Webley 380 Mk. IV on Range:

I had a 'few issues' with my fresh Webley Mk. IV .380 .. My first trial ammo batch as loaded failed to fire around a third of the time .. some fired OK with a second hit. - So was this a gun problem, powder, primers or me having done something stupid at the hand-loading press?

As it turns-out the issue resolves around the CCI primers being hard .. I loaded a further sample batch using fresh Federal small pistol primers and they all functioned perfectly. - However ALL of the first CCI loads fired after further hammer hits in the new wee revolver. This ex Singapore Police Force gun is in "as new" condition & has a pleasant trigger pull .. and it will use Federal primers from now going forward.

Why was the 'old'  38 -200 caliber chosen for the Mk. IV? .. the story I like best is that when the British Army asked Webley to develop a smaller, lighter gun that would be easier for novices to handle .. one that would still hit like a heavy-weight - Webley looked to their Mk III .380 that had long been supplied to the Royal Irish Constabulary. 

A Mk III  Webley .380" S&W Pocket Revolver

- When consulting  the ammunition makers on how to up-power the .38 S&W cartridge -  Kynoch's advise was to seat a 200-grain soft lead round-nose bullet on top of a charge of 2.8 grains of Neonite nitrocellulose.  - A heavy lump of tumbling metal .. substituted for the old .455 "Man Stopper".

 - Subsequent testing revealed this load to have a velocity of 630 fps at the muzzle and 577 fps at 50 yards.

 "A little powder and a lot of lead - Shoot them once and shoot them dead."

The First World War ballistic theory as calculated says that a half inch lead shrapnel ball of 170 grains impacting at around 400 feet per second would deliver a fatal blow of 60 ft/lb energy out to 400 yards range.

This is about the same delivered energy as a .22" SHORT rimfire round. 'Knock-Down Power'.

- Yes .. this was tested thoroughly on bombing ranges by using tethered livestock.

      _____________________

I used Lee 9x19 mm dies to reload my Webley 38 Mk IV ammunition .. a look at this below image shows how this can work with the very close sizes - but the shell holder used was for the rimmed .38"/.357". You don't use much powder in this antique, economic low pressure cartridge.

          .455"                38-200            9x19 mm

Plenty of pills available from the .38 - .357 bullet range albeit they may be considered a few thou undersized .. Experience shows that a few thousandths of an inch undersize can be tolerated in moderately powered handgun ammunition - remembering that brass cartridge cases are designed to expand and seal chamber combustion gases .. while projectiles also function by obturating and expanding into the barrels' rifling grooves.

 "obturation" refers to the action of a soft metallic cartridge case being pressed outwards against the chamber walls by the high pressure of the internal gases. This creates a self-sealing effect which prevents gasses from leaking out of the breech mechanism".

- This linked video is a fun SUPERB history & review of the large bore British Webley Revolvers:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNnd0r_a8ps

.. Mae has to be the best range reviewer anywhere - she both talks sense and looks great. The bearded bloke does well too.

- In about 1880, in his book “The Gun and its Development” W.W. Greener suggests that if six shots were not enough to dispel the emergency then the remaining time might be better spent other than trying to hurriedly reload. - Greener was probably suggesting prayer - or perhaps running for your life?

These guys do look nervous of their Webley Mk. VI Type Revolvers ..

But these later 'Tommies' issued with the 38 S&W seem much happier eh .. 

but some of those lanyards look to be too short.

- Be aware that the .38 S&W is no way related to - nor is it any way interchangeable with the 38 SPECIAL. This old 38 S&W round is similar sized to 9x19 mm NATO but has much lower internal pressure and velocity ..

- I repeated that warning because I just heard for the very first time - of yet another 38" cartridge ..The 38 Special CBC  or 38" CBC Short Special  from Magtech Sport Ammunition which it seems is a brand of 'Companhia Brasileira de Cartuchos' which translates as Brazilian Cartridge Company.  - And this  Magtech CBC  load IS compatible in 38 Special chambered guns. - being supplied in bulk as a low recoiling Training Cartridge.

MAGTECH CBC 38" Special is made as  

a "low recoil" TRAINING ROUND (- is that similar to 38 Short Colt?)

____________________

The "new" Webley Mk. IV 380 with a 4 Inch Ruger SP 101:

Why am I (being somewhat 'old & worn') "wasting my time" with an obsolete underpowered revolver? - well firstly these historic Webleys are fun to learn about - and they served effectively to exploit the natives in many theatres of war for decades .. and secondly these lower power cartridges - when used to promote proper BULLET PLACEMENT can achieve exactly the same result on target as more modern higher tech rounds. 

- They work, - below 'The elasticity threshold velocity' of 2,200 foot per second at impact - but

- a hole in the right place is still a hole in the right place.

Note: It may also be hard to credit the fact that, by law, - since 1988, the 'metric SI system' is the standard measurement system in USA.

Marty K.

link to Abundant scientific Terminal Ballistics information - that needs to be read slowly ..

http://www.rathcoombe.net/sci-tech/ballistics/wounding.html

Shooters Ignored & Unanswered .. But No License Needed:

 I am aware of repeated letters to the NZ Police Minister Poto Williams from organizations that represent lawful shooters .. At least THREE messages from the SSANZ Secretary and more from COLFO remain ignored.

The Labour Government of Jacinda Ardern is ignoring all attempts by legal shooters to end the punitive attacks on the law-abiding - meanwhile our police continue to cancel shooters licenses for minor traffic offences while accepting gang members and associates as being 'Fit and Proper' for gun ownership.

Police Minister Williams.

Police recruitment was recently boosted by the 'passing-out' of a 57 y.o. female newly sworn member - who I am sure will prove to be a most valuable if diminutive law enforcement officer.

Despite our governments "decisive action" prohibiting' and "Buying Back" a range of sporting rifles following the Christchurch killings of Islamic mosque worshippers - New Zealand is experiencing ever more killings of a kind that was rare forty years ago when firearms laws were maintained at a sensible level.

Despite - or perhaps because of  over 200 pages of new restrictive firearms regulations imposed on legal gun owners . the under-resourced police are struggling to maintain LAW & ORDER.

Despite - or perhaps because of our NZ Police imposing a new 30 PAGE F.Lic. Application Form - there seems to be a log-jam of  9,800 licenses delayed for as much as a year from being issued. 

 - Meanwhile the application form for consideration as a police officer remains as ONE PAGE.

NO Firearms License Required:

Considering the ever increasing constraints on the ownership and use of sporting firearms in New Zealand - isn't it incredible that New Zealand Police are not required to qualify as fit & proper or to obtain & maintain an Endorsed Firearms License to use their powerful semi-auto WEAPONS against criminals in public locations?

- If we accept that the safety and rights of New Zealanders is a Government priority - I assert that those poorly trained unlicensed but armed police employees are a far greater danger to the ordinary kiwi family than are any regularly training sporting target shooter.

Both our New Zealand Political administration and our Police Management are out of control, - misguided, negligent and deluded in their policies.

Marty K.

Nobility & No Ability

 If you think our gang in the Wellington 'Beehive is corrupt & incompetent - you'd be grateful to be as far away as is possible from that bunch of wets in Westminster who theoretically could usurp our antipodean processes at will. 

Our number of 120 elected MPs looks much better if contrasted to the 650 privileged in UK electorates plus 812  parasites  peers in the House of Lords including 26 bishops .. plus all the royals.

Why didn't you use the lavatory earlier George?

And mayors ..

As a law-abiding New Zealand citizen and lawful gun owner - I do not have to answer to this government .. However - this government must answer to me for it's actions and law changes.

The ridiculous nature and volume of additional altered firearms regulations include license requirements and the registration of plastic stock handles designed for use with non-firearm paintball game guns.

It would be a revelation to the voters of New Zealand if they were made aware that instead of combatting drug gang crime .. our police were banning toy handles for gaming equipment.

This insanity must end soon.

Marty K.

Tuned for Knock-Down Power? .. Stopping Power?

  I seem to keep returning to this topic over'n'over .. but that's because strange opinions interest me and I keep hearing & reading statements that strike me as unrealistic fables.  

Story time from Col. Charles Askins " ..This 240 grain 44 Magnum slug took the Viet Minh sniper beneath his chin and literally lifted him off the ground and pitched him off the trail .. A performance which pleased me immensely."

- Physically impossible of course under the laws of science (equal and opposite reaction ..)

It was A MOVIE.

 Certainly not as destructive as E=MC2  - but it is very significant eh .

Newtons third law of Motion: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

- While the energy of the fired bullet is a factor in the resulting impact effect .. consider this - a well aimed arrow loosed from a bow can kill an elephant - but has around one third less energy than a .22" rimfire round.

There is much more to hunting or to self defense than the ballistic muzzle energy of the ammunition .. Proper shot placement.

- Consider your Favorite caliber in your Favorite gun .. now buy a box of ammo for it. This is where the variable numbers start to flash-up on the screens - more powerful ammo  might mean more penetration .. BUT it might instead mean LESS penetration if that bullet features brilliant expansion that slows it's forward movement just like a drogue parachute.

There are so many variables and theories for us to juggle with - that the old head can start to spin - BUT the one factor that NEVER EVER changes it's value is .. SHOT PLACEMENT.

An adequate round that hits an essential center will do the job. Full Stop.

Try reading this:

  https://www.chuckhawks.com/terminal_performance_muzzleloading.htm

This morning I handled all of my handguns one-by-one as I once again listed Serial numbers - and checked them over. - I have beautiful unmarked stainless steel revolvers & s/a pistols in a range of calibers - plus some interesting 'historic' firearms .. but I asked the question - WHICH ONE would be THE ONE? .. and after repeated considerations & handling 

- I positively committed to the 9mm Glock G19X .

- Why? - Because it fits and functions comfortably & efficiently as completely standard straight from the box (with the largest 'beavertail' backstrap fitted).- This has to be because the deeper grip length and shape combining with the reduced mass & slide length, to improve the shooting "feel".

Tan on Tan: Standard Glock 19X In A 'Magnum Leather' NZ Police Mufti Type Rig.

.. No custom stipple-job, no trigger mechanism work, no 'Red-Dot Sight', no compensator, no laser pointer, no night-light, no aftermarket tactical accurized barrel, and no extended controls.

A firearm that fits my grip and is comfortable, effective and accurate to use .. Gotta be good,

Marty K.

Gun Laws: The Psychology of Previous Investment:

 James Howard Kunstler is a respected author & speaker on sustainable living, permaculture & design - areas of applied intelligence that will ring true with any socially responsible New Zealanders.

He was recently podcasting about political 'Short-terming' and the wasting of resources under a special kind of mental process he refers to as ..

"The Psychology of Previous Investment".

J H Kunstler.

New Zealanders - along with our British - Australian - & now our Canadian friends will be familiar with this futility in the context of GUN CONTROLS.

It is sometimes referred to as "the insanity of doing the same thing over & over while expecting a different result".

First you BAN some style of firearm on the excuse that this will remediate violent crime .. Then after the passing of time without any good effect you say "Ah we need to do it again" - and ban some more guns or parts - wait for a while and repeat - ad nauseum.

Having committed to this particular policy and spent multiple millions on failed 'Buy-Backs' - confiscations & prohibitions without any benefit - Our typical politician has way too much invested in their commitment to admit their mistake - It would be far too damaging to their ego to change direction & to redirect tax funds into crime fighting & law enforcement - but this does have to urgently happen.

I did hear a 'political spokesperson' observe that "There was one good thing about the Christchurch Mosque Massacre .. that at least we have got rid of all those awful machine guns"

- YOU CRETIN - there is NOTHING GOOD about the murder of 51 innocent victims and the horrible wounding of many more. 

- Guns will still be present wherever they are BANNED - as are knives, hammers, screwdrivers, trucks, cans of gasoline, - steel capped safety boots and home-made explosives. - Check-out the increase in UK gun & knife crime since their BANNING.

There are social reasons for high levels of criminal activity - these do not depend on the size of a screwdriver blade in your pocket ..

We need more frontline Police - more Prison beds, - and more judges & Courts. - not more restrictions on fit & proper licensed firearms owners.

And the fact is - both our unlicensed New Zealand Police and our 'Defense Forces' are fully loaded with AR15/M16 type rifles.

Adding further 'tranche' upon tranche is much like a gambling looser doubling-down on his bets ..

The Psychology Of Previous Investment ..

Marty K.

Deluded National Management & Disunity:

 I just heard (11 March) two interviewees on National Radio claim that a million adults here, every year, experience crisis in their lives that qualifies as mental illness.

These expert jokers also agreed that mental healthcare should be removed from the Ministry of Health ..?

Now in Godzone country where we reportedly have a Team of 5 Million souls .. if you adopt the U S system of statistically classing shooting victims below 21 years old as children - this says to me that around a third of our NZ administration is suffering mental illness.

Disfunctional Crime Management & Crazy Anti-Gun Laws 

Confirm Faulty Mental Processes: Wikipedia image: 

- Perhaps the administration of New Zealand should be removed from the control of political party members?

I do appreciate that we hominids are emotional in our thought processes - and that this sometimes leads to perceptions and opinions overruling FACTS & TRUTH .. but surely by now in this 21st Century shouldn't we give fact more respect?

Yes - Everyone is entitled to hold their own opinion .. But surely not their own facts.

Focusing on FACTS - It seems that our species has been around for some 200,000 - 300,000 years - so 21 centuries of some particular minority sect's belief of angels, imps, and pearly gates doesn't truly have much relevance eh. - But I guess one has to start somewhere ..

Pearly Gates Of New Zealand

I have read that current Labour Party membership is only around 14 thousand - whereas there are some 250,000 Licensed Firearms owners in New Zealand.

Now that might suggest that Licensed Shooters should have a greater say in designing NZ gun legislation than the NZ Labour Party - to a ratio of 250:14 or around 18:1

It seems that the issue lays with our sporting shooters .. who outnumber party-members and actually know something about firearms & their use .. but have ZERO ORGANIZATION.

We need unified representation,-  but decades of being programmed to believe that "The Boss" knows best and that any kind of union hides Dancing Cossacks & the 'Domino Theory' of collapse of civilization - seems to have been very divisive.

We need something like a fully funded NZ NRA rather than the hundreds of disparate shooting clubs that resist being herded together ..

There is an existing "Shooters Federation" - there is a National Rifle Association .. a NZ Clay Target Association', - a 'Deerstalkers Association, a 'Firearm Dealer Network', a 'Pig-hunting Association', a 'Pistol New Zealand', Airsoft Sports NZ, a 'Coalition Of Licensed Firearms Owners, etc - probably there is a committee with a bank account for every day of the year - but they are NOT UNITED AS ONE VOICE.

- So many individual Presidents & Secretaries .. These groups need to join together and become functional very soon - before they all lapse into mere inactive bank accounts.

If these current oppressive attacks on lawful shooters are not soon corrected and rescinded IT WILL SOLELY BE DOWN TO OUR SHOOTERS ORGANIZATIONS FAILING TO ACT DECISIVELY - NOW - BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.

DIVIDED WE FALL ..

Marty K.

The phrase "United we stand, divided we fall" has been traced back to the Greek story teller Aesop, who lived during the 6th Century B.C.

The Four Oxen and the Lion    A lion used to prowl about a field in which four oxen used to dwell. Many a time he tried to attack them; but whenever he came near they turned their tails to one another, so that whichever way he approached them he was met by the horns of one of them. At last, however, they fell a-quarrelling [sic] among themselves, and each went off to pasture alone in the separate corners of the field. Then the Lion attacked them one by one and soon made an end of all four.

M K.

Eco Army Bikes .. Better Than Tanks:

 I got my 'Bighorn' e-bike up over 70+ kph on the way home today .. on a downhill stretch - but I am nearly 77 y.o. with a clapped-out ticker - I've had the bike just one week so might be impressively faster in a further month or two - not that speed records are the aim.

I'm Up To around An Hour Every Other Day on Rural Roads @ Level 3 Assist.

But I can handle it as long as there's decent coffee later.

This Watt Wheels m/c is built like a tank and it rides like the wind - without frightening the local horses, sheep, deer, steers and Jersey cows. I have great chats with those gentle lady cows as I roll past their paddock - but the distrustful young deer back away - the beef steers & fat wooly buggers just ignore me - & bunny rabbits dive for cover.

- So what's wrong with that? - I talk to cows and I like guns ..

I guess that a Defense Forces version would have the battery charger attached plus mounting brackets for the attack swarm-drones and LAW anti-armor rocket tubes but infantry would sling their M-16 rifles and holster their Glock 17s - keeping them close.  NZ is said to have 435 armored vehicles - but a couple of 66mm shoulder-mounted rocket launchers strapped above each bikes back wheel is well capable and much cheaper to maintain eh.

Swiss Army Infantry:

U S Version:

- I couldn't enjoy a push-pedal bike lately for all the panting & puffing .. but the e-bike gives me a boost whenever I need help and is clocking-up the K's in the dry Autumn days.

I know our NZDF military have been trialing UBCO 2x2 bikes that would be capable of shifting heavier loads on broken ground and for use in a recon role ..

- Maybe I should buy one of these kiwi UBCO too?

Bigger batteries, - 2 Wheel Drive & No Peddling

Marty K.

- Doing It Hard?

All is well in this uplifted land of sparkling waters under brilliant skies. - A Team of 5 Million.

Your smart-phone will warn you about Tsunamis

It's official .. Our NZ Police are being lead by bullies - Who would have guessed?

Our environment is being safeguarded by the farming industry.

Bishop Brian and Hannah's Destiny Church were given a TESLA car but want more dollar coins from the Blessed of Rotorua and their Southern Missions ..

Our collapsing waste water and electrickery power is contracted-out to the Politicians cronies to control ..

Tiwai Point smelter cyanide-rich waste amounts to only 100,000 tonnes behind a beach.

- Authorities and police are talking to the gangs ..

- Legal shooters need an Import Permit from the police for every single replacement spring - until their license expires .. but only ONE PERCENT of shipping containers arriving in Tamaki, Otautahi  or Otepoti is checked for illegal imports..

Nothing to worry about or to see here

- Be kind eh,

Marty K.

Christchurch Massacre : One Chance Remains To Hear The Truth.

 The Coronial Services Of New Zealand has both the Right and the Duty to examine the circumstances that lead-up to the tragic killings and awful injuries inflicted on the members of the Christchurch Islamic Community by

  BRENTON TARRANT  15 MARCH 2019.

NEVER FORGET THAT DATE & NAME ..

 The Evidence given by Ministers and public sector bosses to the much delayed Royal Commission of Inquiry Report into the Christchurch terrorist attack is suppressed for 30 years.

- An interview with the Australian-born terrorist will never be released out of concern it could inspire and assist further attacks.

- There was NO TRIAL - as the murderer plead GUILTY.

Since that horrible event I have come to strongly admire and support statements from The ISLAMIC WOMEN'S COUNCIL OF NEW ZEALAND .. and specifically the words from spokesperson Ms Anjum Rahman.

Our current government has implemented only ONE the many recommendations of the Royal Commission of Inquiry .. but they have mounted expensive and punitive attacks on law abiding Firearm's License Holders.

- Several heads of Government Departments - including The Commissioner Of Police made apologies when they were found to be the root cause of failings in their responsibilities to the public .. BUT NO HEADS HAVE FALLEN.

How much longer need we wait for some degree of true justice?

Marty K.