Colt released the King Cobra in .22 LR mid-2022 at the NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits in Houston, TX, bringing a double-action rimfire revolver back into Colt’s lineup for the first time in many years. Designed with the same attention to detail and engineering as Colt’s .357 Magnum offering, the .22 LR version has something the centerfire version doesn’t: 10-round capacity. We had the opportunity to spend some time with the new King Cobra at Gunsite Academy ahead of SHOT Show 2023, and the little revolver just plain made ringing steel easy and fun.
This increased capacity makes the King Cobra an excellent choice for plinking, training or even as a carry option for those with limited hand strength and/or severe recoil aversion. While we of course urge everyone to carry the most powerful chambering possible, there are people out there that, for a variety of reasons, are most comfortable with .22 LR. Given that carrying something is better than nothing, and adding in Federal Premium’s excellent Punch ammunition in .22 LR, 10 rounds carried in a reliable revolver with which you practice frequently is pretty decent.
