Estimated studying time: 14 minutes
Don’t look now however evidently Colt Firearms is set to take over the revolver market! Previously 4 years, they’ve launched a brand new technology of wheelguns beginning with the Python in 2020. Present choices embrace the Cobra, King Cobra, Python, and Anaconda. The most recent snake to be resurrected. is the Viper.
Based mostly on the D-size body, the unique Viper was solely made in 1977, with a reported manufacturing of solely 4,000 weapons. These weapons have been all made on an alloy body, as have been the Colt Cobras. Sadly, they have been shortly discontinued and now convey collector’s costs.
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The New Heavy-Weight Viper
Launched in Could of 2024, the Viper shares the identical stainless-steel development and body because the King Cobra. Each are D-size frames, have a six-shot capability, and are chambered in .357 Magnum. The Colt Viper is offered in both a 4.25” or a 3” barrel. As with the opposite “Snake” weapons, the Viper makes in depth use of contemporary manufacturing know-how that permits elements to be made with greater tolerances. This eliminates a lot of the hand becoming, thus enhancing high quality with out rising labor prices.
The principle distinction between the Viper and the King Cobra is the barrel profile. As a substitute of a full underlug, the Viper has a “half-lug” that reduces weight and bulk. It’s a very modern little pistol.
Unboxing our take a look at pistol, I used to be impressed with the match and end that Colt continues to supply. The stainless body and barrel are evenly polished to an virtually nickel end. The pistol is void of any machine marks or exterior flaws within the end. The highest strap and high of the barrel have a matte end to scale back glare for an improved sight image.
Options
Some individuals have commented on the oddly formed set off guard. Colt defined that it permits for an extended set off to enhance the pistol’s motion. I appreciated that the Viper comes with a clean face set off as a substitute of the serrated triggers discovered on the Python and the Anaconda. The sides of the set off are properly radiused and the set off measures roughly 7/32” on the backside. Regardless that the Viper makes use of a leaf spring, the double motion has minimal stacking. Utilizing my Lyman Digital Set off gauge, I discovered the Viper averaged a 9 lb. double motion and a 3 lb. 12 oz. single motion. The pull was clean with none grit or play.
Shares and Sights
The shares on the Viper lengthen previous the body and supply a full gripping floor for many shooters. They match the body comparatively properly and fill the sinus behind the set off guard to scale back “knuckle bump.” The checkering and contour on the high of the shares are paying homage to the Nineteen Eighties Detective Specials and Cobras. The perimeters are properly checkered and the grain is enticing.
The Viper’s sights encompass a hard and fast sq. notch rear and black serrated entrance ramp. As with different Colt revolvers, the entrance sight is retained by a single set screw and is well changed by the consumer. This characteristic was key throughout our analysis.
Vary Time With the Viper
We hit the vary with an assortment of ammunition that ranged from a Hornady’s Essential Protection Lite 90 gr. FTX .38 Particular to a full-blown Hornady .357 Magnum 125 gr. load. For formal testing, I chosen the next masses that I felt have been probably the most relevant.
The Hornady Essential Protection Lite is designed to have diminished recoil through the use of a lighter projectile that’s pushed at the next velocity. Recoil was moderately gentle however the masses shot roughly 3” excessive at 10 yards. The Essential Obligation 110 gr. FTX is a confirmed performer that finds the candy spot between bullet weight and velocity. Federal’s Punch .38 +P load incorporates a 120-grain jacketed hole level. Whereas slightly sizzling, Punch had proven constant efficiency in all my assessments.
The Viper dealt with all, however the .357 Magnum load, properly. Recoil and muzzle flip was fairly violent and follow-up pictures have been troublesome. I actually couldn’t have made the par occasions on a 5x5x5 drill. (5 pictures/5 seconds/5 yards shot on a B-8 bullseye goal. Magnum masses are simply brutal and I’d not advocate them.
Efficiency
Engaged on the vary introduced out two points with the Viper. The primary is that the left inventory panel routinely prevents a clear ejection of all six empty circumstances. That could be a important concern with a private protection revolver. I anticipated that the contour of the shares, massive on the base and narrowing on the high strap, would create a difficulty with recoil management. I discovered this concern with the three Pythons I’ve examined. I used to be pleasantly shocked that I didn’t have that concern with the Viper. That was, partially, because of the sharper contour to the underside of the shares and the way the shares fill the sinus behind the set off guard. Nonetheless, the reloading concern must be corrected.
The opposite concern I discovered was that I had excessive issue discovering the entrance sight, particularly when taking pictures on a black B-8 goal. In vivid solar, this was exasperated by the glare from the rear of the body, under the rear sight aperture. Fortuitously, this was a straightforward repair. I contacted my good buddy John Harrison, of Harrison Design. John has an entire line of Harrison Design Snake Sights for all the Colt double motion Snake revolvers. John despatched me an improved ramp entrance sight blade that had a inexperienced Ameriglo tritium lamp and a Lumi-green ring. This single change considerably improved my efficiency with the Viper.
Colt Viper Accuracy
I shot the HiTs Tremendous Snubby Take a look at which consists of 5 rounds, fired from 3, 5, and 10 yards respectively. Par time for every string of fireplace is 3 seconds, 5 seconds, and eight seconds respectively. The three-yard line is fired utilizing the sturdy hand solely, so 5 pictures in 3 seconds is spicy. The drill is generally shot on a B-8 restore middle and scored utilizing the ring values on the goal. Nonetheless, I didn’t have any B-8 targets so I shot it on a NRA qualification goal. I shot the take a look at utilizing Excessive Desert Cartridge Firm’s plated 148 grain wadcutter.
Later, I superimposed the goal on a B-8, to get a correct rating. I shot a 142/150 with three X-ring hits. I did bust the 3-yard line time by .62 seconds. That penalty diminished my rating by 2 factors giving me a 140, or 93%. I solely shot the drill one time. I can say that I couldn’t have achieved this rating with out the Harrison entrance sight blade.
For giggles and grins, I positioned an IDPA silhouette goal at 45 yards. From a bench relaxation, utilizing Excessive Desert .38 TMJ load, I used to be capable of rating three “A” zone hits and two “B” zone hits. I threw one shot utterly astray. All pictures have been fired in double motion. For a medium dimension revolver, with fastened sights, I used to be fairly impressed with the Viper.
Obligation Ammunition Testing
We shot all 4 masses right into a beforehand used Clear Ballistics 10% FBI gel block. The rounds have been shot into naked gel and into gel by way of 4 layers of denim. Whereas time-consuming, the take a look at offered us with some strong knowledge. The desk under displays the outcomes of the gel assessments.
The most important shock was the penetration of the 90 gr. Hornady Lite. The penetration was constant and, in naked gel, it expanded as properly. I’d observe that in bullet growth, the FTX bullet tends to roll again over the lip of the projectile. It doesn’t produce “flower-like petals” like another masses. Nonetheless, the 90 gr. FTX expanded to a median of 32% over its authentic diameter. As anticipated, when fired by way of 4 layers of denim, the projectiles didn’t develop and, more often than not, the projectile inverted and got here to relaxation base first.
Essential Protection
The Essential Protection 110 FTX might be Hornady’s .38 Particular load for private protection. This load was very constant in each penetration and growth in naked gel. Within the all stainless-steel Viper, the recoil was very manageable. Enlargement by way of the denim was inconsistent. Two rounds expanded with irregular jacket deformation. One spherical did not develop and nonetheless had the pink polymer plug intact. That is just like what I’ve noticed in different assessments. The 110 FTX is a perfect spherical for probably the most private defensive conditions.
Federal 120 gr. Punch
The Federal 120 gr. Punch was probably the most spectacular. In naked gel, the projectile expanded by .57% of its authentic diameter. The jacket peeled again utterly and the lead core expanded to a median of .55”. When shot by way of the denim, two rounds expanded whereas one spherical did not develop and inverted on the finish of the cavity. I will surely contemplate Punch as a carry load for shooters that aren’t recoil-sensitive.
Whereas I actually didn’t need to shoot Magnum masses by way of the Viper, I knew that I wanted to only suck it up! The Hornady Essential Protection load is a 125 gr. FTX projectile. I used to be very concerned with how it might carry out at a median velocity of 1,356 fps. When shot by way of the naked gel, the 2 recovered rounds penetrated 26” and 19” respectively. One spherical was misplaced out of the facet of the gel block. The 2 recovered rounds absolutely expanded right down to the bottom of the bottom of the cavity. When shot by way of the denim, the rounds deformed in a really inconsistent method. The jackets have been torn and, in a single case, the spherical collapsed into itself.
Clearly, the mixture of the bullet development, the excessive velocity, and the denim was disruptive to efficiency. As beforehand acknowledged, Magnum masses are fairly brutal within the Viper and I’d not counsel punishing the revolver or the shooter’s hand by taking pictures these masses.
Last Ideas On the Colt Viper
Whereas I used to be impressed with the Viper, I used to be not shocked. After having evaluated a number of Pythons, a King Cobra, and an Anaconda, I knew the standard of the revolver that Colt is producing. If I have been carrying the Viper, I’d swap the shares out for a set of rubber Hogue shares, related to people who ship on the King Cobra weapons. The Harrison substitute entrance sight is an absolute necessity. Apart from these two points, I discover the Viper to be an excellent medium-frame revolver. It’s modern and really able to defending you and your family members.
READ MORE: What Is The 327 Federal Magnum Good For?
As soon as once more, Colt has hit a house run and continues to set the usual for defensive revolvers, proving the revolver is alive and properly in 2024, and past!
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