MY IMPRESSIONS
The Grizzly looks good, but I was eager to see under the hood. Colt has been making revolvers longer than anyone, and I expect good quality. The Grizzly stems from Colt’s Python line. The Python revolvers are legendary for being smooth, accurate, and hand-finished. An old Python in excellent condition can fetch thousands of dollars from a collector but may never be fired again. The Grizzly is meant to be shot.
Related Review: The Colt Python – Cadillac of .357 Magnum Revolvers
The first thing I notice about the Grizzly is its weight. It is not a titanium wonder. Its substantial grips have a sticky texture that promises to absorb recoil. Although not a pocket pistol, it remains portable with a 4-inch barrel. I would carry this revolver while hiking with my dog or as a backup gun when hunting.
Notice the vented barrel rib, adjustable sights, and ported muzzle. These features are not just for looks; they all serve a purpose. The vented rib dissipates heat from the barrel to cancel mirage distortion while aiming. The functional target rear adjustable sight makes each shot count, as does the red insert front sight.
Finally, the ported muzzle directs gas upward, keeping the muzzle down while firing hot +P loads. The solid, non-fluted cylinder adds strength to the entire frame, even when firing the hottest of loads.
More Features
Other shooting features include a generous serrated, curved trigger, and serrated flat-top hammer that extends far back for easy single-action cocking. Whether taking a quick double-action shot or a slow, aimed single-action shot, the Grizzly has the needed control.
Although the trigger is heavy for my taste in both single and double-action modes, I believe it will smooth out over time. This is a factory-new sample and will need the usual break-in period. The cylinder release works smoothly, and empties eject positively. I believe a left-handed person can adjust to loading and emptying the pistol easily.
All this comes together to form a controllable aiming platform. The gun feels good to hold and point. The attention to detail in the grip’s finger grooves helps with this, and the Grizzly’s heft and solid feel give me confidence in aiming.
With a six-shot revolver, I will not be spraying bullets and hoping for a hit. This handgun aims to make every shot count. As I hold and aim it, I believe it will happen.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Overall Length: 10 inches
- Weight: 2 pounds, 9 ounces
- Barrel Length: 4.25 inches
- Action: Double action/single action
- Grips: Rubber stippled with finger grooves
- Sights: Target-style rear adjustable for windage and elevation; front ramp with red insert
- Caliber: .357 Magnum, .38 Special
- Capacity: 6 rounds
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Material: Polished stainless steel
SHOOTING NOTES
The sun never stops shining at my Area 52 range in Arizona. With steel “milk bottle” targets and 2-liter root beer jugs lined up at 9 yards for some accuracy testing, I loaded the Grizzly with Fiocchi .357 Magnum 148-grain JHP cartridges. I also had some Speer Gold Dot .38 Special 135-grain JHP, as the versatile Grizzly accepts both cartridges. Note that the .38 Special rounds kick much less than .357 Magnums.
Loading is much slower than with a semi-automatic pistol. Shooting a revolver slows me down and makes me think about each shot and aim more carefully. Nonetheless, I easily took out two root beer jugs and printed two shots closely on steel in double-action mode. Giving the top of the steel milk bottle two “eyes” with two shots was easy. This gun shoots where you aim it.
In single action, the serrated hammer is easy to cock, and the trigger, although heavy, is much lighter. I felt more in control as I hammered two soda jugs and printed two more hits on the top of the steel. I would need more practice to shoot single-handed, as it is not easy without my backup hand to steady my aim.
After reloading with .38 SPL ammunition, I noticed how light the kick is. This would be a good choice for a novice or a way to save on ammunition costs. Explosive hits on the remaining jugs were still evident. The Grizzly has teeth and top-notch accuracy, a famous trait of Colt revolvers. The cylinder locks tightly and shows no gap to the forcing cone of the breech. Precision tolerances make the revolver very accurate, and no malfunctions were encountered in my test.
PROS & CONS
