New Colt King Cobra Target Doesn’t Work

T

t4terrific

New member
My wife gave me a new King Cobra Target this morning for Christmas, and it’s a dud out if the box.

It works one time, and then the cylinder doesn’t rotate on subsequent shots (double action or single action).

If I move the cylinder latch lever a little, the cylinder will rotate on the next shot only.

Basically, it works once, but then I have to wiggle the cylinder latch between each shot to get the cylinder to rotate.

The worst part of all is the last time I sent a Colt back to Colt to get it to work right was in 2012, and it took them three months to get it back to me.

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Sorry to hear that but over the years I have had trouble with Colt. Starting back as far as 1980 with a 1911.Good luck. Hope customer service will repair it. Good looking gun.
 
Geez that's tough...but what a wife you've got! Give Colt a chance to make it right...if they're like S&W they'll do an action and trigger job as well...and on the house too. Good lookin' piece tho I'd prefer walnut stocks. Hope it all works out for you. Rod
 
Nice looking gun. I'd be pissy too, but give them a chance to fix it. I'm sure they will take care of you.

I own a new Cobra myself and despite the naysayers, it's a fine revolver and will not as valued as the earlier versions, I think the trigger might actually be better.

Once you get your King working right, I'm sure you'll be damn happy with it.
 
No disrespect intended, simply a follow-up question: Does it matter?
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For diagnostic purposes and avoiding a trip back to Colt for something simple it might. I imagine there are a lot more things that can go wrong under recoil than there are without. If it happens only under recoil and not when dry firing it likely eliminates some possibilities.

Not enough of a gunsmith to know what they are but understand the idea behind the question.
 
I'm with Krezyhorse. Assuming it's not something very simple that can be easily fixed, Colt should take care of it. Every manufacturer, even high end ones like Wilson Combat, sometimes puts a gun out that needs some warranty work. Nobody likes it, but I think you will be very pleased with the gun when fixed.
 
gbclarkson said:
No disrespect intended, simply a follow-up question: Does it matter?
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It does if you know anything about revolvers. Especially since it does it in SA and DA. Could be ammo related such as high primers binding the cylinder against the recoil shield or even the cases themselves binding against the recoil after being fired due to dirty or rough cylinders. If it does it with empty chambers you eliminate the problem being ammo related.
 
I'll take a crack at this, but my first advice is to take it to the shop where it was bought and see if they can diagnose it as a simple problem or something that needs to go back to Colt. Most stores have a no-returns policy on firearms, so you might expect they won't accept responsibility for the problem or to resolve it, but they may have a gunsmith on site who is knowledgeable. On the other hand, it may have been a big box store in which case it is still possible to find a person with knowledge, but more doubtful.

The way I understand the problem, the cylinder will rotate and the sear engage. Then the trigger is pulled and the hammer drops. After this, pulling the trigger will not rotate the cylinder and cocking the hammer is blocked.

If the hammer cocks but does not rotate the cylinder, then the hand is not rotating the cylinder and the problem is a broken hand or sheared notches on the ejector star.

Since the problem description includes the fact that fiddling with the cylinder release does result in cylinder rotation and function, I rather suspect the hammer does not cock or the cylinder rotate -- because the bolt is not retracted.

The bolt must be pushed back to give clearance to the hammer to cock. When the hammer cocks, the hand pushes the cylinder to rotate it. The most common reason for the bolt not retracting is the cylinder pin is not pushing on it due to the ejector rod having come partially unscrewed. It may be you just need to tighten this (normally a reverse thread, but not sure on new Colts). Credit to Tom Servo for mentioning this most likely fix.

Why does the mechanism work like this? The bolt blocks the hammer so the gun does not cock when the cylinder is open. Consequently, it also makes it so the trigger cannot be pulled when the cylinder is open. It also makes it so the cylinder cannot be opened when the gun is cocked or the trigger is pulled. Therefore, if the mechanism is misadjusted (or partially disassembled), it works as would be expected if the cylinder is actually open when it appears to be closed.
 
Dry cycle it about 500 times. I don't mean dry-firing.

Bring the hammer slowly, like very slowly...use strength if necessary - then release the trigger and manually bring the hammer forward. Empty gun of course...

Brand new revolvers can be finicky in double action. I've "fixed" about a half dozen new revolvers in this fashion. Smooths out the action big time.
 
Brand new gun from COLT, and it doesn't work. DO NOT tinker with it, do not dry cycle it 500 times, do NOT have a local gunsmith work on it. Send it back to Colt. Period. Better if the people your wife bought it through do it for you, but if not, do it yourself.

The reasons I say don't tinker with it, don't fix it, etc, are twofold. First, its Colt's ethical and legal responsibility to sell a product that works, and they are responsible for fixing it. Don't let them off that hook.

Second, its for the benefit of Colt and the rest of us. Somebody(s) at Colt SCREWED UP! #1, the assembler(s) didn't do it right and #2, some inspector let it get past them, and out the door for sale. If you fix it, or get it fixed, Colt won't know there is a problem. OR where. And what they don't know about, they can't FIX.

Contacting Colt and sending them back the DEFECTIVE item (and all shipping costs, both ways, ought to be on their dime) tells them there's a problem, and gives them a place to start looking in order to fix it, so this doesn't happen again. Fixing the screw ups (including replacing the people who screwed up, if necessary) helps them, and helps us, all potential future customers.

Sure, every shop that makes anything can and sometimes does have a "lemon" get to the consumer. That doesn't mean we need to just suck it up and fix it. THEY DO.
 
This is all good if it is indeed defective. Being partially disassembled is not the same as defective. So if the ejector rod is unscrewed, it is not necessarily a defect. Similarly, if a screw backs out and the grip panels or the yoke and cylinder fall off that is not necessarily a defect. It is normal for revolvers to require periodic maintenance, including tightening screws and things. They are not like a Glock in that respect, but it does not make them defective. It does reflect poorly on Colt's quality of assembly if they shipped a revolver with a loose rod, but a trip back to Colt isn't needed to tighten it. I have carefully used nylon-jawed pliers, but a better method is to remove the cylinder from the yoke, clamp the ejector rod in a padded vise and turn the cylinder with your hand to tighten it. Brownells also sells a clamp to torque it, as well as a dandy fixture to check (and fix) the runout of the rod with a dial gauge.
 
Being partially disassembled is not the same as defective.
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No, it's not the same as a defective design, or a defectively made part, but it is a defect in assembly AND in final inspection (and in any intermediate inspections, as well).

I do agree, IF all it is, is the ejector rod isn't tight it shouldn't go back to Colt, just for that. IF that's ALL it is.

The problem with something like this is, even if its just one little thing "wrong" one now has to wonder what ELSE they screwed up, if anything.

It could be just the rod, or it could be metal or other "trash" inside the action, in just the right place and amount to block things, and wiggling the cylinder latch moves things just enough to allow function. It could also be a number of other things,

My point is, the gun is new, its under warranty (right??) It does not work correctly. You and I the consumer should not have to play diagnostic games and home gunsmith. We should not have to take it to a 3rd party (gunsmith) to get it to work.

And, ESPECIALLY from a company that charges what Colt does for its merchandise. If you're paying for "the Pony" that pony doesn't have to win the race right out of the gate but it damn sure better be able to RUN. Sounds like this pony can't even walk, and need to go back to the stable...and not the local vet...:D
 
I have no idea what's wrong with it but I would certainly take it back to where she(what a GREAT wife!!) bought it. Is it new? Hopefully not an 'online' buy...
 
I know its a bit of a headache, I have been there, but send it back to Colt. Wonderful gift from your wife.
 
Did I miss where giving it a decent cleaning was suggested before doing anything else?

Once a gun is test fired, I don't believe they bother to clean it - just stick it in the box and ship it.

First thing I'd try is blow it out w/the compressor and make sure there's no debris hanging things up.

Wouldn't be the first time an unburned flake of powder got between things & tied up the rotation of a revolver.
 
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