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.

 

Percussion Pocket Pistol .. by H-NOCK:

 I've been investing again (buying) - this wee antique pistol is the kind I enjoy - and I bought it for two main reasons .. 

1/- It was cheap.

2/- It has the magic name H-NOCK engraved on the left face of it's boxlock action. - It also has 'LONDON' fainter & eroded in an oval on the R/H side.

Like myself .. it is a tatty old thing that has seen better days - and it has been covered with some chemical blacking (sprayed?) all over it's pitting, dings, and rust encrustation - but I like the type anyway, and the fact that it is fitted with a safety slider. Worthy of improvement.

The renowned Henry Nock 1741-1804, London, Gunmaker to the King, himself could not have made this pistol - as he was departed and buried some 16 years before the caplock percussion system arrived. - However his business had continued on under that name, being run by his foreman/son-in-law James Wilkinson until around 1820 before a name change to James Wilkinson & Son .. that was to later become Wilkinson Sword. Henry Nock made THE NOCK GUN .. a seven barreled Naval Volley Gun.

https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/articles/2029

A nephew of Henry, - Samuel Nock was apprenticed to him and independently became a top quality 'Master of The Gunmakers Company' in his own right.

Whatever, - I seriously doubt this plain(ish "carry gun" was made by the firm - as it has Birmingham Proof Marks  - but quiet likely it was bought-in from 'the trade' & retailed from their shop. Henry had learnt his trade in Birmingham before establishing his business in London.

'LIPSTICK ON A PIG'? ..

Expert collectors warn that - much like "DERRINGER" in America, - the names of respected European Gun Makers were sometimes added by entrepreneurs to guns from other factories to increase the price, and that 'H. NOCK' script carries great kudos. Further 'Expert' comment suggests that the small pocket pistols were very unlikely to be faked as many were low cost items resulting in small return for adding 'a name'. 

So my issue is "what to do?" - as there are rusty raised encrustation lumps under the applied "bluing". - I think that it all has got to come off. Take the barrel for instance .. that has a very good .44" bore - it had filing marks, rust and gouges on the outside of the barrel UNDER the blacking. - Now, me being an ignorant old bugger, - I've no idea whether this, when new, was supplied 'rust blued' or bright metal .. but for sure, after knocking about for two hundred years it wouldn't have much finish remaining eh. 

Showing It's Worst Side: Cleaning-off the "Blacking" 

- ALL that loose rust on the 'wet'n'dry' came from the barrel under the black coating:

And the rust pitting is much worse on the right side than on the left side .. maybe Nocky was made to lie that way by his Doxy, on the damp patch ..

Two screw threads are stripped and the hammer spring is weak & faulty so I'll be occupied for a few days.

Marty K.

Deadly DUEL of Court Dwarf Jeffrey Hudson

 The thing about shooting "modern guns" is that when you pull the trigger - it goes BANG - and all that's left to do is fire again & again & again ... That can get expensive and a bit boring after a few hundreds of shots eh - whereas if you start learning the art of Muzzle Loading and using antique propellant Black Powder .. well there's so much more to it to get used to - that if you are young and HASTY and can't keep it up and going for more than 30 seconds you are most unlikely to succeed in your enterprise ..

Now here's another enlightenment for youse .. Did you know that the venerable WHEEL LOCK  system for black powder ignition is not a 'flintlock' because it DOES NOT USE FLINTS ?

Flintlocks work by using a very hard piece of shaped FLINT to scrape iron shards from a "steel" surface as white hot sparks, to set off the gun powder .. BUT a Wheel-Lock uses a hardened toothed wheel to scrape and chip off glowing particles of IRON PYRITES that light the gun powder .. if you're lucky - which might be why pyrites is mostly called Fools Gold.

FOOLS GOLD - Iron Pyrites

Now, if you're not already too bored you should enjoy Ethan's video showing you him firing the wheel-lock he had such fun making ..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNS8Eoxmuqg

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Jeffrey Hudson 1619-1682 was a very small man born to a respected father who was a butcher & BULL BAITER. 

He was a tiny wee lad of some 46 centimeters 18 inches tall and he was passed to royalty to be an amusing gift as "a rarity of nature" a mixed blessing that exposed him to the upper classes as a freak, but over time he became an intelligent and capable wee man who got really fucked off by folk pinching and poking him and taking the piss.

In 1644 - the brother of an English Baron, a William Crofts challenging him as unable to fight a turkey-cock - turned up for a duel equiped with a water squirter that he amused himself by aiming and emptying at the small man mounted on his pony - who urged his steed forward - to shoot Crofts squarely in the forehead with his pistol killing him stone dead.

Moral of the story .. Don't take the piss and don't underestimate anyone.

“The giving cavalier [Croft] took no firearms, but merely a huge squirt, with which he meant at once to extinguish his small adversary and the power of his weapon. The vengeful dwarf, however, managed his good steed with sufficient address to avoid the shower aimed at himself and his loaded pistols, and, withal, to shoot his laughing adversary dead.”

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/amazing-story-18-inch-duelling-28517793

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey_Hudson

Hudson had a VERY interesting life - Well worth reading about.

Marty K.

50,000 Volts or Only 8,000?

Recently the whole country was shocked to learn of the deaths of an aged Waitakere couple having both been attacked by a RAM.

We all know enough not to trust fullgrown Bulls - but many widely encountered farm animals may be very dangerous .. such as Stags, Boars, Stallions, and Rams - particularly in the breeding season.

When I was a youngster my sister and I were charged by a cow with calf at foot that chased us from her field back over the gate. And all those bitey Sandflies are female.

A boar can make a weight of 110 kilos with wicked tusks - while rams can easily weigh up to 160 kilos of hard headed muscle.

- I'm a big lad at 95 kilos .. and don't have either horns or tusks.

Ask Yourself WHY these things have got HORNS ..

One answer, to any lack of respect, may be a Livestock "Cattle" Prod.

A wide choice of these is sold in New Zealand ranging in cost from the best Gallagher at around NZ$600. down to much more affordable brands

A PROD that works by pain is not a Taser such as those restricted to use by police ..

- 'Tasers' deliver upwards of 50,000 VOLTS to disrupt the target's nervous system and muscle control - whereas a prod is limited to delivering some 8,000-10,000 volts 'only' with low amperage of 120 Milliamps that is a painful belt similar to an electric fence unit.

Bainbridge Livestock Prod

.. There is a high cost thing called a cattle anal immobilizer sold to vets ..

Marty K.

A LOAD of Balls .. Picket Balls:

I Added a RED DOT to one of my POCKET PISTOLS 

- Note I am considering mounting a TACTICAL LIGHT.

Have any of you shooting types not seen Buster Scruggs from the Cohen Brothers - it's only 15 minutes fun viewing?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dwcxbr9o5A

What the hell is a picket ball or bullet in context of Muzzle Loading? 

I didn't find much clear explanation  anywhere .. but tried this link:

https://capandball.com/percussion-picket-rifle-by-r-m-wilder-and-the-early-target-shooting-in-the-united-states/ 

Does that help? .. conical 'Picket Balls' were likely developed for precision shooting in the 1850's just before the American Civil War - The trouble is , as usual - there are just too many variables to fix on one straight explanation. - So a picket ball is a "Conical" - Oh yeah?  Flat Based? Round Based? Hollow Based? Flat nosed? Round Nosed? Pointed Nosed?  - Sized to bore or used patched .. How long is the projectile's 'Bearing Surface' that contacts the rifling? - What rate of twist? 

It's reasonably obvious that precision shooting requires the shooter AND his tools to be PRECISE to the 'N'th' degree.. not something I have the patience for.

- Don't they call modern round-nosed pistol bullets 'conicals' ? .. even when they are hollow-point jacketed, truncated cone, etc. I'd have though 'Cylindrical' was more appropriate ..

CONICAL BULLETS?

I thought THIS was a CONE .

Have you seen anything like that on a range?

Does giving something "a name" make it so?

I reckon that there is a long tradition of deliberately using vague confused names, descriptions and caliber designations for the single pupose of pulling the wool over the customer's eyes & to get them to open their purse and SPEND on something "NEW"

- You could call it marketing or campaigning or selling or 'Spin' or 'public relations' or 'presentation' or "We are now going to a short advertizing Break" etc every five minutes.

- or 'BULLSHIT' even.

"Monolithic Hydrostatic-Shock Fluted Solid Copper Bullets"

- WOW maybe I am a mushroom in the dark ..

- Now WADCUTTER bullets are Cylindrical but many of these have hollow bases to disrupt their pure geometry ... but if you hand load these backwards into your brass cases you produce full bore 'hollow point cylindricals' that disrupt the target's impact zones while still cutting neat round holes in paper.

Nothing fancy here - Just .38 caliber soft lead

- Penetration versus Expansion.

Marty K.