NZ's Progress With Guns:

In 1957 (18th September) the Wellington Evening Post published a photo of some law-abiding Bank Clerks training with handguns so as to be able to defend themselves and the banks property against violent criminals:

That same year back in London I enrolled in the school Combined Cadet Force:

- THIS year in New Zealand we have a Mongrel Mob Gang leader publicly stating on national television that he and these criminal gang-members will NOT be surrendering their guns when legally licensed owners are handing-in theirs as required by the new prohibition laws.

We truly have made changes to how society is governed.

- 62 years passing has made a difference to how I was taught and what I was trained to do at school - as in 1957 I was taught in the CCF how to shoot safely and trained how to maintain a military rifle.

- And I was expected and trusted to be able to use firearms for the good of society.

No longer. .. Gang rules in 2019 New Zealand.

The UNITED NATIONS Office For Disarmament Affairs has issued "Protocols' such as WMD and CCCW Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons that are specifically aimed at limiting & controlling the use of destructive weapons by GOVERNMENTS & MILITARY FORCES against civilian populations. - These 'rules' are being deliberately misused by our administrations to restrict and reduce the legal use of firearms for hunting and sport by licensed citizens.

https://flicense.blogspot.com/2014/04/united-nations-weapons-rules-gun-law.html

- Talking about gangs that are outside the law .. How many Billionaires are there? .. Wikipedia records that there were 2,208 last year (2018).

 - Each billionaire (& multi-millionaire) clearly shows the antithesis of democratic rule.

These super-wealthy, super powerful apes think that they are are creatures raised to the level of the ancient's GODS .. Clothed in gold and descending from the skies to direct their subjects.

Marty K. 

THE Best Self Defense Pistol Ammo:

The VERY BEST EVER and totally effective round (for overseas readers) is ....

- I read this linked article a second time after a year or so - and I gained a different insight - but it must be good writing - as I wanted to argue all over again 😈.

https://gunnewsdaily.com/best-9mm-ammo/

I mean this guy says that the 'forty-five' shot from a hammer-fired steel-framed pistol is his No.1 all time choice .... except that the .45" ACP is too slow and doesn't penetrate and his chosen pistol doesn't hold enough rounds.

- Now, I don't mean to be argumentative - BUT isn't that the whole point of a self-defense carry gun - that it carries enough ammo of a type that will penetrate the target effectively?

So we then get to read about bigger holes, muzzle energies, over-penetration, velocities, ballistic performance spectrum etc. etc.

Look - you can't beat a well written strong opinion or belief for entertainment value .. good article eh.

Whereas THE FACTS can be lack-luster & boring .. and you can't argue against THE FACTS as tested and recorded and analyzed by the FBI and Greg Ellifritz's STOPPING POWER STUDY.

https://flicense.blogspot.com/2014/01/stopping-power-study-by-greg-ellifritx.html

You might dare to summarize the requirement for a "carry gun" (if you're feeling brave eh) as ..

 .. The gun & ammunition combination have to be sized comfortably for "carry" and be such that YOU can shoot it accurately and quickly while the projectile will PENETRATE to a vital part of the target.

That's IT.

I suggest that you forget all about fancy expansion and 'knock down power', muzzle energy, momentum, caliber, relative incapacitation index ....

A steel-headed wooden arrow travelling at under 180 foot per second - or a .22" small-bore bullet that penetrates a vital spot will terminate the threat just the same as the legendary 'forty-five' would.

Sorry about that eh 😄
Marty K.

Chilworth Gunpowder Mill - East India Company:

England's ruling classes have always been a bit bullying, militaristic and greedy .. leading to their steady demand for gunpowder .. and for generally being ready to try any innovations in the best ways to kill the enemy (others).

Worn Black-Powder Millstones At Chilworth

 - Lined-up as a Blast Wall:

Interesting Histories of this site:

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1018507

http://www.weyriver.co.uk/theriver/industry_5_gunpowder.htm

https://edithsstreets.blogspot.com/2014/06/river-tillingbourne-chilworth.html

The River WEY & it's tributary The Tilling Bourne were conveniently located for basing milling industry there in Surrey (nr. Guildford) as they had a decent supply of flowing water - so a variety of buildings sprung-up to process sulfur, saltpeter and charcoal (10:75:15) into their priority product. 

The valley also grew plenty of ALDER trees which together with Hazel makes a superior charcoal.

Charcoal Burning:

From before 1626 gunpowder was made at this site where as many as 600 people were employed in jobs as varied as making the barrels to store the powder, charcoal burning, hop-gardens and brewing beer for the workers refreshment.

The East India Company took over this river valley gunpowder site early (1625 ish) to maximize it's efforts to introduce British justice to the Indian Sub-Continent. 

- When they (the British East India Company) conquered Bengal in 1757 - they then controlled something like 70% of the worlds saltpeter (KNO3) plus the opium poppy growing center - closing a supply & demand gap .. this greatly enhanced their profitable circular shipping exploitation trade.

The Chilworth Works operated for four hundred years despite repeated fatal explosions - progressing onward to steam power and the development of Brown or prismatic Powder (- with a slower burning rate for artillery), - and even Cordite for the last thirty years from 1890-1920. - Initially the Cordite works was German owned and developed until taken over by Vickers and then by the Admiralty.

The site now is a pleasant nature walk that cloaks much old industrial architecture in a leafy green cover - while it is famously home to a rare type of introduced dormouse - & probably will also likely be infested by grey squirrel and foxes too. - I haven't been there so I'm only guessing.

- Take a look at the "Bald Explorer's" video visit to the Gunpowder Mill site:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WIoOJuTNN0

Marty K.

.. If you've got a clear mind and at least a week to read it .. this Wikipedia treatise on GUNPOWDER is painstakingly thorough:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_gunpowder

THUNDERSTRUCK Two Barrel Revolver - Range Time:

Today, Friday was a bit tough with old shooting friend Col's funeral .. a good crowd turned out to say Goodbye.

___________________________

Hmm .. Inconclusive but at last I've seen some video of the S333 being test fired on range by 'Ballistic Mag'.

 - Earlier there have been a couple of youtube 'unboxing' posts by "numpties" - but now there is a more professional review promotion video that shows this revolver in better detail: Link:

https://www.ballisticmag.com/2019/07/10/standard-mfg-s333-thunderstruck-available/

The 'voice over' is a boringly robotic sales pitch - but at least it isn't babbling nonsense like the earlier unboxers.

The recoil appears reasonable but you can't estimate the muzzle blast and loudness through a mike recording.

- They show twin .22"Mags penetrating a ballistic Gel. block placed sideways .. This may be because ..

A/- The wee pills may not penetrate very deep into a full depth block due to low velocity.

B/- They may have needed the width of the sideways Gelatin block to catch the dispersed bullets.

- Someone in USA has to eventually test this "novelty" properly - recording bullet placement on target AND muzzle velocities from the very short barrels. The reviewer may have to load & fire single rounds to record accurate velocities.

The 'Thunderstruck' is made with SIGHTS so it's possible that an honest factual appraisal could be made (at a reasonably close range). - Sure nobody is expecting a precision BULLSEYE performance - but something like "snake-eyes" would be nice?

Now there's no credit to be earned by guessing (except in government) - but my guess would be that the .22" Magnum pills flying from barrels only slightly longer than ONE INCH will be lucky to manage ejaculation at 700 foot per second .. maybe more likely 600 ft./sec.

While you might also guess that two holes are better than one .. those pairs of small size pills would be working hard together to equal properly placed 9x19mm slugs. .. maybe equal to a loaded four subsonic nines?

I see this gun as intriguing - but likely useful to folk missing digits and hand strength .. I once worked with someone who'd lost all fingers of his strong hand .. and I had come VERY close to the same amputation on one of my hands when the safety interlocks failed on an injection-molding machine - the fast closing mould/die actually brushed my hand aside.

Note: It's interesting how the 'Comments' section on American sites work as an "IQ" test eh.

Marty K.

"COLPEPPER":

Colin Robertson was an old mate who passed yesterday morning (Sunday).

aka "Colpepper"

 I have known him since my arrival in New Zealand way back in February 1976 with my wife and two young kids - Only one week after arriving in Christchurch I was tipped-off by a new neighbor - that another close Oaklands neighbor Colin was a dodgy type who had been raided by the police for involvement with firearms.

A Carton Of  STEN Gun Magazines -
Col's Collectibles Confiscated by Cops.

I'm guessing that most intact males are indeed somewhat "dodgy" ... that first  'dozer-driving guy' & I certainly were - both being over fond of 'DB Draught' frothy liquid when hosed into jugs in those early days of smoke-filled Canterbury pubs .. when the only means of travel was to drive oneself home afterwards.

In those days uniformed "real Police" patrols would direct you which roads to take from the pub to home - to avoid any Traffic Officer's attentions.

(Note: unfamiliar beers can have very dramatic effects at both ends of the digestive tract when consumed for extended hours by a fresh new-chum at a table of tough local construction working jokers 😁).

- Col and I both later became fully licensed and endorsed shooters, collectors, and hand-loaders. - Col edited and wrote our pistol club 'Journal' for decades - and inspired my own efforts to blog positively about shooting and firearms. - We both enjoyed our playful banter about our 'Brand' choices - he being very loyal to S&W magnum revolvers and Colts 1911's, - while I favored Glocks and Rugers. - He was also very handy at clay busting with a 12 Gauge shotgun.

Colin was a familiar figure and 'character' known at several Pistol Clubs where he would call-in to 'sign the book' and socialize .. He was speechless when recently recognized as a Most Meritorious Member by the governing body of target pistol shooting here in New Zealand.

A smoker to the end - even when hospitalized for lung cancer .. he complained that he had to get-up three or four times a night & was unfairly forced to leave the building to smoke outside in all weathers 😆. - His guns have all been transferred and his weighty heap of bullet casting lead & Linotype alloy now sold on ..

- If I was to be missed near as much as Col will be - I'd be content.

 As you get older you certainly get to know more dead people.

Marty K.

NUCLEAR RAMJET CRUISE MISSILES:

Last sentence first:

I find it horribly fascinating that everyone I know is very concerned about civilian ownership of semi-auto sporting rifles (by police approved & licensed sports people) - while being blissfully unconcerned or unaware of what Governments are planning to do to us all while they themselves hide deep underground.
A few days back in 'The Brownings - Harmonica Pistols - & Weapons Technology':(9th August) -

- I mentioned how crazed military scientists had worked on "twice nuclear" loitering munitions back in the 50s & 60s. - Now there are new reports of Russian progress with this WMD system. Link:

https://flicense.blogspot.com/2019/08/the-brownings-harmonica-pistols-weapons.html

These insane unmanned "loitering cruise missiles" have the ability to cruise airborne for perhaps months loaded with dozens of warheads while spewing a trail of radio-active particles.

On August 8, during testing aboard a barge in the White Sea near Nyonoksa, Russia, the Burevestnik nuclear engine (which NATO reports under the name of SSC-X-9 "Skyfall") of an experimental nuclear-armed cruise missile exploded ..The five killed in the accident—Evgeny Koratayev, Vyacheslav Lipshev, Sergei Pichugin, Alexei Vyushin, and Vladislav Yanovsky - have been posthumously awarded unnamed state honors. - It is possible that two further military technicians may have now died.

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2019/08/russian-nuclear-powered-cruise-missile-blows-up-creating-mini-chernobyl/

This Russian nuclear-powered cruise-missile program was announced by Vladimir Putin on March 1, 2018, during an address to the Federal Assembly. - Putin described the weapon as a nuclear-powered, nuclear-armed cruise missile with essentially unlimited range, intended to defeat any ballistic missile defenses deployed by the United States.

Read all about this Russian version of the American Project Pluto here:

https://arstechnica.com/science/2018/03/best-bad-idea-ever-why-putins-nuclear-powered-missile-is-possible-and-awful/

I find it horribly fascinating that everyone I know is very concerned about civilian ownership of semi-auto sporting rifles (by police approved & licensed sports people) - while being blissfully unconcerned or unaware of what Governments are planning to do to us all while they themselves hide deep underground.

Marty K.

'Duck & Cover' - Humour Under Attack:

That phrase 'DUCK & COVER' has been presented for use against three types of attack:

Nuclear Explosion ..      Earthquake ..       Bear Attack ..

I fully accept the advice value contained therein .. for what it's worth eh.

Pithy But Wise Words like this Sticker on my Gun box 

(Along with "NOT TO BE USED BY FUCK-WITS"):

BUT - All three possible violent events above may prove terminal and very sore.

I seriously do recognize the sense of that 'duck & cover' advice .. but of these three threats, - I've only experienced big earthquakes in the Christchurch area - and both times I was too scared to move - In fact the shaking was so violent that I couldn't move until it stopped.

Now if you come-up against an aggressive bear you'll need to have a fresh can of BEAR PEPPER SPRAY in one hand and a full power handgun or long arm in the other .. "duck & cover"? - might be part of your defense.

Both of the other two cataclysmic events can be prepared for by having emergency foods, water, strengthened locations and civil-defense preparations such as battery torches, radios, phones etc .. and these provisions did indeed nurture me some with meals, shelter & hot drinks. (Have you got potassium iodide & iodine (for radiation) along with your canned beans?).

.. BUT if you are in the epicenter when you are nuked or quaked ... well you might get lucky eh.

My Dad (a WWII Commando corporal) told this story long after the war to an Irish Guards mate - about diving into a ditch for cover from a STUKA dive bomber 7.92 mm machine guns (Junkers JU 87 ground attack a.c): "Corp, Corp .. what shall we do?" ... "Pray you c#nt."

Link to short STUKA video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uvqhA4_2tU

- Now of course - those of you who are awake may have noticed that "Duck & Cover" is quite similar to the NZ police advice to anyone subject to unlawful violence .. or as my Dad put it .. "PRAY YOU C#NT"

 - But the difference is that when you are being machine-gunned by a STUKA or Nuked by an unfriendly government - such words of comfort are actually appropriate ..

.. whereas if some hoodie wearing prospect is trying to 'qualify' by beating on your skull with a rusty ball-pein hammer you might well be advised to energetically & forcefully defend yourself .. by means other than by pretending to be a turtle..

Marty K.

Ever More 'old' PALM PISTOLS:

I found two more "palm pistol" designs on the world-wide-wait .. the first - a MONTIAHUS Pistol is said to be in the National Firearms Museum (USA) & there is a set of images on their site ..

http://www.nramuseum.org/guns/the-galleries/robert-e-petersen-collection/firearms-curiosa/montlahus-palm-pistol-22-cal.aspx

- But there's no technical description other than it may be in a .22" caliber .. and it looks be a variation of the sliding chamber (Harmonica) types.

Whatever .. it needs to be added to my "SQUEEZER-Palm Pistol" story ..

https://flicense.blogspot.com/2018/06/squeezer-palm-pistols-antique-modern.html

________________

- the second one seems to be a prototype one-off built for the patent application; Link to patent:

https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/1c/dc/25/2e2fe59803fced/US913756.pdf

William B McCarty Patent Revolving Pistol.

- Eighteen Shot .22"

Now the one big idea here has to be the way the 18 chambers are drilled diagonally to the radii to reduce the depth of the annular magazine structure while maximizing it's capacity. - That's a clever feature eh.

- Reading the patent explanation .. it seems that the firing-pin is fixed to a heavy hammer that is meant to form something like a breech face to hold the cartridge in the chamber on firing? - but a fitted/ shaped ring or disc of 'breech-faces' might be used to clamp them all in place from 'backing-out' (as part of a rotating cover?).

.. Now if you were to incorporate that high capacity diagonal chamber feature into an updated "Chicago Protector Palm Pistol" you might have a .22" Long Rifle caliber winner in your hands ..

This design originated in France 1882 when Jacques E Turbiaux patented his Turbiaux le Protector squeeze cocking palm pistol - & later bigger modified versions were made in USA.

Link to Forgotten Weapons video:

 https://www.forgottenweapons.com/chicago-palm-protector-pistols-at-ria/

Marty K.

The Brownings - Harmonica Pistols - & Weapons Technology:

"Old tech" -  for a short time the guys tried making "Harmonica Pistols". - In Paris, Europe 'Jarre' made a lot - but in USA John Browning's father made 'Harmonica pistols'.

The famous John Moses Browning (1855-1926) had 21 siblings .. (with three mothers) and his father Jonathon Browning (1805-1879) was a gunsmith who made sliding chamber guns in the 1830s.

These Harmonica pistols were HOT for a while - but revolvers were a better balanced design .. then the cleaner nitro based smokeless propellants developed and lead on to the newer automatic pistol and rifle designs.

Rare Jarre Four Shot Harmonica Percussion.

You can't stop progress - especially when there's a dollar to be made .."LASER PLASMA BALLS"

"The Laser Induced Plasma Effect program is part of the military’s Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate, which is developing a host of, as the name suggests, non-lethal technologies. According to the Military Times a current focus is creating human voice in the right wavelengths to travel through lasers. The outlet obtained footage of a small plasma ball forming in the air and commanding listeners to stop. It appears to emanate from an apparatus just a few inches away."

I don't know just how close this laser is to being deployed against us, the world's public - and I understand why the media focus is right now very much on civilian ownership of 'guns' - whereas the government military ("defense forces") spend their time and money on much bigger science.

I was interested to read this comment below about the plasma-laser weapons:

At some point, we have to ask ourselves: who is the enemy? Is it our adversaries, or the inventors, promoters and profit takers, under the guise of ‘defense’?

Yup .. Try watching a few minutes video about nuclear ram jets deployed in SLAM .. Supersonic Low Altitude Missiles - known as 'The Big Stick' ..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZHONQAMV48

.. If you thought that the HAROP Loitering Munition was diobolic 😈 ... think about this nuclear version flying around for months waiting to deliver multiple H-Bombs (up to x26) THEN going on to circle & spew-out radiation from a low level for weeks until it expires ! .. These government people are without question INSANE .. but we vote for them.

Marty K.

60 "Pistols" Stopped At UK Borders:

British Border Protection Police-Customs proudly announced that they have arrested an Irish citizen Robert Keogh -  for smuggling 60 pistols into UK through the Channel Port of Dover on August 2.

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2019/08/07/man-charged-after-60-guns-recovered-hidden-in-car/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheFirearmBlog+%28The+Firearm+Blog%29

I guess that in legal language that report would be correct .. but the FACTS are that these are actually Turkish made blank firing guns that may have been adapted to accept a live cartridge.

The pistols had been secreted in the panels and bumper of a Volkswagen Passat.

The gun shown in the image seems to be a 'ZORAKI 2918' that was built by Atak Arms in Istanbul from plastic and zinc alloy - in several versions that either fire "blanks" or perhaps rubber balls.

Video Link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usRdJAOQV_c

- Here are 19 of these "sealed" as found ..

The 'pot metal' slides are definitely not made to withstand the pressures and velocity from live round fire unless extensively modified or rebuilt. - However they seem to otherwise be well made as blank firing devices.

Zinc-aluminum alloys (pot metal) such as "Zamak 3" have a place in die cast toys for sure .. but are not likely to survive more than one or two real shots if adapted into a full power handgun.

2017 VW Passat.

I have often read comment when contraband is found - that there is likely a lot more that gets through undetected.

 - My #1 comment would be that anyone flashing a replica-toy firearm as a "frightener" has got to be a dumb bottom-feeder with a short life expectancy eh.

UK knife crime rose 22% in 2017 to 39,598 offences  - Gun Crime rose to 6,604 offences.

They had 688 Homicides recorded - a 15% increase.

Keogh was remanded to reappear in Canterbury Crown Court next month.

(New Zealand 'per capita' gun deaths are around 12 times less than USA .. but about 5 times more than UK).

Marty K.

Antique Pocket Pistol - 'Snubbie' Of It's Day:

I'm something of a slow thinking man .. it does take a while for the lift to reach my top floor - but the doors do then open: - I bought this old pistol - an 'NZ official antique' at a recent auction - there is no doubt but that it is indeed old (estimated made 1840-ish) having impressive craftsmanship & engraving.

 - However, back in it's day it was the self-defense carry gun that was slipped into the purse or pocket by worthy thinking folk "just in case".. indeed these guns were known as "pocket guns".

As an old original antique that does not fire a metallic cartridge .. it is accepted as lawful to possess (but not shoot) unlicensed under section 2 of the current Arms Act New Zealand.

- There are a huge number of firearms laws around the world - in 1965 US Congressional testimony claimed that there were 20,000 gun laws on the statute books there - disputed of course but certainly Americans also seem to be free to own muzzle-loading Black Powder firearms outside of any regulation.

Even in the UK - the Un-european Kingdom - licensed target-pistol shooters are still permitted to own & shoot muzzle-loading target pistols.

- My antique 70 Bore specimen is Liege (Belgium) built and proof marked - being nicely engraved and has a fluted hardwood grip with a white metal cap box in the ebonised butt closed by a hinged 'Lions Head' lid.

This two-barreled smooth-bore percussion pistol was assessed GWO&C and my stripping and cleaning has confirmed that it does indeed seem to be in 'GOOD WORKING ORDER & CONDITION'. - provided your definition of smooth (bore) is a little rough 😏😏.

The gun has no sights & the 2 3/4 inch (7 centimeter long) rose damascus twist screw-off barrels are 70 Bore measuring around .405" caliber .. that's 10 mm - and are made of 'Damascus Steel' folded metal - formed by winding & forge welding steel strips around a mandrel.

At a recent pistol club meeting my efforts to introduce & illuminate this class of black powder civilian antique to those shooters was cut short following the comment "So what?" from one military expert .. and the opinion later expressed by another tyro that it was crap because the gun didn't even have a trigger.

- This type of pocket carry arm is safely designed so that the triggers drop into place when the hammers are cocked.

Ah well - "pearls before swine" & "whistling in the wind" .. I did try eh.

The tendency of office holders to always know best - can sometimes lead to stupid ill-informed decisions being imposed .. particularly as applied to firearms regulations - this same ignorance may sometimes also lead to gaps in restrictions.

"There's none so deaf as those that won't hear - There's none so blind as those that won't see."

.. The Old West Frontier has recorded tales of Buffalo (Bison) being slaughtered by riders armed with similar caliber black powder arms.

Marty K.

P.S. Disclaimer for officialdom: - My interest in firearms in New Zealand is solely for lawful sporting, scientific, educational, and recreational interest purposes. I am a pacifist having no thought of violence. Marty K.

Note: -  Dog-whistle politics is political messaging employing coded language that appears to mean one thing to the general population but has an additional, different, or more specific resonance for a targeted subgroup. The analogy is to a dog whistle - the ultrasonic tone of which is heard by dogs but inaudible to humans.

Police Relations Trolled:

For over 30 years I have been proud to count serving police officers - especially Firearms Officers - as trusted friends in the Christchurch district.

Several young guys who I have respected as work mates - and school friends of my kids went-on to be fine front-line officers around the country .. and I always felt that I - having proved to be a 'FIT AND PROPER PERSON' as a fully endorsed shooter, collector, and sometime dealer - had something in common with these trusted law enforcement officers.

We often met and talked in armories and various shooting ranges .. I especially sadly miss one pistol shooting senior detective - father to another Firearms Officer - who passed far too young.

- Now this:

The embittered senior officer who chose this public way to state his hostility and disrespect for New Zealand's firearms community may have spent too much time in the company of the criminal underclass.

This same police leader made submissions that have influenced recent new punitive anti-gun legislation.

- Perhaps this can now be reviewed and reconsidered by our politicians.

Marty K.