Worlds Most Powerful Revolver - 600 Nitro Express:

The Pfeifer-Zeliska single-action .600" Nitro Express is a five-shot Magnum Revolver that may well prove to be the worlds all-time most powerful revolver - better called "Ridiculous-Revolver".

- However - I may question that claim later in this post ..

Meanwhile - I would like to introduce the .600 Nitro Express Cartridge that was developed in 1903 by W J Jeffery & Co. (Not Holland & Holland) This cartridge and its Express double-rifles were intended as the ultimate 'Big Game' tools for hunters intent on taking elephant ivory and other dangerous wildlife. - Just the gun to rely on when ...

this turns-up in your back-yard eh.

Loaded with a 900 grain projectile of .620" diameter that is said to be capable of penetrating 10mm sheet steel, - the early versions were propelled with cordite (a double-base propellant nitro-glycerine + guncotton) - hence 'Nitro-Express' -  "Express" because like the trains it was faster!

With a Velocity of 2,050 ft./second these elephant guns put-out 8,221 foot.pounds of energy - so they might be expected to be a little difficult to control in a revolver - But the Austrian made Pfeifer-Zeliska (P.Z) is a very large and heavy handful at 6. kilos - and almost adequately tames the recoil and upward kick.

Pfeifer-Zeliska Revolver

At 22 inches (55cm) overall length - the custom built 'P.Z .600' has a 13 inch barrel and the cylinder alone weighs more than many revolvers at 2.04 kg (4.5lb). 

- Just in case you were getting interested in buying one - please consider that each cartridge will cost you US$40. from Kynoch - That's $200. to load one cylinder full - and the P.Z Revolver  comes in a lovely fitted case at only US $17,316. each.

Note: Thanks go to 'Col' - editor of my pistol club Journal for introducing me to the Pfeifer-Zeliska. ('Col' is a magnum big-gun fan).

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However - that Zeliska may not be the biggest revolver in the world because ..

 It Does look a bit Like A King-Size Ruger Old Army eh.

(- Both are based on the Remington Model 1858.)

- This is getting silly - but Ryszard Tobys from Poland has probably got the biggest revolver for now  .. until some millionaire takes-up the challenge !

This is a 28mm calibre ( that's about one and one eighth of an inch diameter bore.) black powder revolver that fires 136 gram (not grain) bullets - and Mr. Tobys took 2,500 hours to make his hand-built revolver.

- This six-gun is a forty-nine and a half inch (1.26metres) long replica of the 1858 Model Remington and weighs-in at 45kg.

- Well done that man. Mind you it really does get to be a little "academic" once you get to this stage eh - could you carry one of either of these revolvers in a belt holster?

 - and can you say that they are 'handguns'? - Hand Cannon perhaps - but wait - there's more!

Eight Foot Long Roadside Photo-Op at Mankato Minnesota

Still - Life IS good - and the world is a better place for having these nuts - oops - that should read eccentrics - in it.

Marty K.

 P.S: Here is another fairly pointless gun - this time it's a semi-auto but:

Anything For A Laugh.

- Watch the next video too.

- I bet those nice white teeth cost about the same as the gun eh,

M.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

Padded Rifle Bags - Get Rythm:

These padded Gun Bags or 'soft cases' seem to run from NZ$50 to over $100 - depending on the makers labels - but there does seem to be a shortage of bags that will fit around a modern? rifle that's got a pistol grip and 'scope or red-dot type sight, bipod etc. hanging off of a picatinny or weaver rail.

- if you then then add a nice fat silencer - boy "Have you got trouble in Gotham City?"

 But - all you got to do is look for a cheap ($20) padded electric guitar bag and "eureka" - it's something like a miracle eh.

As Advertised for $20.

 

It does fit - and it's now under-cover - discretely presented as a harmless and 'p.c'-socially-acceptable musical instrument. - And the bag has shoulder straps, and two large pockets on the cover that are ideal for your mags., targets, bipod, tool & cleaning-kit, spare parts and batteries for your electronic sights.

"It Does Get In".

-but I do have to slip-off the bipod.

- That's a 'brass-catcher' velcroed over the ejection port.. talk about "bells & whistles"

I did start-out looking at used violin cases and they come cheap enough even when complete with a full-sized fiddle - I even started to consider using the interesting shaped 'stringy-screecher' as a light fixture or work of art etc. - but decided (with the help of a tape measure) that a "geetar" was better suited size-wise.

You have to think about these things when you're cash weak and in need of amusement.

- So don't forget that tape measure eh,

Marty K.

The Worst Gun I Ever owned:

I found this good piece on 'The Firearm Blog' - written by Melody Lauer.

It is so well worth reading that you really should Google: Ten Lessons Learned From The Worse Gun I Ever Owned.

Melodys .40"S&W  Kimber Ultra-Carry.

Here's a brief summery of what it's about:

LESSON 1 – DEFENSIVE CALIBERS DON’T HAVE TO START WITH “4”
LESSON 2 – CAPACITY IS COOL
LESSON 3 – SAFETIES ARE IRRELEVANT IF YOU ARE NOT SAFE
LESSON 4 – IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE MADE OF METAL
LESSON 5 – REPUTATIONS CAN CHANGE
LESSON 6 – FIND REPUTABLE SOURCES OF INFORMATION
LESSON 7 – GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE MAKES LOYAL CUSTOMERS
LESSON 8 – IF IT DOESN’T FIT, IT FRUSTRATES
LESSON 9 – LOOKS DON’T MATTER (BUT THEY KIND OF DO)
LESSON 10 – NOTHING IS MORE FUN THAN A GUN THAT RUNS

If you spend money on shooting guns - and care about getting something that works - go read everything Melody Lauer has to say.

Common sense aint all that common eh - so have a read of what she's learned.

Life is good,

Marty K.

P.S: I've read several reviews of the new(ish) Glock 43 single stack 'compact' 9x19mm.

- It seems that Glock have got yet another winner here - despite arriving very "late for the party" with this one. - Still - 'better late than never' eh - and it sounds like they've got it right for both fit and function. - No go for NZ pistol shooters as the barrel is under four inches long

- Now if only they'd release a G17/19 sized .22"R.F. calibre they'd rule the world !

MK.

Stress Under Fire - One Third "Ineffective":

By 1835 the percussion cap was widely in use on private and sporting arms. - By 1842 the British army had converted their Brown Bess muskets to percussion - but breech loading and metallic cartridge rifles were still hard to find.

Converted Musket.

Henry VIII (1491-1547) - way back in time had a breech-loading gun for shooting birds - but not until  the 1800s were various needle-fire, paper cartridges, metallic rim-fire cartridges developed - and then centre-fire cartridges in 1857.

The New Zealand Government when faced with limited support from the "home" British government - in 1861 ordered Calisher & Terry breech-loading carbines - that fired a water-proofed paper cartridge - and in due course received between 3,000 to 4,000 guns. - Some of this model gun were used by Confederate soldiers in America.

Note:  The Calisher & Terry company closed-down in 1870 as their design could not be adapted readily to use the new metallic cartridge.

Soldiers on both sides of the American Civil War, 1861 to 1865 - largely fought with muzzle loading weapons.

QUOTE: from Guns of The Old West by C E Chapel.

"After the battle of Gettysburg, fought on the first three days of July 1863, 37,574 arms were picked up from the battlefield and sent to Washington, D.C., for examination by ordnance experts. Of this number, 24,000 were found fully loaded. One fourth of these loaded guns had only one load in the barrel, but one half had two loads, and the remaining 6,000 arms had from three to ten loads in each gun.

Some of the muskets were loaded with the paper cartridges upside down so that the powder was not exposed to the ignition. One musket was found with twenty-three loads in the barrel, some right side up and some upside down. From all this evidence of the near-hysteria and excitement prevailing during the battle, the government authorities estimated that one third of the soldiers on each side were ineffective as fighting men. With a breech-loading arm, this multiple loading would be impossible;

Gettysburg.

I read years ago that if it is possible for anyone to fit something the wrong way round - there will always be somebody who will do it - and that's without the stress and panic of deadly warfare.

When these thousands of men were released from the conflict at the end of the civil war - many headed on West carrying their muzzle-loaders as an essential tool for the settlement of the Frontier lands.

Few could afford to buy the latest metallic cartridge, breech-loading weapons, or repeaters, - that were proven as so much more effective arms. Indeed some men even clung to the flintlock as a more independent system - it not needing a supply of percussion caps.

Marty K.

Snubby Revolver - Follow-up Story:

I got this follow-up story from a dealer-gunsmith who worked in North America - in response to my piece about the merits of carrying an "old fashioned" snub-nosed revolver - when you might have a 'modern' semi-auto of similar size and shape.

 __________

My personal choice for a ‘carry gun’ has almost always been the .38 Special S&W M60, here in the US.  Whilst I have carried other guns such as the M1911, 9mm S&W M469, and even a P38, my S&W Chiefs Special has been my favourite (and I still have it).  My reasons are;  total reliability, sufficiently accurate (I used to able to clean the plates at 25 metres, double action), and adequately powerful with +P 125 grain HP’s.  I am pleased to say that in all the years I carried (here and overseas) I never once had to put my hand on my gun in a tense situation, but knowing it was there was comforting.

 

The S&W M60.

Tastefully Engraved

 

Auto pistols are OK, and some are reasonably accurate, but NONE of them compare to a good revolver for reliability, accuracy and power.  In my hands over the years I have learned that a good auto will shoot about 4-5” groups at 50 metres when I am having a good day (and many will only do that at 25 metres).  On many occasions I have double-actioned 2-3” groups at 50 metres with a revolver (and shot a few single-action, one-handed, one-hole 5 shot groups at 25 metres) and I have also shot a 1-3/4” group at 100 metres with my S&W M29 .44 Magnum, single action, resting both hands.

 I have attached a scan of a target of which I am rather proud.  I supplied a shipment of .38 Spec S&W Mod 10 revolvers to the local Police back in the 1980’s and two detectives came into my shop one day with one, complaining bitterly that it would not hit a figure target at 10 metres.  They only had three rounds left and I fired them standing, double action, in the 10 metre range at work.  All three shots seemed OK to me!

__________

The target has the three .38 Special hits at ten metres as one tight vertically elongated hole.

 

Well done and Thank You -

Here's a wee video comparison of two .357" Magnum  snubbies - one 6 shot, the other 5 shot:

 

 

Marty K.

Silenced Glocks - 9x19mm & .45":

When I did my earlier post "How to Read a Fired 9x19mm Case?" (30.03.2015) - I was conscious that I had tested my 158gn Subsonic loads in two long-arms fitted with over-barrel silencers and an un-silenced Glock17.

158gn Sub-Sonic Fired Cases
 from Just Right Carbine, "DeLisle" L.E. Rifle, & Glock17.

- Maybe I should save-up some pennies to buy a threaded barrel and get a silencer to play with on the Glock 9mm too.

 I am wary of that idea - as the thought of a big tube screwed to the barrel - that has to flick up-and-down each time the barrel breech locks and unlocks kinda scares me a bit. - However - Hickok45 shows here that it really isn't an issue.

Silenced Glock 17

"Oh - I may have a Problem Hitting The Gong - The Sights are Somewhat Obscured"

- Ting, Ting, Ting !

 

9x19mm JRC.

While a silenced Carbine or rifle is very practical - adding all that extra length to a handgun certainly changes its character & reason to be.

9x19mm Lee-Enfield "DeLisle".

And - the video clearly shows noise level is significantly lowered even on a centre-fire handgun.

Hickok45 has also done a video on a silenced Glock 21 (.45"ACP)

- Like the man says .. Life is good.

Marty K.

'The Snubby Revolver':

I've just finished reading "The Snubby Revolver" by Ed Lovette.

 - It was very good - educational and entertaining - which is about how it should be - as I've also just paid-off my credit card bill for NZ$152. -  All for books bought from The Book Depository in England!

 - that was for five books mind you, not just this one - and I'm not really complaining as I don't get through that much cash from week-to-week normally.

- Just books, gun stuff, car stuff - like insurance and petrol, tyres, servicing etc.), taxes, food, cat food, medical expenses, dentists, clothing, shoes,  house stuff like electricity bills, firewood, insurance,  plumbing repairs etc., etc.

The books theme is why both professionals and citizens should still consider the short barrelled revolver as a good choice of carry / back-up gun even in this era of compact semi-autos being out-there - with examples and great tips (for US citizens of course):

Tip 1; ALWAYS HAVE A GUN (when expecting a gunfight)
Tip2: ALWAYS GAIN & MAINTAIN A TACTICAL ADVANTAGE (CHEAT )
Tip3: NEVER GIVE UP

Ruger KCLR .357" Magnum.

 

He points-out that even if the bad guy has got a weapon - it doesn't necessarily mean that he will use it - and if he does , he won't always hit you, - and if he does, that doesn't mean that you are dead.

____________

CALIBRE:
Ed raises the subject of calibre - the bigger the better - Can't argue with that - The biggest that you can handle accurately.

My all-time number one favourite calibre has to be the 10MM Auto ( - better thought of as the .40" Auto MAGNUM) - however this is handicapped by only a few makers having a gun in this size (no snubbies? - there are derringers in 10MM) - and the ammunition sometimes being hard to find. Flat shooting and as effective as a .45  .. I guess you might cut-down a S&W 610 moon-clip revolver to three inches if you could find one?

-For law enforcement carry I'd certainly go for both main gun and 'back-up' in the same calibre for serious 'social use' - so would maybe use a  Glock 17 / 19  9mm backed-up by a 9x19mm short-barrel revolver using full-moon-clips.- Loaded with a hot modern expanding projectile.

Ruger LCR 9x19mm Reviewed

- Good Music Too!

- Or a .45ACP auto and moon-clip fed revolver? ..

- You pays your money and makes your  choice eh (if you work & live in America anyway). - Here in NZ - I have absolutely no thoughts of any kind of violence.

 - For educational and research purposes only.

Marty K.