Glock Talk banner

Korth short

5K views 86 replies 15 participants last post by  PzGren 
#1 ·
Well, I found another Korth at a very favorable price. I have not received it yet and know very little about the details for this specific gun. It is a Sport model in the Target configuration with micro adjustable sights, Nill adjustable grips, a trigger shoe. Price was listed in the 2007 price list as €5525 plus $415 for the Target configuration. It appears to be in the quite rare "short" 5 1/4" barrel length. Calibre is .32 S&W Long. I got a set of normal Sport model grips in my spare parts box and they will quickly replace those grips for single handed shooting.

It might interest Brian that the blued Combat with the 9mm conversion was €7,444. the leather case was €300 and that was in 2007!

 
See less See more
1
#65 ·
There is nothing wrong that I can see from an inspection but I know that this gun had been up for sale before and guess that it was returned fro the obvious reason.

On top of that my .22 Korth, the one that I occasionally let other folks shoot, had developed reliability problems when shooting double action. An inspection showed that the firing pin had been slightly peened and did not fit through its hole. The second rimfire Korth that I have seen with this problem, despite showing no firing pin impact on the cylinder.

An easy fix but annoying enough. I am watching some funny movie later.
 
#66 ·
That is too bad. At least you'll be able to take it back and still have a number of other nice Korths to keep you company. I'm curious to know what the issue is or what happened to the gun. I know Korth does not make accuracy claims, but they still factory test fire? No doubt an original buyer would have returned it so I am assuming a problem developed later.
 
#69 ·
Wow, that's disappointing Andy. Anyone can build a lemon but I'm shocked how bad that is. I can't imagine why it would shoot so badly if you can't see any obvious defect. Do you think that perhaps the revolver was rifled for a specific load and that it's not stabilizing your ammo properly? I wonder what slugging the barrel might reveal.
 
#71 ·
I went to the range yesterday night with "my" new Korth .32 Sport and got ready to compare it to my most accurate revolver; a S&W 14-2. I warmed up with a few rounds of CCI .22 l.r through one of my Korths that I know to be a great performer.

In trying the new .32 Korth, I fired a few shots to see how the elevation worked but found out very quickly that there was something wrong with this gun that appeared like new. To put it simple, it is a piece of crap!

It just does not group. I shot at the same target at 25 meters with the .22 Korth -already being solemnly upset- and afterwards shot my other .32 Korth for comparsion. I had it dialed in for hotter ammo but even though it shot low, it still grouped at 25 meters. The last addition is probably a special run for collectors instead of shooters:supergrin:! This one is going back to where got it from.

I did not even need to get the S&W M14-2 out, it would have been an insult to that fine sporting arm to be compared to such a piece of garbage.

I am left with but 15 great Korth revolvers again.


Shoots fired with the new .32 are circled in black/blue. Shots from the .22 are circled in yellow on the right target. The left target was my warm-up.


Shots from my old .32 are low but at least a group on the right target!
May I suggest slugging the barrel, gauging the chambers, and applying a range rod to each of them in battery?
 
#76 · (Edited)
Aafter calming down and rethinking the possibilities - and more closely considering your above post - I slugged the cylinder bores and compared them to the other .32. My first inspection at the range and after coming home quite upset did not reveal the difference but slugging the chambers and comparing them to the 38437 revolver that shoots okay, I found the chambers of the 38xxx gun to be of larger diameter; the bullets dropped right through.

Michael, you were right. My first check wasn't thorough enough but then I just wondered and figured that it would be worth a little more effort to figure out what caused the inaccuracy.

I tried to use my micrometer on the slugs. Before pushing them through the chambers they were 7.98 mm, they came out at 7.96 of the 38437 gun and needed a good push. In the 38xxx gun I could push them through with a Q-tip and even a plated 8.0 mm slug needed very little force.

With some mould and sizing die around .314 to .316 I guess it it could work but I wilI return this revolver. At least the riddle is solved.

And inspired by Michael Zeleny, I looked at both guns again. The forcing cone differences are obvious!!!

The bullet drops right into the forcing cone of the inaccurate gun!

 
#72 ·
That is too bad. At least you'll be able to take it back and still have a number of other nice Korths to keep you company. I'm curious to know what the issue is or what happened to the gun. I know Korth does not make accuracy claims, but they still factory test fire? No doubt an original buyer would have returned it so I am assuming a problem developed later.
It was built in 1988 and looks like it was barely used. I checked the barrel diameter and the chambers but don't have a real range rod in .32, I used a rod with a close diameter and everything seemed okay and since I can return it without loss, I will let someone else worry about it.
 
#73 ·
Wow, bad day at the range, Andy...

Maybe Korth should stick to 357's
Brian, the other .32 S&W Long shot okay, it delivered a group of about four or five inches, that is about average for my offhand shooting at 25. I will load it a little hotter and the group will go up.

The .22 firing pin was an easy fix and good opportunity to clean the abused old gun.

 
#79 ·
Brian, the other .32 S&W Long shot okay, it delivered a group of about four or five inches, that is about average for my offhand shooting at 25. I will load it a little hotter and the group will go up.

The .22 firing pin was an easy fix and good opportunity to clean the abused old gun.
Yeah, I was saying that mainly tongue-in-cheek, Andy.

I'm glad you got it fixed.
 
#81 ·
Michael,

I shoot the SIG P210-6 with 124 gr LTC with an average of about 90% on the ISSF target at 25 meters, I do not do a whole lot better with premium jacketed ammo, nor with the S&W 14-2 with 148 LHBWC.

Casting bullets and reloading is as important a part of my hobby as shooting itself and I can usually come up with a load that will let lead bullets work satisfactory in barrels not really designed for them.

By the way, do you see the "Korth Idiot Scratches" on the recoil shield? Many of mine were bought with them, too.
Andy, I read you loud and clear, but casting bullets and reloading calls for American made guns. Not for my lack of trying: I have repeatedly questioned the use of polygonal rifling in the new generation Korth barrels, to no avail. Then again, at least the German “we know best what you need” way of manufacturing trumps the traditional French practice of “you have disrespected us, so we are gathering our toys and going away”.

Yes, I have observed the more or less pronounced “idiot scratches” on 9 out of 10 Korth revolvers coming out of Germany. It seems to go hand in hand with the practice of tipping the muzzle down for case ejection. As you have pointed out elsewhere, shooting is not well known as social work over there. Speaking of which, any hand ejector revolver can and will jam as soon as you get enough debris under its ejector star.
 
#85 ·
Yes, I have observed the more or less pronounced “idiot scratches” on 9 out of 10 Korth revolvers coming out of Germany. It seems to go hand in hand with the practice of tipping the muzzle down for case ejection. As you have pointed out elsewhere, shooting is not well known as social work over there.
What is the issue surrounding extracting cartridges with the muzzle pointed down? There is another way to do it??
 
#82 ·
I went to the range yesterday night with "my" new Korth .32 Sport and got ready to compare it to my most accurate revolver; a S&W 14-2. I warmed up with a few rounds of CCI .22 l.r through one of my Korths that I know to be a great performer.

In trying the new .32 Korth, I fired a few shots to see how the elevation worked but found out very quickly that there was something wrong with this gun that appeared like new. To put it simple, it is a piece of crap!

It just does not group. I shot at the same target at 25 meters with the .22 Korth -already being solemnly upset- and afterwards shot my other .32 Korth for comparsion. I had it dialed in for hotter ammo but even though it shot low, it still grouped at 25 meters. The last addition is probably a special run for collectors instead of shooters:supergrin:! This one is going back to where got it from.

I did not even need to get the S&W M14-2 out, it would have been an insult to that fine sporting arm to be compared to such a piece of garbage.

I am left with but 15 great Korth revolvers again.


Shoots fired with the new .32 are circled in black/blue. Shots from the .22 are circled in yellow on the right target. The left target was my warm-up.


Shots from my old .32 are low but at least a group on the right target!

Did you have a chance to fire it from a rest or sandbag of some type to reduce the human factor?

25 yards is a pretty good throw -at least for me- and many factors can come into play...
 
#83 ·
There was no need to rest the gun. To exclude operator error and ammo related problems I shot another .32 S&W Long Korth for comparison.

Not to sound arrogant but if I can't keep my rounds on a 9 inch paper plate at 25 yards, it woudn't make any sense to spend the money on such a fine gun for range use.
 
#84 ·
There was no need to rest the gun. To exclude operator error and ammo related problems I shot another .32 S&W Long Korth for comparison.

Not to sound arrogant but if I can't keep my rounds on a 9 inch paper plate at 25 yards, it woudn't make any sense to spend the money on such a fine gun for range use.
Fair enough... Just askin'.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top