Korth Arms announced its new 9mm revolver, the Sky Marshall, a few days ago. We were able to check it out at Range Day and our initial impression is very favorable. If you are not familiar with Korth, they are a German company that makes very nice high end revolvers and pistols.
If you look close, you can see the little pins that come out to extract the cases.
9mm revolvers are nothing new. It is not hard to make a 9mm revolver work. It is as simple as cutting the chambers correctly to headspace off the case mouth. The tricky part is extracting the spent cases. The most common method for using rimless cartridges in a revolver involves the use of small clips. The Sky Marshal does not use these and the example at the range extracted the spent rounds smoothly and effortlessly.
So how does it work? There are small pins that slide out under the rim on the cases when the ejector is pressed. See the photos for a better idea of what I am talking about.
Korth also has a speed loader out for the Sky Marshal as well, although it should work with other six shot 9mm revolvers.
The Sky Marshal has a 2 inch barrel and weighs about 19 oz. It has a short section of Picatinny rail on the side of the barrel for mounting a light or laser. The rail on the side looks a little funny at first, but it is by far the most practical place for one. They had one example of the Sky Marshal at the range that had another small section of rail on the side of the frame behind the cylinder.
I was able to pull the trigger 12 times on the Sky Marshal and let me tell you it has a very nice one. The revolver is double or single action. The double action pull was long, like they all are, but very smooth and even with no grit. I would estimate the double action pull to be about 8-9 pounds. The single action pull was equally as smooth and felt to break around 2-3 pounds.
The Korth Sky Marshal has an MSRP of $1,000.
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Double or single action, the trigger pull is nice and smooth.
Another view of the extractor
Rail on the side
The “laser”
Sky Marshal and speed loader
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It loads like most double action revolvers.
The extractor in use
Sky Marshal with the Korth laser mounted
The 9mm speed loader
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I honestly prefer auto loaders but I know lots of guys who prefer a wheel gun altogether. I think it looks cool, and would be beneficial. I’d like to see it first hand, but it hurts putting that much money on a handgun
Sadly, $1,000 MSRP for a high quality revolver in the US market is pretty much the going rate. Smith & Wesson sells the 929 and the 986 in Performance Center trim for $1189 and $1149 respectively, and these require moonclips. Korth makes very high-end revolvers and pistols. The Korth Combat revolver is pretty much hand built, and the price for these STARTS at $4,000. Heck, the Nill Grips alone for the Combat retail between $175 and $225. Comparing a Charter Arms Pit Bull to a Korth is like comparing apples to pineapples. Comparable in name only. Not to denigrate Charter Arms (they sell an excellent 100% American-made product for the money), but it’s pretty unlikely that you will be sending a Korth back to the factory to make it useable. And the Korth has had a 9mm cylinder for their Combat model that functions without moonclips well before Charter Arms (on the Combat, changing the cylinder requires only pushing a button).
The long discontinued S&W 547 may have been one of the first revolvers to be able to eject the rimless 9mm round, but mint used examples can run well north of $1K–if you can find them. It was made for only a short time, and it was discontinued because it was expensive to make even then. If S&W were to bring back the 547 (a very handsome revolver, unlike the Sky Marshal), it would undoubtedly far exceed $1,000 MSRP, and it would probably have that useless key lock.
What’s the big deal about 9mm revolvers? Well, some people just happen to like revolvers, and the 9×19 can approach the ballistics of a .357 Magnum without the muzzle blast, recoil, and report of the Magnum round. The Sky Marshal may not be for everyone, but I doubt Korth intends it to be.
I think a snub nose revolver with a picatinny rail is a moronic concept.
To those who opined that this gun is “a solution in search of a problem,” and/or liked the fact that a speedloader can be used, I can only direct you to last year’s discussion of the Charter Arms 9mm revolver. The stated purpose for that revolver was to provide a backup for anyone using a 9mm pistol as their primary carry gun, allowing you to strip rounds out of a magazine into the revolver’s cylinder should you be unable to continue using your pistol. If you want to carry additional rounds in a speedloader, then you could use any number of other revolvers/cartridges.
This weapon could be an option for people of live in areas where a semi is not an option to purchase. Also, for folks with weak hands that can’t rack a slide. Hence, it could be a great home defense option for someone given the noted restrictions.
Donald, if they don’t have the hand strength to rack the slide, they’ll be (pardon the pun) Hard Pressed to deal with a 14# trigger pull, don’t you think?
Why are we subjected to the “impressions” of a gun writer about trigger pull weights (usually far lower than reality) when for the cost of a good meal in a classy diner he can buy a digital guage that reads in ounces…reliably? I won’t consider a gun purchase if I can’t use a digital trigger pull device on it. Several major retailers denied me, so I turned and strode out the door. (Who? Bass Pro-Shops and Academy Sports) Most writers 8 to 9 pound “guesses” turn out to be 11 to 14 lbs., and 2 to 3 lbs. becomes 5 or 6 lbs. Come’on guys..get with the program or get a real job…concrete finisher comes to mind!
This was a range day event at SHOT Show, not a full review. I always use a scale when doing a full review. I was able to dry fire one example of the gun and fire 12 rounds through another. The above piece is to give a quick and dirty first impression.
It appears that the picatinny rail is permanently attached to the right-hand side, not good for left-handed shooters. What does this revolver bring to the arena, for $1000, that 9mm pistols don’t offer for easily a third of that price?
I’ll take my Charter Arms Pit Bull thank you very much. Cool looks gun but $1000?? Come on.
Sweet Mother, that thing is ugly as hell! I gotta have one….
With so many good snubby .38 special revolvers (handling +P), I just don’t get the fuss over the Korth.
If you read the Charter Arms web page, they will tell you “yes” our weapons can fire +P ammo but why use +P ammo because it take a 4 inch barrel to burn the powder correctly. Hence, you will not the bang for you +P ammo out of a less than 4 inch barrel but you will get a great muzzle flash in low light conditions.
As an RSO who worked the Shot Show Range I watched them run hundreds of rounds through this revolver and never saw a single problem with it. It may cost alot but so reliable. I will aquire one as soon as I can.
As an RSO who worked the Shot Show Range I watched them run hundreds of rounds through this revolver and never saw a single problem with it. It may cost alot but so reliable. I will aquire one as soon as I can.
Hundreds of rounds… not a large feat for a modern auto or revolver. No one here is doubting it’s reliability, revolvers are noted for the reliability due to their manually activated action. We are questioning it’s placement of features and the fact that a 9mm revolver is not at all a new concept that could be had more affordability from other sources. Ruger, S&W, charter…. maybe if they stripped the rails and streamlined it, it would be more appealing to a CCW user. A new carrier could probably go buy a good subcompact auto 9mm, holster, class, and license… and still come out spending less then buying this Korth thing alone.
Two underlying issues here on why market a revolver in 9mm. Don’t count the “fun” factor.
FIRST: Some people can’t rack a slide or want to mess with the contols on a semi auto pistol, even a minimalist Glock. A revolver is still functionally simpler then a SA. When properly cleaned and loaded: it can sit for months and still do its job, a SA needs to have mags rotated to ensure function. All revolvers have double tap (next round) strike capability as opposed to clearing a failed round. A higher level of TRAINING and maintaining proficency is required.
Second: 9mm and 38 special are often considered the mimimal caliber for self defense. If we take the simple approach and review one shot stop percentages the 9mm exceeds the 38 Spl by 35%. The reviewed weapon was not listed as +P rated.
So is there a nitch for this firearm? I think so. A CC firearm, I don’t think it fits. Configuration is bad and if your going to carry, you will probably maintain skills that would allow you to carry something more suitable. This has more potential to be Granny’s night stand gun. Do I like it, would I buy one? NO.
“a SA needs to have mags rotated to ensure function…”
Nope–that’s a myth at best. Not sure if you’re referring to spring-wear or what specifically…? Suffice it to say that if the user properly maintains his or hers semi it will function just fine…Even in absence of this (my experience at least) this has been the same in that several years ago I visited my Uncle over the Fourth and noticed he had not cycled his “old” 1911 loaded with a standard OEM 7 round mag–well we took it out that afternoon (scorching hot day of which I shall forever remember but I digress) and proceeded to empty that gun in 8 shots absent a hiccup.
I will agree that a semi takes a bit more attention and care that a typical revolver to be sure, but just to reiterate they work as reliably as a revolver IMO if properly maintained (like so many things in life).
Oh, while I have never seen a revolver “fail” by definition, I did see a couple lock up on extraction due to “swollen” cartridges (in these cases it looked like shooters where using .38’s only and when loaded with .357’s choked where the .38 ‘shell-rim’ so to speak had left a bit of a ring-of-soot…
The Germans are a day late. Smith & Wesson has done the ne plus ultra of 9mm revolvers with the Model 547 in a choice of 3″ or 4″ barrels. They also use an extractor that eliminates the need for moon-clips, and there is a mainstream speedloader available. Though no longer produced, I think that S&W should take a closer look at their competitor’s offerings and bring back the the 9mm revolver in an Airweight snubby version as well as with longer barrel lengths. The pressures and kick should be less than a .357 magnum, so I imagine that this could be a no brainer for them. I hope that they do it.
If they milled off that crap under the barrel, left off the rails and utilized a set of crimson trace grips, it might be worth buying.
Looks like it’s way too expensive for what you’re getting. Bill, it’d be worth buying if it was an “Airweight” was chambered in .38special and had S&W stamped on it somewhere.
I would buy it just for the collection of the 9mm Revolvers. I have a S&W model 940 1 7/8 in. and the 3 in.
I also have the S&W model 547 in the 3in. and 4 in. And I also have the Ruger Speed Six in the 9 mm. 3 in.
I like 9mm revolvers and I like to shoot them. And I like using the moon clips for the 940’s and the Ruger
Speed Six it is better to me than a speed loader and the moon clips are cheap enough to buy a lot of them .
The S&W model 547 doesn’t need moon clips. So I am excited about the Knorth 9mm. Oh I have .357’s
and 38’s and 45’s also 22 LR and 22 Mag. and 32’s and the 327 fed. Mag. But the 9mm is the gun I prefer.
I know the 9 mm hasn’t got the knock down and stay down power but there is 9mm ammo out there that is
Wicked. You just have to know where to get it,and I was always taught if you put the bullet where you want it
to go you will be OK. ( am I correct ornot ) I am sure some of you that will have something to say negative
about my way of thinking and I am man enough to hear ,so let’s hear it
I think relying on pins to pop out to insure extraction will result in unreliable functioning under extremely dirty conditions.
I have a 50 year old Blackhawk that has fired, and ejected, 9mm rounds(357 when you change cylinders) since the day I bought it. I don’t understand what all the fuss is about a revolver that works with 9mm.
I see the target market as people who are unable to rack the slide of a semi-auto, who want a commonly available caliber and one that likely matches their family members weapons. Add to that the fact that many people with small hands are unable to use even the smallest semi auto, AND often don’t have the strength to rack the slide. Imagine your lady friend who always has her nails long and painted; she may not be able to rack or even grasp the slide, and might not like the idea of a round in the chamber.
Those who are dismissive of the speed loaders, lasers, and lights, are clearly not considering that a person who wants a “wheel gun”, also wants the option to use, or at least have available, accessories to accompany it. The picatinny rail is most likely removable, and it’s smart that they have addressed the perceived need for one.
Like any new product, there is almost always someone who will buy it. While the MSRP is high, you’ll seldom see any weapons sell at their MSRP.
HINT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE SMALL HANDS AND A **STRONG** SPRING ON YOUR SLIDE
RE: those who have trouble racking the slide or who have small hands and find getting a grip difficult. I found a solution when I was ‘customizing’ a set of rose trimmers. On the trimmers (of the $60 side of good trimmers) to keep the handle from slipping from my hand on a hot day or when getting a good poke from a thorn or spike or dropping it from a ladder I’d put down some of that sand-paper tape you see on the edge of stairs. They have good grit sand paper on one side and a peal back glue strip on the back. We are talking heavy duty glue since the edge of stairs take a LOT of foot traffic.
One day a guy was trying to get his girlfriend/partner a semi-auto that had a TIGHT spring on the slide – think of a PPK 9mm (.380? SHORT bbl) — (NOW triple it. — Short bbl, hard TIGHT spring, small hands all together make for a poor combination.) I forget now the pistol she liked – but call it about the size of a close to full combat size and high end – Sig? Glock? small older Beretta?, something in what I would guess was a 9mm- .380 size – she wanted a 9mm but it was too hard for her to chamber a round. (AND both sad and funny to watch her try). And this smaller one was difficult for her too – and sure a PPK IS hard to rack (and I HATE breaking them down to clean them – great pistols but that break down can be VERY scary if you don’t have the confidence) – , but once you do it once it’s easy enough for most folks with ‘beefy’ or ‘sinewey’ hands to get a grip and pull. And there’s no problem.
I went out to my car and brought in my rose and special flower clippers (hooked up with an ‘O’ screw heated and screwed into the plastic handle, then unscrewed, glue put in the hole, and then re-threaded — had a Lanyard right there – hooked it to my belt and a 7 foot piece of coiled up phone cord (18″ to maybe two feet long) and never had to stoop over or climb down a 30 foot pruning ladder again – or spend 2 hours hunting around on a 2 acre hillside of ivy and black-berries for a lost set of pruners again.
So I showed him the stair tape – and the next time maybe a few more, I often go in once a week to see ‘what’s come in’, it’s always hard to know when the good deals go away between visits I watched a nearly brand new old Browning .270 BAR with a high end (for the day) Leopold scope come in with a widow who didn’t want it around the house come in and the store made $150 for holding it for 10 days and 10 minutes, it was sold before the store had finished the paper work) – So back to our little handed lady: when I’d gone back in and she was there she’d bought TWO high end pistols, first a Sig -226 (**MY True Love**! over 10K rounds and shoots straight as an arrow feels perfect in my hand, and the single missfeed was a stovepipe from MY loading, and I remember the load, I recall EVERYTHING about that single load — I was interrupted and forgot what the load mix should be and I loaded it light, VERY light rather than over-load it, said it was ‘just to see what would happen’ and, heck, for some reason she stove piped on me shoulda just started from scratch, with would have been the right and sane thing to do, but the load sounded right, only I’d been loaning a few boxes of .380 for a friend and so OF COURSE that load seemed right (lucky I wasn’t loading a .300 win mag!) and she said said that racking a round wasn’t any harder with the Sig than wringing a wash-cloth once she felt she had a grip on it. The second pistol was a .40 Glock and got the Sig out of her hand-bag to show me, then went and brought the Glock in from the car — piece of sand-paper stair step sand paper at the back of each side of the slide! — AND she was there to Order a . . . . Colt 1911A! — suddenly she could rack any slide there was. From the sometimes ‘slippery’ (for me) feeling a Glock can give me, to the (for most easy but for her difficult Sig 9mm), and now she was ready for that pull and dead solid slap-snap! of the 1911A! — all because she had something she felt she could pull on and not lose her grip. Now she DID have small hands (stood about 5 foot or so slender build) so I could see why even a small pistol like the 9mm (.380?) PPK could both be difficult to pull and scary thinking what would happen if you somehow slipped and got your finger where the slide makes even a grown man go ‘deleted! deleted! deleted!!!!!” as blood trickes down his fingers and he says ‘That ain’t nothing’ while the feeling is still returning – the kind of scar **!EVERY!** 1897 Winchester shot gun owner can make up their own story about. Don’t have one? You never owned one. I Can’t imagine why Colt put a tail on their 45 and Winchester didn’t take the clue and put one on the top of the stock so the slide would pass just above it. But 110 years or so has proven that it wasn’t all THAT important. Most folks only have ONE scar to prove they owned one. More than three reflected FAR more on the owner than the shotgun.
So, anyway – hard slide? Try some of that sandpaper stair tread on each side – sure, it doesn’t look real pretty, but it won’t make you look dead either.
I’m trying real hard to think why I would give up a semi auto 9mm that is slimmer, lighter, and has a higher magazine capacity and rate of fire for this revolver. Nope, can’t. Sorry Korth, it’s that 21st century thing.
Looks like a high quality and innovative revolver. Apparently the assumed market for it is concealed carry in critical situations involving crowded areas requiring precise shot placement, hence the Air Marshall name and special laser. All things considered, I’d think that a built in under-barrel or frame mounted and grip activated laser would be preferable for a less bulky, snag free, user friendly revolver. Also, I suspect the selection of holsters available will be very limited with expensive custom one off built items the norm for many. Also, this would allow for a removable light on the side if the rail is kept.
I see a few folks here have the Charter Arms. I was going to get one but saw bad reviews so I went with the Taurus 905. I’m not too thrilled with that. What do you guys think of your Charter Arms amidst all of the negativity toward the company?
I got it as a curiosity. The Pit Bull is easy to handle, shoots better than I can, which may not be a glowing endorsement for the gun. When dropping the spent cases, I find it necessary to really snap the extractor rod. Otherwise I don’t get complete extract. I prefer any of my auto’s in 9 to the revolver, but its never had any malfunctions. As an aside, my grandson loves the gun and shoots it at every opportunity.
I subscribe to GunTests.com (similar to Consumer Reports in that neither accept advertising) except they review guns and gear. I, and thousands of others, trust their integrity and test results. They gave the Charter Arms 9mm Pitbull an A rating. Good enough for me.
Agreed! Its the only mag for which I store back issues. I check their website before I buy any new firearms.
I owned one of the first Charter 9MM Pitbulls that were available to dealers. The first day I had it I took it to the range and found out that it jammed on every shot. Had 3 different types of ammo with me including Hornady, Magtech, and Federal. It jammed with all 3. I called Charter and they said to send it back for repairs. It was returned to me a few weeks later and worked well when I took it back to the range.
The following summer and about a few hundred rounds later I was again at the range with the Pitbull and could not even hit a 15″ x 15″ target with it at 5 yards. I finally shot over it and when the bullet hit it it had keyholed. When I got back home I again called Charter and sent it back for repairs. This time it took over a month to get it returned and they said they had to replace the barrel.
When I again took it to the range with the new barrel it would shoot significantly low even though the test target I got back after the new barrel was put on showed it very accurate at what I believe was 15 yards.
I again sent it back to Charter and when I received it back they had ground off about 50% of the front sight. I took it to the range again and ran 6 rounds through it to make certain it functioned properly. I then sold it.
All told there were likely less than 250 total rounds through it. One of the worst guns I ever owned.
BTW, I also own a Charter .22LR revolver that works flawlessly. I believe that the 9MM wasn’t ready for prime time when it was released.
Well when you look at your turn around times for customer service, I think that is above average. I had/have .40 Pitbull, I believe the 88th one produced. I loaded it and it did not seem to want to eject. I called, they said send it back. I did not. Instead I cleaned and lubricated the gun and it has worked as advertised since. I have had other new gun problems since and have learned they all need to be cleaned and lubed to be sure, even my 629 and G29. Certainly you did that since you fired that much, but I do not think that Charter’s customer service is bad, you just got a lemon
Gary, it sounds to me like you’d almost have to buy a Taurus to have a revolver that’s worse than your CharterArms Pitbull.
Or to get worse Customer Service. Taurus is #1 in both poor product quality and Customer service in a timely manner.IMO
How is this the most innovative 9 mm revolver on the market? By copying a Charter design? Its no wonder I’m letting my gun rag subscriptions lapse. There is no integrity in reporting. This review looks more like a paid ad than an objective evaluation.
Agree completely! This is innovation at its worst. A revolver with come junk stuck to it. I too let my magazines subscriptions lapse simply because I’m so sick of seeing another AR of thousands, more crummy 1911s to the point that almost every US company makes one. Now this thing. Seems our gun industry lost is momentum with the deaths of Browning, Stoner, and even Ruger. Now its same old same old. If we want true progress we have to look at companies across the pond for new ideas.
Ever wonder where one would really keep the speed loader, a belt pouch is huge. It would need to go in a pocket. So add even more bulge. Also a speed loader loose in a pocket is difficult to find and remove when in a rush. And its covered in pocket crud which goes right into your sidearm. Also you pocket liner is now covered with lead residue, a toxic heavy metal. It will get on your hands, and in the wash so your whole family can enjoy it. Don’t get me wrong, I love revolvers, I like the 9mm round (if hollow points). But this thing is just wrong on so many levels. many other revolvers would be better if you really feel that a revolver is the way to go. Hopefully if a Sky marshall does get one of these things he’ll make the right choice and chuck it out of the plane while over an ocean or volcano.
You can put steak sauce on a hot dog… but it’s still just a hot dog.
Looks like junk. Let’s pack only six rounds of 9mm in to a larger package. Why no just get a LC9 or Nano that is slim and sleek. Horrible place for a rail on a pocket revolver, it only guarantees that it’s going to snag on everything or be very fat once a light/laser is attached and then still snag on even more. What niche does this fit? Crappy over engineered pocket revolver, horrible nightstand gun… what ever someone buys it for it will be over priced and not very usable.
I would love to argue with you here as your comments are so coarse and uncompromising 😉 but I can’t…I would have a 9mm revolver only as a novelty, to complement my plethora of 9mm ammo and corresponding semis. But you’re right, why would one want to carry one (even cops for ankle BUG) when you can get SO much more capacity for 1) less weight and 2) MUCH, MUCH, MUCH less expensive…
I would love to argue with you here as your comments are so coarse and uncompromising 😉 but I can\’t…I would have a 9mm revolver only as a novelty, to complement my plethora of 9mm ammo and corresponding semis. But you\’re right, why would one want to carry one (even cops for ankle BUG) when you can get SO much more capacity for 1) less weight and 2) MUCH, MUCH, MUCH less expensive…
I’m sure this gun is well made, but I don’t expect a $1,000 revolver to be uglier than my Charter Arms.
My friend at bowling after 20 plus years with no safety issues loading and cleaning his weapons FINALLY shot himself ,he just new it was unloaded pulled back the slide pulled the trigger and BAM! right threw both fingers then up his arm (9mm) pistol. Unlike a revolver sitting on a table you can’t tell if ones in the chamber that’s why a revolver makes sense to me , I can see the bullets from distance and it’s easier to pick up off the table and not a lot of things to do or remember in a surprise situation where seconds matter. He admits this was his fault, the gun is as safe as the operator who handles it. But for me looking for my first handgun and reading where this has happened before has made up my mind to go with a revolver.
I’ve never thought much for 9mm revolvers – but this one looks really great! I’m also interested in whatever was attached on the rail behind the cylinder, too.
Excellent idea, as I personally know since I have a Charter Arms Pitbull 9mm that uses extractor tabs to accomplish the same thing for half the expense. What interests me is the speed loader they have for their gun. The bit of rail on the side is also interesting but would probahly make finding a holster difficult.
Excellent idea, as I personally know since I have a Charter Arms Pitbull 9mm that uses extractor tabs to accomplish the same thing for half the expense. What interests me is the speed loader they have for their gun. The bit of rail on the side is also interesting but would probahly make vtinding a holster difficult.
Very cool. Looks very similar in design to the Charter Arms 9mm Pitbull that I own. I would be interested to see if anyone does a comparison of the two. I especially like that there is a speed-loader. I wonder if that will be an available accessory for separate purchase.
I have to agree with most of the comments I have read here. What is the advantage of a 9mm revolver over a 38+p and why would anyone need a rail on a close quarter pistol designed to be fired at a target no more than 3 or 4 yards away? I suppose if you’re setting up a nightstand gun, a light rail might be appropriate, but I wouldn’t spend $1000 on it. There are far too many suitable choices that are much less expensive. This is gun is a solution in search of a problem.
This is gun is a solution in search of a problem.–could not have said it better myself