I'm about 200 rounds into mine. It shoots even sweeter than it looks. I've shot all types of 38 and 357 loads from mild to wild, and it handles the medium to stout magnum loads surprisingly well for being a smaller gun.

The only thing I've noted so far, and I also have a thread on it, is the lead deposits in the recessed bore crown....I believe soft swaged lead bullets are the culprit.... the lead is literally soldered in there, and will take work to get out... but this is no big deal.

New, I would take the Colt too. But if I was looking at 686's, I wouldn't even consider what S&W is making now.

Got a King Cobra a few months ago. I was looking for something in a .357, hoping to come across a nice K-frame. Nice revolvers in my neck of the woods have been pretty scarce lately, though. Found a bunch of RIAs for cheap and one S&W 27 that they wanted about $1200 for.
Came across the KC at the shop just down the road for under MSRP. Pretty, fits well in the hand, locks up like the proverbial bank vault. Nice trigger. Would have preferred the 4.25" target model, but beggars and choosers.

Shoots really well. Puts 135 Gold Dots into little cloverleafs at 2 o'clock in the 10 ring at 10 yards. Plenty good for fixed sights and a 3" barrel. That flyer at 6 o clock? All me...full power .357s are a little stout, and it turns out I'm not completely immune to getting a bit of flinch when I'm not looking for it. In the words of Thorny, "That little guy? I wouldn't worry about that little guy."

This thread makes me want a King Cobra. Thanks a lot!

Enjoy them! (I'm still wondering why the PX at Fort Drum seems to have better prices and sales than the PX at Ft. Lewis (JBLM))...