Colt King Cobra

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Oh, shucks, one more King Cobra anecdote.
Winter is setting in here in the upper Midwest and some clubs are moving their matches indoors. I'm not too crazy about trying to do USPSA/IDPA stuff within the confines of an indoor range, but it's better than just sitting home.
A couple of weeks ago I visited the Racine (WI) IDPA indoor season opener. I wasn't really having a good night, and the older the eyes get the worse they work late in the evening. The indoor lighting isn't as compatible with my favored green-painted sights (orange inserts, of course, in the case of the KC). And, of course, I'm just not that great an action-pistol shooter.
But I hit a string just right with my King Cobra that night, a "Bill Drill" (no relation!)(But my wife likes to do them!)(Yikes!), consisting of six shots out of the holster into an IDPA silhouette "charging" the shooter via the electric target carrier.
For some reason, I nailed the "strong hand" string just right and I think, beat the rest of the field.
Told ya the thing is fast.
Bill
How about another gratuitous picture?
KCacc.jpg
 
My 4" stainless King Cobra was my first gun bought the day I turned 21. Paid $300 for it back then lightly used, and they threw in a hard case and a box of ammo. Almost 20 years ago. I walked in to order a S&W Model 19 and left with a Colt.
Try to find a KC for that price nowadays.
 
I just committed to buy a nickel Cobra and a blued Detective Special tomorrow.
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So.....when were you going to tell us about these new aquisitions Ed??? I see, your now trying to slip them in unnoticed. You sure are a slippery one Ed :)
 
If you guys are not sure as to buy the Stainless or Blued versions of the King Cobras, buy the Custom Cobras, Bright Stainless King Cobras with Blued appointments. That should solve the problem.

customcobras.jpg


Jeff (GUNKWAZY)
 
You've got some nice KC's in your "little" collection.
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Hello Ed,
When you say little, you must be talking about the short barreled King Cobras ? :rolleyes:

3shortkingcobras.jpg


Jeff (GUNKWAZY)
 
Bought a 6" in bright stainless back in 87. Sold it a few years later and always regretted it. Picked up this 4" a couple of years ago and it will not be sold. I can shoot very accurately with this tank. The only thing I dislike is the original Pachmayr grips as they don't fit my hand well.

King_Cobra_Dec_26_2006_1_640.jpg
 
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Simply an amazing .357 which was, sadly, overlooked during its day as it was deemed an overpriced revolver that didn't have "S&W" on its side and was too "different" from the Python.

Time, gladly, validates more worthy items as the value climbs along with the demand. That's the short story of the King Cobra; worth every penny.
 
Tell me about the Custom Cobra, please. Looks like the Combat Cobra in every respect except the name and barrel length.
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The Custom Cobras were a very short run of ultimate bright stainless guns with Blue appointments. Blue Hammer, trigger & cylinder release. There were only a total of 250 each of the 4 inch & 6 inch barreled guns available. They came just as you see them with the grips/stocks shown.
Also, as you noted, the barrel markings were CUSTOM COBRA instead of the standard KING COBRA. Hope that helps.

Jeff (GUNKWAZY)
 
Guys, you convinced me. I bought it. 6" SS and very good condition. The single actiion is great. The double action is a little rough, But I do have a friend who was our departmental armorer. Very good with Colt and S.& W.'s.
Thanks for your help.:)
 
I bought one brand new at Wal-Mart in summer of 1987 for $400 TTL OTD and traded it because I was afraid I would fall in the water while fishing with the 6 lb hunk of steel and drown by dumb ars. I guess two or three times a year I wish I had not gotten rid of the gun, because it was the first revolver I ever could shoot good and just liked shooting. I have only seen one since I got rid of the gun and it was marked at $650, I couldn't bring myself to even handle it for that price. I still look for one every time I go to the gun shops, but I doubt I will ever find one at a price I would pay.
 
Years ago I had a 6" stainless KC. At that time I had three other .357's and thought I just had to have a high-cap 9mm. Like a dumb a$$ I traded the Colt for one which I shot maybe twice and got rid of.
The .357 is still my favorite caliber and I have not owned another 9mm since.
We live, (and hopefully) learn.:rolleyes:
Get one if you can.

Jim
 
I remember back when I was looking for my "first" 357. I had about $400 to spend & kept it in my pocket at all times. I had the 4 in. KC , S&W M-19, & 686, & Ruger GP 100 on my mind. I walked into my favorite llittle shop one day & found a NIB 4 in ss KC for $365, picked it up & said I'll take it. Still have it with NO complaints! I like it just as much as my M-19's & M-27.
 
King Cobras are great shooters, but I just wish the double action trigger was as smooth as the Python. Mine shoots great in single action but double action takes quite a bit more effort than the Pythons.
 
I find my King Cobra to be one of my favorite revolvers. I unfortunately have not had the chance to shoot a Python and I am sure the action is much better but I find the King Cobra double action pull preferable to the double action on my Colt Diamondback.

Colts.jpg
 
This thread has some really beautiful pictures of the KC! Thanks to eveyone who has posted pictures, I just love looking at 'em.
 
Jakkar-
The King Cobra may or may not have a better trigger-cocking action. In general, of course, Pythons and most E/I frames will be slicker than the V frames.
What is probably the more important difference is the type of action each frame gives.
To me, the King Cobra is more (heaven help me) Smith-like, in that the pull has a point where it sort of lets go, as opposed to the E/Is which tend more to stacking all the way to the break.
Lots of folks believe they do better with the stage and release like the Smith and V. But someone more tuned into his or her Colts might have more sucess with the increasing pressure of the old action. I know that in my case, that's true. The Smith/V action seems to have me slamming the trigger against its rearward stop and jerking the gun, but it seems the Python (or, actually, my ..357 Model, which is better than both of the Pythons I've had) lets go before I make contact.
I know this- slow or fast, I get better hits with the older guns than the KC.
Now, I will add that my King Cobra has a Wilson spring kit. The rebound spring replacement seems a good idea on a broken-in gun. I'm not as sure about the mainspring. I do have occasional light hits on poorly-seated primers in my handloads. Not often, but it does happen if I get careless or there's something amiss with the Dillon.
But breaking in a King Cobra is a real help. As dfariswheel will always point out, these late guns need snapcaps because there's a chance of snapping a firing pin and it's a factory-type job to replace it. Once you cycle the gun a few hundred times (as if you were dryfiring safely, of course) it will even out quite a bit.
Still... if the target is back a ways, and I'm trying to pick up the pace at all, the Python will give more hits, and I attribute it mostly to my being more tuned into the old leaf-spring action.
After plowing through this thread, the King Cobra was in the range bag for last Sunday's (outdoor) IDPA match. It was exceptionally six-shot neutral, and out came the Safariland Comp IIIs. I had to reload out of my winter jacket's pocket since I'd neglected to toss in an IDPA-legal speedloader carrier, but even so I managed finish a bit above the midpoint overall of all divisions. That, also despite being pressed into RO duty and not really getting time to organize.
The King Cobra is fast. Love it that way, loud and fast.
Bill
 
I see what you are saying with the differences in trigger pull. I guess I am just used to S&W so the KC feels more natural. I have only recently picked up the Diamondback and if I find a Python for less than the 14-1600 they were going for at the gun show last weekend I will definitely add it to the collection. The Diamondback pull is smooth to a point and then there is a catch that just really throws me off. It is noticeable in other guns but no so pronounced. The KC is heavy so maybe it has the same catch but is just not as noticeable because the rest of the pull is not as smooth.
 
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