The 41 Mag
The guys at Leverguns have posted three articles on the forgotten magngum
The .41 Magnum - Sundays Child
Heavy Bullets in the .41 Magnum
.41 Magnum Loading Data
See also:
The Wrong Compromise
Friday, October 22, 2004
I'm For Bush
I generally avoid politics on this blog. (I save that for here.) Most of the bloggers on my blogroll do it better than me, so why be a pale imitation?
But there is an election coming up, and it is important t gun owners and hunters. That's why I'm voting for Bush. Kerry would be a disaster for the Second Amendment.
What kind of judges would he appoint, especially to the Supreme Court?
Remember how Clinton used his HUD apparatus in an attempt to sue gun-makers into submission? Any doubt that Kerry, ambulance-chaser Edwards, and their buddies will do the same?
The AWB has died quietly. Imagine what wold have happened if Sarah Brady had use of the bully pulpit and if Kerry was twisting arms and horse-trading to get it renewed. Diane Feinstein might be crowing about her victory over "the dark forces of the NRA."
Bush has been solid, if not spectacular. Kerry would be far, far worse.
I generally avoid politics on this blog. (I save that for here.) Most of the bloggers on my blogroll do it better than me, so why be a pale imitation?
But there is an election coming up, and it is important t gun owners and hunters. That's why I'm voting for Bush. Kerry would be a disaster for the Second Amendment.
What kind of judges would he appoint, especially to the Supreme Court?
Remember how Clinton used his HUD apparatus in an attempt to sue gun-makers into submission? Any doubt that Kerry, ambulance-chaser Edwards, and their buddies will do the same?
The AWB has died quietly. Imagine what wold have happened if Sarah Brady had use of the bully pulpit and if Kerry was twisting arms and horse-trading to get it renewed. Diane Feinstein might be crowing about her victory over "the dark forces of the NRA."
Bush has been solid, if not spectacular. Kerry would be far, far worse.
Friday, October 15, 2004
.357 Carbine
Gunblast puts the Winchester 94 Ranger through its paces. Even with a 16" barrel they get 2000 fps with 125 grain handloads. And 1450 with 38 Special 125 gr. jacketed bullets.
Gunblast puts the Winchester 94 Ranger through its paces. Even with a 16" barrel they get 2000 fps with 125 grain handloads. And 1450 with 38 Special 125 gr. jacketed bullets.
Saturday, October 02, 2004
Attention Weapons Experts
James over at Hell in a Handbasket is running a little contest. Can you identify the RPG?
James over at Hell in a Handbasket is running a little contest. Can you identify the RPG?
Monday, August 09, 2004
Is this the best value on the pistol market?
EAA's Witness is a version of the famed CZ-75 auto. It is available in all the standard chamberings (9mm, .40 S&W, .45 ACP). It lists for less than $500 and my local dealer has the steel version in .40 S&W for just $400.
The price is only half the value equation. What really sets the Witness apart is their caliber conversion kits. Switch your .40 to 10mm for a couple of hundred dollars. Have a.45 ACP, 10mm, and .38 Super for the price of a single Sig or Kimber.
I like the conversion idea for a couple of reasons. First, it is the only inexpensive way to shoot .38 Super. Second, it is a solution to the problem of practice versus gun life with the 10mm. The 10mm is loaded to such high pressures that it is hard on guns. (It also beats you up at the range.) With the Witness you can practice with 9mm or .40 S&W using exactly the same gun you carry in 10mm. That's neat and efficient.
EAA's Witness is a version of the famed CZ-75 auto. It is available in all the standard chamberings (9mm, .40 S&W, .45 ACP). It lists for less than $500 and my local dealer has the steel version in .40 S&W for just $400.
The price is only half the value equation. What really sets the Witness apart is their caliber conversion kits. Switch your .40 to 10mm for a couple of hundred dollars. Have a.45 ACP, 10mm, and .38 Super for the price of a single Sig or Kimber.
I like the conversion idea for a couple of reasons. First, it is the only inexpensive way to shoot .38 Super. Second, it is a solution to the problem of practice versus gun life with the 10mm. The 10mm is loaded to such high pressures that it is hard on guns. (It also beats you up at the range.) With the Witness you can practice with 9mm or .40 S&W using exactly the same gun you carry in 10mm. That's neat and efficient.
Monday, August 02, 2004
Never expected to read this
In the August Handloader Gil Sengal traces the history of the .357 magnum. He writes about Elmer Keith's experiments with hotrodding the 38 Spl. and the problems he encountered. One of Keith's loads tested at 42,000 psi when normal loads for that powder usually ran 14-18,000 psi. He quotes Elmer as writing " I knew of several Officer Models Colts that [this load] had wrecked."
So far, just your typical gun rag article and the obligatory nod to old EK's irascibility. But it was Sengal's comment that stopped me in my tracks.
"Publishing such loads is just plain criminal"
That is what i like about Handloader and Rifle. They protect no sacred cows.
In the August Handloader Gil Sengal traces the history of the .357 magnum. He writes about Elmer Keith's experiments with hotrodding the 38 Spl. and the problems he encountered. One of Keith's loads tested at 42,000 psi when normal loads for that powder usually ran 14-18,000 psi. He quotes Elmer as writing " I knew of several Officer Models Colts that [this load] had wrecked."
So far, just your typical gun rag article and the obligatory nod to old EK's irascibility. But it was Sengal's comment that stopped me in my tracks.
"Publishing such loads is just plain criminal"
That is what i like about Handloader and Rifle. They protect no sacred cows.
Tuesday, July 27, 2004
Conundrum
"Think of it always; speak of it never."
That was how Leon Gambetta wanted France to approach the lost provinces of Alsace and Lorraine after 1871. In French hearts and French minds, the matter was not closed. But he knew that hot talk would only complicate French diplomacy and possibly provoke another war with Germany-- a war she could not win in the 1870s.
The quote came to mind while i was pondering the "Terror in the Skies" mini-controversy. But it really fits with the whole question of citizen response in a time of terror.
We are fooling ourselves to think that our intelligence can ever be good enough to disrupt every terrorist threat before they get underway. We need good ground-level police work and community involvement.
I firmly believe that we citizens have a role to play in protecting ourselves and our neighbors. That is true for the terrorist threat as well as conventional street crime. It seems like an eminently bloggable subject and the sort of thing where sharing information is useful.
But it is clear that the prevailing PC mindset of the monopoly press will misconstrue and willfully misinterpret such actions. Any attempt to promote vigilance is liable to be labeled domestic spying. (Can't you hear Krugman and Dowd chanting "American Gestopo" and "Ashcroft's Stasi"? Can you hear the glee?) And any discussion of armed citizens and the threat will produce superheated warnings about vigilantes and mob rule.
Annie Jacobson is being subjected to the same treatment as Eunice Stone. They are branded dumb, hysterical, racist women making much ado about absolutely nothing. Very few are asking if pillorying them will have a "chilling effect" on others who will become less willing to come forward when their suspicions are triggered.
"Think of it always; speak of it never."
That was how Leon Gambetta wanted France to approach the lost provinces of Alsace and Lorraine after 1871. In French hearts and French minds, the matter was not closed. But he knew that hot talk would only complicate French diplomacy and possibly provoke another war with Germany-- a war she could not win in the 1870s.
The quote came to mind while i was pondering the "Terror in the Skies" mini-controversy. But it really fits with the whole question of citizen response in a time of terror.
We are fooling ourselves to think that our intelligence can ever be good enough to disrupt every terrorist threat before they get underway. We need good ground-level police work and community involvement.
I firmly believe that we citizens have a role to play in protecting ourselves and our neighbors. That is true for the terrorist threat as well as conventional street crime. It seems like an eminently bloggable subject and the sort of thing where sharing information is useful.
But it is clear that the prevailing PC mindset of the monopoly press will misconstrue and willfully misinterpret such actions. Any attempt to promote vigilance is liable to be labeled domestic spying. (Can't you hear Krugman and Dowd chanting "American Gestopo" and "Ashcroft's Stasi"? Can you hear the glee?) And any discussion of armed citizens and the threat will produce superheated warnings about vigilantes and mob rule.
Annie Jacobson is being subjected to the same treatment as Eunice Stone. They are branded dumb, hysterical, racist women making much ado about absolutely nothing. Very few are asking if pillorying them will have a "chilling effect" on others who will become less willing to come forward when their suspicions are triggered.
Sunday, July 25, 2004
"If all else fails, I will retreat up the valley of Virginia, plant my flag on the Blue Ridge, rally around the Scotch-Irish of that region and make my last stand for liberty amongst a people who will never submit to British tyranny whilst there is a man left to draw a trigger."
George Washington at Valley Forge.
Born Fighting: How the Scots-Irish Shaped America
George Washington at Valley Forge.
Born Fighting: How the Scots-Irish Shaped America
It's been a long wait
Backroads Blog notes that Glock is taking pre-orders on high-cap magazines now that the AWB is about to expire.
I've actually held off buying a new pistol for just this reason. I expect that some makers are going to offer high-caps while others will give in to political pressure and stick to the 10 rd. maximum. No point plunking down good money for one of those.
Backroads Blog notes that Glock is taking pre-orders on high-cap magazines now that the AWB is about to expire.
I've actually held off buying a new pistol for just this reason. I expect that some makers are going to offer high-caps while others will give in to political pressure and stick to the 10 rd. maximum. No point plunking down good money for one of those.
Friday, June 04, 2004
38 Loads
The June Guns and Ammo tests the new Speer 38+P 135 gr. Gold Dot. It looks like it works as advertised. From a two-inch Model 49, it generates 878 fps. That compares to 760 fps for the Winchester 158 SWCHP and 810 fps for the Black Hills 125 JHP.
Mike from Feces Flinging Monkey emails "I've often wondered if the solution here is to use really heavy bullets and modest powder charges - flatpoints of 200 grains or more, lots of dwell time in the barrel to pick up kinetic energy, and lots of sectional density for deep penetration."
I've wondered the same thing myself. The Brits moved from a 265 grain .455 military loading to a 200 grain .357 loading (the 38 S&W) and claimed to see no difference in effectiveness. Given their colonial activities and the troubles in Ireland, the British army had plenty of CQC experience when they made the change.
I've played around with a similar loading for the 38 SPL. They have much less muzzle blast than .357 rounds andm thus, are more controllable. Penetration at close range should be no problem given their sectional density.
The June Guns and Ammo tests the new Speer 38+P 135 gr. Gold Dot. It looks like it works as advertised. From a two-inch Model 49, it generates 878 fps. That compares to 760 fps for the Winchester 158 SWCHP and 810 fps for the Black Hills 125 JHP.
Mike from Feces Flinging Monkey emails "I've often wondered if the solution here is to use really heavy bullets and modest powder charges - flatpoints of 200 grains or more, lots of dwell time in the barrel to pick up kinetic energy, and lots of sectional density for deep penetration."
I've wondered the same thing myself. The Brits moved from a 265 grain .455 military loading to a 200 grain .357 loading (the 38 S&W) and claimed to see no difference in effectiveness. Given their colonial activities and the troubles in Ireland, the British army had plenty of CQC experience when they made the change.
I've played around with a similar loading for the 38 SPL. They have much less muzzle blast than .357 rounds andm thus, are more controllable. Penetration at close range should be no problem given their sectional density.
Monday, May 31, 2004
Congratulations!
Jeff at Alphecca got picked as the "Website we love" in the summer issue of Outdoor Life. Always good to see a blogger get credit for their hard work.
Jeff at Alphecca got picked as the "Website we love" in the summer issue of Outdoor Life. Always good to see a blogger get credit for their hard work.
Saturday, May 29, 2004
Losing Power: .38s in .357s
Looking through Ken Waters's Pet Loads, i ran across some test results that are worth noting.
When he fired some .38 Spl +P loads through a .357 cylinder, he actually lost around 70 fps compared to the velocity obtained with a .38 Spl cylinder.
In some ways that's no big deal. Even a standard .38 Spl. will get the job done for CCW or home defense. But it does affect the load choice if 38 +P rounds are carried in a .357 revolver for defensive purposes.
The 125 grain JHP is a legendary load in the .357. It is a consistent stopper. Velocities can exceed 1600 fps in an 8" barrel. It takes a tough bullet to ensure adequate penetration at those speeds. Many 125 JHP loads for the 38 +P load go about 975 fps from a 4" barrel and so will barely break 900 fps if fired from a .357 cylinder.
A tough 125 JHP which gives good performance at 1600 fps probably won't expand much at 900 fps. If .38 +P load uses the same bullet as the .357, you are really just shooting a 125 grain round nose.
At the same time, the .38 loads are attractive defensive loads because they have less muzzle flash and muzzle blast than the magnum. This matters in the dark, confined spaces where defensive shootings take place.
There are two solutions. One is to choose .38 +P loads that were specifically developed for snubbies (like the new Gold Dot 135 JHP). Another is to use a 158 grain LSWC which does not depend on expansion to be effective.
This performance is also an excuse to save money. If you know you are going to use 38 +P rounds as your primary defense load, you can buy a 38 Spl. revolver instead of a .357 magnum. A good used Ruger or S&W 38 will cost half the price of a new .357 and will often be $50-$100 less than a used magnum. That sounds like a deal to me-- spend less, get better performance.
Looking through Ken Waters's Pet Loads, i ran across some test results that are worth noting.
When he fired some .38 Spl +P loads through a .357 cylinder, he actually lost around 70 fps compared to the velocity obtained with a .38 Spl cylinder.
In some ways that's no big deal. Even a standard .38 Spl. will get the job done for CCW or home defense. But it does affect the load choice if 38 +P rounds are carried in a .357 revolver for defensive purposes.
The 125 grain JHP is a legendary load in the .357. It is a consistent stopper. Velocities can exceed 1600 fps in an 8" barrel. It takes a tough bullet to ensure adequate penetration at those speeds. Many 125 JHP loads for the 38 +P load go about 975 fps from a 4" barrel and so will barely break 900 fps if fired from a .357 cylinder.
A tough 125 JHP which gives good performance at 1600 fps probably won't expand much at 900 fps. If .38 +P load uses the same bullet as the .357, you are really just shooting a 125 grain round nose.
At the same time, the .38 loads are attractive defensive loads because they have less muzzle flash and muzzle blast than the magnum. This matters in the dark, confined spaces where defensive shootings take place.
There are two solutions. One is to choose .38 +P loads that were specifically developed for snubbies (like the new Gold Dot 135 JHP). Another is to use a 158 grain LSWC which does not depend on expansion to be effective.
This performance is also an excuse to save money. If you know you are going to use 38 +P rounds as your primary defense load, you can buy a 38 Spl. revolver instead of a .357 magnum. A good used Ruger or S&W 38 will cost half the price of a new .357 and will often be $50-$100 less than a used magnum. That sounds like a deal to me-- spend less, get better performance.
Thursday, May 27, 2004
Tuesday, May 18, 2004
First Gun
Jeff Soyer has a good discussion on first guns. Jeff is a really smart guy because i agree with everyone of his recommendations.....
Jeff Soyer has a good discussion on first guns. Jeff is a really smart guy because i agree with everyone of his recommendations.....
One Gun Conundrum--results
The results are now up here.
No surprises-- .308 rifles, 1911s, and Ford trucks.
I see i forgot to mention my vehicle choice-- GMC Sonoma extended cab.
The results are now up here.
No surprises-- .308 rifles, 1911s, and Ford trucks.
I see i forgot to mention my vehicle choice-- GMC Sonoma extended cab.
Monday, May 10, 2004
Saturday, May 01, 2004
One Gun Conundrum
Kim du Toit is running an interesting survey/ thought experiment: If you could only have one rifle and one handgun what would they be?
Les Jones has already given his picks here.
For me, it depends on the cause of the limits. If it is a long-term lifestyle choice (money, no room for a gun safe, local regulation) then i want a S&W Model 19 in .357 Mag and a Ruger Model 77 Compact in .260 Remington.
I wrote about the 19's claim to the status of finest all-round, all-round here and the advantages of the revolver here and here . Plus, since i only have one, I want the flexibility the 38/357 combo gives me.
The Ruger compact will handle almost any sort of hunting. Short and light, it is a better choice for woods hunting than a 24" Model 70 in .300 Win. It is nicer to carry up and down rocky slopes for mountain hunting. At the same time, it is a better long-range proposition than a Model 94 in 30-30.
And the .260 may be the best all-purpose round for the US (along with it's ballistic twin the 6.5x55 Swede). Not my opinion, John Barsness just wrote that in Rifle or Handloader.
OTOH- if this problem is a matter of the SHTF and I had to grab two guns and their ammo as I headed out the door to an undisclosed secure location-- then I would change my choices to:
Ruger Redhawk (5.5" bbl) in 41 Mag and Marlin 1894 in 41 Mag.
I want ammo compatibility. Full power 41 mag loads have all the advantages of the .357 with 50% more bullet weight as a kicker. The heavier Redhawk dampens the recoil so that it shoots as soft as the model 19 with magnum rounds. Plus, I have a bunch of mid-range loads for it that makes it a pussycat while delivering more oomph than standard 45 ACP. But as discussed here, the mid-range loads hit magnum velocity out of the carbine.
Plus, the revolver is a Ruger so it is tough and reliable.
Kim du Toit is running an interesting survey/ thought experiment: If you could only have one rifle and one handgun what would they be?
Les Jones has already given his picks here.
For me, it depends on the cause of the limits. If it is a long-term lifestyle choice (money, no room for a gun safe, local regulation) then i want a S&W Model 19 in .357 Mag and a Ruger Model 77 Compact in .260 Remington.
I wrote about the 19's claim to the status of finest all-round, all-round here and the advantages of the revolver here and here . Plus, since i only have one, I want the flexibility the 38/357 combo gives me.
The Ruger compact will handle almost any sort of hunting. Short and light, it is a better choice for woods hunting than a 24" Model 70 in .300 Win. It is nicer to carry up and down rocky slopes for mountain hunting. At the same time, it is a better long-range proposition than a Model 94 in 30-30.
And the .260 may be the best all-purpose round for the US (along with it's ballistic twin the 6.5x55 Swede). Not my opinion, John Barsness just wrote that in Rifle or Handloader.
OTOH- if this problem is a matter of the SHTF and I had to grab two guns and their ammo as I headed out the door to an undisclosed secure location-- then I would change my choices to:
Ruger Redhawk (5.5" bbl) in 41 Mag and Marlin 1894 in 41 Mag.
I want ammo compatibility. Full power 41 mag loads have all the advantages of the .357 with 50% more bullet weight as a kicker. The heavier Redhawk dampens the recoil so that it shoots as soft as the model 19 with magnum rounds. Plus, I have a bunch of mid-range loads for it that makes it a pussycat while delivering more oomph than standard 45 ACP. But as discussed here, the mid-range loads hit magnum velocity out of the carbine.
Plus, the revolver is a Ruger so it is tough and reliable.
Saturday, April 24, 2004
Browning BLR in .358 Win.
That's what their talking about over at Gunblast. Just the thing for someone looking for a lever that shoots flatter than a 45/70 and hits harder than a 30-30.
That's what their talking about over at Gunblast. Just the thing for someone looking for a lever that shoots flatter than a 45/70 and hits harder than a 30-30.
Bersa .380 Thunder
Hell in a Handbasket tried one out on range and gives us a report.
If money is tight and you are looking for a very compact pistol, it is a value that is hard to beat.
Hell in a Handbasket tried one out on range and gives us a report.
If money is tight and you are looking for a very compact pistol, it is a value that is hard to beat.
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