Is a Korth revolver really worth the money?

[Harrison]

For those that value ultimate fit, finish and quality control, along with pride of owning the very best, a Korth is probably worth whatever one might pay for it. What value can you place on just taking a Korth out of the safe, and admiring its fit and finish?

Unfortunately, most of us have to derive the same pleasures from our everyday S&Ws, Rugers and Tauri. :-(

 

[The Last Standing Knight]

I have only examined a very few Korths over the years...

...and I agree they are beautiful and well-made.
That being said, they are more show off items and safe queens than actual use revolvers.
IMHO there are two American made rivals to it that cost far less and are meant to be used/carried. One is the old S&W M27 and the other the Colt Python. Both equal in quality, accuracy, and caliber.

 

[gregintenn]

Wearing a Rolex if done right is sending a message to everyone who notices it.

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

 

[ladder13]

Wow! That brings back memories. I grew up on the South Shore of Nassau County and we made those things with slices cut from inner tubes. Getting hit with that "rubber band" hurt enough you didn't need any shrapnel.

Those were the days

 

[bragmardo]

Late production Korth revolvers sell on the German auction website eGun.de at prices ranging from 1,000 to 2,500 Euros. To me, this price is justified by their unsurpassed quality of manufacture. All steel parts of Korth revolvers are ground, polished, and differentially hardened. By contrast, Smith and Wesson no longer even bothers to machine the firing systems of its revolvers, resorting to the tawdry expedient of injection molding. Willi Korth claimed that his revolvers maintain their accuracy after 50,000 full power .357 Magnum rounds. For those who doubt his claim, here is an independent American testimonial pitting a Korth revolver against a vintage, all-forged S&W M28:

I mentioned the strength of the metal in the Korth as well as the care of the hand fitting. I began some tests of the Korth vs. the M28. At the beginng of the tests the barrel to cylinder gap of the Korth was just over .0025 while that of the M28 was .003. With just under 200 rounds of heavy hunting loads through both guns the barrel to cylinder gap of the Korth was where it had begun for all cylinders. The M28 however had opended up and varied from .003 to .004. The S&W showed wear and some additional gas cutting on the frame above the barrel from some hot .125 grain loads. The Korth showed no significant wear.

Please note that the frame size of the Korth falls between those of the K and L frames in the S&W lineup. A 4" Korth Combat revolver weighs 1016g, whereas a 6" Sport model weighs 1175g, as against the 4" and 6" S&W 686 weighing in at 1191g and 1298g, respectively. And yet it appears that the Korth withstands the pressures of heavy .357 Magnum loads much better than the S&W N frame. Additionally, the S&W lacks comprehensive single and double action trigger weight and stacking adjustments built into every .357 Magnum Korth revolver. To many European shooters, these factors alone warrant its premium price.

 

[mac2]

Are Korths now $40k??!!

I'd buy one if I had the money (and they were allowed in the UK, then again, if I had the money, I'd also have houses in other countries too).

Something is worth what people are prepared to pay.

 

[bigshot500]

yes, and yes...auburn and duesenberg are also out of business..but who wants to own that crap, right?? i mean by your analogy...why buy one of those when you can buy a perfectly good hyundai for a few thousand dollars.

Is a Rolls Royce better than a Ford? Is a Rolex better than Hamilton?
btw, Korth is now out of business.

 

[mkk41]

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.

 

[Maximumbob54]

I was trying not to add this into the talk but how many dolled up 2K, 3K, and higher 1911's are out there??? You can spend as much as you want on what you want. And it isn't like we don't do the same thing here in the USA... I'm still trying to get over the fact that Colt 1991A1's are selling for right at 1K here in North Florida... They are nice but seriously??? A grand for a box stock Colt??? So short and sweet, if there is a market for it the void will be filled.

 

[Kameo]

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.

hello guys,

I have opportunity to use korth for a some time, and I can tell you its like drive bentley, or clicking with zippo, or making pictures with my old kodak, something that you must feel to tell about that.
my uncle have French gun Manurhin mr73 and i used it a lot, it is no worse than S&W

 

[bnz43]

I was able to handle a Korth (with white gloves on) at a small gun shop in Switzerland. The blueing was almost translucent the polishing was so well done. It was a very nice looking revolver and the cylinder lock up was amazing. I never had a chance to shoot one but if it performed as well as it looked it would be an excellent pistol.

 

[nicky4968]

Some time ago Swissman posted a short video that involved a Korth revolver. Maybe he can chime in.
40 G's for a pistol? No way.
But I have a billiard cue that I wouldn't let go for 2 grand. (Bought it about 30-35 years ago.)
Go figure.

 

[mac2]

WRT Rolexes - some people collect watches. As for $40k for a revolver, I do think that its produced for a market that doesn't have to choose between what firearms they want or need

 

[Fishslayer]

Wow...we went for Korth to High Point in two pages...if we get to page 4 I'll compare them both to my zip gun...

...or G****.

 

[Snowbandit]

Who came up with this $40,000.00 price? All the Korth's I've looked at ran $2,500.00 - $4,000.00. I think someone misplaced a decimal point.

 

[m657]

....I heard there was a holster maker that was looking for a supply of good Korthinean Leather....*kaff*kaff*

 

[ditrina]

Wow...we went for Korth to High Point in two pages...if we get to page 4 I'll compare them both to my zip gun...

Sip...
You STILL got that thing??

 

[2fingers]

Is a Korth revolver really worth the money? Buy me one and in 6 months I will let you know !

 

[venomballistics]

you could get a Porsche 911 turbo .. OR you could get a Ford mustang and spend some quality time in the shop and roll out a street terror that'll spank that 911 turbo.
the downside is that you cant make the Ford into a Porsche.
same basic idea with justifying a Korth over a Smith or a Colt.

 

[CajunBass]

Several years ago the local Gander Mountain had a 38 Korth in the display case. I had never heard of them. I remember it was a nice looking gun, sort of about like any 38 revolver. I didn't know enough about such things to know if it was any better or not.

They were asking $999.00 for it. I sort of wish I had bought it, just for grins and giggles of it. At the time a grand for a gun was pretty much unthinkable. Not so much so anymore.

 

[DCB12]

Just found this..
Korth-Waffen (Revolver)

Peace

 

[nicky4968]

The Korth catalogue relates "POR" or price on request.
The Krieghoff catalogue doesn't mention money at all. You just tell "your people" to go get you one, and they do.

 

[Swissman]

VIDEO of a Korth Combat 3 inches

You can listen to the "clicks" of the lockwork. It's a great gun...

Click on the picture to look the video

Swissman

 

[NKJ nut]

Hello Swissman. Thanks for showing us your video. I have no experience with this revolver but I am sure it is a fine revolver. Even though it's not how I would spend that much money I wont criticize anyone who does. Lord knows I have spent some extravagant sums on guns I didn't really have to have. Whatever trips your trigger

 

[amazingflapjack]

Rumor has it that they are re-badged Taurus', so are they worth the money? Of korths! and I'm not signing this one guys.

 

[dcjack]

Korth Revolvers

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.

 

[silentflyer]

You can buy a pile of S&W's or Pythons for the cost of the Korth, if accuracy is your thing look for a Dan Wesson, for a hell of a lot less$.

 

[Mike_Dee]

All Korth revolvers are made from hardened tool steel. Their reliability/longetivity are legendary.

 

[rwsmith]

I feel like I'm doing good

You can pay $250 grand for an Audemars Piquet watch. I don't have that kind of money to burn. Actually I don't have ANY kind of money to burn. I feel I'm doing pretty good just to have some S&Ws.

 

[TACC1]

Does Korth make anything in an I-frame?
TACC1