Presenting..The Rolls Royce of revolvers and the best revolver in the world

[AgentDoubleS]

eh, not really....that headline was a click bait. But now that you have clicked..

I've been a fan of revolvers and find myself shooting them a lot more than pistols. The story of the legendary Mark IV is captured here (https://www.indiansforguns.com/viewtopi ... 12&t=23207) . I own a few firearms outside India as well and this happens to be a favourite. I shoot PPC1500 and police pistol events with this. The former is shot from a distance of 7, 15, 25 and 50 mtrs in standing, kneeling, sitting and prone positions with a combination of left and right hand shooting, it's a 150 shot match so quite demanding of skill and good hardware.

I've shot about 5000-6000 rounds through the revolver.

Korth National Super Sport ALX.

Case.JPG

Rev and Reloaders.JPG

Korth is a German manufacturer renowned for it's handguns and is known for the mechanical precision that is associated with most German marks. A few highlights:

1. 3 calibers, one revolver - I can shoot .38spl, .357 mag from one cylinder. Press a button, release the cylinder, put a 9mm cylinder and voila!.. shoot 9mm. One of the VERY rare revolver manufacturers that provide a speed loader for 9mm instead of clips. Extracting mechanism for 9mm used brass is a piece of art in itself.

9mm reloaders.JPG

2. Four adjustable position of the front sites. I can zero the front site to 4 preset positions and if I have to change the zero from 10 mtrs to 25mtrs to 50 mtrs during a competition all it takes is a twist of the knob. I normally just zero @ 25 mtrs

Front Adj Sight.JPG

3. Rear site adjustable for light gap regulation - In simpler words - I can adjust the rear site to be wider or narrower according to my preference.

5. Trigger - the trigger is the highlight - adjustable for weight, length of pull and reset etc. The sear is not a fixed angle but can be changed according to preference.

4. Roller Trigger - instead of the usual 'break' of the sear common in S&W revolver, the Korth has a roller over which the sear moves so a consistent smooth pull can be applied instead of a pull-engage-break of a traditional revolver action.

Notice how the hammer sear rolls instead of 'breaks'. This ensures a more consistent pull throughout the cycle.

Sear and roller.JPG

The sear is hinged and can be adjusted for its angle using an allen key to customise trigger characteristics. I don't know of any other revolver where is can be done, but I'm sure Korth is not the only one doing it?

hammer sear.JPG

There are 3 rollers (each separate size) that come with the revolver, again to suit one's preference for the trigger characteristics.

Roller.JPG

internal.JPG

6. Aluminium Shroud over the barrel (hence the ALX denomination) - the cold forged barrel is covered with an aluminium shroud, helps reduce weight and improve balance. There is an STX version as well which is all steel, not as well balanced IMO as the ALX.

7. Barrel Housing with Piccatiny rails - Additional weights can be added improving follow up shots and recoil management.

8. Nil grips - provide a much improved and ergonomic grip for competitive shooting.


I reload my own ammo for competition and practice - these are .38spl wadcutters.

Ammo.JPG

Cleaning the used brass in a tumbler with some cleaned brass in the right bucket

Tumbler.JPG

I use both a traditional holster and a tactical holster:

Ghost holster.JPG

The more traditional leather holster used in PPC1500 competitions

Holster Leather.jpg

The range I shoot at (although shooting a different pistol here)

Range Test.jpg

The target shot at 25 mtrs with a 6 shot, reload, 6 shot in 12 secs practice session.

Target New.jpg

A picture with 2 Black Powder revolvers.

Black powder.JPG

Cheers,
AgentDoubleS

[rkittine]

Very nice. I love shooting my revolvers, but do not shoot them in competition anymore. In the 70s I started off Center Fire with a Smith and Wesson model 14 K-38 Target Masterpiece. Don't have that one any more, but I still have my 6" Model 19. In addition I still have my Unfired Colt 6" Royal Blue Python from my gun shops inventory in 1978 as well as a model 27 6.5 inch and a model 66". I like other wheel guns too and have them in .22, .22 Remington Jet, 41 and 44 magnum.

Bob

[sourabhsangale]

What is the cost of this revolver ?

[timmy]

Double S: That's certainly an exquisite revolver, and some good shooting, too. I've never handled one of those, and I am curious as to how that roller sear feels. The lock work is quite interesting, especially the way they have gotten rid of the rebound lever (or slide, if you shoot off-brand revolvers). Very simple and neat. The adjustable main spring is tricky, too. That gun is certainly a treasure. Do you cast for it?

sourabhsangale: This is one of those situations where, if you have to ask, you can't afford it, unless you have a few spare Koh-I-Noors in your dresser drawer.

[Vikram]

Very nice. I love shooting my revolvers, but do not shoot them in competition anymore. In the 70s I started off Center Fire with a Smith and Wesson model 14 K-38 Target Masterpiece. Don't have that one any more, but I still have my 6" Model 19. In addition I still have my Unfired Colt 6" Royal Blue Python from my gun shops inventory in 1978 as well as a model 27 6.5 inch and a model 66". I like other wheel guns too and have them in .22, .22 Remington Jet, 41 and 44 magnum.

Bob

Hi Bob,

Good to see you here. Vikram from SW.
Do share the photos of your guns, if that is OK.

[Vikram]

What is the cost of this revolver ?

One of the most expensive production revolvers. Starting at around $4,000 and up. However, in Indian market, that can be thought as cheap if one considers what our chaps pay for fifty year old tired revolvers.

[AgentDoubleS]

Double S: That's certainly an exquisite revolver, and some good shooting, too. I've never handled one of those, and I am curious as to how that roller sear feels. The lock work is quite interesting, especially the way they have gotten rid of the rebound lever (or slide, if you shoot off-brand revolvers). Very simple and neat. The adjustable main spring is tricky, too. That gun is certainly a treasure. Do you cast for it?

sourabhsangale: This is one of those situations where, if you have to ask, you can't afford it, unless you have a few spare Koh-I-Noors in your dresser drawer.

Heck I almost ran to my dresser drawer, Timmy. Easy to miss internet humour.

The tunable trigger is nothing like I’ve ever shot. Mechanical precision. It took me 400-500 rounds to get used to it. I shot a highly tuned and reworked S&W K Frame revolver (http://wilsoncustomguns.com/match-master-5.html) for a few thousand round and quite loved the crisp icicle break that is typical of them. The benchmark was high!

987D376A-0D1C-4550-B16C-36ADCC032D3A.jpeg

I then bought the Korth. I had thought these would be mechanically over engineered but was surprised to see exactly the opposite.

I stage the trigger so here’s what I feel.

Stage 1:
The trigger has a smooth consistent pull until a sudden surge in resistance - there is no wall, just a sudden increase in resistance. This is the first stage of the cycle.

Stage 2:
After that is consistent but very marginally increasing resistance, this is when the sear rides the roller. It might feel spongy when you first shoot it which is why some shooters get put off by it. This consistence resistance then reduces, I’m guessing this is when the sear rides the top of the roller. And some stage in this reducing resistance, the trigger ‘breaks’.

I made a video for some IFG friends some time back. I would normally stage it for 25/50 mtr shooting.

Staging makes it work like a single action...well almost.

The first 3 trigger pulls are just straight through pulls while in the next few i stage it and the last few again are just the straight through pulls.



I haven’t started casting ..yet. These are the classic load of PPC events, 2.7gr Bullsye, 148gr HBWC. I use federal primers since they suit well to the lighter strikes of these revolvers. I will at some point start casting but for the volumes I ‘should’ shoot I use commercially produced heads.

Cheers,
SS

[AgentDoubleS]

Very nice. I love shooting my revolvers, but do not shoot them in competition anymore. In the 70s I started off Center Fire with a Smith and Wesson model 14 K-38 Target Masterpiece. Don't have that one any more, but I still have my 6" Model 19. In addition I still have my Unfired Colt 6" Royal Blue Python from my gun shops inventory in 1978 as well as a model 27 6.5 inch and a model 66". I like other wheel guns too and have them in .22, .22 Remington Jet, 41 and 44 magnum.

Bob

That is a great collection Bob. As Vikram says, would love to see some pics and your report on them.

[AgentDoubleS]

One of the most expensive production revolvers. Starting at around $4,000 and up. However, in Indian market, that can be thought as cheap if one considers what our chaps pay for fifty year old tired revolvers.

I paid for it in GBP, Vikram. Go figure that!

You’re right, nothing compared to the prices we pay in India. The ALX version and the optional button release 9mm cylinder do bump the prices up.

Cheers,
SS

[eljefe]

MOAR !
Need to get you casting, and hitek coating.

[timmy]

SS, I use the same loading recipe, except for the wadcutter bullet. I have used a Lyman 495, but I got a nice new SAECO 4 cavity mould for the bevel based wadcutter.

Casting can be time-intensive and one does have to accept a greater grouping, as there's no way the factory swaging methods can be beat. Col. Harrison quotes figures of 2.5 minutes for factory bullets and 3.5 for the best cast ones. For me, I guess it is the challenge of the casting coupled with the challenge of shooting that I find fun. I can't say that I'm too scientific about it, either, since awhile back, I standardized all of my handgun powders to Bullseye and Unique. There may well be a bit of group reduction available by exploring different powders, I admit.

Sorry for clowning about diamonds. I must admit, however, that a fine revolver like yours would be about that far beyond me! I am glad you're able to enjoy one and share your shooting experience with us, however, since that's the only way I'd ever know about one of these handguns.

I find the lock work business interesting. For instance, there's quite a body of folks who will criticize any revolver because it doesn't have the feel of S&W lock work. I'm not sure that's quite valid. Your description of the Korth is interesting, because it demonstrates that the crazy angles of each double action mechanism are going to have different feels, and that one's familiarity with a particular lock may not be the most valid measuring stick for what is the best lock.

Anyhoo, should you have any other nice toys you'd care to share, I would be much obliged to view them!

[AgentDoubleS]

MOAR !
Need to get you casting, and hitek coating.

Very soon, very soon

Timmy, I took a similar approach with powder. I load .38spl, 9mil and .45acp all with Bullseye. Simplifies procurement and is convenient while on the press although the smoke it produces sometimes make follow up shots in practice quite a challenge. I’m based in Europe so powder has to be ordered 4-5 months in advance through the club! I do have a pot of W231 lying around that I plan to work up a recipe at some point. The guns are way more accurate than I am so I worked a basic recipe for my handguns and just stuck with them.

Another favourite of mine is the Sig P226 X6 that I also use for competitions, I’ll put up a few pictures and groupings.

Cheers
SS

[timmy]

SS, your 2.7 grains of Bullseye works very well in my old Colts, and the new one, too. I also go with it for 45 Auto, like you. When I get around to doing 32 Auto, it will go in that, as well. 9x19, 45 Colt, and 7.62x25 (when I get around to it) will all get Unique. Both of these are old powders and I'm sure that technology has come up with some very good answers since then. Also, both can be a bit dirty, too.

Unique also gets used for shotgun and will go into my light 45-70 loads, as well as light 577/450.

Right now, I'm going back and forth in my mind for reloading my rifles (all cast bullets) between AA5744 and IMR4198. 4198 is cheaper here, but 5744 is supposed to do well in large cases that are not full of powder. That's a problem I still need to solve.

[AgentDoubleS]

Timmy, Another reason i use BE is that it meters really consistently in the Lee turret press. Eljefe did some wizardry on this computer apps that I correlated with the books and worked out some light shooting loads. It’s a therapeutic process in this lockdown!

[ckkalyan]

Thanks for sharing your fabulous firearm and experience AgentDoubleS!

KORTH guns are surely Rolls Royce's of firearms!

Here is a comparatively inexpensive piece Korth National Standard 6 Revolver, a mere Canadian $5,549! Good thing is that it is In stock!

My turn to go an dig around in the dresser drawer.