Colt King Cobra Target .22 LR 4 1/4″ barrel, handy rimfire

[Talyn]

With Colt ever expanding their line of revolvers, it made sense for them to introduce essentially a scaled-down King Cobra Target to a .22 Long Rifle version.

Colt King Cobra Target .22 LR 4 1/4" barrel, handy rimfire. -

With Colt ever expanding their line of revolvers, it made sense for them to introduce essentially a scaled-down King Cobra Target reviewed here to a .22 Long Rifle version. Currently available in a six-inch and four-and-a-quarter-inch barrel configuration. My test sample is the King Cobra Target...

rangehot.com

 

[HayesGreener]

That will become a classic

 

[Snake45]

From all I've read about it, it seems to be a VERY nice gun. For $1000, it SHOULD be.

It's not a "scaled down King Cobra." It's essentially an updated, modernized Diamondback in stainless. The Diamondback was a blinged-up, pimped-out, "Python-ized" Police Positive/Detective Special introduced in, IIRC, 1966. Colt can't call the new one a "Diamondback" anymore because someone else is using that name, but that's what it really is--a stainless, 10-shot Diamondback with improved guts (lockwork).

I've owned and shot and enjoyed a .22 Diamondback since 1974, so this year means I've been a Diamondback fan for half a century. Where did the time go?

From what I've read, the new gun seems to be well made and apparently has an even nicer trigger pull than my old-school original. It should do everything my gun does, and probably better, and do it for four shots more. What's not to like? If I didn't already have a .22 DBK, I'd be positively coveting it.

 

[Grayfox]

I have a 6" .22 Diamondback and have lusted after a 4" version for years. If this is a true Colt "D" sized frame, I'd be very interested.
But then, I own S&W Models 17s and 18s and they're hard to beat.

 

[Hammer67]

I have a 6" .22 Diamondback and have lusted after a 4" version for years. If this is a true Colt "D" sized frame, I'd be very interested.
But then, I own S&W Models 17s and 18s and they're hard to beat.

I don't believe they are a true "D" - I think they use the same frame as the other new KCs.

 

[Grayfox]

Yeah, that's what I was thinking, just wasn't sure. Guess I'll keep searching for a 4" Diamondback that's affordable.

 

[Snake45]

I don't believe they are a true "D" - I think they use the same frame as the other new KCs.

They're not true Ds, but all the new "Cobras" are built on the modern equivalent of the D-frame, including this one (@ 1.4" cylinder diameter). It sure isn't anywhere near the same size as the original King Cobra (I have one).

One thing I don't know is whether old D-frame grips will fit these new guns, the same way Old Python grips will fit New Pythons. I would HOPE so, but I don't know for sure so would hate to SAY so.

 

[Snake45]

I have a 6" .22 Diamondback and have lusted after a 4" version for years. If this is a true Colt "D" sized frame, I'd be very interested.
But then, I own S&W Models 17s and 18s and they're hard to beat.

I have (as you can see) 4" and 6" Diamondbacks and 4" and 6" Smith 17s and I love them all--hard to pick a favorite. I guess that's why I DO own all four.

It is my sincere belief at this time, absent further evidence, that this new gun IS the equivalent of a modern, stainless, 10-shot Diamondback. And at $1000, it's spendy, but still prolly cheaper than any old Diamondback you're likely to find.

 

[HansGruber]

I’m kinda tempted.

Then again…I doubt I’d like it more than my S&W 617 10-shot.

 

[Annihilator]

When I was at my shop last week and got the Glock, they had this in the counter, it’s very very nice, felt good in your hand, if I would have the extra money, it would have come home with me.

COLT KING COBRA 4.25' 22LR 10RD

<p>The King Cobra Target 22 LR features US forged stainless steel construction. The one piece stainless steel barrel is built for the utmost accuracy, topped with an adjustable target rear sight, fiber optic front sight, and Hogue overmolded rubber grips.</p>

guns.bridgeportequip.com

 

[Hammer67]

They're not true Ds, but all the new "Cobras" are built on the modern equivalent of the D-frame, including this one (@ 1.4" cylinder diameter).

Correct. The new King Cobras are more akin to a K frame in size.

It sure isn't anywhere near the same size as the original King Cobra (I have one).

Yup. Which I'm OK with. I prefer the lighter, slimmer frame of the new model.

One thing I don't know is whether old D-frame grips will fit these new guns, the same way Old Python grips will fit New Pythons. I would HOPE so, but I don't know for sure so would hate to SAY so.

They won't. At least not on the other new King Cobras, so I'm assuming not on this one either.

 

[Snake45]

Correct. The new King Cobras are more akin to a K frame in size.



Yup. Which I'm OK with. I prefer the lighter, slimmer frame of the new model.



They won't. At least not on the other new King Cobras, so I'm assuming not on this one either.

The Colt D and the Smith K guns both have cylinder diameters of right around 1.4". This is just about as small as you can make a 6-shot cylinder.

Overall, though, the Smith K frame is bigger in just about every dimension than the Colt D guns. It's longer, taller, and, I think, a little fatter. This makes a big difference in weight.

Thanks for the word about grip fit. You sound like you know what you're talking about, so I'll take your word on that as authoritative until I get hard evidence to the contrary. Thanks for a great post!

 

[Hammer67]

The Colt D and the Smith K guns both have cylinder diameters of right around 1.4". This is just about as small as you can make a 6-shot cylinder.

Yup. The slimmest 6-shot .357 I know of is the K6S, which has a 1.3" cylinder.

Overall, though, the Smith K frame is bigger in just about every dimension than the Colt D guns. It's longer, taller, and, I think, a little fatter. This makes a big difference in weight.

Yeah, sorry if my response was confusing - I was referring to the size of the original KC vs the new KC. I believe the original KC was a "V" frame?

 

[Snake45]

Yeah, sorry if my response was confusing - I was referring to the size of the original KC vs the new KC. I believe the original KC was a "V" frame?

Boy, Colt really turned the Confusion Dial up to 11 when they named this thing "King Cobra," didn't they? If they couldn't use the Diamondback name anymore, why didn't they just come up with another lethal reptile, such as "Cottonmouth" or "Gaboon Viper" or "Gila Monster" or something?

Yah, original King Cobra was a V frame--essentially same size as the Python frame, but no interchangeable parts at all. King Cobra cylinder diameter is 1.555", and the Python is 1.562"--for all practical purposes, identical. For comparison, a Smith 19's cylinder is 1.45" and the M28 (.357) and M29 (.44MAG) are both 1.71".

 

[Snake45]

Thanks for the word about grip fit. You sound like you know what you're talking about, so I'll take your word on that as authoritative until I get hard evidence to the contrary. Thanks for a great post!

Just read another writeup on the gun. Mar/Apr issue of Combat Handguns; writer William Bell (whose name I've seen before, but never taken any particular note of until now). He says:

...and I was able to fit some 1973-era Detective Special wood grips onto the King Cobra Target .22.

As a Word Guy and former Professional Editor, I made special note of the words "...was able to fit...." He doesn't state the old DS grips were a direct bolt-on, but he evidently DID get them to work, one way or another.

I found the writeup credible; his SA trigger pull was heavier than the G&A writeup's (and more in line with my old Diamondback) and his accuracy results were very similar to my Diamondback's, too.

BTW, here's what "1973-era Detective Special wood grips" look like on my old DBK, and yes, they ARE a direct bolt-on for that gun. Look and feel pretty darn good, too.