Special Purpose Individual Weapons, Russian Tech. & 'Duplex' Projectiles::

I know next to nothing about Special Purpose Military Weapons - but I am fascinated by the utility of 'multi-projectile' loads and other possibilities. - 'DUPLEX' Loads (or 'Tandem') loads.

Springfield Armoury SPIW.

I am equally fascinated by the need to retain five digits on each hand - and have a strong distaste to earning the nickname or sobriquet "Stumpy".

 - CAUTION in all matters - especially regarding experimental Hand-Loading eh.

If you are a reader - you may enjoy the history material about the SPIW and Flechettes found by following this Link:

http://www.thegunzone.com/spiw.html?ref=binfind.com/web#top

 Stacked Bullets For .357 Magnum Revolvers.

I have personally loaded and shot duplex loads in the .357" Magnum & 10 mm Auto cartridges to use in 'Bowling Pin Matches' - and now in the 327 Federal Magnum.

I am less nervous trying stacked tandem loads in straight walled handgun cartridge cases than I would be even thinking about high velocity rifle cartridges - but that has been done.

'Doubletap' Equalizer Duplex 10 MM Load.

My Hard-Cast 10 mm.

- My thinking is that multi-ball loads have been around "for ever" .. think shotgun loads .. think 'Chain Shot'  and 'Bar Shot' in cannon.

When they're made-up carefully by experienced loaders - you should still be able to order four beers with one hand in your local.

A different approach:

- A recent Russian designed rifle - The Nikonov AN-94 achieves a "duplex-like" effect by using it's pulley mechanism in 'Burst Mode' to fire two rounds at a rate of 1,800 rounds per minute.

 Russian AN-94 Rifle.

These two shots are fired in 33 milliseconds - that's five times faster than 'the blink of an eye'.
- Both shots leaving the barrel before any recoil effect occurs.

Marty K.
After researching & writing 1,036 blogs I've got something NEW to try .. I've signed-up to Patreon. - In over five years I've not made one cent from this .. NOW you can send me a wee support $ - starting from $1. to get all this stuff from New Zealand - over a year that's nearly the price of one Shooting magazine. - Am I worth it?

https://www.patreon.com/user?u=16618870

Hand-Loading For 327 Magnum - Part3;

I have not been able to find any factory ammunition for 327 Federal Magnum here in New Zealand (- nor any ".32 S&W Short") - so my line-up consists of 32 ACP, 32 S&W Long, 32 H&R Magnum, and 327 Fed. Magnum.

- I may have the first Ruger here chambered for this cartridge.
The good news is that the various .32 cartridges all shot OK - managing to exit the 327 Magnum's 4.2 inch barrel and hit the targets.

 - All shots fired 'two handed' double-action, unsupported.

.32"ACP from Winchester 'Silvertips' and 'American Eagle' FMJs  (- Bought from Christchurch's Gun City) both fired perfectly and managed the same level of accuracy in my hands as did the other revolver rounds - But they did not extract properly at all after firing. The extractor star only managed one or two semi-rimless fired ACP cases - so I then had to use a screw-driver to poke the rest out.

.32 ACP Winchester Silvertip     .32 ACP . American Eagle.

- At 8 Meters (26 feet)

Both .32 ACP loadings felt easy & gentle to shoot - something like hotter .22"s' - and having to hand remove the shells is really little worse than using a single-action revolver.

My hand-loaded .32" S&W Long rounds loaded with 90gn SWC shot fine .. but were so lightly powder charged that the cases did not 'obturate' and failed to seal in the chambers - this resulted in very sooty dirty cases and chambers. - I'll be increasing that load closer to the book maximum load by a few tenths of a grain.

________________

Factory .32 H&R Magnum shot great and was very easy to shoot and gentle even for a 'wimp' like me.

327 Federal Magnum            32" H&R Magnum

 My home loaded 327 Federal Magnums were built on new *Starline* brass with Hornady 100gn. XTP bullets over 5.2 gn. of AP70N powder.. and I have to say that I am satisfied with them as they shoot very nicely but are clearly more than just plinking loads.

I am using CCI small rifle primers in all 327 cases but normal small pistol primers in the other .32"s.

_______________

- Here we go to the main act of the day ... My DUPLEX load of one 48 gn lead ball and one 72 gn plated R.N. pill was powered by 'Trailboss' powder & built using new *Starline* 327 cases. These shot very nicely with no problems (-I had been concerned that the soft lead balls might cause leading in the barrel).

So I am now thinking about maybe trying two 72 gn. plated pills ..

Five Shots - Ten Holes:

Five 120 gn. DUPLEX Rounds - Fired at 4 meters (13 feet)

Ruger SP101 Wearing Hogue Grip.

I honestly deliberately aimed off into the quarters after the first shot - to keep the twin-holes more clearly separated.

- I enjoyed a good day eh - and I'm "well pleased" with the new Ruger SP101. - 'J' grudgingly says that the single-action trigger is nice .. but I don't plan on using it. - The only negative comments that I'd make are that the brushed S.S finish is very coarse in places - and the cylinder gap varies close to no clearance on two chambers - that may 'drag' when dirty.

I had been expecting the full power 327 Magnum load to really ROAR and be shockingly loud due to it's high pressure charge - but it was nothing special - & sounded on a par with 9mm etc through my hearing protectors.. (- Mind you - I am already very deaf in my right ear following Menieres Syndrome).

Marty K.

PERMITS & Handloads for 327 Federal Magnum Ruger - On Range :Part 2:

The newly arrived 327 Magnum revolver has now been presented at the District Police Headquarters for it's "Debut" and registration entry onto my personal firearms file.

The firearms team at Christchurch Police HQ were most welcoming - and as usual appeared happy to see me at their busy office.

- Avoiding using any names - I was told there that my application for an Import Permit that dates from 11 November last year (four & a half months ago) - for a Hogue after-market rubber grip for this gun - was further delayed & still unavailable because of "problems" in Police National HQ, Wellington.

 - This had resulted in them returning all of Christchurch's Applications for them to process themselves ! - which they have no facility to do  .. So then my District Firearms Office had to re-process and re-submit all of the "rejected" paperwork once again to the National Office ... 

UNBELIEVABLE.

- It seems there may be no need to change Laws to ban anything when you can just demand a Permit - and then refuse to process Applications.

Has no Licensed Dealer or Shop in the shooting world heard of a WRIT OF MANDAMUS  - legally requiring a government official to properly fulfill their official duties?

Meanwhile I have coped with this ridiculous delay by changing over the original factory grip onto my .22" revolver and I have fitted the larger Hogue grips onto the 327 Magnum.

_______________

- I have now built-up a few different flavors of the various .32" Caliber cartridges - mostly being fairly standard for their cartridge types.. to try in the new Ruger SP101 327 Federal Magnum.

I also took to the range some commercial loaded .32" H&R Magnum and two different species of .32" ACP.

 - However I did hand craft 10 test rounds of a Duplex load - using a light "scooped" charge (2.5 gns.) of bulky IMR 'Trailboss' powder to push out of the barrel one 48gn. lead ball behind a copper plated 72 grain round-nose - making a total projectile mass of 120 grains.

De-Constructed Experimental DUPLEX Load

 - with the "Powder-Scoop" hand-made from a .22" WMR Case.

I calculate that this 'bullet & ball' load should accelerate to below 800 ft./ sec. velocity - and only use 20,000 psi of the 327's maximum pressure rating of 45,000 psi.

(- The fired .22" WMR case (scoop) held 3.0 gns of the donut shaped Trailboss powder - until I inserted the wood-screw 'handle' into the base and reduced it's capacity to 2.5gns.).

IMR Trailboss Powder is High Volume / Low weight

 - Great for Case-Filling In Light Loads.

- I will of-course set-up the Lee 'through-the-die' powder thrower to replace the hand scoop -  if/when I build a larger number of duplex rounds.

- And I made sure that the brass rod "Knock-Out-Drift" and a hammer went into the range bag for any squib load failures 😜 - but it wasn't needed.

Continued in 'Part 3'.

Marty K.
After researching & writing 1,036 blogs I've got something NEW to try .. I've signed-up to Patreon. - In over five years I've not made one cent from this .. NOW you can send me a wee support $ - starting from $1. to get all this stuff from New Zealand - over a year that's nearly the price of one Shooting magazine. - Am I worth it?

https://www.patreon.com/user?u=16618870

'Hoplophobes' I Have Met & Nuclear Submarines:

Now here's the thing - your typical anti-gunner knows that only they are right and - that there are two killing machines in this image below .. and they should both be "BANNED".

An anti-gunner doesn't know anything about *Guns* - and further more - doesn't want to know anything about them.

. - If you try to explain any particular firearm to them they are quiet likely to shove a finger into each ear - close their eyes and to start singing "LaLaLa" to drown-out the devils voice..

Every Hoplophobe that I have tried to reason with has indeed proven to have an irrational aversion to firearms.

- They might be able to record that my photo shows one Big *Gun* and another smaller *Gun* - they might just be able to notice that the big one has a 'white handle' and the other has a 'black handle'.

- But the TV opinion-makers, movie makers, and politicians have so fictionalized the gun story - into what they say is an evil thing - that hoplophobes will hysterically seek to protect their heads from all knowledge of 'evil'.. GUNS ARE BAD.

They will choose to ignore that their country - their Law Enforcement, - and that they themselves are all protected by .. good? guns.

Anti-Gunners will resist knowing that while those in my picture both are classed as revolvers ..  the small one is a 110 year old antique H&R five shot .32" caliber metallic-cartridge 'break action auto ejector' ..  while the bigger revolver is a 'modern' black powder 'Cap & Ball' "muzzle-loader" percussion gun that fires .45" caliber lead balls ..

They will likely try to forget that until recent times the only way to feed an omniverous family was by someones skilled use of  firearms - and doubtless they would shrink back from actually touching any of these Bad things before eating their burger & fries..

- They may even try to quote shootings figures - while ignoring that 'Medical Misadventure'  for example - causes many times greater fatalities than guns in US.

______________________

In the light of recently reported "Cover-ups" of  UK Trident Missile disastrous failures and the bad maintenance and the poor security & discipline on board these Vanguard Class Nuclear Submarines .. plus the recently approved 40.2 BILLION Pounds "upgrade" spending ..

- Both "J" and I have been researching nuclear submarines in recent days - and there is plenty of factual record to be found on Wikipedia.

- Two tragic US nuclear-submarine losses with all hands are well documented .. USS SCORPION (SSN-589) disappeared in 1968 with 99 crew on board - and USS THRESHER (SSN-593) 1963 with 129 persons on-board..

I was contemplating writing some about these - but the detail is so important that anyone truly concerned about these losses would better take time to examine all the story as published in Wikipedia - that you can find by a simple Google search. There is also both video and audio available.

Marty K.

P.S. While The Pentagon has a minimum IQ test for Military Officers of 120 in the Stanford Binet Test - but now reduced to 110 - it does seem likely that no such requirement can exist for the position of President Of The United States.

- Strange eh,

Marty K.

327 Federal Magnum Ruger: - Part 1: Hand-loading:

Yeah - Since 11.23 Monday morning - I have now got TWO Ruger SP101s - as in these photos.

The lower one with the full under-barrel lug is my new 327 Federal Magnum - and the upper revolver is my 8 shot .22" rim-fire.

327 Federal Magnum Six Shot with .22" Rim-Fire.

I'm definitely going to fit the 'Magnum' with a similar set of after-market Hogue grips as I don't find the smaller standard grips fit my hands .. although they look fine.

First impressions are of a rock solid 'lock-up' and a very small cylinder gap.. and I'm expecting to have an interesting time on range this week-end.. How will it shoot?

I will be spending time at the loading bench in the next few days making a mix of .32" cartridges in varied 'strengths' and bullet weights - as I don't intend to just build all my brass into maximum loads .. I expect there will be a couple of "winners" that I will enjoy shooting and that perform tightly on the paper targets.

My principle "hot" .327 Fed. Magnum" load will be using Hornady 100 gr XTP jacketed hollow points in front of around 5.2 grains + - of ADI AP70N powder.. but I've also bought some lead 90 gr conical flat points - & some plated round nose that weigh 72 grain, - and even some round lead balls!

I've also bought some IMR 'Trail Boss' powder to fill the cases & build some low velocity rounds.

Even Elephants don't spend all day charging..

- Friend "J" joked that I "had better make sure I've got my brass 'knock-out' rod on hand" for any bullets that don't make it all the way out of the barrel!! .. and he's right. - Will my rod (or 'drift') actually fit into the smaller 32" caliber muzzle - check it ?

- I have some factory .32" H&R Magnum - plus x 150 .32"S&W Long cases to play with lighter plinking loads .. I'm going to be busy if this late summer 28 degree C heat and humidity don't make me too hot & sweaty, tired'n'lazy !!

- I also have a couple of boxes of the semi-rimmed .32" ACP to try for function in the Ruger 327 Magnum.. Verrry interesting.. It's going to be a busy wee revolver eh.

- Better get moving,

Marty K.

P.S. Indeed I DID have to sand -down my knock-out rod using my belt sander - by about 0.030 inch to around .30 caliber.. a good job done.
This particular length of brass round-stock has been in my tool box  for around 48 years - going back to when I worked as an injection molding press die setter and needed a "knocker" to tap-out the occasional SPRUE stuck in the molding dies 'sprue bush', Memories!
MK
After researching & writing 1,036 blogs I've got something NEW to try .. I've signed-up to Patreon. - In over five years I've not made one cent from this .. NOW you can send me a wee support $ - starting from $1. to get all this stuff from New Zealand - over a year that's nearly the price of one Shooting magazine. - Am I worth it?

https://www.patreon.com/user?u=16618870

NZ GUN PETITION:

The more things change - the more they stay the same.

 Here's a couple of pertinent quotes from a British 'novel' that was written way back in 1953 - that's 64 years ago:

"Doesn't it sometimes strike you as odd that all our governments that loudly claim to rule by the will of the people are willing to run almost any risk rather than let their people have arms?  Isn't it almost a principle that a people should not be allowed to defend itself, but should be forced to defend its Government? The only people I know that are trusted by their Government are the Swiss.."

- And - just one further comment:

" Why was I condemned to live in a democracy where every fools vote is equal to a sensible mans?"

- That lot comes from The Kraken Wakes by John Wyndham.  (This same book was published in US under the alternative name 'Out Of The Deeps'.)

__________________________

From the current New Zealand Police Arms Code :

 " Self defence is not a valid reason to possess firearms. The law does not permit the possession of firearms 'in anticipation' that a firearm may be need to be used in self-defence."

_______________

To quote Francis Urquhart from the BBC's 'House Of Cards' series

"I couldn't possibly comment"

____________

There is a current Petition that is being met with typical apathy by licensed NZ gun users:

Law abiding, Responsible, Fit & Proper Firearms owners are not the problem..

Here is a link if you have not yet signed and supported it:

https://www.change.org/p/the-honourable-prime-minister-bill-english-responsible-law-abiding-fit-proper-firearms-owners-are-not-the-problem?recruiter=681368360&a


Marty K.

Silent Handgun Cartridge Patent - Captive Piston:

The American Military have made them, - and The Russians (& USSR) also have them.

I have designed and patented such a cartridge for standard unmodified handguns:
 NEW ZEALAND PROVISIONAL PATENT APPLICATION No. 720642

Both nations used the system of a CAPTIVE PISTON CARTRIDGE - The US's being a small shot-shell firing 15 balls - while the Russian guns use a single heavyweight projectile.
It is possible to design and produce a handgun system that fires VERY quietly .. having only the sound of the guns mechanical action and firing pin strike.

You do not need a bulky screw-on 'silencer'.

NO Noise
NO Blast
NO Flame
NO Flash

Russian OTs 38 and Two Rounds of SP-4 Captive Piston Ammunition
Link :
https://flicense.blogspot.co.nz/2014/07/sp-4-silent-ammunition-captive-piston.html

USA QSPR - 'Quiet Special Purpose Revolver' & Cartridge

 - Modified S&W by AAI.

The Russians have also adapted multi-barrel handguns and semi-auto pistols to use these captive-piston cartridges.

This technology is a proven & working reality - it is not science-fiction.. this is fact.

A major issue with both of these existing military special purpose firearm systems is the non-standard form of the cartridges and the expensive specially made firearms to use the silent ammunition.

My design or invention incorporates elements from previous designs into a new production design cartridge in various calibers that will fit into existing handguns such as 357 Magnum..

The above images are from the patent documents.

Key features are the piston retaining 'shoulder' formed over a steel annular ring, the stepped diameter projectile, and the polymer piston material formulated to slowly release the retained pressure after firing.

A secondary feature is that the "quietness" may be adjusted to an acceptable loudness level if 'silence' is deemed unlawful (- by use of a secondary primer inclusion).

This 'safety' cartridge will help eliminate flinching by shooters. - 80-85% of all US police shots fired miss their intended target.

The sub-sonic bullets may be produced lead-free & frangible if desired.

No US ammunition maker approached has indicated interest. - In fact - no US manufacturer has even had the courtesy to respond to my letters detailing & including this patent.

- Any ideas out there to help progress this design? - Interested?

Marty K.
After researching & writing 1,036 blogs I've got something NEW to try .. I've signed-up to Patreon. - In over five years I've not made one cent from this .. NOW you can send me a wee support $ - starting from $1. to get all this stuff from New Zealand - over a year that's nearly the price of one Shooting magazine. - Am I worth it?

https://www.patreon.com/user?u=16618870

600 More Armed London Police:

It's hard to get solid hard facts from the media - as they focus more on 'the sizzle than the steak'.

- However - it does seem that "nearly half" of 'The Met's 48,661 officers (not counting 3,271 part-time 'Specials') are in favor of more of their ranks being permanently armed.

 - Looking at that survey from the other direction - this means that a majority actually oppose further arming.

Either way - the UK papers have announced "600 more SFOs" (Special Firearms Officers).

London's Mayor Sadiq Khan has stated “We will see more armed officers on our streets, but there is no reason to be alarmed. All of our police officers are playing their part and working closely with all of our communities to prevent the possibility of an attack.”

The "Boys in Blue"  Have Changed To Grey.

Englands Famous Unarmed Force.

It seems that SFOs will be well trained & vetted for special operations - but they are expecting a delay of more than two years before full deployment.**

- And the numbers involved seems to be in question - with the Police Federation Chairman reporting 1,500 extra officer recruits.

** This suggests the same "political scam"  as is used here - of  claiming a solution by announcing a future incremental improvement long before it becomes reality.

- something like telling a starving crowd that "There'll be bread and soup tomorrow".

Marty K.

William Mason - Colts 'Peacemaker' Designer 1837-1913:

I'd like to introduce everyone to an American engineer who died the very same year that my father was born in Ireland.

William Mason was born in Oswego, New York January 30, 1837 (and died in 1913).

 In 1865 he was awarded Patent No. 51117 for a swing-out cylinder design - later used for the S&W .38 Hand Ejector Model 10.

In 1866 Mason left Remingtons to go work for Colts - where he was to work on various projects including building the prototypes for John Moses Browning's designs.

William Mason (with Charles Richards) designed an open top .44" for Colts and submitted it to the US Army for trials in 1872. The caliber was .44 Henry and it was submitted to the US Army for testing - but it was rejected. - They wanted a more powerful caliber with a stronger frame.

 - Mason redesigned the frame to incorporate a top strap, similar to the Remington revolvers and placed the sight on the rear of the frame. The first prototype was chambered in .44 rim-fire, but the first of the accepted production model was in the new caliber known as the .45 Colt.

  'Single Action Army' 
'Model 1873'
 'Peacemaker'.

Designed By William Mason.

- Samuel Colt himself had died eleven years earlier - in 1862.

This now classic revolver remained the primary US Military sidearm for 19 years until 1892 when it was replaced by a .38 caliber revolver with a swing-out cylinder - Colt Model 1892.

To this day - versions of the Model 1873 - "The Gun That won The West" remain popular with shooters and collectors - being made and imported by many companies.

Ruger's "Updated Version" - The Vaquero.

A Winchester historian has called William Mason "one of the most significant designers of the nineteenth century"

.. It's a bit sad that most of us who know the famous SAA gun might not be able to correctly name it's designer
.. it wasn't Sam Colt.

There is a theory kicking around that the SAA designer must have been LEFT HANDED because of the loading-gate placement on the right hand side - that requires transferring the revolver into the left-hand for loading / unloading.

Conventional Loading-Gates OPEN.

 - However I would have thought that maybe this might well be more likely a hang-over from the percussion days - when you'd have needed to use the right-hands finesse & finger-tip control for placing the fiddly percussion caps securely onto the cylinders nipples.

Capping 'Ruger Old Army' Black-Powder Revolver.

- either way that suites me as I'm a 'Lefty" (.. except then I am now clumsy loading my Ruger Old Army's caps using my R/H!).

One Guy , Bill Grover, felt so strongly about this 'sinister' design that he started a company Texas Longhorn Arms that eventually closed after building "Right-Handed Colt SAAs" for some seventeen years:

Texas Longhorn Arms No.5 - .45. (L/Handed or R/Handed?)

- Beautifully Made With An 'Improved' Grip Design

& Left-Side Loading-Gate.

Life is extra good & full of interest.

Marty K.

The Ruger Eagle (SP101) 327 Magnum HAS Landed:

Would you believe that this photo of my Ruger 327 Magnum SP101 was taken in Auckland New Zealand at the importer's....?

It's nearly arrived

It's only taken eleven months & two weeks

It's been released from Customs

It's St. Valentines Day

It's been entered in the Police's Registration system

It's the first / only one in the Country

Is that a 'smiley face' 🙂 below the cylinder? - Naa,

It's the Ruger eagle (I could paint it yellow)

It's still a long way from the middle of the South Island

I'm exhausted - but there's still more paperwork to complete

Marty K.🙂

9 mm Winchester Magnum & 45 Auto Magnum Cartridges:

Correspondent 'Colpepper Arramberri' raised the question wondering why Winchesters two magnum auto cartridges never stayed the distance.

 Two Colts "Phantom" **

The 9mm Winchester Magnum ( 9x29 mm) was developed in the late 1970s to match the .357 Magnum revolver performance, - pushing a 115 grain pill at 1,450 feet per second ..

9 MM Winchester Magnum with a Standard 9x19mm NATO.

and the .45 Winchester Magnum was a strengthened & lengthened souped-up ,45 ACP that  might throw a 230 grain JHP bullet at a hot 1,600 ft. per sec.

.45 Winchester Magnum with a Standard .45 ACP.

Now my guess would be that both these Magnum cartridges needed strengthened & enlarged pistols to feed, contain and cope with the much increased power and velocity levels..

- Then the guns needed to cope were necessarily bulky, heavy and expensive - and maybe a little "clunky"?

The Wildeye, Thompson Centre and Automag III were specialist guns sized to be practical for sporting purposes but not for the typical US buyer (and that's where the market is!) - who seem to be mostly focused on self defense and "carry".

 Automag III

Perhaps both cartridges were too extremely 'magnumized'  for their own good - too specialised ? .. Maybe a more moderate version that might have been shootable in near standard sized auto-pistols of the day would have worked?

- The 10 MM Auto has almost made it as an 'established' cartridge.

I guess both cartridges would have been really LOUD pigs to blast-off ... maybe?

- No cigar eh.

  "WHAT?"
Anyone else got any thoughts?

Marty K.
P.S.  ** - Rod tells me that this drawing is actually of 'J M Pyne' who in reality is gunsmith Henry Pope .. not Colpepper Two Colts Phantom - who looks somewhat similar !

After researching & writing 1,036 blogs I've got something NEW to try .. I've signed-up to Patreon. - In over five years I've not made one cent from this .. NOW you can send me a wee support $ - starting from $1. to get all this stuff from New Zealand - over a year that's nearly the price of one Shooting magazine. - Am I worth it?

https://www.patreon.com/user?u=16618870

Bullet Diameters v Bore Sizes (Part 3):

I've got one of life's 'Happy Coincidences' here - I was reading about Elmer Keiths early experimentation FAILURES maybe three hours before 'J' sent me this link to Forgotten Weapons historic Elmer Keith blown-up SAA Cylinder:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3t5X8f__vpk

- Kinda says it all eh.

You may get away with one or two thou. oversize ... but as much as four thou.( 0.004 inch) is reasonably likely to be an unacceptable and adventurous risk.

Happy Hand-Loading,

Marty K.

Spanish RADIUM Pistol:

Good mate 'J' sent me a link to watch this review at "Forgotten Weapons" - and it's almost interesting eh.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxUEkxS63Ro

- Doesn't Ian McCollum do a great, straight-forward review?

The Radium 7.65 / .32 ACP pistol was made in Spain by Gabilondo & Urresti in 1913 and it had that fascinating and ingenious internal cartridge store. - No Separate mags to get lost or damaged. - Just unlock and slide-down that spring-loaded grip panel to drop in more rounds.

- There is so much variety in gun designs.

They say most Radiums were built in the smaller .25"ACP caliber.

Founded in 1903 - G&U initially built versions of the Nagant revolver and "Velodog" pocket revolvers.

This gun-maker eventually morphed into the Llama Company in the 1930s after making hundred of thousands of  9 shot 7.65 mm Ruby Pistols - which are closely modeled on the Browning M1903 Pistols - and were very widely used in the First World War.

9 Shot 7.65 mm Spanish RUBY Pistol.

- Reckoned to have Been Made By as Many as 45 Different Companies.

Marty K.

After researching & writing 1,036 blogs I've got something NEW to try .. I've signed-up to Patreon. - In over five years I've not made one cent from this .. NOW you can send me a wee support $ - starting from $1. to get all this stuff from New Zealand - over a year that's nearly the price of one Shooting magazine. - Am I worth it?

https://www.patreon.com/user?u=16618870

Bullet Diameters v Bore Sizes - Part 2:

- Well just a short 'follow-up' anyway to my earlier piece - Link:

https://flicense.blogspot.co.nz/2017/01/bullet-sizes-diameters-v-bore-sizes.html

. - I recently found and bought HANDLOADER Ammunition Reloading Journal No. 306 Dec.2016 (from a North Canterbury bookshop.)

In an article by Dave Scovil headed '.455 Eley Conversion To .45 Colt'  he writes the following:

" Some folks believe a bullet sized to .454 or .455 inch that is fired in a .451 inch barrel will generate excessive pressure. Then too Colt .357 Magnum barrels measure .354 inch and folks have been shooting .357 to .358 jacketed bullets in them, which are much harder than the hardest cast bullet, since 1935.

I prefer cast bullets with a one-in-16 (tin-lead) mix, the same as Elmer Keith's, for a Brinell hardness number (BHN) of 8 for the .45 Colt, so a modestly hard bullet that is up to .004 inch over barrel groove diameter has been standard on my Colts for nearly 40 years. Additionally, Winchester, Remington, and Federal offer .45 inch Colt factory loads with .455 inch jacketed or swaged lead bullets, so they apparantly don't believe over-sized bullets are an issue either."

______________________

Once again - I'm not claiming that "oversize bullets" are fine to use - as circumstances and guns all vary - SAFETY FIRST.

But the indications certainly are that there is some degree of tolerance in "fit" of bullets to barrels - but all shooters need to be very aware at all times that we are dealing with very high destructive pressures and velocities in firearms that can be described in mechanical terms as 'Heat Engines'.

'Nuff said.

Marty K.

P.S.
08 February

Hi Marty

Lead bullets can be a few thou oversize without any adverse effects.  The slightly higher pressure lasts only for the length of the bullet as it enters the rifling.  After that is the correct size and no different to normal loads.  The same rationale applies to jacketed bullets as well but the initial pressure would be slightly higher.  Years ago it was not uncommon to hear of people (I knew a few personally) who made a regular habit of firing jacketed factory .44/40 loads through .410 Kea pistols with no ill effects!  I don’t recommend that practice!

Cheers, Rod

Angry Granny Fixed Two Rapists Story?:

John Taffin put this great story into his book 'CAMPFIRE TALES (2001-2013)' under the Heading "Don't Mess With The Old Guy!".

A really dramatic tale about how 81 year old Australian grandmother Ava Estelle took her full revenge on the two men in 2002 who raped her 18 y.o. granddaughter - by tracking them down and emasculating them with her handgun.. thereby causing the Melbourne law enforcement authorities a huge problem of how to deal with this venerable & gutsy "saint".

Great Looking Gun - Great Story eh.

What a Woman! July 29, 2002 MELBOURNE, Australia —
Gun-toting granny Ava Estelle, 81, was so ticked-off when two thugs
raped her 18-year-old granddaughter that she tracked the unsuspecting
ex-cons down and shot off their testicles.
The old lady spent a week hunting those men down–and when she found
them, she took revenge on them in her own special way…said Melbourne
police investigator Evan Delp. Then she took a taxi to the nearest
police station, laid the gun on the sergeant’s desk and told him as calm
as could be: “Those bastards will never rape anybody again, by God.”Cops
say convicted rapist and robber Davis Furth, 33, lost both his penis and
his testicles when outraged Ava opened fire with a 9-mm pistol in the
hotel room where he and former prison cellmate Stanley Thomas, 29, were
holed up.
The wrinkled avenger also blew Thomas’ testicles to kingdom come, but
doctors managed to save his mangled penis, police said. The one guy,
Thomas, didn’t lose his manhood, but the doctor I talked to said he
won’t be using it the way he used to, Detective Delp told reporters.
Both men are still in pretty bad shape, but I think they’re just happy
to be alive after what they’ve been through.
The Rambo Granny swung into action June 21 after her granddaughter
Debbie was carjacked and raped in broad daylight by two knife-wielding
creeps in a section of town bordering on skid row. “When I saw the look
on my Debbie’s face that night in the hospital, I decided I was going to
go out and get those bastards myself ’cause I figured the Law would go
easy on them,” recalled the retired library worker.
“And I wasn’t scared of them, either — because I’ve got me a gun and
I’ve been shootin’ all my life. And I wasn’t dumb enough to turn it in
when the law changed about owning one.” So, using a police artist’s
sketch of the suspects and Debbie’s description of the sickos’,
tough-as-nails Ava spent seven days prowling the wino-infested
neighborhood where the crime took place till she spotted the ill-fated
rapists entering their flophouse hotel.
“I knew it was them the minute I saw ’em, but I shot a picture of ’em
anyway and took it back to Debbie and she said sure as hell, it was
them.” the oldster recalled. “So I went back to that hotel and found
their room and knocked on the door — and the minute the big one, Furth,
opened the door, I shot ’em right square between the legs, right where
it would really hurt ’em most, you know. Then I went in and shot the
other one as he backed up pleading to me to spare him. Then I went down
to the police station and turned myself in.”
Now, baffled lawmen are trying to figure out exactly how to deal with
the vigilante granny. What she did was wrong, and she broke the law, but
it is difficult to throw an 81-year-old woman in prison. Detective Delp
said. Especially when 3 million people in the city want to nominate her
for sainthood and a medal.

- Only problem I can can see here is that the whole tale is a complete work of  FICTION - Great story though. Shame.

I guess lots of credible and honest folk may have accepted the tale because they themselves don't tell lies.

John Taffin - you should have checked your story before including it .. as your - "retired librarian and lifelong shooter" grandmother is a 'fairy story' - just like Little-Red-Riding-Hoods grandmother.

If anyone out there can find any factual record of our Aussie 'pistol packing mamma' across the ditch I'd be rapt to try verify it.

Marty K.

'Skid Row' in Melbourne? - "Alternative Facts" - my ass!

Colt 1911 in .38 SPECIAl:

Yeah - that's not a typo.. but there always has been some 'cross-over' with various cartridges utilization - pistol rounds in carbines, - rifle rounds in handguns, - 'auto cartridges' in revolvers (- with or without moon clips)..

 - When I first read mention of it I went PHWHAT - but apparently both Clark Custom Guns and Colts themselves made these rare 'conversions' for bulls-eye target shooting - and my reading suggests that these 'target' pistols were successful and accurate.

'Automatic .38 Special Mid Range'. 

These pistols were built to fire rimmed revolver cartridges filled with flat nosed cylindrical WAD-CUTTER bullets moving at around 710 feet per second - while making use of the hopefully crisp 1911 trigger action. - Wash my mouth out with soap but some 1911s do come out of the box with gritty, poor triggers.

.38 Special Magazine Holds Five Rounds.

- These .38" 'specialist' 1911s were made in the 1960/70s  and may still be available from custom makers to take advantage of the .38" Special Cartridge's accuracy potential - while the semi-rimmed .38" Super was reckoned to be less accurate.

The Clark .38" Special guns were built starting with .38" Super barrelled guns and retained the Colt Browning locked breech mechanism (- modified).

- While The Colts pistols were engineered with a (slightly) retarded blow-back system using a floating block.

I'd say that getting the pistols to feed the flat nosed rounds into the chamber would be the really tricky part.. if you can get an auto-pistol to feed wad-cutters you'll get them to feed anything.

- So there you go then, - stranger things have been known to be made to work (Look at 'Desert Eagles!).

Marty K.
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