A while back, I covered the Korth Mongoose with 9mm and 357 Magnum cylinders here on the CADRE Dispatch. That revolver carries classic double action revolver lines with a full-length lugged barrel and a vented rib. You’ll recall that these high-end German sixguns are imported by Nighthawk Custom.
Nighthawk Custom: They Offer More Than 1911s
Nighthawk makes some of the finest 1911 pistols known to man. “One Gun, One Gunsmith” is their motto, and these pistols are made right here in Berryville, Arkansas, US of A.
Garnering a reputation for 1911 excellence has allowed Nighthawk Custom to partner with other esteemed manufacturers like Korth and Cosmi shotguns. Cooper Rifles of Montana is now Cooper Rifles of Arkansas, and they are under the Nighthawk umbrella.
When mentioning Nighthawk, you can’t help but notice the theme of top-shelf, heirloom-quality firearms that look great and are built to be shot, a lot, and passed down to the next generation of shooters and outdoorsmen. I’ll be spending time with one of Nighthawk’s fine Cooper Rifles in the coming months.
The gun showcased today is the Korth NXR chambered in .44 Remington Magnum.
Exquisite German Engineering of Korth
The Germans are renowned for building some of the best firearms available to the world, and Korth is no exception. Their time-honored and exquisite engineering capabilities bring fabulous firearms to the market.
The traditional lines of the Korth Mongoose are only visible on the frame and cylinder of the NXR. From there, this big .44 takes on a competition look of its own. It sports a Picatinny rail on the top strap for ease of mounting an optic. The ventilated barrel allows for enhanced cooling, and I was surprised how well this works after firing several cylinders full of .44 Special and .44 Magnum ammunition. There is also a Picatinny rail under the barrel that is accessible by removing the barrel weight.
The hammer-forged precision barrel is extremely accurate in this revolver, as you will see from the group measurements listed below. The serrated rear sight is fully adjustable, and the bold serrated ramp front sight is encased in removable side panels. Korth’s unique cylinder release is simple to manipulate and requires just a push forward with the thumb to disengage the cylinder.
Turkish walnut stocks on the gun fully encase the grip. While this revolver is beefy enough to tame the recoil of full-house .44 Magnum rounds, stocks that cover the backstrap go a step further toward taking the bite of the Maggie 44. These oil-finished stocks have nice grain in the wood, and a thumb shelf on each panel provides a good grip for right or left-handed shooters.
Shallow finger grooves are an added touch to ensure a solid grip on the gun. A slight bell towards the bottom of the stocks helps to lock the hand into a firm grip. If the shooter prefers traditional combat stocks, they are also available on Nighthawk Custom’s website.
The Korth NXR is coated in a tough DLC coating that gives a black-matte appearance to the gun, and you can have this revolver with a 4 or 6-inch barrel.
Trijicon RMR Adjustable Sight
Knowing how accurate these Korth revolvers are, I was curious to see how well this gun performed with the aid of an optic. I mounted Trijicon’s RMR Adjustable Red Dot Sight on the NXR before heading to the range.
I’ll be the first to admit that I rarely use optics on revolvers. I certainly don’t have a problem with them and realize how important they can be for accurate shooting. After seeing how well the NXR performed while topped with the Trijicon, I may need to revisit my iron-sight philosophy.
This duo is a tack driver! The red dot optics eliminate the need to focus on the front sight, something that becomes more difficult for many of us as we age, especially in low light. A good friend of mine has switched to red and green dot optics for most of his hunting revolvers and sings praises for this setup. I’m starting to see why.
Range Time
I had a handful of HSM 240 grain .44 Special loads handy that I used to zero the Trijicon RMR. Just three shots, adjusting the optic each time to change bullet impact, got the NXR dialed in for the ensuing accuracy tests. Once the rounds were going where I wanted, I fired two more shots, and the bullets went in the same hole! .44 Special ammunition is a dream to shoot in this 55-ounce revolver.
Five-shot groups for accuracy were fired at 15 yards from my Ransom Multi-Cal Steady Rest with ammunition from Buffalo Bore, Hornady, and Lost River Ammunition Company. The NXR chewed ragged holes in the targets.
Lately, I’ve been using 1.5-inch orange label stickers for targets. They are inexpensive, and they work quite well. Standing them on end like a diamond and aiming at the bottom tip allows for a precise aiming point.
Out of four groups, only one had a bullet land outside of the tight group. That, no doubt, can be blamed on the shooter. The revolver and ammunition are exceptionally accurate, and the abilities of the Korth and ammo were made apparent with the help of Trijicon’s good optic.
Applications of Cutting-Edge Craftsmanship
The Korth NXR .44 Magnum has a sticker price of $5,674. A quick glance at Gunbroker lists some for a little less or a bit more, depending on configurations. I’m not here to try to sell you a gun, only to report on my findings after having shot it.
Without a doubt, owners of the Korth NXR will be able to say they own an extremely accurate double action revolver comprised of the utmost quality. These revolvers are an investment in the finer things in life. They are expensive, but they need no fine-tuning from a gunsmith to bring “okay” up to “much better.”
They are excellent from the box. They are made to withstand heavy use, and I hope those who own them do just that. Shoot the heck out of it and pass it down to your grandkids. They will still have a fine revolver that will retain its value because it is a precision piece of equipment. Some might call it functional art, and I won’t argue with that assessment.
I expect there are handgun competitions where the Korth NXR shines. Not being a competitor, I will have to leave which match categories this revolver qualifies for to those of you who compete. As for me, I know exactly what I’d do with this sixgun.
After shooting groups, I dialed it in for zero at 25 yards with that hard-hitting 300 grain Hard Cast Flat Point load from Lost River Ammunition Company. Feral hogs have found my deer feeder, and I intend to take this Korth NXR out for an adventure! With that ammo, I fired two 3-shot groups. The first measured 0.92 and hit just to the right of the diamond. I moved the dot to the left, and my next group measured 0.77.
As I’ve mentioned, this gun will shoot!
Specifications for 6″ Korth NXR
- Finish: DLC Coated
- Caliber: .44 Magnum
- Weight Empty: 55.3 oz.
- Barrel Length: 4″/6” ($100 Upgrade)
- Overall Length: 11.65”
- Width: 1.72”
- Height: 6.38”
- Cylinder Capacity: 6
- Barrel: 416R
