New Colt King Cobra Target Doesn’t Work
- Thread starter t4terrific
- Start date
Nothing under the ejector star, right? Like it is clean and dry and no specks of powder under there? Also the rod being unscrewed is worth checking. Also no obvious debris in the channel the cylinder (is it the hand? The small lever that actuates the cylinder.).
If it’s none of those easy quick fixes then send it back. Might be worth a cleaning and a shot if compressed air in the books and crannies. Though just in case it’s a “golden bb” of debris/metal shaving or unburnt powder.
Good luck. It’s a very pretty gun.
If it’s none of those easy quick fixes then send it back. Might be worth a cleaning and a shot if compressed air in the books and crannies. Though just in case it’s a “golden bb” of debris/metal shaving or unburnt powder.
Good luck. It’s a very pretty gun.
It is a pretty gun. But it doesn't work. And, the more I hear about this, it makes me wonder if any of them work. 
There appears to be an ongoing problem at Colt. A friend who works part time at the local gunshop asked about them, and the answer was a disparaging "yeah, typical Colt quality control..."
That one shop has, in the last 6 months gotten two (2) of the exact same Colt, the King Cobra Target, brand new, and both had to be returned because they wouldn't work. One would not fire, the hammer strikes were too light to fire anything (at least three different brands of ammo were tried) and the other was so far out of time that the primer was struck too far off center to fire. EVERY TIME.
One bad gun here, another there, can be put down to the "everyone has a lemon get out once in a while" but there is a limit to coincidence, and I'd say the issues with the Colt King Cobra Target have gone beyond happenstance.
The old rule is, first time is happenstance, second time is coincidence, but the 3rd time is Enemy Action!
Still say the gun should go back to Colt to be fixed, but I now have less hope of Colt fixing their internal problems.
There appears to be an ongoing problem at Colt. A friend who works part time at the local gunshop asked about them, and the answer was a disparaging "yeah, typical Colt quality control..."
That one shop has, in the last 6 months gotten two (2) of the exact same Colt, the King Cobra Target, brand new, and both had to be returned because they wouldn't work. One would not fire, the hammer strikes were too light to fire anything (at least three different brands of ammo were tried) and the other was so far out of time that the primer was struck too far off center to fire. EVERY TIME.
One bad gun here, another there, can be put down to the "everyone has a lemon get out once in a while" but there is a limit to coincidence, and I'd say the issues with the Colt King Cobra Target have gone beyond happenstance.
The old rule is, first time is happenstance, second time is coincidence, but the 3rd time is Enemy Action!
Still say the gun should go back to Colt to be fixed, but I now have less hope of Colt fixing their internal problems.
At the LGS yesterday, I mentioned you problem with your King Cobra.
The owner related that they have had two customer King Cobras fail, both brand new for Colt.
The first one had what he described as a chronically light primer strike. The gun would not fire. Three types of ammo were tried, firing pin strike wasn't heavy enough to fire.
The second was so badly mistimed, it went straight back to Colt.
There is a serious problem here, neither one of these should have passed a Quality Inspection. So, there is an assembly problem, that got through whatever QA Colt has, and into a customer's hands.
The owner related that they have had two customer King Cobras fail, both brand new for Colt.
The first one had what he described as a chronically light primer strike. The gun would not fire. Three types of ammo were tried, firing pin strike wasn't heavy enough to fire.
The second was so badly mistimed, it went straight back to Colt.
There is a serious problem here, neither one of these should have passed a Quality Inspection. So, there is an assembly problem, that got through whatever QA Colt has, and into a customer's hands.
t4terrific
New member
Dry fire.
I’m sending it to Colt, but they have little interest in Customer service. They don’t take customer calls at all during the holidays, and then only about 5-6 hour window on certain days.
Their recording says about 8 weeks for warranty work, if you are able to talk to someone and get them to agree to accept it.
Onward Allusion
New member
Huh? You're gonna send a gun back to the factory without even shooting live ammo thru it? Did you clean it at least? Did you make sure the ejector rod is screwed on tight? Did you try dry cycling it at least a few times?
Please forgive me if I'm coming across as rude. How much experience do you have with revolvers?
Please forgive me if I'm coming across as rude. How much experience do you have with revolvers?
That's troubling. A manufacturer will, from time to time, have a mistake slip through and to the customer. A manufacturer of Colt's reputation and expense should be mortified when it happens and make extraordinary effort to remedy it. An eight week turn around time on a never fired revolver tells me it is either normal enough that there is a line or not extraordinary enough that anyone takes it as abnormal.
Which is not at all unusual. There are still companies in the world that do not run 24/7 365 and rotate staff so somebody is always working. Several gun makers almost literally shut down entirely shortly before Christmas and don't open back up until the new year.
I'm not trying to defend Colt, but there are some things to consider. First is, simply while we all want our gun fixed fast, and first, to the company we're just a name on a list. And what resources do the have doing repair work? A dozen skilled guys, who fight each other for the chance to do some work, or maybe two guys who are backlogged 2 months??
Each gun takes time to diagnose the actual cause and then do the proper fix. IF it were my shop (and its not) I'd say "do you want it done fast, or do you want it done RIGHT??"
And, consider that 8 weeks might be more than the average turn around time as well. Mr Scott always got the Enterprise fixed (or fixed enough) in about half the time he told the Captain it would take....
Not saying that's what Colt is doing, they probably aren't, but one can hope...
In my world the person whose money you already have takes precedence over the person whose money you are trying to get. Past sales over future.
If you have two individuals and they are backlogged 8 weeks with warranty work you need to pause production anyways until you figure out what is going wrong.
HighValleyRanch
New member
I would think that the retail shop selling has some responsibility as well. How much time would it have taken for the shop to check out the functioning of the Colt (dry fire it) before selling to the customer? They are making some profit on it. I believe that it's the shop that should take the new gun back and deal with Colt.
I don't see why the retailer is responsible for testing manufactured goods. The more they touch/clean an item, the more time they have in it and the less money they make on it.
And why would you assume that they're qualified to inspect everything that they sell? They're middlemen, not gunsmiths.
And why would you assume that they're qualified to inspect everything that they sell? They're middlemen, not gunsmiths.
HighValleyRanch
New member
That's the real problem with our world today. No one is willing to take responsibility for their actions!
It's no different than an auto dealership making sure that the customer can drive the car off the lot rather than selling a car that fails the moment the customer signs for it.
It's no different than an auto dealership making sure that the customer can drive the car off the lot rather than selling a car that fails the moment the customer signs for it.
I expect a retailer of a specialty item to be an expert on what they are selling. Particularly when a non-expert buyer is buying something said retailer bears some responsibility to assure the product sold is as advertised. Basic function is part of that.
We are not discussing a "bad" spot in the finish that only an experienced and picky buyer will notice. This is the basic function of the item.
What actions? The retailer didn't make the gun, the manufacturer made the gun, and the manufacturer supplies the warranty and service. Why should the retailer, who had nothing do to with manufacturing, step up and take responsibility for another company's actions.
It is different. Most new auto dealers sell one brand, and they have parts departments and service departments, etc. The auto dealers are certified/authorized service centers for the manufacturers vehicles. I doubt if anyone working at the store the OP bought his gun from is authorized by Colt (or anyone else) to work on that gun.
That retail store likely also sells clothes. Is it their responsibility to check and make sure all the buttons are sewn properly, and that there are no loose threads?
Yes it should. But it should have gone back while part of the dealers inventory not after the sale to a customer. The dealer should have checked it prior to sale and not sold this particular firearm.
On a $1000 shirt? Yes. Again this is not something picky or something found only upon firing of the gun. This is integral operation of the firearm and if it is timing related may be a safety issue.
In the case of a clear mechanical issue that happens without firing or ammo in the gun, sure, it ought to be spotted by the seller, IF they have the knowledge to do so, AND a reason to check.
At the shop I mentioned, one of the Colts got looked at (and send back due to bad timing) because the guys knew what they were looking at, AND had trouble with other samples of that make and model. So they had a reason to look at it, closely.
The clerk at a retail store probably wouldn't have been able to recognize that particular problem. Is it their responsibility to? I'd say no. But I also think it is their responsibility to assist in making it right, when a problem is found, after purchase.
They didn't make it, so, ok, its not their responsibility to repair it. But they SOLD it, so it is their responsibility to make it right, and see that the customer ends up with a functional, and acceptable product in the end.
At the shop I mentioned, one of the Colts got looked at (and send back due to bad timing) because the guys knew what they were looking at, AND had trouble with other samples of that make and model. So they had a reason to look at it, closely.
The clerk at a retail store probably wouldn't have been able to recognize that particular problem. Is it their responsibility to? I'd say no. But I also think it is their responsibility to assist in making it right, when a problem is found, after purchase.
They didn't make it, so, ok, its not their responsibility to repair it. But they SOLD it, so it is their responsibility to make it right, and see that the customer ends up with a functional, and acceptable product in the end.