Colt King Cobra Target .22 LR Revolver: Full Review

Colt Manufacturing was sold to CZ in 2021, and many of the Colt faithful — and there are many — have waited to see what would happen to this beloved brand. The good news is that Colt appears to be staying true to its loyal following and leaning heavily on its flagship models, producing fewer Single Action Army revolvers than we’d like to see, however. 

At the 2022 NRA Annual Meeting and Exhibits, Colt announced the King Cobra Target in .22 LR, a 10-­shot rimfire revolver. Built on a one-piece forged-stainless frame, it is offered with either a 41/4- or 6-inch barrel, both featuring an unmistakable “snake gun” look with a ventilated rib, hammer spur and cylinder latch.

A Snakelet of a Different Name

The polished stainless finish is striking and evokes memories of Colt’s legendary snake guns. Many have asked why this revolver wasn’t named after the six-shot Diamondback produced between 1966 and 1986. The answer is simply that Colt chose to avoid potential legal conflict with the firearm company that uses “Diamondback” in its branding. Firearm historians, however, will note that certain Colt Cobra models were offered in .22 Long Rifle (LR). It’s not important. We are excited to welcome Colt’s introduction of a 10-shot rimfire revolver, even if the configuration doesn’t line up with the classic naming convention.  

Reminiscent of the classic snake guns is the ventilated rib. It carries a red fiber-optic front sight atop a ramp, and a drift- and elevation-­adjustable square notch target sight at the rear. The red fiber-optic sight is held in place with a screw that is accessed at the front of the rib, meaning that it is also replaceable. Tuning elevation at the rear only requires adjusting the flat-­head screw in the topstrap of the iron sight. This procedure will be familiar to Target-model shooters of yore. Turning it clockwise lowers the point of impact. There’s a windage-lock screw that must be loosed before lateral adjustments can be made, though. With the lock screw loosened, turning the windage screw clockwise shifts the point of impact to the left. Worth noting, there are three indexing points to help gauge windage adjustments. 

Machining and finish work on Guns & Ammo’s test sample was excellent. It is easily some of the best in the double-action (DA) .22 revolver class. From the diamond-­shaped serrations on the leading edge of the ejector rod to the machining on the cylinder’s ratchet, every detail is clean, even and crisp. The cylinder gap is minimal and tight, and the cylinder release moves rearward to release the cylinder, another Colt callback, much like the clockwise cylinder rotation. Screws are tight and well-­fit with no marring.

Inside the square-­butt frame is a leaf mainspring, another classic detail. The hammer and trigger operation on this revolver were both exceptionally smooth. The double-­action trigger pull averaged 91/4 pounds when tested using an RCBS gauge. The single-­action pull was right at 3 pounds, and it was crisp and smooth, too.

The King Cobra Target has a 41/4-­inch barrel with a 1-in-16-inch, right-hand twist. At the muzzle is a recessed crown. 

The barrel also has a full-­length underlug, which is a nice feature for a rimfire match revolver since the added weight towards the front helps to stabilize the gun. Weightwise, the King Cobra Target measured 33.7 ounces on my postal scale (unloaded), which is nearly spot on to the manufacturer’s 34-­ounce estimate. The overall height measured 51/4 inches, the length was 91/4 inches, and the width was 1.4 inches.

Colt has placed a $999 MSRP on the King Cobra Target .22, which is high end for this type of gun. A 3-inch, eight-shot, stainless Taurus 942 starts at $430, and a 10-shot stainless Ruger GP100 in .22 LR with a longer 51/2-inch barrel is $1,059. The stainless Smith & Wesson J-frame Model 63 has an eight-shot capacity and a 3-inch barrel length, retailing for $859.

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However, the build quality and performance of the King Cobra Target is exceptional. This is a real case of “getting what you pay for.” Colt revolvers under CZ ownership will be scrutinized by potential customers with lofty expectations, but I believe they will be very impressed with this one.

At the Range

I tested the King Cobra Target .22 with a variety of loads, everything from inexpensive hollow­points for plinking, to hunting ammunition, to Federal’s new 29-grain Personal Defense Punch load. Not surprisingly, target loads performed better. 

The best group of the day came from using Lapua’s 40-grain Center-­X ammunition. This round produced a five-shot, 25-yard group that measured 1.31 inches, slightly besting the top five-­shot group with CCI’s 40-grain Green Tag load, which went 1.34 inches. With a steady rest and the right ammunition, you can expect a few 11/2-­inch (or better) groups at 25 yards. These results were at the top when compared to the groups that G&A’s test results have produced from this gun’s rivals.

Out of the box, the point of impact was slightly low and right, but that was easily perfected by adjusting the model’s target sights. The fiber optic front was easy to see, even in dim and overcast light. The notch/post configuration worked well.

Like most modern double-­action revolvers, the King Cobra Target has a transfer bar for safety. There is no danger in carrying the revolver with the hammer down on a fully loaded chamber. Function and reliability issues throughout testing were rare. Two rounds failed to fire, but both primers were struck. It’s hard to know if the ammunition was to blame, or the impact force from the hammer. When I rotated the cartridges and attempted to fire them again, both worked properly.

The grip was comfortable and filled my hands well. I have relatively large hands but my pinky rode on the base of the grip, though just barely. The grip is easy to remove and change, however, and I suspect some will swap the Colt-branded Hogue rubber grips for something made of wood. There’s no felt recoil, so there’s no pain penalty for doing so.

Rimfire loads are notoriously dirty. After each range session, the King Cobra Target wore black debris at the front of the cylinder and around the muzzle. With a simple wipe down rag, the luster of the polished stainless steel returned.

Off the bench, the King Cobra Target is fun to shoot. In double-­action mode, standing, I could keep shots in a 3-­inch circle when feeding this snake target loads. The double-action pull was smooth with virtually no stacking. I doubt you’ll find a better factory trigger on one of the other DA rimfires; there’s no need to have a gunsmith tweak this trigger.

In fact, I wouldn’t change much about this gun. Colt got just about everything right. The trigger is thin and some may prefer one that’s slightly wider, but they’d be nit-picking. If it were my gun to keep, I’d install walnut grips and a brass-bead front sight, but that’s it. Colt did a great job in creating a rimfire on the new Cobra platform.

Thinking Back

In the 1980s, I kept myself busy reading every article I could find on firearms. In one of the various publications — it may have been Guns & Ammo, but I don’t think so — I came upon an article titled, “Loafin’, Totin’ Fun Guns.” I don’t know why, but the title or spirit of that article stuck with me. Today, I often classify firearms as “LTFGs.” The King Cobra Target falls into that classification. LTFGs are not purpose ­specific; they may have no other purpose than to remind us why target shooting is such a fun pastime. 

At 2 pounds, 2 ounces, the King Cobra Target is light enough that it can be carried in an outside-the-waistband (OWB) holster while working a garden, riding a tractor or hiking. Even though the gun costs nearly a grand, feeding .22 LR is still relatively affordable. Colt revolvers are very reliable and fun to tote around, or even when you’re loafing around the house. 

I spent a day shooting the King Cobra Target out of nostalgia, sometimes in single action, other times in double action, with one hand or two. I even spent time trying to improve my support-­hand-only technique. 

LTFGs must be durable since they’ll spend far more time on your hip and in your hand than most other guns. The King Cobra Target’s polished stainless finish looks handsome, but it’s also tough. It can be carried on your hip for days and it’ll shine it up to an almost mirror-like finish.

Colt’s King Cobra Target .22 is one of those guns that shooters of all skill levels can enjoy. Not everyone is going to enjoy an afternoon spent target shooting a .357 or .44 Magnum, and even a 9mm can wear out new shooters, not to mention the high price of ammunition for those calibers. Rimfire revolvers, on the other hand, are easy to operate and fun to shoot. 

The Colt King Cobra Target could work as a dedicated small-­game hunting handgun, or used to dispatch pests at close range. I won’t debate the merits of a .22 LR round for defense, but I’d note that this is an easy revolver for shooters of any age or experience level to safely handle and use. It could be a suitable self-­defense option for those who prefer or are limited to shooting rimfires. I predict that it’s also going to be a collectible gun, and I’m sure Colt enthusiasts already have one on order. 

After G&A’s range tests, I opened the office door, filled the King Cobra Target with 10 rounds and tossed a few tin cans into the side yard. There’s nothing like an impromptu target practice during the day. That was as much fun as I’ve had shooting in a long time. For that reason alone, Colt’s rimfire proved its value.

Will the average shooter find this gun worth the cost? That depends. There are less expensive options on the market, but most won’t argue that Colt makes a quality revolver that holds onto its value. There’s something to be said for owning a gun that can be passed down to the kids. From what I’ve seen in this serpent, it’s a revolver that the next generation will appreciate. They’ll have just as much fun shooting it as you do

Colt King Cobra Target .22

• Type: Revolver; double ­action/ single action
• Cartridge: .22 LR
• Capacity: 10 rds.
• Barrel: 4.25 in., stainless steel
• Overall Length: 9.25 in
• Width: 1.4 in
• Height: 5.25 in
• Weight: 2 lbs., 1.7 oz. (tested)
• Finish: Polished (stainless steel)
• Sights: Fixed, red fiber-optic (front); adjustable, black notch (rear)
• Trigger pull: 3 lbs. (SA); 9 lbs. 4 oz. (DA)
• Safety: Internal drop safety
• MSRP: $999
• Manufacturer: SIG SColt Manufacturing, 800-962-­2658, colt.com