Colt introduced a new revolver back in 1977 and called it the Viper. It was released with the intent of maximizing the D frame platform. It was a .38 Special, built with a four-inch barrel to coax the most velocity from that chambering. Like the Cobra, it featured an aluminum alloy frame and weighed a scant 20 ounces. The ejector rod was shrouded (half lugged) for protection; it was basically a lightweight, late model Police Positive Special. It was available in blue or nickel finish and was only produced for about a year, with approximately 3000 made.
New Snake
In 2024, Colt rolled out a modern Viper on the improved D frame. Externally, it maintained the silhouette of the original, but with the thicker top strap and the enlarged trigger guard of the modern guns. The new Viper was constructed of stainless steel and was chambered for the .357 Magnum cartridge. It benefited from the improvements that Colt engineers had made on its double action revolvers beginning with the new Cobras in 2017. The changes succeeded in strengthening and simplifying the lock work of the originals that dated back to the 1800’s.
Colt had offered to send one to Mike for evaluation, but California’s onerous regulations prevented it. Mike asked if I was interested in testing one, and although I wasn’t sure exactly where the Viper fit in, it would’ve been an epic RevolverGuy failure to turn my nose up at the new Colt. I told Mike I’d be pleased to have them send one my way, it arrived soon after at my FFL holder.
First Look
Pulling the stainless Viper out of its plastic bag, I wiped off its coat of travelling oil and had a good look. Colt makes them with 3-inch and 4.25-inch barrels, they had sent the longer one to me. The finish was uniformly smooth; while not as polished as a Python, the overall appearance was very good. The metal-to-metal fit was exceptional, as was the fit of the Altamont grips to the frame. The Viper was handsome and made a good first impression. As I handled it, I noticed a small burr on the left side of the trigger guard. It looked like it had been struck by a sharp tool or impacted by something that hit with enough force to displace a small bit of metal. I suspect this damage occurred after the gun received its final polish (or somewhere in transit), or it would have been noticed and corrected. It was the only flaw in an otherwise perfect appearance.
The front sight was a black serrated ramp that contrasted well with the rear sight; a fixed “gutter” in the top of the stainless frame. Colt’s new front sight system is a welcome improvement and makes it easy to replace to suit the user’s tastes. A small front loading hex head screw (.050”) secures the front blade in the rib. Aftermarket options are available to upgrade the sight picture with tritium ampules, brass beads, and fiber optic tubes.
Like the King Cobra, the Viper utilizes MIM technology for the hammer and trigger, both of which are minimalist and service profile thin. I agree with Justin and Mike that the trigger would be better if it was a little wider; the shape of it was otherwise satisfactory and the edges were nicely radiused instead of being square.
The crown of the rifling (1:14 LH 6 groove) is “countersunk” slightly from the end of the barrel; a smart way to protect the crown from damage. Opening and closing the cylinder revealed positive cylinder release function and sure lockup. Also evident was a slight chamfer at the back of the chambers- thank you, Colt!
The new Python I recently tested sold me on the changes the engineers in Hartford had made to the action, the smaller framed Viper was likewise impressive. Pressing through the trigger yielded a smooth, non-stacking pull. It promised to be a very “shootable” d/a trigger. Using a Lyman analog gauge to check it showed the double action pull to be an impressive and consistent 9 5/8 pounds. The single action pull weight averaged 5 ¾ pounds. All the moving parts on the Colt worked like they were supposed to.
Coming to Grips
Handling the Viper, one thing became apparent. The Altamont grips were extremely handsome, but they were not going to work for me. Placing my hand on them in a firing grasp directed the center knuckle of my middle finger into the back of the trigger guard uncomfortably. The contact was noticeable just holding the gun, I knew it was going to be painful in short order with magnum level recoil. I emailed Justin Baldini from Colt and explained my conundrum with the grips and asked if he could send a pair of the King Cobra’s OEM Hogue Tamers. Baldini responded that he understood my issue and agreed to get the Hogues headed my way. He said that they had mixed reports on the wood grips for shooting, but they were trying to balance functionality and legacy with respect to the look of the original Viper.
With the 4.25” barrel and Altamont grips, it’s easy to visually place the Viper into the service revolver category. Handling it makes you realize how much lighter than the average service gun it is. In my S&W-seared brain, it’s like a 4” K frame. Colt added steel to the frame to make it .357 Magnum capable, but it’s still basically a D frame (like a Detective Special) gun- smaller and lighter than a K frame.
On my scale, the Viper weighs 28.7 ounces. That’s seven ounces lighter than a S&W Model 65 .357 K frame with a 4” barrel (35.6 ounces). The Viper weighs an ounce and a half less than my 4” Model 10 with a round butt and pencil barrel (30.3 ounces). The Viper with 3” tube weighs 26.9 ounces, a 4.2” Ruger SP101 .357 weights 29.5 ounces. The grip frame of the Viper shares the length of the new Cobra family revolvers, it’s very short- like old Agent length. Most available grips are significantly longer than the frame to provide a full hand’s worth of grasping surface. Installing shorter grips would greatly decrease the “above the belt” profile of the gun when carried concealed. Combined with the light weight of the half-lugged barrel, a Viper wearing boot grips would no longer seem like a service revolver.
Enter the Badger
I read an article by William Bell reviewing the 3” Viper shortly after Colt sent this one. The Altamont grips didn’t work for him either. He procured a set of Badger Custom Grips to better his shooting experience with the Viper. I wasn’t familiar with them, so I went to Badger’s website and was elated to see the many options available for revolvers. In addition to full and extended size grips, Badger makes a boot grip for the new Colts (S&W’s, Rugers, and Diamondbacks, too).
The Badger boot grip takes advantage of the short frame, extending just below it. It gives two finger grooves and positions your pinky to wrap comfortably underneath the grip. The boot grips make the Colt extremely concealable but still provide enough material for firm purchase. I reached out to them, and they were kind enough to send me a set of black walnut boot grips with a speed loader cut. The grips arrived in short order; They were extremely handsome and well made. They mounted solidly with a standard-style grip screw and a locator pin. They fit the frame well and felt great in my hand. The open backstrap and small profile wouldn’t be the best choice for a range day with magnum ammo but will excel for concealment.
Badger included a bottle of their grip oil to condition and protect the wooden grips. The logo on the bottle is a badger sporting a J frame in either paw, ready for business- very cool! Check out Badger Custom’s site.
Loader Woes
Speed loader compatibility proved to be quite limited. Starting with an HKS DS speed loader with dummy rounds, I expected the dummies to drop freely, but they refused to budge. The body of the loader wedged against the Altamont panel and seized up. I recalled Justin having good results with HKS #10 (K frame S&W) loaders used with the King Cobra, so I dug one out and gave it a try. Nope. I went through the range of loaders I had for S&W K frames and The Kimber K6, with no luck until I tried a 5 Star D6 (designed for Colt Detective Specials and Kimber’s K6).
The D6 worked perfectly, based on the thin walls of the aluminum loader body. I assumed it was the grips that were interfering but swapping for the Hogues and even the Badger Customs with the speed loader cut didn’t help. Removing the grips from the gun and trying the loaders didn’t improve things, regardless of the length of loaded rounds tried.
The Viper balked at Specials and Magnums- the cylinder just rides too close to the frame when the crane is fully open. It took removing the cylinder assembly from the gun to allow rounds to fall in freely.
For this sample at least, 5 Star’s loader is the only choice. Thankfully, it’s a high-quality, well-made loader. My only issue with it is that the rounds rattle and cause an auditory signature. After some pouch trial and error, the DeSantis Second Six Pouch, used in conjunction with a thick leather belt (A Galco Gunfighter) held the loader and rounds tight enough to dampen the rattle satisfactorily for covert carry.
Live Fire
I was at the range for another project on a hot day at the end of September. I’d packed the Viper, so I fired six 125 gr. Remington .38 +P Golden Sabers across the chronograph screens. Recoil was tolerable with the Altamont’s, but it confirmed my desire to wait for the Hogues to shoot magnums through the gun. I was impressed with the group the Viper shot with its first cylinder full of ammo. It stacked them up about 5/8” of an inch below point of aim offhand at 15 yards.
The Golden Sabers averaged 1065 fps from the 4.25” barrel in the 91-degree heat. I fired six more rounds rapidly at 10 yards, a quarter would’ve covered the group. The fixed sights provided a respectable sight picture in the bright daylight and seemed well regulated for likely carry ammo. I drove home with a new respect for the Viper.
It was two months before I shot it again. Enough time had passed that the weather had cooled, it was a windy 43-degree day. The folks at Colt had sent the Hogues- they were on the Viper and felt great. I measured velocities and recorded groups on several loads using my normal method. There are a bunch of old elementary school desks at the range where I shoot, I typically place my chronograph on a desk and plop down on a folding camp stool 12 feet behind it. Groups are fired unsupported, double action through the screens at targets 15 yards distant. This may cause bench rest shooters to cringe, but I agree with Justin completely on practical accuracy testing.
The Viper sent 125-135 grain bullets basically to the point of aim regardless of whether they were travelling at .38 special or Magnum velocities. The 158 grain bullets impacted a bit high but stayed within 1-3 inches of POA depending on the load. Groups were horizontally centered except for a few anomalies. Again, hats off to Colt on sight regulation; The Viper put contemporary weight defensive loadings to the sights at typical handgun ranges.
Like the Python, the 4.25” Viper barrel produced uniformly high velocities. The .38 +P stuff was very manageable through the lightweight gun with the Hogues installed. The 158 grain +P SWCHP loads from Buffalo Bore and Underwood were a noticeable step up from the 125-135 grain .38 JHP’s, though. Recoil from Federal’s .357 Magnum 158 gr Hydra Shok and Hornady’s .357 Magnum 135 gr Critical Duty was stout, but not brutal. I wouldn’t want to shoot dozens of either at one setting.
The only drama I experienced was with some CORBON .357 110 grain JHP’s. The first one ran the screens at a blistering 1629 fps, but the trigger refused to start rearward for the second round. I was able to open the cylinder and saw that the empty case had propelled rearward until the recoil shield stopped it. The portion of the case sticking out had expanded slightly and it took firm finger pressure to push it back in. (most might consider that a clue, but I was by golly a state cop and fear no magnum round.) I fired a second one, 1620 fps. The recoil wasn’t exactly heavy, but it was very snappy. The report was sufficient to make the sparrows that were hanging out with me leave for the next range.
The third round went 1510 fps, the fourth measured 1534 fps and locked the gun up again. I opened the cylinder and attempted to eject the empties in vain. The two remaining live rounds slid out and were noticeably longer than when I put them in. The bullets had jumped crimp and were well on their way to exiting the cases. The drop in velocity for rounds 3 & 4 was likely caused by those bullets moving forward and reducing the pressure/altering the volume in the cases. Neither thumb nor palm would convince the empties to eject. It required moderate tapping from the nylon handle of a Brownells screwdriver to remove them. This batch of CORBON ammo was a bit too spicy for the Viper. I joke about it, but this was a great example of how important it is to test carry ammo before you trust your life to it.
When I finished my chronograph chores, I shot Dave Spaulding’s 3 round fade back drill. It consists of shooting 3 rounds at a 3×5 index card from 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, 15, 20, and 25 yards. I didn’t shoot the 3-yard stage, so I fired a total of 21 rounds from 5-25 yards. I lost 4 rounds off the index card, none by more than a few inches.
I then fired Wild Bill Hickok’s gunfighter test from Claude Werner. Fire 6 rounds onto an 1800’s era square envelope, one of which must impact the center 1” stamp, all must stay on the square from 10 yards, strong hand only. The double action trigger of the Viper made the test very passable, so I did it again with my left hand. Again, a pass- thanks to the good trigger. I fetched my duty gun from the truck, a S&W M&P9 C.O.R.E. with a Trijicon RMR. I shot the test with it, and I’m pleased to report that the Viper held its own against the electric gun.
I shot 127 rounds through the Colt that day, 28 of which were magnums. Discounting the issues with the CORBON ammo, there were no problems other than an occasional empty case hanging around if I thumbed the ejector instead of slapping it with a palm.
I made it back out in December and finished up with the chronograph. I then shot Tom Givens’ Baseline Assessment Drill with the Viper, drawing from a Desantis Speed Scabbard for a S&W K frame under a jacket. I shot a 195/200 but was a little late on 3 of the 5 stages. I ran it again, focusing more on speed. I made time on every stage, but my score dropped to 186/200 to do so. This isn’t a reflection on the Viper, more a referendum on my need to spend less time with the chronograph and more with the shot timer.
I fired six rounds of the Remington .38 125 GSHP at a silhouette from 40 yards. The rounds impacted a few inches south of point of aim but were all good hits. A total of 81 rounds were fired (6 Magnums).
Our compadre Paul from ammunitiontogo.com was a big help supplying most of the ammunition for this test, and we’re obliged to him. They have a good stock of ammo, priced fairly–check them out .
Snake Habitat
I found that most holsters I owned for 4” K frames worked with the Viper. The Speed Scabbard and a Galco FLETCH stood out, as did an old Roy’s Original Pancake holster.
I was wearing the Viper in the Roy’s holster around my house recently when my daughter called from town with a flat tire. I threw a jacket on and went to her aid. The Badger Custom grips were on the Viper, and I experienced no discomfort from the gun worn OWB while running the jack, rolling around on the ground and wrestling with the tire.
My Milt Sparks Summer Special K frame IWB fits the Colt, too. I ordered a tritium front sight from Brownells because I felt like the white outlined tritium dot would be easier to pick up in all lighting conditions. My son came home on leave, and we snuck out to the range for a few hours on Christmas day. We put another 43 rounds through the Viper and confirmed that the point of impact with the new tritium front stayed true to the factory sight. The round count so far is 263 rounds with 34 of them magnums.
Final Thoughts
Initially, the retail price of 999.00 seemed high, but compared to a Model 10 at 879.00 or a Model 19 at 989.00, it’s a reasonable tariff. I’d like to see the ejector rod tip be a little more user friendly in diameter and shape, larger and rounder. It’d be sweet if 5 Star could make an aluminum JetLoader-style loader on their current footprint, too.
Those few gripes aside, the Viper brings a lot to the table. The short frame allows you to tailor the grips to the mission, from a service role to an extremely concealable and very capable EDC gun. The Viper’s light weight contributes to its usefulness for concealment, but will also cause most to default to .38 Special ammunition–and that’s okay. It’s heavy enough and plenty strong for the occasional .357 Magnum as needed.
The double action trigger on this revolver is nothing short of outstanding. It shoots as well for me as the enhanced service semi auto that I carry daily. I have yet to fire a single round with it from single action; I haven’t felt the need. The easily removable front sight is a huge bonus.
The new generation of Colt revolvers continue to impress; The Viper proved itself to fit in as an exceptional all-purpose revolver.
Thanks for wringing out the Colt Viper for us Revolverguys, Kevin.
That slightly smaller-than-a-K-frame handgun has some positive qualities and I might buy one someday. But only if Colt reduces the size of the trigger guard and ditches that nasty angle at the bottom. (Colt’s Cobra models’ looks are also marred by the same weird trigger guard design, too, but not their Pythons, Anacondas and Peacemakers.)
Otherwise, the Viper is a piece that has a lot of potential in my opinion. Especially that 3-inch barrel roscoe.
You’re welcome, Spencer! I found myself often thinking this Viper would have made a great duty/off duty gun when I started back in the 80’s. My first department mandated the 158 gr SWCHP +P as a duty load, so my 686 was overkill. Agreed on that 3″; it should make a superior everyday gun!
Good, serious writeup. I’m kinda interested in the new Colt line, since my first love, S&W, doesn’t seem to be too interested in rebuilding their K-frame line. I have to say, I was disappointed in the Viper’s incompatibility with so many speedloaders, especially with the ubiquitous HKS that I’ve used for all my revolvers since the 70s. (I was interested in whether or not the new Cobra and King Cobra are compatible with HKS DS speedloaders, but I’ve never seen anything about it. I’ve heard that the “10” K-frame speedloaders will work in the old D-frames, but I never tried it. I’d like to see an article devoted to which speedloaders, if any, fit the new Colts. Maybe that’s just me, or maybe there’s a large crowd hungering for that information.)
Anyway, thank you for an informative review.
Thanks, 1811. Colt is definitely doing some good revolver work! I’ve been impressed with the 3 that I have shot of late. The speedloader thing is kind of of a bummer. I think Justin did okay with an HKS with a King Cobra, and I’ve seen a guy say that HKS #10’s worked fine in a Viper for him, but that wasn’t my experience. I don’t think I do anything weird with my loading technique, nor is it too much to ask that the loader will line up directly behind the cylinder. The 5 Star was the only sure thing for me and this particular Viper! Other than that, it was very solid and would likely be worth your time to investigate. Thanks!
The HKS ’10’ loaders do not work well in the King Cobra/Viper. You want the ‘DS’ option, which works great.
1811, in my limited experience, the K-frame loaders would allow you to get the bullet noses started into the old D-frame chambers, but you normally couldn’t fully seat the loader. An HKS-style loader would allow you to start the noses in, then twist the release, and have a pretty good chance of loading the D-Frame cylinder successfully. It wasn’t a great primary method, but worked as an exigent method for an officer armed with a K-frame primary (certainly better than trying to use a K-frame loader to load a J-frame backup).
I didn’t have great luck with the HKS-10 when I was testing that Night Cobra, but the HKS-DS wasn’t bad, grips permitting.
As long as the grips are clearanced, HKS “10” speedloaders work just fine in my vintage “D” frames, and both work OK in Taurus 856s.
Kevin, Great writeup. I know it must have been a tremendous burden to have to spend all that time on the range with a new wheelgun, and we do appreciate your sacrifice.
( delicate sarcasm dripping intermixed with genuine appreciation )
The last revolving Pony guns I had were the Mk III and Mk V Troopers. Unlike the earlier generation of ‘E’ and ‘I’ frame Colts, the Mark series were brute tanks and ate .357 Magnum loads like kids grazing on M&Ms. I never had occasion to get trigger time on any of the Colt D-frame snub guns (Cobra, Agent & Defective Special and Diamondback).
You gave this new Viper a good workout and in the process highlighted some rather disturbing flaws with grip design and mechanical function. For some reason, Colt stocks always seem to suck. Whether the Python or the Troopers, the full size stock design was good for single action PPC, but nearly worthless on a fighting revolver. The new generation of Colt stocks seem to carry on that tradition.
As Revolverguys already know, for any double action revolver to be a viable candidate for a defensive sidearm, the ability to execute a rapid and precise reload is critical. Granted, such a reload may rarely be needed, but one needs to be able to achieve that result if required: thumb-bumbling one round at a time ain’t it . It appears that when Colt decided to revive the D-Frame guns, someone forgot to factor speedloaders into the design along with the stocks.
I agree with Spencer that the 3″ version is highly attractive as a lighter weight version of the venerated 3″ S&W M10/65. C’mon, Colt – get with the program.
Yeah, S. Bond, the things I do for you guys! I also say that sarcastically, I’m grateful for the chance to tryout these new guns and I love every second of it!!! “Like kids grazing on M&M’s!” I’m going to store that one for later use! It’s a good description of those Troopers, though- they were tough. I didn’t run Colt revolvers in my youth, either. That whole Ford/Chevy Colt/S&W thing. Having the opportunity to test these new Colts has convinced me that there’s room for an F-150 and a Silverado in the driveway (figuratively speaking). You’re on the money about the stocks. I’m not sure that even those that manufacture these guns consider that there are those of us (Viva la Fudds & a few enlightened youngsters) that use revolvers for martial purposes. I remember when we started issuing 642’s as backups to NMSP, they came with the excellent Uncle Mike’s boot grip that was shaped like those made by Craig Spegel. about 2 years in, S&W swapped them for a spongier stock that grabbed clothing and worse yet, was incompatible with an HKS #36 loader. Ugh! S&W finally seems to be waking up to that- hat tip to Andrew Gore and Jason Cloessner’s influence. Thankfully the 5 Star works with the Viper, but it’s a bit of a trick to swap over from HKS loaders if you have 30 years of HKS muscle memory. Yes sir, the 3″ Viper is super attractive as an EDC gun. I hope they give it that battleship finish, bob the hammer and put a night sight and some Hamre Forge grips on it. That would rock like Dokken, sir.
“Yes sir, the 3″ Viper is super attractive as an EDC gun. I hope they give it that battleship finish, bob the hammer and put a night sight and some Hamre Forge grips on it.”
I’d buy that model in a heartbeat!
Speaking of which, I really hope Hamre Forge comes out with a true flush-fit boot grip for the Cobra/KC/Viper some day. I love everything about my Night Cobra except the fact that I want a boot grip on it for carry. The VZs are close, but still stick out a little more at the bottom of the frame than I’d prefer for snubbie.
Thanks, Hammer! That would be a swanky carry gun. I bet Hamre Forge will get around to it. I very much liked the feel and carry profile of the Badger boot grips, too. I suspect Hamre Forge would be able to adopt a flush bottom fit with the option of a covered backstrap (like the AFR Undercover one) easier with their manufacturing methods than Badger with wood. I almost bought a Night Cobra when they came out; I missed the bus on that one. I guess I’ll cross my fingers that Colt does an alloy framed lightweight “Night Agent” (with Badger’s or Hamre Forges as OEM grips) soon. And pretty please let it function with DS speedloaders! 🙂
This actually looks really solid. I like the combination of fixed sights and a 4″ barrel; something about that combo feels very utilitarian to me. And I say that as someone who likes a 6″ barrel best when packing a full-size wheelie.
That said, I hate to say it, but I don’t see myself ever buying Colt. Their wheelguns are just too expensive for me (and S&W isn’t far behind today, sadly). I also don’t want to bother adjusting to a different style of cylinder release.
Hey Axel, that was my impression too, very solid. The Viper in this size is very utilitarian. the Hogues for overt carry or high round count range days, swap for the Badger boots for clandestine carry. The retail on these guns seemed high to me at first, but I have a hard time adjusting inflation from the days when our soldiers wore woodland cammies. They are in line with S&W, and I am impressed with the quality of this gun, but it is still a significant pile of pesos. Of all things, I found the cylinder release easy to get used to, and I actually like it (I realize if I ever set foot on hallowed ground in Springfield Mass again, lightning will surely smite me down for writing that). I need to shoot a match of some sort with that Viper and see if the backwards motion boogers me up under pressure. that would also let me check same with the 5 Stars…
Re: the cylinder release, you may not have to relearn anything, depending on the reloading method you use. The “Universal Revolver Reload” method described by Grant Cunningham works well with either S&W or Colt-style releases, without modification. The S&Ws will actuate earlier in the technique, and the Colts will actuate later, but the technique is compatible with both.
Kevin, solid and honest review! Much appreciated and thank you for your time.
I don’t plan to add any Colts to my collection, but its good that Colt has rejoined the revolver market. Perhaps now S&W will start to listen to loyal customers and produce guns we want and stop making guns they want us to have. I hope Lipsey’s new offerings and S&W new classic line will lead S&W down the right path? Or maybe Colt will snatch up all the new “Revolver guys” and dominate the future market share. The new cool snake guns by Colt may be the new “cool” revolver to own and the S&W model whatever could become revolvers just for grandpa. I hope not.
Again, I liked your review, always hungry for the next write up from you and Mike.
Thank you, Glenn! I’m glad you got something out of it. Yes sir, I’m glad Colt’s back, and pleased that they improved and strengthened their guns, too. Looking at the newest from S&W, there’s hope. The UC guns, the Classics, and the Mountain Guns are good signs, Amen? Thank you, Lipsey’s, for the help! Colt’s new guns throw a mandate up the road to S&W; not a time to coast. I’m hoping S&W will carefully modernize grandpa’s revolvers with an emphasis on fighting/carry gun features and keep it going!
As always an excellent review Kevin. Why you could almost cause a life long dedicated Smith & Wesson Guy to try a Colt. If there was not an abundance of long life span of Smiths I would be looking for a new pony.
That old brand loyalty just sticks after so many years.
Your photography in the review is excellent plus.
Thank you, Tony. Such was the case with me as an S&W guy, too. So far, the Python that I brought home is co-existing with the Smith’s in my safe without any rumbles that I’m aware of. I think the Colts being this good forces S&W to up their game- sounds like a win for us! Thank you for the kind compliment on my pictures, good sir.
Great write-up, Kevin. Colt is definitely putting out some very nice wheelguns these days – dare I saw some of the nicest production revolvers currently being made.
I really love their front sight system. I wish all manufacturers would do something similar. It’s simple, secure and makes sight swaps a breeze.
As for speedloaders, my Night Cobra and King Cobra both work fine with the HKS ‘DS’ loaders. I’m using VZ G10 grips on both models.
Thanks again, Hammer. I would agree with your statement about production revolvers. You nailed it on the front sight! Colt’s system is outstanding and more user friendly than the best pinned sight set up. I just expected that the Viper would work with the DS Loaders, but this one doesn’t. I may show up at my LGS with a DS and dummy rounds and try their Viper…
Kevin – my understanding is that the King Cobra and the Viper share the same frame, same cylinder, etc – the only difference is the barrel, so I don’t know why there would be any issue using the DS loader with the Viper, unless of course, it’s related to grip interference.
Hammer, I think maybe some of it is related to varying tolerances on the HKS product. I’m hearing from folks with more Colt experience than me that some DS loaders are OK, others are not. The grips are an obvious issue sometimes, but maybe the loaders themselves contribute to it as well?
That’s an interesting point, Mike. I hadn’t thought of/realized that there is that much variation in HKS tolerances. Seems like the most likely explanation, tho.
Agreed everything is the same, Hammer. DS speedloaders wouldn’t work with this one with the grips completely removed. Who knows?
Really great review Sir! I have very limited experience with Colt wheelguns and only once owned a Colt Trooper. The reviews on the newer Colt options are very interesting. I can say though, that I have a lot of experience with Altamont Grips on different Smiths and have yet to find a set that works well with speedloaders. I am not bashing them, they look great and I have some that feel great in the hand, but I have taken a dremel to all of them to recess them for my Comp IIs. Lately, I have stayed with Hogues on my regular use 357s.
Thanks, Mark! The Altamont grips I have handled have all been handsome, well fitting, and solid. I don’t think it’s bashing them to point out that speed loader compatibility isn’t a priority with them. I have also found some that feel really good in my hand. I just finished up with a little revolver with OEM Altamont’s that feel exceptional. No speed loader is currently made for that gun, so I have no desire to swap them out. They are good looking and hide fine. Recoil on that one is minimal so, they work great. stay tuned for that one!
Great stuff, Kevin! Another super job!
I got a chance to shoot the 3″ version for a few minutes at the Roundup, and enjoyed it. The gun handled well, and felt “solid”–heavier, and more robust than the J-frames it was closest in size to. The OEM sights aren’t great, but at least the front is easily replaceable and our friends at XS Sights have some high visibility options available, including a brass bead.
I didn’t get a chance to use any loaders with it, so I can’t report any direct experience, but I’m told the HKS-DS loaders work sufficiently with the King Cobra it’s derived from, as long as you have reasonable stocks (and the OEM Altamonts are not reasonable, as you noted).
Speaking of those stocks, they were definitely selected for cosmetics only–to preserve the classic Viper look. No consideration was given to utility. We see that too often from manufacturers these days, sadly–Colt is not alone. Fortunately, as you pointed out, the Hogues available for the 2019 King Cobra work well on these Vipers–indeed, those were the stocks on the sample I shot, and I liked them.
An aside: I was once working with a grip manufacturer on a design, and encouraged them to hog out a lot more material for the speedloader relief, because the existing one was insufficient for any common loaders to work. The manufacturer said they knew the problem, but didn’t think their customers would like the cosmetics, so they kept the more attractive, but non-functional, profile. Stuff like that drives real RevolverGuys crazy . Fortunately, a screwdriver or some sandpaper can usually remedy the problem. If I had those Viper OEM Altamonts, I’d be sorely tempted to round butt them and carve out a better relief, just to see if I could make them functional.
Spencer noted the crooked trigger guard. I wasn’t fond of that either, when the new 2017 Cobra was released, and unfortunately it carried over to the 2019 King Cobra (parent to this Viper). It was explained at the time that Colt wanted an enlarged guard to accomodate gloved fingers, but I fail to see why that couldn’t have been accomplished with a more graceful profile. As it is, it looks like the gun was dropped and the guard was bent. I’ll overlook it though, in light of how the gun handles and shoots. It’s not a deal breaker for me, just a disappointment.
I still maintain the trigger face is too narrow and square-cornered for my tastes, but I didn’t notice it in my short session (24 rounds) with the gun. I think it would have begun to irritate with more rounds sent downrange, though.
I think this Viper is like so many new revolvers today, offering a bunch of good features in a package that’s an 85% effort. That’s really pretty good, actually, but us RevolverGuys will always regret that the design team didn’t consult one of us early on, because it could have been a 95% gun without much additional effort. Nothing will ever be perfect, but we could have got it real close.
I think there’s a lot to appreciate on these guns, and a few things to fix. Fortunately, we can still do much of that desired work, aftermarket.
Thank you, Mike. You bring up many good points. golf clap Colt for making the front sight so easy to tailor to a shooter’s needs. add clap volume for sensible sight regulation with the factory front. The King Cobra Hogue Tamers work magic on the Viper for shooting. I like em! I know it’s a sticking point for a lot of Colt guys, but I don’t lose sleep over the trigger guard. I would love to see Colt add just a little width and “pure round” to the trigger, like you pointed out. I’ll concede the trigger guard for a more ergonomic combat trigger; a bonus being a user-friendly ejector rod tip. Add these mods to the 3″ CCW Viper we have been discussing, please, and make it a 95% gun. Come on, Colt, just do it! Prove that you can still Rock in America!!!! 🙂
Concerning the bent trigger guard, my money is on someone high up in Colt came up with that weird design and no one in the company dares telling the big cheese that it stinks.
Possibly so, but the justification at the 2017 launch was to create more room inside the guard, because the older D-Frames were tight, forward of the trigger. If you look at a Detective Special side by side with the 2017 Cobra, you can easily envision an engineer playing with CAD, and directing the computer to stretch the Detective Special’s guard forward a bit, starting from the point directly under the trigger shoe. The curve wasn’t maintained, the guard just went flat, like stretching a piece of bubble gum. A more elegant solution would have involved maintaining some curve to the lengthened guard, but most engineers seem to have little art in their souls. ; ^ )
Looks like a 3” gun might be my first Colt, considering my Kimber’s ongoing reliability issues (as Mike saw at the round up). It may not be perfect, but sounds like most issues can be ironed out with aftermarket products. I’ll definitely keep my eyes peeled. Thank you for the write up, Sir.
You bet, Riley. A 3″ Viper would be a solid choice. I can vouch for the 5 Stars, if you are set on HKS loaders, maybe check them first.
I’m sure I’ll find something that works!