We all know how crazy-popular the snake guns from Colt are, so it really comes as no surprise that the gun maker would launch another one at NRA. It might be a little bit of a surprise, though, that the newcomer is chambered in .22LR.
The new model is, in every way, a solid Colt King Cobra revolver, it’s just chambered in a more diminutive round than .357 Magnum. The cylinder is drilled for 10 rounds of .22LR and Colt says it’s a versatile gun useful for everything from plinking to competition shooting to hunting. It has a forged stainless steel frame and the one-piece barrel is also stainless steel.
The King Cobra Target sports Hogue overmolded rubber grips, so it’s comfortable to hold, and of course its overall weight mitigates felt recoil (which would be negligible anyway).
What this gun really might be is the perfect introductory revolver for kids interested in running this platform instead of semi-autos. It isn’t overly heavy and the grips are soft and comfy as Colt’s usually are, so it would work really well for most young shooters.
Think kids don’t need to learn to run revolvers? I’d disagree. Learning to run a variety of platforms makes us all far better shooters.
Colt is manufacturing the King Cobra Target in two barrels lengths, 4.0 inches and 6.0 inches, both of which have a 1 in 16 RH twist rate. Guns ship from the factory with a fiber optic front sight and adjustable rear sight.
The cylinder on the Colt King Cobra Target swings open smoothly and closes firmly. Overall, fitment of parts in the model I saw at NRA is very good. There’s no jiggling or movement that could be problematic like you see with certain gun maker’s revolvers. The hammer operates crisply and has a nicely textured surface so it’s easy to manipulate even if your hands are wet or you’re wearing gloves.
If you’re collecting the snake guns that Colt’s making again, add this one to your list. It’ll be interesting to see if competitive shooters run this gun in the coming year. In the meantime, it will be a fun one for plinking, small game, and very useful for instruction.
MSRP: $999
