Key Takeaways:

• The Ranger is a six-shot, double-action and single-action revolver chambered for .357 Magnum and compatible with .38 Special.
• A fitted 9mm cylinder assembly can be exchanged using a release ahead of the trigger guard.
• A tested Ranger produced a 1.15-inch, five-shot group at 25 yards with Federal 147-grain HST 9mm ammunition.

The Korth Ranger entered the American market in 2019 as a double-action and single-action revolver developed by Korth in cooperation with Nighthawk Custom. Its original configuration combined a four-inch barrel, interchangeable cylinder system, adjustable trigger components, and upper and lower Picatinny rails.[1] Nighthawk Custom is Korth’s exclusive U.S. importer.[2]

Korth’s Manufacturing Lineage

Korth traces its revolver design tradition to Willi Korth, who began developing his revolver concept during the mid-1960s. PTW KORTH Technologies GmbH has continued the company under managing director Martin Rothmann since 2008. The manufacturer combines modern machining with extensive hand fitting and uses selected steels and hardwoods in its revolvers.[3]

The Ranger represents Korth’s modern, accessory-compatible approach rather than the traditional profile of the company’s earlier sporting and combat revolvers. Its barrel shroud incorporates Picatinny rails above and below the barrel. The upper rail accepts an optical sight, while the lower rail provides an attachment point for a light or laser.[1][4]

Configuration and Specifications

The current four-inch Ranger is a six-shot revolver chambered for .357 Magnum and compatible with .38 Special ammunition. A fitted 9mm Luger cylinder is available as an additional assembly. The cylinder and crane are removed together by pressing a release positioned ahead of the trigger guard, allowing the two cylinder assemblies to be exchanged without conventional disassembly.[4]

Published specifications list the four-inch model at 38.72 ounces, with a width of 1.54 inches and a height of 6.10 inches. The revolver has a black diamond-like carbon coating, commonly abbreviated DLC, and Turkish walnut grips. Current examples use a fully adjustable rear sight and a protected gold-bead front sight. Four-inch and six-inch barrel configurations have been documented.[4]

A removable two-port compensator is another available component. On a tested four-inch example, the compensator increased the measured unloaded weight to 42.95 ounces. Its ports direct propellant gases upward to reduce muzzle movement during firing.[4]

Trigger and Cylinder System

The Ranger’s action includes adjustments not ordinarily found on standard-production revolvers. The 2019 launch configuration used interchangeable trigger wheels to alter the character of the double-action pull. It also provided adjustments for the single-action pull and coil mainspring.[1] A later test revolver incorporated an overtravel adjustment in the trigger. That example produced measured pull weights of 9.2 pounds in double action and 3.64 pounds in single action.[4]

The cylinder locks at the rear, at the crane-to-frame junction, and at the front of the ejector rod. The cylinder release is positioned beside the hammer and moves forward to unlock the action. The 9mm cylinder uses projections on its extractor to engage the cartridges’ extractor grooves, allowing cases to be ejected without moon clips.[4]

Documented Range Performance

In a 2026 evaluation, Massad Ayoob tested the Ranger from a bench at 25 yards with its .357 Magnum and 9mm cylinders. The best complete five-shot group was 1.15 inches, produced with Federal 147-grain HST 9mm ammunition. Remington 115-grain 9mm ammunition produced a 1.60-inch group, while Federal 130-grain .38 Special ammunition produced a 1.90-inch group.[4]

The same test involved more than 1,000 live rounds and additional dry firing. The evaluators reported no failures and found extraction consistently smooth except with particularly heavy .357 Magnum loads, which required greater pressure on the ejector rod. The DLC-finished cylinder showed no visible turn line after the test.[4] These results document the performance of that individual revolver and ammunition combination rather than establishing a universal accuracy or durability standard for every Ranger.

For identification purposes, collectors should distinguish published specifications by date and configuration. The 2019 launch description listed a four-inch revolver weighing 2 pounds, 14 ounces and documented its original trigger-wheel system.[1] The 2026 evaluation listed a base weight of 38.72 ounces and documented both four-inch and six-inch configurations, an optional compensator, and a fitted 9mm cylinder assembly.[4]

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

[1] von Benedikt, Aram. “New for 2019: Nighthawk Custom Korth Ranger .357 Mag.” American Hunter, February 5, 2019.

[2] Nighthawk Custom. “About Nighthawk Custom.” Nighthawk Custom, n.d.

[3] PTW KORTH Technologies GmbH. “About Us.” Korth, n.d.

[4] Ayoob, Massad. “Korth Ranger Convertible 9mm/.38/.357 Revolver.” On Target Magazine, February 2026.