Korth Ratzeburg Combat 3 Inch Stainless .357 Magnum

Korth built revolvers the way watchmakers build movements, one at a time and to tolerances most factories never bother with. This Combat is one of those guns, a 3 inch stainless wheelgun chambered in .357 Magnum and stamped Made in W. Germany, Waffenfabrik Korth, Ratzeburg / LBG along the frame. That marking matters. It places this revolver in the original Ratzeburg era, before the brand changed hands, when production ran in tiny annual numbers and a single gun could take months to complete.

The 3 inch barrel is the configuration to chase. It splits the difference between the longer target guns and the snubbier carry pieces, giving you a sight radius worth shooting and a profile that still rides comfortably. The full underlug barrel carries a ventilated rib up top and clean .357 MAGNUM roll marks down the side. Look at the muzzle and you'll see the recessed crown, the kind of detail Korth fussed over.

The finish is Korth's signature satin stainless, soft and even rather than mirror bright, and it shows the sculpted relief cuts along the frame and cylinder beautifully. The fluted cylinder swings on a hand fit crane, and the lockup is tight with no play to speak of. Up top sits an adjustable target rear paired with a serrated ramp front. The hammer and trigger carry that distinctive Korth geometry that delivers the smooth double action and clean single action break the brand is known for.

The grips are checkered European walnut, a target profile that fills the hand and warms up the cool tone of the steel. Note the adjustable mainspring tension screw on the backstrap, a Korth touch that lets you tune the pull.

For a collector who wants German revolver craft in a size you can actually carry and shoot, this is the one to hold out for.