Last year’s winner for Best Revolver was the Nighthawk Korth Mongoose. This year’s contender was the NXS, which is based on a larger frame than the Mongoose. The larger frame allows the NXS to have an eight-round capacity. Our test pistol came with both a .357 Magnum cylinder and a 9mm cylinder that can be changed out with the simple push of a button. Both cylinders were relieved to allow the use of moon clips, and clips for both calibers were included with the pistol. Our test pistol featured a 4-inch barrel with a vented shroud and integrated Picatinny rails on the top strap/barrel and a short rail on the barrel lug. The fully adjustable rear sight was complemented with a gold bead front sight that featured removable protective wings. One unique feature is the location of the cylinder release. The NXS cylinder release is a large lever located on the top of the frame, to the left of the hammer. This lever is pushed forward to open the cylinder.
The evaluators were somewhat confused as to the purpose of the NXS. One evaluator stated, “It seems Korth wanted to see how many features they could put on one revolver.” However, the fit and finish on the NXS is like that of a fine watch. Shooters liked the dual cylinder option, and the Jim Wilson combat-style grips absorbed recoil well. The action was very smooth and the shorter timing of the eight-shot cylinder made double-action shooting pleasurable. The evaluators also like the placement of the cylinder release. The NXS earned the highest score in ergonomics and accuracy. It also earned a high score for its sights. They worked well in all conditions and the gold bead was easy to pick up.
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The NXS led the group in high scores for accuracy, recoil control, sights and ergonomics. The evaluators. While one evaluator marked the Korth low in aesthetics, the other four gave the NXS high marks. While performance and quality of the Korth is outstanding, the MSRP of $5,299 dinged the pistol’s overall score.
