King Cobra Pistol - This article is about the Colt King Cobra. For other Colt double action firearms, see Colt double action.
First introduced in 1986, the Colt King Cobra is a medium-frame six-round double-action revolver designed and manufactured by Colt's Manufacturing Company and marketed for law enforcement agencies and civilian firearms. Available in blue and stainless steel finishes in a variety of barrel lengths and chambered for Cterfire .357 Magnum ammunition.
King Cobra Pistol
The King Cobra's design is based on the previous Colt model, the popular Trooper Mk V, improved with a heavier barrel, a full cylinder ejector rod guard, and a thicker rib on the top of the barrel. , The King Cobra was introduced in 1986, discontinued in 1992, and returned to Colt's product line in 1994. Dropped a second time in 1998, it was not reintroduced until 2019 as the .357 Magnum, a three-inch barrel version of the 2017 Colt. Cobra.
Colt King Cobra — If You Could Only Have One (wheel) Gun
Built on a Colt mid-size 'V' frame from 1986-1992, the King Cobra was introduced in very high grade carbon steel with Colt's brightest and most polished dark Royal Blue finish. Matte stainless steel was offered in 1987–1992 and 1994–1998, and a polished stainless steel option became available in 1988–1992. King Cobras are equipped with large walnut or black hard rubber style combat grips with combat grooves and a large target hammer.
The Cobra's sighting system consists of a fixed iron red front sight and a fully adjustable iron white rear sight.
In blue steel models, 4 and 6 inch barrels were available from 1986 until the blue gun was discontinued in 1992. A 2.5 inch LGTH with blue finish was also offered from 1990–1992. In matte stainless steel, a 2.5" lgth catalog was offered from 1987–1992, a 2" barrel was offered from 1988 until King Cobra production was discontinued in 1992, and again from 1994–1998. 4-, 6- and 8-inch barrel lengths were also available on models with a matte stainless finish from 1990 to 1992; They returned to the product line between 1994–1998. Finished in bright stainless steel, the 4 and 6-inch were offered from 1988–1992, the 2.5-inch was available from 1990–1992, and the 8-inch was offered from 1989–1992. The King Cobra is chambered for the powerful .357 Magnum cartridge, but like all .357 pistols will also shoot .38 Special ammunition.
Colt also built a total of six King Cobras with three-inch barrels and fixed sights. These were made for the Montreal Police, who expressed interest in such a model for plainclothes officers. The gun was never adopted and six samples were returned to the distributor. One surfaced in North Carolina in 2006, was inscribed by Colt Archives, listed on GunBroker, and is now in the hands of a private collector. The fate of the other five is unknown.
Colt King Cobra F***** After > 100 Rounds
In 2019 the King Cobra was reintroduced with a three-inch barrel. The gun debuted at Shot Show 2019.
Like all .357 Magnum pistols, the Colt King Cobra can chamber and fire the smaller .38 Special cartridge. Colt's Snake rifles have been one of the most desirable and sought after handgun series in recent memory. There were many variations, from the basic Cobra pistol to the giant Anaconda Colt. My personal Colt pistol is a Colt King Cobra. My grandfather was crazy about big guns and enjoyed using them for hunting and recreational shooting. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to hang out with my grandparents and shoot guns with them before they passed away. My grandfather owned several different Colts including a King Cobra, two Pythons and an Anaconda as well as several other large caliber guns. Unfortunately, my grandfather passed away in 2009 from brain cancer, but in his will he left his King Cobra with the factory box and owner's manual.
When I bought the gun in 2009, the King Cobra was much cheaper in comparison to the Python. The king cobra used to be the least desirable of snake collectables, but prices have risen rapidly in recent years. I would have loved to shoot the King Cobra at the range to appreciate how well made the gun is. Since the prices have gone up so much now, I often keep the King Cobra in the vault. I often feel guilty and don't shoot it much anymore. Instead, I take it out of the vault and value it from a collector's perspective with its own sentimental value.
One of the greatest things about the King Cobra and Colt's other snake guns is the presence of the guns. Whether you're shooting at the range or just looking at it, the King Cobra is a great shooting gun that's as sophisticated and sexy as it gets. Samuel L. Jackson took one in "The Long Kiss Good Night" when he said the classic line "That ain't no ham on a rye pail." As a teen, I thought that movie had a very good Samuel L. Jackson vibe, and I remember him threatening people with a polished gun. Fast forward fifteen years and I am now the proud owner of the same gun. Now honestly, I am a huge fan of the Smith & Wesson 686 pistol, but to me, the older versions of the King Cobra have a more refined feel.
Talking Serpent: King Cobra
Of all the guns that I own and shoot regularly, I still think the King Cobra has the smoothest DA/SA trigger of any gun in my collection. Modern guns are generally designed for rapid controlled fire. Typically, new material is intended for shooting at competitions or training courses. The gun community has gone from being out for fun to target shooting. Whether it's training or competition, young shooters often don't just go out for fun. I fell into this trap and tried to organize all my range trips just for fun instead of going out to enjoy the shots.
The King Cobra feels like an antique Cadillac from the 1950s. You can drive it as fast as you want, but it's a lot more fun if you just slow down and enjoy the ride. The King Cobra is also more of a feel to shoot than most other guns I own. You can really slow down and enjoy the feel of pulling the hammer back for just one action. Everything feels more mechanical on the King Cobra and feeling the recoil in your hand is incredibly satisfying. The recoil when shooting a normal 38 Power round through the King Cobra is near zero.
When chambered for .357 Magnum bullets, the gun is incredibly easy to control. I've always wondered how much fun it is to shoot a king cobra without hurting your hand. The party piece of the King Cobra is how accurate the gun is with its 6 inch barrel. Typically at 25 yards, you can get regular one inch groups with good ammo. The gun is a pleasure to shoot and has a completely different feel from the polymer wonders on the market today.
At the end of the day, the old Snake Gun will always have a special place in my heart. Growing up shooting for different versions is one of my fondest memories. I feel very fortunate to have inherited such a big gun from my grandfather. I am even more grateful for the memories of the photos together. I don't kill king cobras anymore because they cost more. In reality, it doesn't stop me from using it occasionally. The King Cobra is one of those guns that is a special moment to shoot. This is a gun that brings back the most important thing in recreational shooting which is the enjoyment of shooting.
Colt King Cobra Double Action Revolver With 2 1/2 Inch Barrel
This is a gun that puts a smile on my face and takes me back to a simpler time in life. When I didn't go to the range to train or help other people, but just to shoot for fun. If you haven't shot an old style snake gun, I would highly encourage you to. They are great examples of what a quality gun would be. If you have snake guns, I'd love to hear what you think of them in the comments below. If you have any questions feel free to contact me on my Instagram @fridgeoperator. Be safe out there!
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I am an avid shooter and love to educate, whether it is in my job or in the shooting community. I'm an average Joe who really likes talking to other people about firearms and other passions.
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