Ruger Redhawk

The Ruger Redhawk (introduced in 1979) is an interesting gun in that it is still in production but made somewhat obsolete by Ruger's own Super Redhawk and Ruger's new standard grip format using the stud instead of a grip frame. The Redhawk (as opposed to the Super Redhawk) is now very much old school.

I once owned a Security Six (.357 Magnum) and you might view the Redhawk as a development from that series, up sized and with some modifications, for larger cartridges. The Redhawk has been factory chambered for the .357 Mag, .41 Mag, .44 Mag and .45 Colt. It is hell for stout. As Ruger says on their website:

The Ruger Redhawk® revolver was Ruger's first double action revolver specifically designed for the powerful .44 Magnum cartridge. It embodies many advanced features such as a "triple-locking" cylinder, a unique "single spring" mechanism for relatively lighter trigger pull, easily replaceable front sights and adjustable rear sights, and all-stainless steel construction. Ruger Redhawks are perfect for the big game handgun hunter who needs the power of a .44 Magnum in a rugged, dependable revolver.

I really liked my Security-Six. It was a good gun, gave good service and it is unfortunate that I sold it to meet family responsibilities. For a couple of years I let the need for a home defense/hunting revolver pass me by until I had the opportunity at a S&W M629 4". I've written enough about that at the linked page. Needless to say I've been looking for another suitable revolver to fill this niche almost since I got the 629. The Redhawk seemed to be about right but... the "but"? Well the "but" was that it was pretty close to the right size but the barrels were too long. You see, they only had them in 5½ and 7½ inch lengths. Yes you can cut them down but add that expense to the MSRP and, well, that's darn expensive when you already have a "perfectly" serviceable 4" .44 Magnum in hand. So I've put it off for the longest time.


Then, about a year and a half ago, Ruger came out with the Redhawk in a 4" version. Of course I liked the idea, but it hasn't been until recently that circumstances have conspired to put one into my hands. I've now got one coming. We'll have to see if it will actually replace the M629...

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My first impression of the Redhawk was that it was/is a LARGE revolver.  Not as big as the X-frame S&W but big, brutal looking.  Definitely and noticeably larger than the S&W 629. Fitting is not as good as I'd have liked but nothing was broken or missing.  It has been factory test-fired.  I do like the balance of this gun as compared to the longer 5.5 or 7.5 inch barreled guns.  The verdict is still out on the grips. 

While the grips are big, and I'm sure they would accommodate rather large hands, I can use them too.  One thing I like is that with the issue grips I can use the gun both SA with a single hand cocking and DA one or two handed.  Can't do both with any given grips on my S&W 629.  Dry firing (done without the plastic disk in place) has shown that either mode is easy.

That dry firing showed something else as well.  The action came to me very gritty.  Now, I'm not a particularly particular person.  If the trigger can be pulled, the gun shoots, if the gun stays in one piece, that is pretty good.  I guess that comes from my years of military service.  But I could feel and hear the grittiness in this revolver.  However, as has been suggested, it has smoothed out quite a bit.  One thing that hasn't changed is that the bolt rises early.  As you cock the gun, SA or DA, the bolt rises to contact the cylinder about half way between the locking notches and rides the cylinder into the next notch.  This has already resulted in a cylinder ring.  However, it has been noted that rising early is better than rising late and the cylinder rotating past the bolt and the gun firing unlocked.  But I still haven't fired the gun.

Stay tuned.

LINKS:

- Gunblast Article, "Ruger Four-Inch .44 Magnum Stainless Redhawk"
- Sturm-Ruger
- The Ruger Redhawk by Sarge

I avoided a "bullet" in the form of a new (to me) gun...

Yeah, this is one time I didn't get the gun. Why? I'll talk about that later. What was the gun?

It was a Browning 1955 (or 1910) in .380 ACP (9mm Kurz) with a single magazine and the original soft case. With a serial number in the 590XXX range it appears to have been produced in 1966 (according to Proofhouse). The gun is in 98-99% condition with only a very small scratch on the rear of the slide. The trade or credit card price is $499. If interested you can call/contact Chris Kinchloe at Nuckols Gunworks, 1801 West Beverley Sreet, Staunton, VA 24401, (540) 886-3061, nuckolsgun@comcast.net.

Of course, I had to learn something all I could about these guns before I actually bought one. The history is pretty interesting. For example, the model was used in the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, thus sparking World War I (serials 19074, 19075, 19120 and 19126 were acquired for the group although which was actually fired at the Archduke is unknown). The Finns used them as a limited standard military issue during the Continuation War. They were popular police arms in Europe. So, there was lots of history to interest me.

The FN (Browning) Model 1910 was a further business evolution for John Browning. His designs were previously produced by both FN in Europe and Colt in the United States. But, Colt did not want to produce the 1910 so Browning chose to patent and produce this design only in Europe. This pistol used a novel operating spring location surrounding the barrel which became the standard in the Walther PP and Russian Pistolet Makarov. It incorporated the Browning striker-firing mechanism and a grip safety along with a magazine safety and an external safety lever (known as the "triple safety") in a compact package. It was offered in both .380 ACP (6-round magazine) and .32 ACP (7-round magazine) calibers and it was produced until 1983.

The guns are very compact and with the exception of the plastic or wood stocks are made entirely of steel. They feel very solid in the hand but being so small, there isn't much grip. For some people, it is difficult to grip the gun well to shoot accurately and also depress the grip safety. The sights are very small and although suitable for pocket carry, they aren't the easiest to see. Of course, these guns were designed in the era of FMJ ball ammo as standard and while they most often function 100% with ball, they might not with modern hollow points. John Browning had a winner with this one as witnessed by its long production run.

No, I didn't buy it. I wanted to but felt that on balance it was not a gun on which I should spend my assets. I felt it was a bit difficult to properly grip. I'm not sure that I could shoot it well or comfortably. I had a lot of difficulty seeing the sights with my bifocals. So that was two strikes against accurate shooting. I didn't particularly want to pick up an additional cartridge for which to load or to store. While I have a large store of .380 brass I don't have any dies and would also need bullets.

This particular gun is in such fine condition that it is like a jewel. If I had more discretionary funds I'd likely have bought it. It would still be an excellent carry gun for certain people with smaller hands. It is so small that one could carry it in modern jeans pockets.

Pseudo Colt Agent

I'd gotten a Colt Cobra, made in 1972, and it was pretty good for a carry gun. Light, 6 rounds, and with the Tyler-T adapter a filling yet compact grip. Still, it was too big for pocket carry and many assured me that the Colt Agents were pocket carry capable. I wanted to try one out, but I didn't want to spend a fortune on a quality Agent.

Then I was pleased to find some Detective Special stocks for only $6.99 at CDNN. I thought these Sile skip-diamond stocks would be just the thing to dress up my DS (which has some rather ugly original stocks). So, I ordered them and they arrived. I opened the package only to discover that they were actually AGENT stocks. Of course these will fit the late (post 1966) grip frame. On they go and there you go, an "Agent". Neat!

This gun, with the Buffalo Bore item #20C, is going to be a fine carry gun.  I don't think it will work for pants pocket carry for me but I do have some jackets in which it will work quite well.

Browning Hi Power

Due to some  undue influence from some knowledgeable shooters and my lifelong lust as well as the fortuitous return of such a gun to our fair city, I succumbed to the siren song of a much traveled Belgian pistol and after a short sojourn in lay-awake (just didn't have the gun money in hand so put down $40 in earnest money) it has come home.

This pistol has a more interesting life story than most.  It was stolen from a local market whose owner had been but briefly engaged as a firearms dealer as well as purveyor of bread and lunchmeats. That was 10 years ago. 2 weeks ago, an earnest member of some New York City police department confiscated the gun in connection with another crime and two days ago it was returned to the former owner. He doesn't want it.  Now, I'll be searching for magazines and *sigh* need to buy another holster.

According to the serial number this gun was built in 1987.  The same serial is on slide, barrel and receiver.  It appears to be a Belgian made MK II.  It has a parkerized finish, fixed sights, ambidextrous safety(s), and those funky but fairly comfortable dual thumbrest plastic stocks.   Except for the initials "AH" on the right side of the dustcover (they look like they were penciled onto, NOT engraved or electropenciled) it is in fine shape with a good bore, no rust, etc. Unfortunately, the original magazine is somewhere else so it has a Mecgar in place. I do have one of the Hungarian mags at the house.

Because of the mark, I managed to get it for something less than I would have expected.

This particular photo doesn't do it justice.  Shown here with the current stock of magazines (from left to right) the Mecgar 15-round, 2 factory 13-round, FEG 13-round, and Mecgar 10-round (which came with the gun).

Links:
- Stephen A. Camp's Hi Powers and Handguns
- Disassembly Instructions (NRA)

USFA Henry Nettleton Joins the Herd

Got a deal I couldn't pass up on a NIB USFA Henry Nettleton SA.  USFA's description and photos can't be beat so here goes...

An Old Armory Original. A Numbered Series Following the Original U.S. Government Inspector Stamped Revolvers. {Limited to Serial Numbers 47056 through 51083.}

The Henry Nettleton™ Cavalry Revolver is the first in the Government Inspector Series. It is an exact re-creation of the model inspected by Henry Nettleton, U.S. Government inspector of small arms in 1878. The Nettleton features the exact cartouche branding and hand-stamped markings as the original. Available only in historically correct “US Government Cartridge”- 45 Colt, with one-piece walnut grips.

The USFA Henry Nettleton is an exact number for number re-creation of the original, using exact old style hand numbering. These revolvers feature our Old Armory Bone Case™ Hardened Frame, Gate & Hammer. Artillery Model has 5 ½" barrel. A special historically correct Armory Blue™ {Military Polish} will be used on all other parts. This is not our standard Salt Bath Finish - Dome Blue.™ Armory Blue™ is a Genuine pre-1900 finish and is accomplished through the use of sterile parts heated in a forge. Although more costly, Armory Blue™ provides that absolutely correct and durable blue. Also available in Full Nickel Plate with U.S. Government Markings.




Call in the Cavalry. . .

Mr. Henry Nettleton {H.N.} was a U.S. Government Inspector of small arms produced for the Springfield Armory founded by George Washington in Mass. Henry Nettleton received his commission as Inspector in Springfield, June 6, 1878. The Nettletons comprise the most sought after examples of U.S. marked guns today. We are proud to offer a replica of these exact serial number guns {47056 - 51083} for the experienced shooter and collector. These specific arms have exact Cartouche branding and all correct Inspector Handstamp markings, beveled cylinders & finishes.

Frames are Black Powder variation with ‘V’ notch and blade front sight as historically correct. Our engineers and production people have handled enough period pieces to get the details right. Our Henry Nettleton™ Cavalry Revolver would indeed “Pass Inspection” at Springfield Armory today!

Worth every penny!

U.S Firearms (USFA) Single Actions Come Home

Today I picked up my two USFA Single-Actions. While my photos can never do justice to these fine guns, here they are, each on their own. The USFA guns are copies, in both every dimension and quality, of the Colt Single-Action revolver.

The first, a 4-3/4" color-case and dome blue .45 Colt with auxiliary .45 ACP cylinder was purchased to take advantage of the USFA "in stock" sale. Of course I came to the sale 2-weeks late (after I'd heard of it) and they were out of stock of the 4-3/4" guns but since it was still advertised, they honored my order and here it is (click on the photo to see some more photos/a slideshow).





I am really impressed with this gun.  From the vivid color-case (and I absolutely love color-case), to the fit and blue finish.  Wow!  For example, the front sight is brazed to the barrel.  The braze line is there but it is perfectly even and finished and the sight is on straight and true.  I've yet to find a flaw in stock-to-metal fit or metal-to-metal fit but that the right side of the hammer slightly, ever so slightly, rubs the frame.  Maybe that was me.  The fit is so good that I had a time getting the base pin out to clean the cylinder and barrel prior to firing. 

When I finally got it out to shoot I only had time for two cylindersful (10 rounds).  I'm glad to report that the 8 gr./250 gr. Keith load is minute of head at 25 yards.  Got some frogs legs for dinner but one guy on the bank just got stunned and blown back into the water by the substantial mud volcano he found himself resting on.  He got away! 

The second gun was unintentional as a friend had one he needed to move for the cash. An involved deal of multiple trades enabled me to give him the cash and get me the gun. Interestingly, these trades had started many months prior to the owner putting the gun on the market and only culminated just in time for the deal.  Fate?  I tend to think so. 

This second gun is a 7-1/2" barreled .45 Colt gun with wood stocks and of course it comes to me used. Fortunately, Mike saved the box and papers so it comes complete just like my new gun.  Fit is as good as the new gun but this is a used gun and there are some wear marks.  That's fine with me.  It is a good honest gun and I'm happy. 

One of the holsters under consideration for this long barreled gun is Ted Blocker's CC1 holster.  Another might be a Keith style (Lawrence 120) Tom Threepersons' angled for and worn crossdraw (or maybe something similar). 

That's all for now but I'll add more as time and experience permit.

.32 S&W and .32 S&W Long... by Scott aka GunFan

The little .32 S&W (Short) has some interesting ballistics from a 3 1/2" barrel. 88-grain Remington-Peters factory fodder runs about 657 fps. 85-grain Winchester-Western runs about 679 from the same tube. Energies produced are about 84-1/3 fpe and 60-2/3 fpe respectively. Place this energy on a .311"-.314" diameter bullet, and - Plunk! These should stop either an enraged field mouse or put "the hurts" on most garden pests without threatening to put a hole in the neighbor's house! Moles, ground hogs and other aberrant vermin, beware! No matter what anyone says, these little loads beat the daylights out of the .22 handgun when it comes to close-range pest eradication!

When it comes to the .32 S&W Long, modern propellants make this cartridge deliver quite a "nasty-gram" at close range! If the pests, are between 25 and 50 pounds, the .32 S&W Long should get the job done. Factory loads hve a bit more "oomph." From a 2" barrel a hefty 98-grain Remington RNL runs 632 fps and provides 87 fpe and the 98-grain RNL provides 626 fps and about 85 fpe. You must bear in mind that these loads were designed with the weaker, break-top revolvers in mind.

I frequently see 98-grain RNL ahead of 3.5 grains of Unique, delivering 979 fps and about 99 1/2 fpe from a 6" barrel. While not earth shaking, it can put down many a good-sized varmint quite easily.

I want to take the opportunity today to address those that handload for the .32 S&W Long. This is where the cartridge has an opportunity to "step from the shadows" and make a statement.

Those of us that are over 50 years of age, or have made an in-depth study of handloading, are quick to realize that the .32 S&W Long, while an extremely accurate cartridge, can be loaded to some pretty respectable power levels. Now this shouldn't be seen as a license to "firewall" the cartridge, ignoring the requisite prudence and reason regarding safety. On the contrary, the very careful approach of increasing charge levels, while keeping a sharp eye for excessive pressures. (e.g. flattened primers, excessive leading, stressed cases, etc.) A 1968 copy of Handloader magazine offered the following handloads for the .32 S&W Long.

WARNING! These loads are only suitable for use in modern, solid-framed revolvers in good condition! the following loads may, or may not, be safe in your particular revolver! Use caution when approaching maximum loads!

Note: All of the bullets used were of the Round Nosed Lead variety.

Bullet Wt. Powder Charge Velocity

Lead 89 Bullseye 1.5 695
Lead 89 Bullseye 2.0 745
Lead 89 Bullseye 2.5 880
Lead 89 Bullseye 3.0 1,010
Lead 98 Bullseye 2.0 770
Lead 98 Bullseye 2.7 910
Lead 98 Unique 3.0 735
Lead 98 Unique 4.0 940
Lead 98 Unique 4.3 1,010

Both loads yielding the 1010 fps with both propellants are maximum loads. If you look carefully, you'll notice that the 89-grain maximum load yields 201.6 fpe. That, sisters and brothers, isn't the earmark of a "flyweight" cartridge, suitable only for dispatching rats! This particular load can serious medicine for a vast number of household/garden/barnyard purposes. This particular load would be an excellent choice for the elimination of skunks, nutria, large (harbor) rats, opossum and the like.

The 98-grain, 1010 fps load yields a healthy 220 fpe! Is it any wonder how so many feral dogs, foxes, bobcats, and other larger vermin can be dealt a quick death blow with this potent load. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if such a load could be effectively employed for personal defense. If the bullet were molded as a truncated cone, hollow point, a 98-grain lead bullet, loaded in the .32 Long could easily reach into .380/.38 S&W Special territory! Some of these loads should shoot well in revolvers chambered for the .32 H&R Magnum.

Once upon a time, in 1974, a gunwrter by the name of Gorge Nonte was writing for HANDLOADER magazine. It was in the January/February edition of that year, when he published an article called, "Those unloved .32's."

After discussing several of the .32 Long revolvers being manufactured in the day, he began discussing useful loads for the cartridge. On page 36, he writes,

"... If you have one of the stronger guns, and want to make your own jacketed expanding bullets, velocities as high as 1,300 to 1,600 fps are possible in 6-inch barrels. Obtaining them requires a slightly undersized, thin-jacketed bullet of 60 to 70 grains weight, driven by a hefty charge of Bullseye or Olin 230 powder. In my own 6" K-32, a 63-grain thin-jacketed soft-point bullet made up by C-H dies produces 1,380 fps when driven by 3.5 grains of Unique. These loads show no evidence of excessive pressures in the K-32 or in either a S&W Hand Ejector or a Colt Cobra. At this time, no valid pressure tests have been conducted for the above loads, and this does not constitute a recommendation for their use. We do know of a .32 S&W Long pressure barrel under construction and when it is ready - and lab time is available - we fully intend to determine the pressures of those loads.

For general shooting, which includes small game, plinking, and occasional paper-target use to 50 yards, I have yet to find a load better than Lyman bullet No. 313445, weighing approximately 95 grains and of semi-wadcutter form. It is long enough and heavy enough to retain velocity well, it cuts clean, sharp holes in paper or other targets, and kills small game nicely without excessive meat destruction. I prefer to drive it at around 1,100 fps (6-inch barrel) with either 4.5 grains of Hercules (now Alliant) Unique or 3.5 grains of Bullseye. While Unique is really my favorite powder, I often assemble this load with Bullseye because it is a bit more efficient in the two-inch barrel length - and a little 2-inch S&W Hand Ejector gun in this caliber is one of my favorites for carrying afield because of its slight weight and bulk. That little gun may look innocuous, but with the Bullseye load it will puncture beer cans out to 50 yards with a high degree of regularity if I do my part. That can't really be considered poor accuracy from a two-inch tube."

This speaks remarkably well for the humble .32 S&W Long! While so many have relegated this little revolver to the status of a "relic" it appears that it can perform many chores that may consider a labored task for the .22 Long Rifle cartridge, and a bit excessive for the .38 S&W Special. It serves a valid purpose, and still carves out it's niche in the "overly full" revolver-handgun segment. Later in the same article, Nonte provides this .32 S&W Long load data:
Bbl length.
Bullet Powder Charge 2" 4" 6"

63 gr JSP Unique 5.0 gr. 990 1,310 1,400
63 gr JSP Unique 5.2 gr. 1,030 1,330 1,420
63 gr JSP 230 3.5 gr. 995 1,290 1,380
90 gr Cast Bullseye 3.1 gr. 850 1,010 1,100
90 gr Cast Unique 4.7 gr. 875 1,065 --
98 gr Cast Bullseye 2.7 gr. 830 910 --
98 gr Cast Bullseye 1.5 gr. -- 635 --
98 gr Cast Bullseye 2.0 gr. -- 770 --
98 gr Cast Unique 4.5 gr. -- 1,040 --

There's even more that this great cartridge can do! George continues to discuss this in consummate detail in this article. His propensity for good, old-fashioned ingenuity is reflected in his "kitchen table" assembly of target loads for the .32 Long. This can be readily seen when he writes,

"But the load that is really cheap fun is the old round-ball load i used in that H&R Bobby in the woods of Southern Illinois in the middle 1940's. It can be assembled without dies, without moulds, without any handloading tools or whatever. at the time, I acquired the H&R, I was temporarily without any loading gear and mighty short of funds. With the gun I got one box of mid-range wadcutters which I promptly shot up and proceeded to look for a way to reprime the cases. The traditional filed-down nail served to punch out the old primers, and tapping the decapped cases down over fresh primers laid face up on a hard, smooth counter top handled the repriming problem nicely until I could acquire a Lyman tong tool. Primers were laid face up on the counter top, and a close-fitting aluminum rod was slipped into the mouth of each case in turn and a mallet applied gently to its upper end to seat the primers. A charge cup made from a fired .22 LR case filed down to hold 1.0 grains of Bullseye was fitted with a wire handle and charges were dipped from a coffee cup half filled with Bullseye. Bullets were "O" buckshot thumbed onto the chamfered casemouth and seated flush by tapping them in their full depth with a small plastic mallet. Following that, a finger-dab of waterpump grease was smeared over the ball, partially filling the gap between the case mouth and the leaden sphere.

With this load, cases hardly ever need resizing, and loading is so simple it stinks. Cases last virtually forever if you don't get clumsy and step on them, and even at today's prices, (read: 1974) cost per shot is less than one cent if you're buying your primers reasonably right. I use this particular load regularly in the two-inch Hand Ejector, shooting in my office at a range of about 20 -25 feet. A stack of old magazines is adequate as a backstop for the slow-moving round balls. I don't know how fast the ball travels, but it really doesn't matter -- it does it's job.

All the same, this load must not be considered a harmless toy. Over the years it has killed scored of small game, and will punch easily through one-inch pine boards. It is definitely a lethal combination, and must be considered as such. In this impromptu in-office shooting, it can be relied on to produce neat quarter-sized clusters from the little two-inch gun if I am paying proper attention to the game at hand. About the only disadvantage it possesses for such close range shooting is that occasionally it sprays particles of grease downrange. The old waterpump grease I used a quarter century ago should be replaced under those circumstances by a dab of Lyman lubricant."

It should be readily apparent that the .32 S&W Long has all the versatility of the .38 S&W Special, but on a smaller scale. Upon careful consideration, that can be used to your advantage on many an occasion. Consider these facts. The .32's legendary "gilt-edged" accuracy, lack of over penetration issues, definitive "stopping power" for small game and pests, aside from the fact that a 25 pound bag of size "O" buckshot, 3000 primers, and a pound of Bullseye can provide you with months of cheap target practice is something that shouldn't be dismissed. Pest control? That's a given. A training round? It doesn't get much better than this. Fun? This round had more giggles in it than a tubful of popcorn at the movies. Its the easiest-shooting, handful of centerfire fun this side of the .22 Long Rifle. What's not to like? Rediscover the little centerfire .32 S&W and .32 S&W Long. As the old 1960's Alka-Seltzer commercial's line said, "Try it, you'll like it!"

"O" size Buckshot is .32 caliber. Each pellet weighs 49 grains. There are 9 pellets per ounce, 144 pellets per pound and 720 pellets in 5 pounds. There are 3500 pellets in 25 pounds. There are 7000 "Gallery" loads in one pound of Bullseye gunpowder. Your biggest expense will, indeed, be the lead shot and primers. Lyman bullet lube shouldn't be too costly. Cases will last for over 25 loadings. Their cost is relatively low.

Aren't "Gallery" loads for the .32 S&W Long inexpensive, easy to assemble and fun?

This was distilled from a neat topic on the S&W Forum with permission of the author.

Cleaning up Old Grips

There is a neat topic/thread on the S&W Forums concerning using acetone to remove oil from old grips and restoring said grips. Neat and worth the read.

Colt Official Police .38 Special

I wanted an Official Police in .41 Colt but finally went with the flow and picked up a 1929 5" OP .38 Special gun. External finish isn't great. The gun is clean, but blue worn, the bore is good, it locks up tightly and is timed correctly. Should shoot well with good ammo. This gun was made in 1929.

I have a load in .38 Special cases of a 200 gr. bullet over 2.5 gr. of Bullseye. Used in my .357 Maximum rifle this is a cat-sneeze load but in a revolver it is the duplicate of the old Super Police, with a slightly better shaped bullet. I'm going to try it out in this gun as well. This would give very close to .41 Colt performance.

I know the grips look wrong for the gun. The grips had the checkering re-cut and they look pretty good condition wise even though they are way better than the rest of the gun.

A former police department issued gun, the butt seems to be marked WPD No. 38 (I think, it is really hard to read and this is my 4th or 5th version of what is stamped there!). Look at this photo to the left to see what I mean. The PD wasn't the last interesting duty this gun had. Somebody electric penciled a name or initials on the butt OVER the PD mark and then somebody (the same or later?) tried to obscure the whole thing. It has the appearance of being deliberated rusted to obscure the marks but the "pitting" doesn't extend to the front or back straps of the grip frame.

For those that don't know, in 1928 the Army Special (introduced in 1908) became the Official Police because armies didn't buy the guns but police departments did. Barrels were made in 2, 4, 4½, 5 and 6 inch lengths. The guns were chambered for .22 LR, .32-20, .38 Special and .41 Colt. Calibers .32-20 and .41 Colt were discontinued in 1935.

The gun has a smooth but heavy double action trigger pull and a clean, sharp break when used in single-action mode. Fairly heavy for a .38 Special, recoil shouldn't bother anyone. I like the gun but haven't fired it enough to come to any conclusions. Now wearing a Tyler-T grip adapter, this one might spend most of its time bedside!

Kimber .22 Conversion Set

I received my Kimber .22 Conversion set from Simply Rugged. I haven't had a chance to do anything with it yet. Rob said he'd never shot it. I plan to determine the best ammo for it, get a brick of that ammo, clean the unit to spotless, get a second magazine and gift it to my son-in-law for his birthday this September.

.22 LR Conversions for 1911s

Conversion units for the Colt 1911 and later model/variations in .45 ACP have been around for quite awhile and the concept has been around longer than the pistol with some limited conversions being made for Webley revolvers. While the cost is often seemingly prohibitive since a simple .22 LR pistol can often be had for less money, the conversions allow something purpose built .22 pistols don't. That is, they allow practice with the same trigger, safety and grip as the self-defense arm but at a considerable savings in ammunition cost. However, I can't see that practice with something that provides less than stellar accuracy is really practice at all. Certainly it can't build confidence! Clearing jams is also a practice best left to the full-size combat cartridge due to the peculiarities of both cartridge and slide operation which, of necessity, must differ. So, the conversion units must be accurate and reliable and spare magazines available. Otherwise the effort would seem pointless.

Seems to me that there used to be only one .22 LR conversion set for the 1911 pistol and that was made by Colt.

The Colt .22-.45 (later the Coltmaster) conversion unit was a development from their Ace then Service Ace products. The system featured a floating chamber from "Carbine" Williams in order to make the little .22 LR function like the .45 ACP n the big pistol. Combined with the lack of hand fitting, these conversions might and might not be wonderful. In addition, and this is the big bugaboo I'd always heard about, the floating chamber would severely foul in as few as 50 rounds. Then, these units are also getting up there in price. I don't think this is what I should be looking for, after all, I'm a shooter, not a collector!

Advantage Arms has a 1911 Conversion Kit (the standard kit is shown, there is also a Target Kit) which appears to be made by Ceiner and repackaged for the Advantage Arms brand. Price for this kit is $349 with $25 for each additional magazine. As you can see, Advantage Arms has tried to differentiate their product by offering it in a higher quality case and with cleaning equipment. That doesn't seem to warrant the additional cost over the Ceiner marketed unit, for me, but I suppose they sell some. The Target Model differs in that it has adjustable sights and a "rib" over the top of the upper assembly.

Ceiner has taken a shot at making some money from the market with their kit. Price on these is $199 direct from Ceiner and the 15-round magazines are $35. Like the others (other than the Colt), I've no direct experience but it seems to me that if you build solely on price point, you get what you pay for. In some way or another, I can only imagine that these aren't going to come up to the same standard as those units built with more of an eye to durability and less of an eye towards price.

There is also the Kimber rimfire target conversion kit. I've read or been told that Ceiner makes these kits, but I don't know that. I'd love to see them all side-by-side to see for myself! These are $314 for either the blue or silver (for stainless guns) and extra magazines are almost $26. You can order them direct from Kimber but you can get them from MidwayUSA for $299. Kittery Trading Post has them on offer for $289! I have committed to buying one of these used and will see how it does. I'll probably buy a second magazine before giving it a detailed cleaning and wrapping it up for the son-in-law.

Marvel has their 1911 .22 LR Conversion Unit. They say

The Marvel .22 Conversion Unit converts any caliber 1911 Semi-Auto with no fitting required. Installation time is under a minute, even if you're taking your time. It fits Government, Commander and Officer Model 1911 Frames. Magazine fits all those models also, but will extend below the bottom of the grip on the Officer Model.

Each conversion kit comes with one tested steel magazine and a foam-padded, soft-side nylon case.

The Marvel unit is $408 direct from the manufacturer and magazines are a whopping $47 each. John has written a review of the unit that is worth reading and he has follow-ups! Good job John.

Tactical Solutions has one that was completely reviewed by Gunblast. It sure looks good and I know that Jeff and Boge Quinn tell it like it is. That gives me a lot of confidence in the product without ever seeing one. I like, also, that I can use it on the Commander as well. Currently listed at $400, this seems to be a quality item. I don't see a listed price for the magazines. This is the one that the experts recommend. While they say they are out of stock they are taking orders and making these units to order with delivery in about 8 weeks from date of order. I have pretty much decided to get one of these units. As one can also get, as Mr. Quinn did, the barrel threaded for the suppressor, and that is just what I'm going to do. No, I don't have a suppressor and I might not ever have one. But it is worth doing just in case and it doesn't change the price.

Wilson Combat has a .22 conversion unit as well. I've been told these are made by Ceiner with a couple of changes but the magazines look nothing like the Ceiner product. Perhaps it is just the uppers? Maybe one of you can clue me in on this. Price for the Wilson product is $319.95 and extra magazines are $42.95.

Of course this is all about making this Colt 1991A1 just a shade more versatile and useful, you know, if I have to cut back for some reason. "Just in case" seems to be more and more a justification that I can live with as we approach the election this November.

5.7x28mm News - Is FN to Blame/Responsible?

I copped this about the FN 5.7x28mm pistol firing out of battery from Tam on her View from the Porch (one of the better blogs out there).

If this is all that FN did then that is indeed pitiful. Any followups? E-mail me.

* * * * * * * * * *

An updated report says that the shooter was using reloads... Enough said.

Another Cobra Finds a Home

However, this 1972 manufactured .38 Special gun has the later, cheaper, smooth grips but the gun was made before the underlug design. It is a good tight gun but the fit of the grips isn't so hot and there was some wear on the frame from, I think, an ill-fitting holster.

My original intent was to give this gun to my daughter who lives in northern Virginia. Reflection on her situation has given us pause. She has roommates. She doesn't have 100% control on who enters her home (an argument for I think, as well as against). She can't and won't get a concealed handgun permit (CHP). This means she'd have to leave the gun in the house. We're considering one of those finger combination activated gun safes that we could bolt to the floor under her bed. (Any comments on experience with those would be appreciated.) It may be that a steel framed gun would be better also, for recoil "control"/mitigation. She does like that D-frame grip.

My wife liked it, too. Of course they have no idea what the recoil would be like. Heaven forbid that we should have the time right now to do some shooting. Yes, that is another reason speaking against my daughter getting this gun even if she is competent at the 0-15 foot range at which this would be employed. I suppose I'll have to think on this some more.

Colt 1911 Differences (A Basic Overview)

Thanks to Dan S_____ who posted this. It is info many will need...

Series 70 vs. Series 80


There have been a lot of questions posted by new members and 1911 owners as to what the difference is between Series 70 and Series 80 Colts. This question is best answered by giving the following history:

Colt is the original manufacturer of 1911 pattern pistols, having made versions for both the military as well as commercial market since regular production began in January 1912. The commercial versions were nearly identical to the military ones, differing only in markings and finish. Following World War Two military production ended, but the commercial guns remained in production with only minor changes such as deletion of the lanyard loop and a larger thumb safety shelf. These pistols are known to collectors as "pre-Series 70" guns, as they pre-dated the Series 70 guns introduced in 1971. It was during this year that Colt introduced the first major design change to the Government Model in nearly 50 years. In an attempt to improve the accuracy of production guns the barrel bushing was redesigned, along with the barrel. In this system the bushing utilized four spring-steel "fingers" that gripped the enlarged diameter of the muzzle end of the barrel as the gun returned to battery. By tightening the fit of barrel and bushing in this manner Colt was able to improve the accuracy of the average production gun, without going through the expense of hand fitting the older solid barrel bushing to the barrel and slide. Models using the new barrel/bushing setup were the Government Model and Gold Cup, which were designated the "Mark IV Series 70" or simply Series 70 pistols. It should be noted that the shorter 4 1/4" barreled Commander pistols retained the use of the older solid bushing design and thus were never designated Series 70 pistols, although one hears the term erroneously applied to Commanders from time to time.

The new "collet" bushing (as it came to be known) worked quite well, however it was prone to breakage if the inside diameter of the slide was too small as it caused the fingers to buckle, then later break from the stress of being wedged between the barrel and slide. On pistols with oversized slides the bushing didn't grip well enough, and accuracy suffered. Because of this the collet bushing was eventually phased out sometime around 1988, with the older solid barrel bushing design being reinstated for use in production guns.

The single biggest change to the 1911 design came about in 1983, when Colt introduced the "MK IV Series 80" pistols. These guns incorporated a new firing pin block safety system, where a series of internal levers and a plunger positively blocked the firing pin from moving until the trigger was pressed, thus eliminating the possibility of the gun discharging if dropped onto a hard surface or struck hard. In this instance however, ALL of Colt's 1911-pattern pistols incorporated the new design change so even the Commander and Officer's ACP pistols became known as Series 80 guns. With the previous paragraph in mind, it is important to know that from 1983 until 1988 the early Government Model and Gold Cup Series 80 pistols used the Series 70-type barrel and bushing as well, although they were known only as Series 80 guns.

There was one other design change made to the Series 80 guns as well, and that was a re-designed half-cock notch. On all models the notch was changed to a flat shelf instead of a hook, and it is located where half-cock is engaged just as the hammer begins to be pulled back. This way the half-cock notch will still perform its job of arresting the hammer fall should your thumb slip while manually cocking the pistol, yet there is no longer a hook to possibly break and allow the hammer to fall anyway. With the notch now located near the at-rest position, you can pull the trigger on a Series 80 while at half-cock and the hammer WILL fall. However, since it was already near the at-rest position the hammer movement isn't sufficient to impact the firing pin with any amount of force.

Regarding the "clone" guns (1911-pattern pistols made by manufacturers other than Colt), only Para Ordnance (SIG, Auto Ordnance, Taurus have since adopted it also) adopted Colt's Series 80 firing pin block system as well. Kimber's Series II pistols and the new S&W 1911s have a FP safety also, but it is a different system than Colt's and is disabled by depressing the grip safety. No manufacturers aside from Colt ever adopted the Series 70 barrel/bushing arrangement, so technically there are no "Series 70" clone guns. What this means is that design-wise most of them share commonality with the pre-Series 70 guns, using neither the firing pin block NOR the collet bushing. Because of this it is important to remember that only Colt Series 80 models, and a couple of "clone" 1911 makers use a firing pin block. Older Colts and most other clone guns lack a firing pin safety and can possibly discharge if there is a round in the chamber and the gun is dropped on a hard surface, or if struck a blow hard enough to allow the firing pin to jump forward and impact the primer of the loaded round. By the way, Colt has just recently reintroduced new custom pistols lacking the S80 firing pin safety (called the Gunsite models) as well as a reintroduced original-style Series 70 to appeal to purists. Interestingly, the latter uses a solid barrel bushing and Series 80 hammer, so it is somewhat different mechanically than the original Series 70 models.

Regarding the controversy involving getting a decent trigger pull on a Series 80 gun, it is only of importance if the gunsmith attempts to create a super-light pull (under four pounds) for target or competition use. In defense/carry guns where a four-pound or heavier pull is necessary, the added friction of the Series 80 parts adds little or nothing to the pull weight or feel. A good gunsmith can do an excellent trigger job on a Series 80 and still leave all the safety parts in place, although he will probably charge a little more than if the gun were a Series 70 since there are more parts to work with. But any gunsmith who tells you that you can't get a good trigger on a Series 80 without removing the safety parts is likely either lazy or incompetent.


1991 vs. 1911

For those wondering what the difference is between these pistols, the fact is there really is none. Back in 1991 Colt decided to market an economy version of their basic Series 80 Government Model. The polished blue was changed to an all-matte parkerized (later matte blue) finish, checkered rubber grip panels were used, and the serial number sequence was a resumption of the ones originally given to US military M1911A1 pistols. The resulting pistol was cleverly named "M1991A1", after the year of introduction. Mechanically however they are the same as any other Colt Series 80, 1911-type pistol. Around 2001 or so Colt upgraded these pistols with polished slide and frame flats, nicer-looking slide rollmarks, stainless barrels, and wood grips (blued models only). The newer ones are commonly called "New Rollmark (NRM)" pistols by Colt enthusiasts, to differentiate them from the "Old Rollmark (ORM)" 1991 pistols. The earlier guns are easily identified by having "COLT M1991A1" in large block letters across the left face of the slide. The NRM Colts will have three smaller lines of text saying "COLT'S-GOVERNMENT MODEL-.45 AUTOMATIC CALIBER", along with Colt's rampant horse logo.
__________________
D. Kamm

Gary Reeder El Diablo Helping Christian Mission in Mozambique

Gary Reeder has donated this gun being auctioned to support Christ Chapel's mission (Jim Taylor, pastor) to Mozambique. These folks are working hard to raise the money necessary to execute this mission to help needy folks in another part of the world and, in their good work, to spread the word about our Savior. Visit the Gunbroker.Com auction and make your bid and help the devil do God's work!

Speed Strips for .44 Mag Revolvers

I have to admit that this isn't my idea but comes to me from jhrosier on the Leverguns Community Forum. Simple to the extreme, one simply uses the British SMLE stripper clips/chargers to carry 5 .44 Mag rounds. This is as close as one can get to the Bianchi Speed Strip for the .44 Mag guns like my S&W 629. I'm going to have to try this!

S&W M43 (Airweight Kitgun)

The Smith and Wesson 43 is an airweight version of the 34 "kit gun" with a 3½" barrel. The frame AND cylinder are both of S&W's aluminum alloy. These lightweight guns were made from 1954 to 1974. Most were squarebutt blued/anodized guns but there are examples with 2 and 4 inch barrels, nickled and with roundbutts. I understand there are even a few in .22 WMRF. A wealth of collecting trivia well suited to the obsessive collector!

This gun with SN M70XXX was made in either 1973 or 1974. This gun does not have the red front sight insert. It is of the standard configuration and is immaculate although it has been fired. It fits very well into a late 1980s Bianchi holster made for the 4" M34 or M63 kit guns. I'm pretty pleased with it!

One thing I have read is that some of these guns don't reliably ignite ammo when used in double-action as the force of the blow to the cartridge rim by the firing pin is lessened. I've also read that some think the firing pins were deliberately slightly shortened to avoid inadvertent dryfire peening of the chambers in these rimfire guns. I don't know which or if either story is true but now that I've fired mine with Aguila Colibri ammo I can confirm that it goes bang every time in single-action shooting but not so in double action shooting. Interesting as I don't have this problem with my S&W M34-1. I'm wondering, is it possible that the aluminum cylinder absorbs more firing pin energy than a steel cylinder?

What I really need to do is to try different ammo to see if this is true will all ammunition or if it is brand specific. In truth, most shots with this gun will likely be fired single-action and this might never be an issue for me.

Colt Cobra from 1968

Don't you wish you'd bought all the guns you want now, then? I know I do. I looked at this gun (and my DS) in the catalogs and in the gun store display cases then but I'm buying them now...

Here's my latest. It is a .38 Special Colt Cobra, manufactured in 1968. The year my wife graduated from high school. The year of the Tet Offensive. The year that I was confirmed in the Episcopal Church. The year that Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy were assassinated. The gun looks so much better than anything else from that time (including me!).

The Colt Cobra is basically the D-frame double-action, 6-shot, Colt Detective Special with an aluminum frame. Cartridges for which the guns were chambered were the .22 LR, .32 Colt New Police (.32 S&W Long), .38 Colt New Police (.38 S&W) and .38 Special. +P .38 Special loads are not recommended as being to rough on the aluminum frame. Barrel lengths were the standard 2", 3", 4" and 5".

S&W M34-1 2 Inch

I recently got this gun because another blogger, Xavier, had posted about his find in a pawn shop. I don't think I got away as cheaply as Xavier but it is a fine little gun. It came to me with Pachmayr rubber grips but I didn't like them and after trying several others ended up with configuration of the standard grips plus a Tyler "T" grip adapter. That is until that grip set-up was moved to my 642 and the "bananas" went on it (as shown). These feel just like the standard grips with the Tyler-T adapter but are a bit longer.

The "J" frame kit guns were a development from the Bekeart "model". San Francisco gun dealer Philip Bekeart placed a special order with Smith & Wesson for a .22 caliber revolver built on a .32 caliber "heavy frame" with 6" barrel, target sights and a special extended grip. Smith & Wesson obliged and produced a limited run of 1044 revolvers. Philip Bekeart received 292 from this first production and the balance went to other dealers. Later, more "kit" guns were made up on the "I" frame and then when the "I" frame was superseded, on the "J" frame.

I'd wanted one for a long time and had settled for the S&W M422 as more practical/less expensive and the Ruger Single-Six as more useful but still wanted one. Xavier's post sent me over the edge and I actually went looking for one. In the process I learned a lot about some sellers across the country and the vagaries of pricing. I think his post got a lot of others "thinking" too as there were a number of guns available before the post and many fewer after. I'm certain that he drove the price up. Anyway, I found this gun on GunsAmerica and made the necessary arrangements and sent off the money.

I was pretty happy when I got it and couldn't wait to shoot it. First thing through it was some Aguila Super Colibri. That ammo worked pretty well and I was able to keep walnuts rolling at 10-15 yards with no need to wear hearing protection. However, with standard rimfire ammo such as the Winchester PowerPoints or Dynapoints (modified to SGB profile, of course) this gun barks pretty good! However, I never got it to the range until 12 September 2007 when I finally managed to take this gun and my Bearcat to Hite Hollow Range and see how she does with some different types of ammo. Aside from unmodified Dynapoints, I tried some old, Russian-made, steel cased Junior.

Shooting small groups at 25 yards is an exercise with these guns requiring perfect sight alignment and very consistent trigger control. Single action I was able to keep almost all rounds in about a hand's breadth. One unanticipated problem was that the Junior ammo sometimes didn't "go" quite as vigorously. In other words, some rounds didn't have "full power". So, every once in a while, a round will sink considerable away from the group.

One other problem, common to the S&W kit guns is that as the gun got dirty it became harder and harder to extract all cases. This Junior ammo is particularly dirty and sometimes it appeared that I must have a small fire in my hands because the smoke really rolled! Of course that fouled the pistol quickly and so I had to clean it up in order to continue shooting.

As usual with the Winchester PowerPoint ammo, groups were consistent and among the best that this gun delivers. It is hard to tell, but this gun might just give better groups with the Winchester Dynapoints modified to SGB configuration. With this gun's short sight radius there's just enough doubt about my consistency to make me wonder which ammo is best. This is where the use of a rest like the Ransom would give one a definitive answer as to which ammo is more accurate and eliminate that nagging doubt over one's own abilities on any given day.

Links:
Marshall Stanton SGB

S&W M25-2 "Effector" from John Jovino's Shop...

The .45 ACP in the revolver is the result of wartime exingency. The U.S. entered WWI and discovered they had insufficient stocks of the 1911 pistol for use in the trenches of France. S&W and Colt were asked to produce a revolver in the issue cartridge, the .45 ACP. A genius came up with the idea of the half-moon clip to allow the simultaneous ejection of the rimless service cartridge. Early Colt revolvers had chambers bored straight through the cylinder and required the half-moon clips (holding 3 rounds), S&Ws had a proper chamber with shoulder on which the .45 ACP case could headspace without the clips. These revolvers which made it home from the war were reissued to banks and post offices during the roaring '20s and/or sold as surplus. Many civilian shooters disliked using half-moon clips. For this reason, in 1920, the Peters ammunition company introduced a rimmed variation of the .45 ACP cartridge under the name .45 Auto Rim. It allowed both versions of the Model 1917 revolver to fire reliably without the clips.

The military service of the M1917 did not end with the First World War. In the mid-1930s, Brazil ordered many thousands of M1917s for their military. Now out of service and sold as surplus, Brazilian M1917s are sometimes seen in gun stores in the United States. They can be identified by the large Brazilian crest stamped on their sideplates.

S&W saw a market for the guns and produced competition guns like the Model 1950 as well as other sporting configurations. Later, with the advent of stainless steel use in the firearms industry, it was inevitable that S&W would produce the old 25 using the material and the 625 was born. There have been several configurations of the 625 using barrels of 2-6½ inches and round-butts along with other features. the model number has even been applied to guns chambered for the .45 Colt.

When a friend offered to sell me his S&W 25 I "suddenly" got up a great deal of interest in the guns. I've read about the S&W .45 ACP chambered revolvers since I first picked up a Riviere's "The Gunner's Bible" a way back in 1965. I must have seen a couple of the commercial guns or a 1917 because my impression was that I would never, and I mean never get my hand around one of those or be able to shoot it. It must have been a strong impression because it took me a number of years before I took a chance on my S&W 629. I've documented my search for grips for that square butted frame revolver and that kinda put me off the N-frames (despite a nagging lust for a M-58) for years. Then, about 9 months ago, a close friend showed me his packing pistol, a "Lew Horton" 25-2 with 3" barrel.

Frankly, this is the first N-frame gun that had a grip with which I felt I could shoot DA or SA without some sort of contortion of the shooting hand. In other words I could reach the trigger and shoot it DA without my stubby little fingers needing an extension. I liked it. Unfortunately, we had an ice storm this week so we had to delay the transaction until this week.

I'm rather pleased. The big, blued, N-frame gun is a handful but with either the Pachmayr or wood grips (which I've found are for an N-frame gun), the K-frame round-butt makes it a gun I can handle and feels better in my hand than my M629. It makes me think I should have had my 629 given a K-frame round-butt. The serial makes this of 1982 (or 1983 at the latest) manufacture. I've been told that it was not a Lew Horton but a John Jovino "Effector", and I'm now convinced that is correct. I know my buddy was convinced that it was a Lew Horton but after seeing my evidence he's agreed that this gun came from the Jovino shop. There are no barrel markings and the blue is even and the same color on the whole gun. It is very well done by whomever and locks up tight with very little end-shake but there is a bit of "chatter" on the muzzle. It has the trademark Jovino ejector rod detent ball but the barrel is not marked "Effector" as some apparently are. I got it with a Galco holster (as shown) which seems to have been made for it. Whether this was provided by the Jovino shop or not, I can't say.

Of course I needed some moon clips to use in the gun and being the impatient sort I went to eBay and ordered from Old Sarge's Drop Zone from whom I got 100 for $34.60 shipped. That's a darn good price, S&Ws being 3 times that price and no better so far as I can tell. I also ordered 15 more plus a de-mooning tool from TarHeelGunner at $16.99 shipped. The clips from TarHeelGunner are the same as those from Old Sarge's Drop Zone and the tool is of the older, pressed sheet metal style which works a treat. TarHeelGunner also includes written instructions for the tool and an e-mail address to request an illustrative photo! I think that's pretty good service.

With my load of Unique under the Hornady 200 gr. CT-Match bullet, the gun shoots minute of pine bole at 15 yards. I really need to work it out some and have plenty of ammo loaded. Just need time for real range work.

In the video that follows Jerry Miculek is shooting an S&W 625 (the stainless 25) when he fires six shots, reloads, and fires six more shots all in 2.99 seconds. A revolver is actually faster than a semi-auto... at least in Jerry's hands.






Links:
- Brownells - a variety of moon clip products
- Cheaper than Dirt- full-moon clips
- RimZ Moon Clips-the plastic moonclip
- TK Custom and Moonclips-moonclips and clip tool

S&W 642 joins the family...

Oh, I can hear you now. Nobody is going to rob your store, nobody like that goes over there, nobody would do anything to hurt you, just give them the money, etc. Well, it is just the one person in the store. The store is isolated. There is no view from outside the store. Many of our items are high dollar, low risk to transfer, even on e-Bay. We are just off the interstate and there have been several (many for this area) robberies of hotels and such just off the interstate as opportunistic thieves get their traveling money. There are edged weapons in the store as part of the stock. I get a bit on "edge" every time I show bladed weapons to people I don't know, particularly the "odd" ones. Oh, yeah, every once in a while. But truth be told it isn't the "odd" ones that get you. So for me, it is more important to go home at the end of the day and, frankly, there isn't enough cash in there to bother with, most folks pay with plastic. It is all about going home to the wife.

Something had to be done. Oh, I already have a couple of .38 Special guns but my preference for the 3" barreled guns for shooting has left me without a gun that will drop in my pocket. I really needed such a gun for work which would allow me to be armed with no indication that I was. Additionally, I like all steel guns. Let's face it, those are a bit heavy for the pocket and will flat drag a bathrobe off (while out walking the dog), that can be embarassing and in more ways than one!

The above photo was taken from the S&W site for the 642. My gun is an older one without the lock. That was very important to me. I just don't see a need and don't need the complication.

This gun also doesn't have the grip safety of the original Model 40 as shown in this S&W photo of the Model 40 Classic. This the gun I really wanted but, truth be known, only for my "collection" of J-frame S&Ws. However, this gun is heavier by 6 ounces (a lot in a pocket) just like any other all steel gun, and more expensive with an MSRP of $765, $236 more than the MSRP for my gun and $335 more than what I actually paid for my NEW revolver!

One thing I didn't like was the rubber grips. Not that they won't work. As you can see in the photo, these are shaped right to give one a good grip and handle recoil. But, when the gun is carried in a pocket, those things just grab cloth and make for problems. I switched those out for a pair of old wood S&W stocks from a M34-1 RB and a Tyler-T adapter. This combo looks good enough and works. One can now order a brushed aluminum adapter that will more closely match the finish on this gun.

The ammo, the only ammo, I intend to use is the 158 gr. lead hollowpoint "FBI" load. I've got a couple of boxes of the Winchester and Federal (discontinued) versions. I also provide a good copy with my handload of 5 gr. Unique under either the Hornady or Speer swaged 158 gr. lead hollowpoints.

Does it shoot? Yeah. No, I haven't had time to put 200+ rounds through it but it worked and put 2 cylinders full on point of aim at 15 yards. No groups yet. I'll be carrying this gun ALL the time now, so I'm sure it will be used to deal with groundhogs, possible rabid animals, and maybe even a bunny or squirrel. We'll see just how it does with time.

Holster? Currently I've got a Simply Rugged Silverdollar Pancake and an old S&W leather shoulder holster but I find I'm just dropping it in my right front pants pocket either in the Silverdollar or not depending on the pocket. Rob Leahy also makes a pocket holster, a better solution, and I'm going to order one of those ASAP. The pocket holster will help break up the outline of the gun in a pocket and make certain it is properly oriented for a reasonably fast draw.

Why the 642? That is a good question. As I said, I've wanted either an original or new Classic Model 40 for a long time. These guns are compact, reasonably accurate, have a good reputation for quality and durability. The design beats the 49 or 649 Bodyguard (shown to the left) because the completely enclosed hammer of the Model 40 or 642 allows less lint and trash into the action. Such things are bad for a pocket gun.

The big downside, for some at least, is that the gun must be fired double-action but that is exactly how one will be shooting when "stuff" happens. I don't see it as a downside unless I'm trying to hit a squirrel at 25 yards. I'll just have to see just how much practical accuracy I can wring from the gun but what I already know is that it is capable of dealing with 2-legged assailants at 30 feet or less. The gun is with me right now, at work, and I feel much better than I did with my .45 in the truck...

Ok, Another Neat but SHORT One

I thought this one of the Colt firing was pretty good. I love these things...

Neat 1911 Animation

The parts are to blueprint specs. Pretty darn good modeling but some assembly misses the tricks to get things together in the real world. VERY NEAT so I thought I'd post it here.

Merwin Hulbert Comeback?

I hope they are! These guns are some of the neatest, most intriguing frontier era revolvers I've ever laid eyes on. I'd like one but have to admit to myself I could never afford an original much less one I'd dare shoot all the time! Click on the pic to go to the company web site.

.327 Federal, the .32 Maximum Comes to Fruition

They've been working on this sometime, or so it was rumored. Now, here it is the .32 Maximum or actually, the .327 Federal and will make its debut in the Ruger SP101. 1/8-inch longer than the .32 H&R, the cartridge is reported to nearly match the .357 Remington Magnum 125 gr. load for energy! Now that's remarkable. I would love to have a Contender carbine barrel for it. However, it would need to have a genuine .312" groove diameter just like the .32 H&R and not TC's usual adaptation using the .308 groove diameter. That would be unacceptable.

There's not a lot out there yet but here's some links.

- Shooting Times Article Lethal Combination - Federal Ammunition and Ruger Firearms introduce the .327 Federal Magnum & Ruger SP101 by Dick Metcalf
- Guns and Ammo Video
- Federal Cartridge Company press release
- The New .327 Federal Magnum in Ruger’s SP101 Compact Six-Shot Revolver by Jeff Quinn
- Freedom Arms Model 97 & Single Action Service Custom Ruger Revolvers Chambered for the New .327 Federal Magnum by Jeff Quinn

The more I think about this the more I like it, as a carbine cartridge. In a TC Contender, the .327 Federal would be sort of a .357 Maximum light. IOW, in some areas it could be what the .357 Max is in my area. That is, a small game (loaded with .32 S&W ammo, nearly silent) to small d