Fabled STOPPING POWER -

I learned a new word 'TERZEROL' .. that according to Wikipedia means a small muzzle-loading pistol, offered as an 'alternative' to holster or saddle pistols. These are now known as "pocket" or "muff" pistols - but used sometimes be referred to as "Vinyard guns" employed to fire blanks as bird scarers ..

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Testing power levels & velocity of black powder loads will yield a range of answers due to different strength propellants, loads and the ball mass - but here is a link to some extensive testing:

https://poconoshooting.com/blackpowderballistics.html

60 foot/pounds of energy equals 80 joules (metric) 

I'm writing that (above) because British military testing, states that a projectile of this power level will consistantly disable a combatant.

The normal weight of a 22lr is 40 grains. Virtually every brand of 22lr will send this bullet at about the speed of sound, 1200 ft/second, with a kinetic energy of about 120 foot pounds, or162 Joules.

Many .22" rimfire SHORTS also achieve that 60 ft/lbs. - a .22Short launches a 29-grain (1.9 g) bullet at 1,045 feet per second (319 m/s) with 70 ft·lbf (95 J) of energy from a 22 in (559 mm) rifle barrel and can penetrate 2 inches (51 mm) of soft pine board.

In the real (U S) world of hand aimed and carried weapons - there truly is no such thing as knockdown power or "Stopping Power' despite some beliefs .. there is however always a need for accurate bullet placement & sufficient penetration as above. - Please forget "Spray & Pray".

There are some who - immediately they are winged by a shot will think that they are 'DEAD' and therefor fall to the floor and expect to die. - Others, such as Moro warriors, refused to die even though mortally wounded ..

Naturally this topic is confused by these variables .. there are those who will maintain that their target, hit by their powerful 44 Magnum will be more dead than a corpse brought to market by a bullet from a .22 "mouse gun"

Now - when focused on my current passion of small screw barrel pocket pistols - it is clear that the main factor governing velocity & 'power' would be the volume of the Powder Chamber cut under the nipple or flash pan. These vary hugely in diameter AND in length from the smallest at around 3mm dia, up to 6mm and deeply bored. - The antique propellant would also vary in it's quality ..

Every antique gun I have - I find this chamber to be RUSTY with cavities eroded into the walls from inadequate CLEANING after firing in days gone by. It is fortunate that this design puts plenty of metal into the surrounding body.

 Note: Vascular Heart Disease is pretty well the opposite of that erosion and enlargement we get in our muzzleloader barrel bores & chambers .. it being the build-up of fatty dirty grease in the body's essential blood tubes rather than the wearing away of them. - Now that is what I'd call STOPPING POWER .. SO - Due to "terrible vascular heart disease - inoperable" (a written quote from my Cardiologist-Consultant Sally, to my GP) - I now try to avoid ingesting any more corpses, - chemically preserved body parts, - and mammalian lactation calf-fattening fluids intended for rapid weight gain .. known commercially as "meat, - processed meats, & dairy products".

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Antique Muzzle Loading Propellant: This is historically made as a mixture of three powdered substances 75:13:12 (or 75:15:10) .. This mix was known as GUNPOWDER.

1/- Food Preservation Salt: Potassium Nitrate KNO3 aka Saltpetre - Oxidizer

2/- Charcoal: Fuel - Carbon C is a porous form of carbon made by 'cooking' various sources of wood.

3/- Sulfur: Traditionally used as a fertilizer due it's antibacterial properties. When included as part of the Antique Propellant mix - sulfur lowers the temperature of ignition.

Watch & LISTEN TO Jake .. he brews his own powder / propellant and uses it:

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

Marty K.

VERY Simple Old Firing Mechanism by MOSES BABCOCK:

 Now this is a simple firearms lock design ..

The single action hammer is driven/ powered by THE TRIGGER GUARD, which is a leaf spring- fixed in place behind the trigger at the rear end.

 The top extention of the pivoting trigger is the SEAR that engages into the NOTCH or BENT that is cut into the high rear face of the HAMMER below the cocking SPUR.

- That's IT .. TWO moving parts and a spring.

I accept that this is a CAP-LOCK design but it would readily adapt to a cartridge gun via a spring loaded Firing Pin or Striker.

Thanks & acknowledgements to THEFIREARMSBLOG TFB

https://www.google.com/search?q=Moses+Babcock+Rifle+mechanism+images&rlz=1C1ONGR_enNZ933NZ933&oq=Moses+Babcock+Rifle+mechanism+images&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRigAdIBCjMyODA0ajFqMTWoAgiwAgE&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

https://www.google.com/search?q=Moses+Babcock+Rifle+mechanism+images&rlz=1C1ONGR_enNZ933NZ933&oq=Moses+Babcock+Rifle+mechanism+images&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRigAdIBCjMyODA0ajFqMTWoAgiwAgE&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2023/02/22/moses-babcock-action-inspired-muzzleloader-poland/

Years back I was showing the different clever J Rock Cooper design to somebody and they commented "can that be adapted to firing a cartridge?" - Well I didn't see how ..

https://flicense.blogspot.com/2020/05/j-rock-cooper-pistol-keeping-it-simple.html

I know that Police State rules make our Civil Rights hard to maintain - But simple low cost design & manufacture can go a long way to reduce costs for the freedom seekers of USA etc.

What can I say?

Marty K.

How Is Your Length of Pull?

 Mmm, I know ..

In the shot gun world this refers to the distance measured from the face of the trigger to the centre of the Butt Pad - an important factor to the "fit" of a scatter gun.

But I am a crap shooter at clay birds so youse-lot can talk among yourselves about that .. What I'm thinking about is TRIGGER REACH/ Length of Pull on pistols.

Now, I'm measuring this in centimeters as this is the Worldwide Metric System standard .. even in America where 'S.I.' was "Prefered" in 1975 - but you'd never guess that eh.

So the reason I found the Glock 20 10mm and my Glock G19X (with the thick Backstrap fitted) so sweet shooting and comfortable is to a large degree because they fit my hands - because the trigger reach is good for my long fingers.

- This is the World of Variables again.

Just Look at the SIZE of that ..

Now I measure the distance from the rear of the Grip to Trigger Face on these two 'Old Ducks' as being roughly 7.5 cm and 8.8 cm.

That's two "Pocket Pistols" where the trigger reach differs by just 13 mm - but that length makes enough difference to me for one to be comfortable while the smaller tool cramps my hand and is uncomfortable.

- Sure, if I were weaving my way home through the pitch black night of an Edwardian city slum in 1850 and a couple of lowwaymen armed with cudgels and knives jumped me - I'd be pleased to shoot either or both pistols and save my silver & my life .. but the smaller piece would be much harder for me to find and point where needed.

Small Colt '1849' with My Colt 1861 'Navy'

Trigger Reaches of 9.3 cm and 10.2 cm respectively for these two original Colts certainly make a difference to the feel - but either is manageable in my hands while the .36" is better -  The shape and the girth of these stocks is the classic 'Plough Handle'.

Trigger Reach is complicated by the fatness and shape of the grips as well as the features of your own appendages ..

I often see a question from a "newb" that reads something like "I'm new to shooting and looking for a gun to carry for self defense - what is best to get?" 

- Well I'd say don't buy anything till you've been to your local range or club and shot everything you can get your hands on and talked to everyone about it for as long as you can afford to buy the beers.

It's Variables again - how small & strong are you? - how big are your hands AND your pay cheques? - Are you recoil sensitive and a 'flincher'. - Holster or 'pocket carry'? You MUST try everything you can find and do a lot of thinking about it before spending big money.

I had a shooting friend with a S&W M29 44 Magnum that he'd proudly owned for around 40 years and I only saw him shooting it twice. - I shot it once .. one round only.

What a PIG of a thing ..

Be careful how you choose your cars, guns, and women,

Marty K.