'SHANTARAM' by G D Roberts (published by Scribe")
In 1978 Gregory David Roberts committed a series of armed robberies while addicted to heroin - and was sentenced to nineteen years imprisonment in Victoria Australia. - In 1980 he escaped over the wall of the maximum security prison in broad daylight.
- He has written the story of the next ten years of his life on the run ( initially in New Zealand), - in a great book "SHANTARAM' - describing life in the Bombay India slums and criminal underworld.
His adventure story involves much criminal activity and involvement in terrorist action in Afghanistan factional fighting. - He frankly details how he survived as a counterfeiter, drug-smuggler, gun-runner, and street fighter for the Bombay mafia ( and also how he ran a free clinic for his fellow slum dwellers!).
This is a BIG book of 933 pages. - Buy it - as it's worth every cent that you'll pay for it.
His description of knife fighting in Shantaram reminded me of a piece in the NZ Antique Arms Gazette (March 2008) titled "The English Dirk Fighting Knife As Used By The NZ Forest Rangers" - In this piece the author tells of Major Von Tempsky, Commander of No.2 Company New Zealand Forest Rangers in 1863: "Von Tempsky encouraged his men to carry fixed blade fighting knives and trained them in their use. The knife was held diagonally in a sheath fixed to the front waist belt for ease and quick withdrawal. Later Armed Constabulary Force Inspector John Roberts outlined the training: "We were taught knife fighting drill, grip the knife handle, small finger against the guard, bending the wrist so that the blade was laid along the inner arm enabling warding-off, cutting and stabbing actions by arm extensions and wrist movements."
- Now, to me this description confirms what the other Roberts writes in Shantaram - which certainly raised my eyebrows when I read it:
"His second mistake was that he held the knife as if it was a sword and he was in a fencing match. A man uses an underhand grip when he expects his knife, like a gun, to do the fighting for him. But a knife isn't a gun, of course, and in a knife fight it isn't the weapon that does the fighting: it's the man. The knife is just there to help him finish it. The winning grip is a dagger hold, with the bladedownward, and the fist that holds it is still free to punch. That grip gives a man maximum power in the downward thrust and an extra weapon in his closed fist."
I won't quote any more of the five pages on this knife fight - buy the book eh ! - but my point here is that I'd previously thought and read that the sword-type hold was the way it was done - and that the dagger-hold was a crude mistake - so there you go ! - except that knife (and pistol) fighting experts -
"Fairburne & Sykes" whos design dagger was used as the WW2 Commando knife, OSS Knife etc etc, teach it exactly the opposite way (fingers and thumb against the guard - sword grip) ! - So there you go - take your pick ! - Anyway - I expect most of you have heard the joke about taking a knife to a gun-fight !
NATIONAL ARMY MUSEUM UK Lovely Old Bloke - I'd Buy him a Beer anytime!
Oh, another aside, - In Shantaram Roberts mentions seeing destitute young boys being sold into slavery as racing camel jockeys in Arabia - having lost everything to floods etc. - When I was in The United Arab Emirates over Christmas 2007, I enjoyed (!) a camel treck in the sand-dunes near Al Ain Oasis, Abu Dhabi, that stuffed my back and bum for days - making it painful to sit or walk
ROBOTIC RACING CAMEL JOCKEYS
- but was told by several ex-pats that the racing camel jockeys (young boys) were being replaced by radio controlled robotic jockeys because of a growing public outcry about the young jockeys being seriously hurt in racing falls from the camels. (No, I am not joking)
- But the bad news is that the slave-jockies are not being released to go home - but are being passed-on as "companions" to wealthy arab men with different bedroom interests to camel racing. - Oh yes, a good racing camel is worth hundreds of thousands of Dollars, - whereas a young Bangladeshi destitute slave - who knows?
By the way, - a further scandel is that those Robotic jockeys can be fitted with high voltage cattle-prods to encourage the camel to try harder.. that's life as we know it eh.
- Which do you think would have the better life - a camel or a young camel jockey?
A big Thanks goes to Rod for this Guest Post about a special Firearms Collection in UK
THE PATTERN ROOM
COLLECTION
By
Rod Woods
Every arms collector has their own
‘mecca’ to which they aspire to visit before they shuffle off.
It could be the QE II Army Museum, the Australian War Memorial, the
Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Smithsonian, Springfield Armory, the
Cody Firearms Museum, the Royal Armouries, the Imperial War Museum,
the Liege Arms Museum, the Tojhusmuseet, or any one of a number of
other outstanding collections in the World, each with their own
speciality. For collectors of military small arms of the last 200
years, that ‘mecca’ is the Pattern Room collection.
Rod Woods with PEDERSON DEVICE equiped SPRINGFIELD
Originally, the Pattern Room housed
the collection of approved models of military firearms which were
manufactured for the British Military, and was located at the Royal
Small Arms Factory, Enfield, in north London. These approved models
had a wax seal affixed to them and were known as ‘sealed patterns’,
their purpose being to ensure that a uniform and interchangeable
supply of parts and weapons were manufactured. The collection was
also augmented by the ongoing addition of foreign weapons and
designs, so the British designers could keep abreast of foreign
developments.
The late Herbert J Woodend, MBE,
became the custodian of the collection in 1967 and embarked on his
crusade to make the collection the most complete ‘library’ of
military firearms in the World. Herb established a large number of
contacts and proceeded to buy and trade with auction houses, museums,
collectors and manufacturers from all corners of the globe. His
assistance and knowledge was legendary, and his name can be found in
the credits of almost all of the authoritative gun books. I never
had the pleasure of meeting him, but he was always prompt and
courteous in replying to my research enquiries. Herb was born in
1943 in the village of Kilrea, Northern Ireland, and had a love of
firearms from an early age. Curiously, Kilrea was home to my own
paternal ancestors – there must be something in the water! Sadly,
Herb passed away in 2003 but his legacy lives on.
In the late 1980’s, the fate of the
Pattern Room collection hung in the balance during the time of the
closure of the RSAF Enfield and the transfer of assets to British
Aerospace, the subsequent manufacturing contractors for UK small
arms. There was even a call from some zealots within Parliament to
have the entire collection de-activated by cutting, grinding, and
welding! Fortunately, sanity prevailed and, after a brief period
with British Aerospace in Nottingham, the entire collection was
transported to Leeds under the auspices of the Royal Armouries which
have been re-established there in modern purpose-built surroundings.
Unlike the fabulous and truly comprehensive Royal Armouries
collection which is open to the public, the Pattern Room collection
is now part of the National Firearms Centre which exists for Military
and Police research purposes only. Luckily, when the charter for the
NFC was established, provision was made for study visits by suitably
recognized individuals.
Entry to the collection can be applied
for by contacting the Royal Armouries in Leeds and advising them of
your background and collecting interests (giving references where
possible) and the date of your proposed visit. If they are
agreeable, you will receive confirmation and contact details for your
arrival. Without going into detail, I can confirm that the security
requirements are very thorough and multi-layered, a perfectly
understandable precaution when you are going into a ‘hands-on’
situation with 17,000 fully-operational military small arms!
My wife, April, and I were met at
reception by Richard Jones, originally Herb Woodend’s successor and
now employed by the NFC. Richard, a very knowledgeable and helpful
gentleman with an acerbic wit, hidden behind a slightly dour
countenance, escorted us through the security procedures. I should
mention that I had to obtain special permission to take my camera as
photos are not normally permitted, and special conditions apply when
that permission is granted. We were issued with a set of white
cotton gloves each and taken into the collection room.
What a room! It is about 25 metres
wide and 50 metres long with the front part of the floor taken up
with row after row of tripod-mounted machine guns, then large tables
covered in LMG’s, steel plan cabinets laden with handguns, and
finally rows of double-height, back to back rifle racks. One whole
long wall was covered in SMG’s, and an adjoining board room was
lined with sectioned weapons of all types. Before we looked at the
specific weapons that I was researching, Richard took us for a 2 hour
familiarization tour, stopping every few feet to examine particularly
rare or interesting pieces. One such example was as we were
strolling through the myriad of plan cabinets that housed the pistol
collection. Richard stopped and opened a drawer that was laden with
Lugers of many models and variations (the entire cabinet was devoted
to the Luger). He said “This might interest you” and handed me,
an otherwise ordinary, WW1 4 inch barreled Erfurt Luger, serial
number 1 !
As our tour continued, Richard warmed to his task and went
out of his way to dazzle us with example after example of
unbelievably rare firearms, which we were able to handle and examine.
For the benefit of April he produced a magnificent cased set, in
near new condition, of a pair of 1860 Colt Army revolvers that were
presented by Samuel Colt to his Sheffield steel supplier for Colt’s
London factory.
After a pleasant lunch in the Royal
Armouries cafeteria, we returned to the NFC to examine the specific
firearms that I had requested. The first of these was the famous De
Lisle silenced Commando carbine, and the example I handled and
photographed was the same gun that is pictured in Ian Skennerton’s
two books on the subject. The second gun was the mysterious Welrod
pistol, a fully silenced assassination weapon that was developed by
the SOE in WW2 and dropped into occupied countries for resistance
use. The Welrod has the dubious distinction of having killed more
Nazi officers in WW2 than any other issue handgun! Not only did I
examine the .32 ACP Mk IIA model (the one most commonly used) but I
also examined the prototypes, the 9mm Mk I, and the US Hand Firing
Device which is more commonly known as the sleeve gun. The Welrods
were fitted with radium-painted luminous sights (the same as your
wristwatch) and, despite the fact that they were more than 60 years
old, the health & safety freaks had them labeled with “Warning,
radioactive substance”!
The Besal LMG was a WW2 development of
a simplified Bren-style gun, specifically designed for low-cost,
high-speed production in the event of bomb damage to the existing
Bren production facilities. Fortunately, the Bren production
continued without damage and the Besal design was never needed. Only
two Besals were made, and very little has been published about their
design. My interest in this gun was to do with a future article on
WW2 emergency designs, and I was interested in the simplified
internal mechanism. Richard told me, during my external examination
of the gun, that the Pattern Room had no photographs of the internal
parts. I was given the honour of stripping the gun and examining the
parts in detail before laying them out for photography, Richard
taking the official photos and me snapping away with my camera.
We spent the rest of the day carefully
handling a great many very rare firearms, including a Springfield
M1903 rifle fitted with a Pedersen Device, Gatling, Gardner, and
Nordenfelt guns, early and experimental SMG’s including a Mk I
Sten, and a number of prototype semi-automatic rifles from the
1890’s. We were privileged to have had the opportunity to visit
the collection, which was made all the more enjoyable by the courtesy
extended to us by Richard Jones and other staff members.
If you are contemplating a visit to
the UK, a visit to the Royal Armouries at Leeds is a must, even for
the non-collecting members of the family. The quality of the
displays and the history portrayed is of interest to young and old,
and will not soon be forgotten. If you have a specific interest and
wish to visit the Pattern Room collection, then make application in
plenty of time (two or three months) before you leave New Zealand.
Membership of the NZ Antique & Historical Arms Association is a
definite advantage in establishing your credibility and ‘bona
fides’ as a person who may qualify for admission. You can arrange
everything by e-mail if you visit the Royal Armouries website:
www.royalarmouries.org.
NFC Jonathon Freguson Interview
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?
One Friday in April – I won an on-line auction for a
rifle described as:"303 Lee Enfield converted to 9mm and fully
suppressed – Has problem with breech and needs work. Has no
magazine."
As Advertised.
Hmm, well – the date was very close to April Fools
Day and I was none too sure that I hadn't just made a fool of myself !
- Previously I had arranged with the helpful Christchurch Police Arms Office
to organize the required 'Mail Order Form'. It was the
following Thursday when the couriers van handed-over the parcel and I
was able to open it - then screw the concentric 19 inch x 2"
diameter barrel/silencer unit onto the action, and have a good look at it.
Yup – the head-space was way too much and the bolt was
really stiff and notchy when I tried to extract a fired case– the
chamber looked rough but usable.
The
Lee-Enfield action was stamped with a 'Crown over
VR' and
'1896' that
says it was almost a hundred and twenty years since it passed-out of
the Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield UK. - The old girl must have
been given her second life much later, but it was grubby and a bit
rusty – having what a collector would call '
patina' .
- I spent the next couple of hours with wooden toothpicks and fine
wire-wool scraping off assorted muck and replacing it with a smear of
oil – the Enfield looked much better for it but my jeans gained a
few oil stains.
Next
day I went round to my favorite local gunsmith (since retired)
Rod Woods
who initially said he thought the way to fix it would be to set the
9mm barrel back one full turn and reface the chamber to match the
bolt-face.
- While thinking about the problem we tried various single stack 9mm pistol magazines for fit – then Rod grinned and said
"I've got it"
and whipped-out the shortened L-E
bolt, took it apart, clamped it in a vice, preheated it with the
oxyacetylene torch and built-up the rear camming face with weld, - quenched and precisely hand-ground the cam surface to suite – then
"Where'sthat live ammo?"
-
out to the back room bullet trap - and clang goes the 9mm bullet into
the trap.- One De Lisle
copy - working first time!
- Note: Rod has previously made a batch of accurate true replica De-Lisle Carbines in .45"ACP. **News Flash** - Note 2: Rod says he's still making accurate replica 'De-Lisles' e-mail: gundoc@xtra.co.nz
Brilliant – what Rod had done – in less than an hour
- was determine what 9mm magazine I needed, ream the chamber, weld the
bolt and adjust head space, de-rust the firing-pin and make another
stronger spring, reduce and smooth the trigger pull – refit and
test fire. - And he also sold me an old double-barrel 12-gauge shotgun
(to convert to a coach-gun).
The needed missing magazine proved to be a Walther P 38
seven/eight round pistol mag and had to be modified by adding
a rib to the rear face to engage it with the original magazine
release catch on the rifles trigger guard. - Luckily one came-up on-line for
sale a few weeks later and I got it for $100 and rushed it into Rod
where he attached the required rear rib and cold-blued it.
9MM NATO Caliber Fully Silenced Bolt-Action Rifle Now (with telescopic sight).
The 9mm Lee Enfield / De Lisle rifle shoots very quietly & well ( better than I do) and with a
telescopic sight added is accurate out as far as I've tested it. -
Used with standard supersonic 9 mm loads it is much quieter than a handgun
– but when loaded with heavier sub-sonic 147 grain 9x19mm rounds
it becomes really refined & quiet enough to use without hearing
protection. - It actually is a great fun gun to shoot.
_________________________________
THE
DE LISLE COMMANDO CARBINE
W G De Lisle developed the idea of a
silent rifle for covert combat use during WW2. - His first prototype
was a .22" rim-fire caliber built with a full barrel moderator on
a Browning semi-auto action, - and he proved it shooting rabbits and
other small game in the countryside around his home in Berkshire UK.
He offered this first prototype to Sir Malcolm
Campbell of Combined Operations in 1943. The .22"
was rejected but he was asked to develop a 9x19mm version. This
second prototype using supersonic 9mm ammo was also rejected as
unsatisfactory. - So De Lisle was then asked to build a further rifle in
.45 ACP – this third attempt was successfully tested and found to be
much quieter than silenced handguns such as the Welrod single shot
used by occupied Europe resistance fighters.
An Original De-Lisle Carbine? - No, Sorry it's a copy !
De Lisle was granted apatent (number 579,168) and put
in charge of making a batch of the .45ACP carbines at the British
FORD factory, Dagenham – where an initial batch of 17
was built and issued for field testing by the Combined Operations
Commandos in "SS" Operations against the German occupying
forces. - These being successful, - a further batch of approx 130 units was
made with alloy silencer bodies by Sterling Armaments - including a small number built with folding stocks adapted from the
STEN Gun and a pistol grip - for airborne forces use.
Folding Stock 'Paratroopers' Version De Lisle.
The De Lisle Carbines were built on the Short Magazine
Lee-Enfield (SMLE Mk3) and used
.45 ACP caliber barrels from the Thompson sub-machine
gun. These barrels were turned-down and ported by cross-drilling, and
bell-mouthed,- and were fed by seven round M1911Pistol magazines. - Their full over-barrel silencers were 15 inches (38cm) long and 2 inches
diameter. - They were so effective with the sub-sonic 45 ACP ammunition that
it was said that the sound of the bolt action being worked to load
was louder than the shot being fired – so much so that the
underside of the bolt was drilled and fitted with a rubber pad to
quieten its metal-to-metal contact with the action! Link to video shooting a replica De Lisle Carbine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsUALdGog4U
Every time I shoot a well silenced gun - I end-up with a face-ache from too much smiling at the refined 'Click - CLANG' from each shot on the steel plates.
The De Lisle Carbines were used extensively on covert
operations by British and Allied Forces during WW2, and later again
in the BURMA CAMPAIGN, the MALAYAN EMERGENCY and even in the KOREAN
WAR. Furthermore it is strongly rumoured that the British SAS
used them against IRA Fighters during "THE TROUBLES" and in the FALKLAND ISLANDS war (IslasMalvinas). - The
fact that none have ever been released as army-surplus suggests that
they may continue to be valued for undercover use.
Sectioned
Model De Lisle Commando Carbine
________________
Just as a 'Post Script' (PS) - My Dad, Cpl James Kavanagh 2718019 Irish Guards (1934-1946) - volunteered and served with the British Commandos during WW2 in Norway, Italy, and Northern Europe ( plus service in Egypt with the Guards). - I heard him explain to a friend (from the Guards) after the war - that there was nothing 'heroic' about his volunteering for special service - but that it was the only way to get out of the Guards Regiment and away from their "poofy 'English Public School' officers" !
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
When I was a licenced Firearms Dealer here in NZ - I was buying Norinco Type 56s five at a time and they were sold before I unpacked them. It was evident that we all knew that design was the best for rough usage and 3-Gun IPSC Competition - but many chose to buy anything else than the "commie terrorist gun". I used an ex NZ Army L1A1 'SLR' .308" which was fine - but really 'too much gun' for me, - I tried a Ruger Ranch Rifle in 7.62x39 and much preferred it to the SLR 7.62x51, then I shot a SKS for a while - before giving in, and then I loved competition shooting with the banana mag Norinco AK - it was built for it - it worked! - but it drew plenty of funny looks too.
CHINESE Norinco Type 56 Sporter
Some of the better-off shooters had AR15 (M16) type 'black rifles' that looked the full package - and they shot fast and well - but they also payed big money for their rifles and ammo and they seemed to be stripping and lubing then at every break. The Chinese 7.62x39 stuff came by the caseload in cheap cardboard packs and was - cheap!
The AK has basically proved to be the single most battle-worthy and effective arm out there. - But has also gained its image as the dope-dealers, terrorists choice. - It will prove a hard act to follow, but that has been done - Enter the IzhmashAN-94
The work of Top Designer Gennady Nikonov - the AN-94 fires its first two shots so quickly (1,800 rounds per minute) that they have left the gun and are on their way before the rifle begins to react to recoil. These two rounds fire like one shot and arrive on target in a bullet-proof-vest and armour defeating double shot in the same hole. - subsequent rounds follow at a slower rate of 600 rpm. when fired in this mode. The standard rear sight is a peep-sight and the gun is chambered for the AK-74 5.45x39mm round (M74 cartridge).
The AN-94 banana mag is slightly canted to the right from the shooters view-point and the gun is MORE RELIABLE than the AK series !! However it is expensive and has so far been issued only to SpetsnazGRU soldiers.
I do note though that Wikipedia says that the Provisional IRA used the AN-94 during 'The Troubles' - How the hell did they get their hands on them - mind you, it's now TWENTY YEARS since the AN-94 was aproved for issue - where does time go?
The AN-94 uses a feed system that loads that second 'lightning' shot by a 'pulley and cable' system that shoves the second round into the chamber and reverses the bolts rearward motion rapidly. The whole barrel assy. chugs back'n'forth too.
- Faster than the eye can follow,- and too quick for my head to catch the idea either ! - time will tell how good this rifle proves to be in combat conditions - but I repeat - It is more reliable than the AK !
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
New Zealand has from way-back been known as having more sheep than people although right now sheep numbers are rapidly dropping as far too many properties are being changed-over to dairying.
Way back in the severe winters of the 1880s, serious sheep losses were occuring in the high country runs - and while there wasn't much to be done about the cruel weather, Keas became the focus of angry shepherds and flock owners. In March 1884 the sheep inspector at Queenstown reported that keas had attacked a flock near Lake Wanaka and killed 200 of the sheep in a single night. A bounty was offered paying up to two shillings a head and later in 1884 - 1,574 kea beaks were presented at the inspectors office for payment of the reward.
KEA Numbers are Estimated at only 5,000 Birds (Stoats & 1080 Poison?) 2016
Keas are a heavy handsome alpine parrot with green overall feathering but strong pink colouring under the wings. They are rated as one of the worlds most intelligent birds. Initially their curious natures made it easy for shepherds and stockmen to supplement their earnings by potting Kea.
1925 Photo courtesy Alexander Turnbull Library
The kea quickly became wary and hard to kill - leading to the use of professional bounty hunters with 'kea-guns' luring the nosy birds into range with bright coloured rags or captive tame birds being used to 'call-in' wild kea.
KEA GUN - Break-Action .410" Shotgun Pistol
The true extent of kea predation on sheep remains to this day controversial - but personaly I have more sympathy for the bird than for those bloody wooly maggots that crawl over the hills where once there used to be plenty of native bush for the Keas to wander and feed in - before it was burned by settlers. - Baaaah!
Anyway, kea guns were (are?) to be found all over the place until laws were changed - The 1921 Act stated that a pistol was a firearm with a barrel length under 12" - so the 12-1/8" kea guns were classified as shotguns until about 1968 ( a good friend used his from the holster on hare drives and bettered the drive average!) - when the rules were changed again to anything with a length under 30" - 762mm, being a 'pistol'.
- Of course, on the occasion of both law changes, lots of non co-operative owners just moved their hardware 'underground' - often hidden 'above-ground' up in the rafters of old sheds and barns.. Many (most?) of the Kea Guns were made by 'Mugica' in Spain and were specifically built for the New Zealand market as a short version of their full size single barrel .410" Shotgun. Their barrels were made to length and bored to full choke (- not just "sawn-off").
Rod Woods (My 'guru'!) says that the Harrington & Richardson "HandyGun" was also popular in New Zealand during the 1920s and 30s until the USA brought-in the 1934 US National Firearms Act that introduced registration and a Federal Tax on pistol shotguns and machine-guns.
Rumor has it that some kea guns were found to be usable here for pig hunting when loaded with a lever-action type straight walled cartridge !
Kea are of course now a valued? protected New Zealand native - but they retain their reputation for using their powerful beaks to rip bits from tourists cars in the high country.
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
Handgun Wounding Factors And Effectiveness - & The FBI's 10MM Pistol
I spotted this (disappointing) publication in the Kindle Bookshop and leaped on it, expecting some deep inner secrets of the FBI selection process - mind you, why I expected revelations of any significance for $3.50 somewhat does reveal my wishful thinking! ( Well - it did show the FBI Seal on the cover!).
The author claims that he had to file a Freedom of Information Act request and appeal a denial before getting his 'official' copy, but I'm not wide-eyed with wonder at the content. The report by Special Agent Urey W Patrick is at pains to point-out the dearth of proper research into "stopping power' and it seems to me, mainly goes over a lot of 'old ground' - particularly, - he dismisses temporary wound channel effects as less than significant.
.40"S&W
The report really states that of the various factors relating to stopping any offensive action, -penetration is the most critical - stating ".. a handgun bullet MUST reliably penetrate 12 inches of soft body tissue at a minimum, regardless of whether it expands or not."
-On the fear of over penetration, the report said: "the concern that a bullet would pass through the body of a subject and injure an innocent bystander is clearly exaggerated. Any review of law enforcement shootings will reveal that the great majority of shots fired by Officers do not hit any subjects at all. It should be obvious that the relatively few shots that do hit a subject are not somehow more dangerous to bystanders than the shots that miss the subject entirely."
Regarding the 'stopping power' studies available to that writer, the study states that they are all based on "myths such as knock-down power, energy transfer, hydrostatic shock, or the temporary cavity methodology of flawed work such as RII."
One last quote: "Penetration less than 12 inches is too little, and in the words of two of the participants in the 1987 Wound Ballistics Workshop, "too little penetration will get you killed"."
(Not my wife - I'm separated)
They were really trying to decide and select which ammunition was best between the 9MM and the .45"ACP - but the answer that they came-up with was a 10MM loaded with a 180gn hollow-point at 950 feet per second! - Of course that developed into the (then) new .40"S&W cartridge.
On further thought, it's not bad value reading and does tell the official story so..
Anyway - The latest "scuttlebuck" rumour between decks says that the Feds are going to drop the .40 S&W in favour of the 9MM round. - Supposedly this is not due to any particular "fourty-failing", - but recognises that ballistic advances in projectile type / design are enhancing the 9MMs function.
We'll just have to wait and see eh.
P.S. - Wikipedia says that the Government of Denmark has issued the Glock 20 to the Slaedpatruljen Sirius ( Sirius Sledge Patrol) based in Daneborg Northeast Greenland as a defence against polarbears that the unit encounters during patrols. I'd say that the all-black Glocks would show-up nicely if dropped in the snow, or photographed laying on a white furry body!. - And, if the 10MM is good enough for polar bears ...
Richard Middleton is a funny man - he's also the writer of "The Practical Guide to Man-Powered Weapons and Ammunition: Experiments with Catapults, Musketballs, Stonebows, Blowpipes, Big Airguns, & Bullet Bows."
Twelve Chapters of well tempered experiments at throwing dangerous projectiles down-range with maximum force by using the stored energy of muscle power via springs, stretched elastic rubber, and compressed air.
WARNING,WARNING (I quote): "As a necessary digression, the removal of cats from gardens is best achieved with a larger, lighter missile having less momentum, - penetration being highly undesirable for certain tasks." - but Richard does go on to detail the standard catapulted use of small prickly pine cones against "a yapping nasty little cur.."
Fascinating stuff for anyone needing to know more about how it can be done. - I'd guess that everyone reading this blog will already know something about long-bows, crossbows, military air rifles, blowpipes - having at least heard of such things, but more likely will have tried making them in the backyard and (so far) survived.
MODERN PISTOL CROSSBOW - LOTS OF FUN, CHEAPLY
The author, living in New Zealand but originally like myself, from UK, emphatically points out that he is NOT writing a 'do it yourself' Manual or instruction book for anyone to follow - as although he has survived to walk-away shaking his head - others might not be as lucky! (Black-eyes and bruises are embarrassing but not always permanent).
However the whole book is most instructive, illuminating, and bloody funny. BUY IT - At $9.88 the Kindle E-Version is great all-round value - but try to keep it away from any young boys in your immediate family unless you are content to share the blame for disrupting your neighbours cats - or indeed, your neighbours!
'GIRANDONI'- THE BUTT IS THE HAND-PUMPED AIR RESERVOIR - circa 1750
He tells about the 'GIRANDONI' Austrian Army Air Rifles of 1780 that gave repeat shots without smoke from black-powder, and the power level is in the .45"ACP zone - range out to 150 yards - about 30 shots before power drops-off and needs a replacement (Hand-pumped) air-butt swap. - Yes please, can I have a couple !
So, Not a new idea and not to be scoffed-at either, as they work!
- You know something, - Richard Middletons book has inspired me to go down to Gun City and buy
a 'sling-shot', catapult, or "Shanghai" as kiwis call 'em, - fun-in-the-sun, - and to maybe look at the pre-charged air rifles too!
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