.357 magnum: Korth vs. Smith

[sw282]

l have held a couple Korths in my time. They ARE a work of art. l read the account of the Korth vs the S&W Mod 28. l seriously doubt that thread. l personally had a friend who shot a 6'' M28 in IHMSA SILH for a couple of years. The way he tortured that revolver was insane. His favorite RAM load was a 200gr .358RNSP rifle bullets designed for 35Rem stuffed in 38spcl cases full of H110. He used the 38spcl case b/c the 357mag cases made load too long for the Smith's cyl. He shot it this way at matches before going to a 41 mag. l never heard him complain of the guns function. ln fact l examined it closely before he sold it to pay for his new Mod 57 41mag. lt seemed tight enough to me w/no issues. He had gotten it used from an ex hiway patrol. l must say l am no expert or a gunsmith. l will say tho his load was used by a guy w/a Python who shot w/us. After a time the Python began to have problems. timing l think.

Obviously, by my user id l am partial to Mod 28s. l love them more than than their fancy dress-daddy Mod27s. l sometimes shoot the ORIGINAL 357MAG load in it l found in a 1950 NRA handbook. lts pressure is 30k+. Not very often because it is loud and stings the hand a bit. l doubt there is a stronger 357 revolver around except maybe a FA 5 shot. Maybe Smith & Wesson could be talked into chambering one of their X frame 500s in 357 Mag.

 

[bragmardo]

The way he tortured that revolver was insane.

This observation in no way undermines the study that found the Korth frame unaffected by loads that stretched the S&W M28 frame.

 

[Shoot66]

bragmardo, my P210 is from the post 309xxx production. A heavy frame target. The trigger is better than on my Colt Python. I have just this one, but I know a guy who has a nice collection starting from the P49. When I get to visit him, I will try to test mine in comparison to his pieces.

 

[bragmardo]

I own the P210-5 HF SN P315851. I also have four heavy forged frame P210-6 pistols. There is no comparison between their trigger actions; the earlier guns make the CNC piece feel mushy. I also have many Pythons ranging from the mid-Sixties blue steel through the mid-Nineties stainless pieces. It may be possible to compare the two-stage single action trigger pull of the P210 to the stacking double action of the Colt Python, but I wouldn't know how to compare it to the single-stage trigger pull of that revolver fired in single action.

 

[Shoot66]

Mine is 31720X. The slide is stamped 210-5 Target, the frame Heavy Frame. It is the shorter version though, known as no. 6. I failed to get an older one, as I was after a heavy frame and target sights.
My Python is a "V", produced in 1978.
I am not a gunsmith, nor I consider myself an expert. All I can offer is my subjective impressions. When I shoot them side by side (the CP in single action) I find the SIG`s trigger more pleasant.

 

[PzGren]

Shoot66,

my SIG P210 is a P210-4, I chose this for its history; they were made for the German Border Police and supposedly a few made it to the military. The serial number is D055x of 5,000.
My Python is an E764xx from 1974 and the Korth a 24/61x from 1969, the 24 series has already the rollers for the trigger and the most important updates - and was made when Willi himself insured quality.

I would love to know the year of manufacture for my rimfire Walther PP in .22 l.r. but all I could find out - even with the help of one of the curators of the Walther museum in Germany - is, that I have a very, very early rimfire pistol. About 80 years old and far from retirement!

 

[Shoot66]

PzGren,
Nice guns you have, Sir. I had a chance to handle one of the "D" series last summer. SN D2302. As you say, one of the BG Polizei contract. The person would not sell it. He offered an "A" to me instead, but it was from the mid-seventies (1974?). I was a little bit short and would have prefered a sixties piece at the same time, so I passed. Retrospectivelly, it might have been a mistake.

 

[PzGren]

Condensed Collection

Shoot66,

I have those guns in my "toolbox" after shooting for over 30 years and maybe one hundred handguns that came and went. The trigger of the Korth is only equally by my Hämmerli 212 Jägerschaftspistole. I used to compete with a Walther GSP and a Hämmerli 208 and those guns were boringly accurate but rather sportequipment than weapons.

 

[Shoot66]

Chapeau, or my respect, Sir. I am a beginner in comparison to you. I keep the Hämmerli 212 Jägerschaftspistole in my mind, just in case I run into one somewhere. I have heard a lot of good about them, but never had a chance to handle one.
I shot the GSP, have arrived at the same conclusion as you. Decided to focus on accurate service grade weapons. From the sport equipment department I`ve kept two more simple and rugged .22 LRs, though. The MCM or Baikal Margolin - my two older kids love them. The Korth Sport in .22LR would a special treat for my wife.

 

[PzGren]

Shoot66,

it is great that you involve your kids in our sport! I did with mine, hauled them to the gun shows, the gun range since kindergarden. My boys always liked it and are grown up now but they have a real love for guns and I am very proud of it; to have planted that seed and also make them good shots.

Both outshoot me now, my youngest son does so easily, but range time together is still something that is very precious to them - and especially me!

They are just as sentimental as I am...and a gun that is the lowest quality among my shooters; a beat up S&W 22A that we shot over 95,000 rounds through is very dear to my sons. They learned shooting with it.

 

[dnovo]

This thread has taken on a life and direction rather far afield from it's origins:

The trigger comparisons between a service revolver and a dedicated target semi auto are out there. Of course, the triggers on a Hammerli 212 , etc are rough compared to a free pistol of the older iteration and crude in view of my Hammerli FP 60 and especially my new Pardini free pistol with it's electronic trigger. Want perfect? Try one of the latest Pardini 22 semi auto 22s with either electronic or manual trigger. Then try a Korth or a Python and you will see what i mean.

A service revolver or semi auto cannot be fairly compared to something built especially for competition. Nor will my cherised Pardini 22 short electronic trigger paper puncher work as a self defense weapon. (Unless I put 5 rounds into his eye, and in one hole in a rapid string that sounds like one shot, which my baby can do, but I'd prefer something like a 44 Mag instead.)

Horses for courses folks. Can we wrap this up? Dave

 

[Strykervet]

Close this thread. I have my answer and it is going off topic.