Is a Korth revolver really worth the money?

[Snapping Twig]

A very good friend of mine wears a Rolex.......even though I make ~2.5times his pay, I wear a Timex Ironman. Every time we go out for a beer, I'll ask him what time it is. When he gives me the time, I'll say, hmmm, same time on my watch

I had a friend like you say the same thing to me for the same reasons.

Every time I noticed his cheap watch was replaced with a new one because the old one broke, I'd ask him if he had a new watch - again.

You get what you pay for. In the beginning there is price, in the end there is cost.

Korth is a fine revolver, but unless you can appreciate it for its craftsmanship, it's just another revolver.

 

[Stevie]

You know?...I figure the real test of any revolver is how well they hold up in 20-30 years service carry and issue use.

Collecting leo and guv surplus handguns has shown me that most guns survive extreme use pretty good...but some survive better than others.

I would imagine a Korth would hold up well

 

[TAROMAN]

....But....can it handle +P?

 

[tompehret]

I like guns that I can wear on my hip. I saw a Korth at a gun show once and it was a beauty. I've read some good things about them too. But if I bought one I'd have to keep my hip locked up in my safe with the Korth. So, a Model 10-5 snubbie it is.

 

[Dukesamson]

I know the message I get when I see a guy wearing one.

OK I give what does it say to you? maybe it was a gift for being number one at something, perhaps tops in medical class?

 

[Dukesamson]

First of all, you couldn't really say that a Korth is better than a Smith and Wesson, let's just say they are very 'different'.
I owned a Korth, with a few accessories and won many a pistol competition with it in UK PAA Police Championships at Bisley in England.

Was a bit of an odd ball in the line up as when people saw it, no one had any idea what it was, they'd never forget after they saw it shoot. The engineering on the gun is incredible and the double action is incredibly smooth and snappy. As you rotate the cylinder when pulling the trigger' even with earmuffs on you can feel the movement so you know exactly when the hammer will fall. The finish is amazing - well before making comment you would need to pick one up an you will see what I mean.
However, there is a draw back, which I could prove to anyone - the engineering is so precise, that if you were to fire say 18 - 24 rounds in quick succession, given quick reloads of course, the heat within the cylinder would expand the cylinder in the frame so that it actually wouldn't rotate, this was because the engineering is so fine ! You had to wait for it to cool down to continue or as in the case of a Korth, swap a cylinder. The cylinder rotates the opposite way to a Smith so don't get caught out.
In short, pick one up and get a feel of it and I think many an opinion in this thread would change. Since the complete ban on all handguns in the UK, my Korth is now probably part of some metal grid on the highway sad.

Did you have to surrender gun to any one in particular and was there any way to gift/sell it outside UK. Did gov. provide any compensation?

 

[Dukesamson]

A very good friend of mine wears a Rolex.......even though I make ~2.5times his pay, I wear a Timex Ironman. Every time we go out for a beer, I'll ask him what time it is. When he gives me the time, I'll say, hmmm, same time on my watch

Serious now- following that logic how much does a fella need to make more than you, 20x as much to be ok with you or is it another issue all together? Sometimes its not just a tool but a work of art made with much care by talented artists who also need to make a living.

I was just reading another post about a guy..."Every time we go out for a beer, he will ask him what time it is, and I think hmmm, he makes 2.5x my pay, should get a real watch and wont have to ask"

 

[Neuhausen]

Everything I've read or heard about Korths say that they are not really all that accurate. Much like a Rolex is just not as accurate a timepiece as a Timex or Seiko.

I'll keep my Python , and Wenger watch.

As to the precision of the Korth revolvers: In respected German Gun magazines and books the precision of a Korth 357 is measured at 25 meter (27 yards) in 5 shot as better than 23 mm (0,9 inch) and other Ransom Rest tests at 25 meter 6 shot at 15 mm ( 0,59 inch) and 12 mm ( 0,47 inch ). That is pretty good by any standards.

 

[mkk41]

Many of us keep 1/2/3 thousand dollar S&W's or Colt SAA's in padded cases and in fireproof safes and when we do take them out , handle them with cotton gloves. Heaven forbid even thinking about shooting them lest we devalue them!


How do ya treat a gun like a Korth?

 

[kamloops67]

sticker shock alert! i guess ill have to make do with my second rate smith & wessons

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Three year old thread resurection?????

 

[71firebird400]

Is a Korth worth it? Probably not.....but they're a lot of fun to shoot! I can appreciate the utter precision of the entire thing; however trigger pull is subjective. I cannot say the Korth is any smoother than a good S&W or Colt. I still think the coolest gun to cock the hammer on is the older Colt action (Python/357/OMM) but admit it is entirely subjective. I'm sure that, in a rest, the Korth is phenomenally accurate but off hand they all shoot well for me!

 

[BruceHMX]

Kind of like a broomhandle Red 9. Shoot it and enjoy. You only go around once. Like SIG P-210's. Shoot'em!!

 

[therevjay]

For my money, a Korth isn't worth the cost.

I agree. But, to the people who buy them it's like the price difference between a Chevy and a Rolls. What difference?

Oops, I almost forgot to mention, I have a precision made German revolver. It's a R.G. Spendy? Well yes. But it works so smoothly* I think it's worth the $10 I paid!


*The one time I dared to carefully function check it.

 

[moosedog]

It's not the extra gun for the money thing with a Korth.
They are just plain over priced.

 

[zzzippper]

Yikes! Now I know why I've never heard of them.

 

[RobertSt2]

A very good friend of mine wears a Rolex.......even though I make ~2.5times his pay, I wear a Timex Ironman. Every time we go out for a beer, I'll ask him what time it is. When he gives me the time, I'll say, hmmm, same time on my watch

You DO NOT buy a Rolex just to see the time! For that job you could save your money and buy an Apple Watch!
You buy a Rolex partly as an investment. Partly to own one of the finest craftsmanship that you can buy, it's a legacy you are buying into! You people doesn't get it!
Same thing with a Korth or a Manurhin. Those revolvers where made esp. for the 'upper class'.
Sure, they get the 'job done', but just look at the finish! Look at the detail that went into these beautiful pieces! They may or may not be better in accuracy, who am I to question those parameters? Esp. if you look at the revolvers. When it comes to watches all I know is that my Apple Watch is dead on time.
Weather my Smith & Wesson or my Korth is shooting the better, I can't say. I'm not that good at shooting them. But I do appreciate the build quality of both my Korth and my Rolex (that I'm almost afraid to wear, there are bad guys out there)!

 

[OLDSTER]

Korth

Over the years, I've owned both a Manurhin 73 and a 3" Korth .357. I just had this itch that needed scratching so I bought them. They were "shooters", so I enjoyed them on the range for a couple years. Then, since that urge was satisfied, I sold them and about broke even. My opinion ? Great revolvers, but no better, at 3 times the price, as good American made Python or S&W Model 15 or 19

 

[federali]

Funny, I've spent my entire life as a firearms instructor firing on a bazillion public and police ranges with a like number of gun toters and I've yet to see a Korth revolver in the flesh.

 

[Doc Hollywood]

Yes and no.... I own a Korth and a Manurhin. High quality euro revolvers are nice. They are both Python smooth. The Korth is ruger Blackhawk robust. People are paying $3000.00 for pythons so I guess a Korth might be worth it.