That's because Taurus has Caleb Giddings, when Kimber designed the K6 they consulted Grant Cunningham and Mas Ayoob, and the Ultimate Carry J-Frames came directly from discussions here on P-F.
Ruger and Colt haven't consulted anyone with knowledge about concealed carry revolvers. Because both companies think Wiley Clapp is the smartest guy about carry guns. Don't get me wrong Clapp had good ideas, but nothing clean sheet in the designs.
And the UC guns are basically Lipsey's guns with the manufacturing subcontracted to S&W. I have no knowledge about it, but one might suppose that if S&W had said "nah", that Lipsey's could have gone to Ruger and commissioned a special run of LCRs.
Keep your hands to yourself, leave other people's shit alone, and be kind to one another. In other words, do not do unto others what is hateful to yourself.
Persuaded by all the hype (and considerable logic) around the Lipseys UC earlier this year I decided to jump on the .32 train a few months ago. But when I was at the LGS my gut told me to order the LCR .327 over the S&W. Ive owned a .38 and .22 LR LCR for over a decade with no problems whatsoever. The 327 has been equally reliable so far. With .32 S&W Long wadcutters its as much fun as the .22.
The three inch Viper in 357 will have a place in the den at my house. Does the viper have the replacable front sight like the King Cobra? Haven't seen the muzzle view of this model.
Building on the above:
The original Viper was an aluminum-framed duty revolver. That made sense when armed professionals still carried revolvers. If you carry a gun on your belt for your job, making the gun lighter has real practical benefits. But now, most revolver-buyers are collectors. A small minority are serious shooters. Making the King Cobra lighter in any meaningful way would require a lot of re-engineering and I don't think there's much of a payoff.
So sure, let's just release a half-lug version and call it a lightweight carry version of the King Cobra. I'd bet it was a relatively minor change in production, and it's just different enough to get some people to buy it.
Thanks Frank for your reply. My traditional/nostalgic self reaches out to a D frame sized 357 that Colt should have built. I strapped on my first duty sidearm in 1965 and it was a S&W Model15, always been a Smith man but found the Viper when originally produced an attractive weapon. The powers to be at the SO I was working at during the time of the Viper required a 357 in the holster of the Road Deputies.
Now all these decades later Colt produces what I hoped for in the Viper back in the 70s. I would lug around all 26ozs of it with pleasure. After being issued a Smith Model 28, and carrying it for several years at my now advanced age a Viper is a no problem weapon. To me it is the Ruger SP 101 with 6 rounds in 357 and an immeasurably better trigger from the box. An FO sight up front and the Viper is a "good to go" piece. Oops almost forgot the Hogue grip that goes on the Cobra and King Cobra.
Checked a Sportsman and a local sporting goods store for the one I am looking for and I had to explain to them what it was and when it was to be available.