Helpful Tip of the Day: 2007-05-06

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Beretta Bobcat & More

WELCOME TO THE NO BS ZONE OF TEDDY JACOBSON
DISCLAIMER: ALL COMMENTS MADE BY ME, TEDDY JACOBSON WHO IS A TRIGGER SPECIALIST ARE MY OPINION ONLY. I AM ONLY DEDICATED TO TELLING THE HONEST GUN OWNER WHAT I BELIEVE IS TRUE. IN A WORLD OF TOTAL BS, YOU WILL FIND STRAIGHT HONEST TALK FROM ME AND MY EXPERIENCE, MY ACTION WORK IS SECOND TO NONE.

Beretta 21A Bobcat

Here are some photos of the Beretta 21A Bobcat Pistol:

If you want to download or view the Manual, you can get it HERE.

I like this little pistol. It has a Double Action/Single Action trigger, so you can carry a round in the chamber, and not be worried about accidentally firing it. Yet at the same time, all the subsequent shots will be quick single action style.

The weight is about 11.5 ounces. Because 22 cartridges weigh less than 380 cartridges, the loaded weight is nearly the same as the loaded weight of my Kel-Tec P3AT. The Kel-Tec holds 6 rounds in its magazine, plus another in the chamber. The 21A holds 7 rounds in its magazine, plus another round in the chamber.

Of course the 380 is larger and heavier than the 22 round, and will do more damage to a "bad guy." The 22 cartridge, especially if you use a high velocity "stinger" or some such, will be faster than most 380 bullets. It IS possible to use a 22 for self-defense, especially if it is easy to shoot, and if you are thereby able to be more accurate than with a more powerful pistol. Shot placement is the most important factor in a gun fight.

The Beretta Bobcat has a "tip-up barrel," which makes it easy to chamber a round, or to clear the chamber of a round. It is actually never necessary to "rack" the slide, because of this feature. This makes it a good pistol for a person with weak arms or hands.

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FROM THE NAA MESSAGE BOARD. SANDY IS THE OWNER OF NORTH AMERICAN ARMS.

Sandy
Message Board Member
Username: Sandy

Post Number: 62
Registered: 01-2003

Posted on Thursday, May 10, 2007 - 05:19 am:

Kenneth - You couldn't be any more mistaken. We are now producing the 32ACP/25NAA Guardians in house and are just completing our relationship with Kahr for the machining of the large frame Guardian. During this conversion we have instituted several manufacturing changes, including squaring the breechface for more reliable extraction, crowning the barrel and broach-cutting the rifling, amongst others. We will continue to make improvements in this and all our products when and as the opportunity presents itself.

Stopping production? Rubbish.

Honk honk!
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TEDDY JACOBSON's RESPONSE - THIS IS A MUST READ RESPONSE

WELL SANDY CHISHOLM, WHO IS THE OWNER OF NAA ARMS, HOW ABOUT TELLING PEOPLE THE TRUTH ABOUT WHOS IDEA THIS WAS ABOUT THE BREECH FACE AND THE CROWN AND THE RIFLING. STOP THE BS - IT WAS MY IDEA AS I HAVE BEEN TELLING YOU THIS FOR YEARS. YOU REFUSED TO BUY BETTER SPRINGS BECAUSE OF MONEY AND NOW IT HAS COST YOU DEARLY. I CAN NOT FEEL SORRY FOR YOU, YOU AND YOUR CRONIES THOUGHT YOU KNEW IT ALL, BUT I WAS RIGHT ALL ALONG, ADMIT IT...

WHY WOULD YOU SEND THREE OR MORE EXTRA PARTS TO GUARDIAN OWNERS WHEN THEIR ORIGINAL PARTS BROKE, THE ANSWER IS BECAUSE YOU KNEW THEY WOULD BREAK AGAIN BECAUSE THEY WERE SUB STANDARD. YOU WERE TOLD BY ME THE SPRINGS WERE INFERIOR. YOU TOLD ME IN PERSON TO MY FACE AT THE NRA SHOW THAT YOU HAD NO INTENTION OF CHANGING SPRING COMPANIES AND BUYING CHROME SILICON SPRINGS THAT WERE DESIGNED BETTER.

I CAN NOT RECOMMEND THE NAA GUARDIAN AT THIS TIME ALONG WITH GUN TEST MAGAZINE WHO SAID THEY DID NOT LIKE THE "GUARDIAN". I RECOMMEND THE KEL-TEC AT HALF THE PRICE WHICH HAS A PROPER BREECH FACE AND BETTER RIFLING AND A BETTER CROWN AND IT INCORPORATES AN EJECTOR. THE GUARDIAN DOES NOT HAVE AN EJECTOR. THE KEL-TEC SLIDE LOCKS BACK AND IT ALSO HAS SPRINGS MADE OUT OF CHROME SILICON WIRE WHICH IS SUPERIOR. IT ALSO FIRES FROM A LOCKED BREECH AND THE TAKE DOWN PIN DOES NOT BREAK LIKE YOUR INFERIOR GUARDIAN SLIDE RELEASE BUTTON THAT IS SUB CONTRACTED OUT. IS IT MADE BY "TAURUS ???

ALL I HAVE EVER ASKED FROM YOU IS HONESTY. I STILL HAVE NOT GOTTEN STRAIGHT HONEST ANSWERS. WILL YOU NOW REPLACE EVERYONES OLD INFERIOR GUARDIAN WITH YOUR UPDATED VERSION AT NO CHARGE ???? THIS IS THE LEAST YOU CAN DO...

I AM STILL CONVINCED THAT MANY OF THE POSITIVE COMMENTS ON THE NAA MESSAGE BOARD ARE WRITTEN BY FACTORY WORKERS USING PHONY NAMES TO HELP THEIR SALES. I DO NOT BELIEVE A WORD THEY SAY....AGAIN THIS IS MY OPINION ONLY.
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Kenneth
Message Board Member
Username: Kenneth

Post Number: 78
Registered: 01-2005

Posted on Thursday, May 10, 2007 - 08:42 pm:

"Kenneth - You couldn't be any more mistaken. We are now producing the 32ACP/25NAA Guardians in house and are just completing our relationship with Kahr for the machining of the large frame Guardian. During this conversion we have instituted several manufacturing changes, including squaring the breechface for more reliable extraction, crowning the barrel and broach-cutting the rifling, amongst others. We will continue to make improvements in this and all our products when and as the opportunity presents itself.

Stopping production? Rubbish.

Honk honk!"

Sandy,
will all these improvements be retroactively offered to those who purchased Guardians previous to said improvements?

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Monday, October 09, 2006

NAA Guardian Rifling - WHERE IS IT ???

# posted by Teddy Jacobson @ 8:48 AM

Monday, October 09, 2006

NAA Guardian - Breech Face Problem - HOW ABOUT REPLACING EVERYONES EXTRACTOR AND SLIDE...

# posted by Teddy Jacobson @ 8:28 AM

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BERETTA BOBCAT

Quality pocket pistols.
The same dedication to advanced design, uncompromising quality and strict quality control that make the 92F, Cougar and Cheetah such international standouts is found in all Beretta small caliber, pocket-size pistols. Simplicity, safety and practical use are their best qualities.

Practical and Simple.
User-friendly design is common to all Beretta small frames. The exclusive tip-up barrel allows the user to easily load a round directly into the chamber. It also assists in the safe clearing of the pistol by allowing a live round to be easily removed from the chamber and the bore quickly checked. Jamming and stovepiping problems are virtually eliminated by the open slide design shared by all small frame Berettas.

Advanced Materials.
Keeping an eye on quality helps keep Beretta small caliber semi-automatics out front. Beretta pistols in the 21 Series utilize the toughest of forgings for their barrels, while slides are fashioned from solid steel bar stock. Frames are machined from solid aluminum forgings. The new Inox versions utilize the finest materials, difficult to machine but exceptionally corrosion resistant and durable.

21 Bobcat. Trustworthy and Precise.
Chambered for .22LR or .25ACP (6.35 mm). This compact, rugged small frame measures just 4.9 inches (125 mm) overall and weighs only 11.5 ounces (325 grams). It features a lightweight, alloy frame, blued steel slide, tip-up barrel, and double/single action. The Bobcat comes with a 7-round magazine for .22LR ammunition, or an 8 round magazine for .25 (6.35 mm)caliber cartridges.

21 Bobcat Inox.
This model has a stainless steel slide and barrel. The alloy frame is gray anodized to match the color and finish of the stainless components. The other metal parts (trigger, hammer, trigger guard, safety, magazine, etc.) are black finished.
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Semi-Automatic Pistols

Beretta Tomcat .32

by Gary G. Nass

Let me begin by saying that I fully expected some kind of malfunction with the gun. After all, it is a brand new pistol that has already suffered a recall because of serious failure to feed problems. But now, two months later, and after the forth delay, the Tomcat is out. I fired 50 rounds of Winchester 71 gr. FMJ and 55 rounds of Winchester 60 gr. Silvertip HP without a single malfunction of any kind. The gun performed flawlessly! Time will tell if this reliability trend continues, but it's a heck of a start. I would also like to point out that I fired almost all of the Silvertips from a fully loaded 7 round magazine to insure proper feeding from top to bottom. With an eighth bullet in the chamber via the tip-up barrel, you have the option of shooting the first round double action without having to rack the slide, or you can thumb-cock the hammer for all single action fire. The small slide pulled back easily with the help of about 13 grooves at the rear. The safety is frame mounted and easily manipulated with the thumb.

So what about accuracy? I was told by my dealer not to expect too much from this little gun. It has a very short barrel and small, all matte sights - notch in the rear and a blade up front with no dots to line up. No problem, the piece is meant for close range work where aiming isn't likely anyway. Now that I had my excuses lined up, I was ready to shoot. I used a 25 yard slow-fire pistol target with a 9.5" outer ring, taped to the heart area of a torso size cardboard silhouette. (Before I reveal the results of my shooting, let me stress that I am no Annie Oakley. I am normally a fair shot on a very good day.) At 7 yards and 1 shot/second deliberate aiming, my worst groups were always within about a 5" area. My best group to this point at 7 yards was 8 shots in 1.5" with the Silvertips. Most of the groups were low/left of center, but within the 6 ring. I moved the target out to 50 feet to see if I could qualify at that range with this little gun. I put 5 out of 7 in a 2.5" group with two flyers, the farthest being 7" from the group.

Okay, I took a moment to regain consciousness and decided to try some "real-life" drills. At ranges varying from 7 to 15 feet I "point-shot" rapid fire two to the body (vital area) one to the head successfully 5 out of 7 times. Once I nipped the left ear, and once I missed the head by about 2", again to the right of the left ear.

My hour was about up, and my target was full of tape, so I decided to take seven last shots at the head from 25'. I keyholed 4 out of 7 in a 1.25" group, and left the range more than satisfied.

Just a couple final comments: The two types of ammo I used both performed comparably, the only clear difference being the appearance of the hole it left in the paper. I expect more manufacturers to come out with a .32 round soon. I hear Hornady and Cor-Bon are ready to go with competition for Winchester. It will be tough to beat the performance of the silvertips though.

Although I wore hearing protection, it was obvious that the blast was considerably more than a .22, I would estimate it to be comparable to a light .38 round. Recoil was minimal, and made follow up shots fast and easy. (Probably a major contributing factor to my accuracy improvement, considering my other two handguns are a .357 snubbie and a .45)

Only two minor complaints: My double action first shots tended to end up about 6" below point of aim. The double action trigger pull seemed a little heavy, but I usually do pull down in double action anyway. Also in double action shots, the bottom of the trigger crowds my finger a bit, but in single action the trigger is perfect. Secondly, after 105 shots, my grips are a little loose, but I think I'll overlook that and keep the gun - real close.

I'm looking forward to hearing the reviews of other Tomcat owners as they receive this fine little Beretta.

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21 Bobcat Inox

Model	Caliber	Magazine Capacity	Action	Total Length (mm/inch)	Barrel Length (mm/inch)	Total Thickness (mm/inch)	Total Height (mm/inch)	Sight Radius (mm/inch)	Weight Unloaded (gr/oz)
21 Bobcat	6.35	8	Single/Double	125/4.9	61/2.4	28/1.1	94/3.7	88/3.5	325/11.5
21 Bobcat	22LR	7	Single/Double	125/4.9	61/2.4	28/1.1	94/3.7	88/3.5	335/11.8
21 Bobcat Inox	22LR	7	Single/Double	125/4.9	61/2.4	28/1.1	94/3.7	88/3.5	335/11.8

Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Springfield Armory & More

PLEASE NOTE: TEDDY JACOBSON, TRIGGER SPECIALIST, DOES NOT RECOMMEND THIS PISTOL...

A Look at the Springfield XD 9

By Stephen Camp
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com

Hello. Like many traditionalists, I was wrong in thinking that "plastic guns" would break quickly and not last the test of time. Though I strongly prefer blue steel and old, "out of date" Hi Powers and 1911s, there are many who rather like these "modern" pistols using polymer in place of the traditional steel or aluminum alloy frame. Though there were such pistols before Glock, it was the design that entrenched polymer into the making of handguns.

Of late I've been reading and hearing about a newcomer to this field, Springfield's XD. The pistol's available in a compact version, the service version, and a longer, tactical version and is chambered in 9mm, .357 SIG, and .40 S&W. There are rumors of a forty-five in the future.

Some opine that's it's a superior pistol to the Glock, which it obvious emulates while others firmly disagree. I don't know, but decided to add one to my collection and find out. Understand that while I will make observations and give opinions, such are frequently subjective and might not be true for you. This report is a bit more detailed than others I've done as not all of us are so familiar with the XD as we might be other guns. I'm well satisfied that some are considering buying as well.

The 9mm XD proved reliable with a wide number of ammo types.

Specs from Springfield Armory:

Barrel Length: 4.05"

Weight: 25 oz.

Length: 7"

Trigger Pull: 5.5 to 7.7 lbs. (They have the Glock-like safety lever mounted in the trigger, but refer to it in combination with the grip safety as "Ultra Safety Assurance" (USA) action trigger system.

Magazines: 10 round stainless steel "Easy Glide"

Finish: Bruniral

I also took some measurements that might be of interest:

Slide Thickness: 1.04" (Glock 26 measures: 1.003" for comparison.)

Frame Thickness: 1.18"

(Both are at the widest points.)

Barrel Diameter at Muzzle: 0.53" (It holds this diameter rearward for 0.36".)

Barrel Diameter Beyond Above: 0.52:

Vertical Bbl Movement w/Grip Safety Depressed: 0.01"* (Gun not cocked.)

Vertical Bbl Movement w/Grip Safety Not Depressed: Same (Gun not cocked.)

Vertical Bbl Movement w/Grip Safety Depressed: 0.015" (Gun cocked.)

Vertical Bbl Movement w/Grip Safety Not Depressed: 0.02" (Gun cocked.)

Distance from Middle of Fully Depressed Grip Safety to Middle of Trigger w/o

Depressing Trigger Safety: 2.598"

*When released, the bbl moved back upward as do the Glock barrels when pressed in the same manner.

Unlike the Glock pistol that is close kin to a DAO auto in that pressing the trigger fully cocks and releases the partially cocked striker. When a round's chambered in the XD the striker's fully cocked and blocked by a sear and also has an internal firing pin safety that allows the pistol to fire only when the trigger's in the rearmost position. In this instance, I DO like the internal firing pin safety, as there is no half-cock notch should something go wrong.

The polymer frame around the magazine well, which is beveled on the sides and rear, does not flex, as do the Glocks, not that this really matters in terms of function. The front and rear grip straps are coarsely checkered and do provide for a secure grip. The thumb rests are more like thumb depressions and are actually very comfortable to me? I find the grip angle and grip "feel" more comfortable than any Glock. There is a slight relief cut under the rear of the trigger guard.

The recoil spring system consists of two springs and the dual guide rods are steel. I don't have any idea what strength these amounts to, but am guessing about 18 lbs. This system closely resembles the two-piece system sold by Wolff Gunsprings for the Glock 26. Unlike the Wolff, however, these springs are captive, something I don't like as it makes it more difficult to change out recoil springs. Also, the forward end of the guide rod consists of a flat disc, which protrudes from the front of the slide by 0.06". I'm sure that this prevents any problems or damage to the part, but this does not look all that great to me. Like most pistols these days, Springfield managed to squeeze in three front cocking serrations, so as not to be out of style.

Here's the front of the steel spring guide in its normal position.

The grooved trigger is steel with the safety being polymer. The trigger pull is long, but with a very minimal amount of over travel. Despite this weapon's firing from a fully "cocked" position, the trigger pull feels about the same as that of the standard factory Glock, but maybe not quite as smooth. Whether or not this smooths up with use, I do not yet know. Trigger reset is considerably longer than the Glock; it proved no problem for me as I'm an old double-action revolver shooter and currently shoot Browning Hi Powers quite a lot. Those who are really quick and welded to the 1911's exceptional trigger and short reset might have a problem with this pistol during speed shooting strings. The XD trigger is approximately 0.373" wide, centered in a trigger guard that's about 0.603" wide. This means the trigger's about 0.115" narrower than the trigger guard is on each side. For comparison, I measured my Glock 26 for these dimensions. The trigger measured 0.385" in width centered in a trigger guard that's 0.625" wide. Thus, the trigger is protected by 0.12" of trigger guard on each side. I see no particular "threat" from either being too wide for the trigger guard.

The ambidextrous magazine release is mounted behind the trigger guard ala 1911, SIG-Sauer, Browning HP, et al. Depressing the steel mag release retracts the catch from the notch located in the front of the magazine body. The stainless steel body is very highly polished and smooth as a mirror. It does drop free w/o hesitation. The follower is black polymer as is the magazine floor plate. It loaded smoothly and w/o excessive effort. Rounds stripped by hand did so very smoothly and the follower/spring/lips set up is such that loaded rounds are angled upward for slick feeding. Don't worry about losing this magazine at night. Just shine a flashlight in the general area and it should reflect like a diamond! Nothing bright shows while in the pistol. There is a hollow area behind the magazine well as is the case with the Glock.

The slide release lever looks very similar to the Glock, but is larger and operates the same way.

The pistol's take down lever is mounted on the left, forward side of the frame, but is rotated upward rather than downward for dismantling. It is an easier system than the Glock. Other than this, takedown is quite similar.

An obvious difference in these pistols is that the XD uses an internal extractor that's sort of similar to that of the traditional 1911's. There's a cylinder of steel at the end that fits a recess in the slide to hold it in proper position. This cylinder has a groove cut in it and it appears that the firing pin safety-retaining pin fits in the cylinder portion's groove to keep the extractor in place. At the top rear of the very Glock-like ejection port is the loaded chamber indicator. This pivoting indicator does have what appears to be an extractor-like claw on it, but in checking it with 9mm hulls, it does not appear to aid in extraction. It does not protrude upward enough to interfere with sight picture nor does it present any potential snagging problems.

The extractor is on the cartridge's right side facing forward with the loaded chamber indicator on top. It holds the case firmly.

On the rear grip strap sits the grip safety. Much narrower than the 1911's, it is easy to depress and really isn't even felt at all when preparing to fire. When the pistol's got a round chambered a small pin protrudes from the rear of the slide through the locking plate in a manner similar to the HK P7, but it doesn't protrude nearly so far. With a round in the bbl, but the grip safety not depressed, the slide will move rearward only about 0.12;" call it an eighth of an inch.

Sights are fixed and the common 3-dot style and mercifully, made of steel. SIG-Sauer pistol sights will work in this pistol. Though more durable than the polymer fixed Glock sights, the sight picture's similar with both pistols and both sit on the flat slide top. To me the Glock slide is "cleaner" than the XD. The latter's is wider at the bottom than the top and kind of reminds me of SIG-Sauer P226 and 228 slides.

Ammunition: Four handloads and six factory rounds were tried. They were:

Federal M882 124 gr. FMJ

Speer Lawman 124 gr. TMJ

Federal 115 gr. JHP

PMC Starfire 115 gr. JHP (This load's not offered in anything but 124 gr. now to the best of my knowledge.)

Winchester USA 115 gr. FMJ (This is NOT the same company's "target ammo.")

Remington 115 gr. JHP +P

Handloads included cast, plated, and jacketed bullets. This was done as some will want to reload for this pistol.

124 gr. Hornady XTP

6.0 gr. Unique

Winchester SP Primer

Starline Cases

LOA: 1.11"*

124 gr. Speer GDHP

6.0 gr. Unique

Winchester SP Primer

Starline Cases

LOA: 1.115"*

*(Both of these hit over 1200 ft/sec from Browning Hi Powers.)

124 gr. Rainier Plated RN

6.9 gr. Blue Dot

Winchester SP Primer

Starline Cases

LOA: 1.15"

122 gr. Rucker Cast FP

6.9 gr. Blue Dot

Winchester SP Primer

Starline Cases

LOA: 1.075"

The handloads using Blue Dot average about 1140 ft/sec from Browning Hi Powers and have proven reasonably accurate, something frequently not so easy to find in 9mm pistols.

Shooting: There was no 50-yard shooting today; it was sprinkling off and on between true showers and I stayed dry shooting at the closer distances as the 50 yard range was ankle deep in water. Groups were fired off-hand at 15 yards standing and w/2-hand hold. I did shoot the groups at 25 yards seated and using a rest. The 10-yard rapid-fire group was fired standing w/2-hand hold. Due to the rain, I did NOT chronograph ammunition from the XD today. I'd never fired this pistol before today and had no idea where it would hit so I aimed "dead on" at the 15-yard targets.

Fifteen Yards:

The arrows indicate the position of the first, hand-cycled round compared to the rest of the group.

Twenty-five Yards:

Cast bullets did pretty well out of the XD. The pistol uses does not use polygonal rifling, but has lands and grooves as do most service pistols

Observations: The most obvious one to me was that this particular XD suffers from "first-shot flyer syndrome." The first shot fired (chambered by hand) usually hit a bit low and left from the subsequent group. Until I saw the pattern developing after a few groups, I had thought it was just my shooting. The range master came over and fired with the same results and he is a very fine shot. I'm not sure if this will be common to the gun or just individual specimens.

Feeding, extraction, and ejection were 100% reliable in this admittedly low-round test. The loaded chamber indicator caused no problems that could be seen. Fired cases landed about 5' to my right regardless of their being standard pressure or hotter.

All rounds chambered w/o hesitation.

Recoil from any service-size handgun in 9mm is not much and this gun proved no different. I did note more muzzle flip than expected, but whether this has to do with its bore axis being 1.79" above the middle of the trigger, grip angle or a combination, I don't know. (On the Glock 26, the same measurement yielded 1.48".) The XD bbl was conventionally rifled, having lands and grooves and appeared to be a 1:10 twist.

This pistol hit a bit high for me. Switching to a 6 O' Clock hold helped, but it is still on the high end on POI. Windage seemed about right out of the box and while I prefer plain black on black fixed sights, these were not hard to use.

I found this pistol "hard" to shoot accurately in slow-fire @ 15 and 25 yards but got a little better as the testing proceeded. While I had no scales by which to measure the trigger-pull, it did not seem that much different than the Glock, although it did seem less "smooth." I could get decent groups, but had to work/concentrate for them more so than with some other pistols. In rapid-fire, I could tell no difference between this pistol and a Glock in terms of getting good hits.

Certainly, this pistol would need to be shot more before I'd consider it for self-defense use and I plan to use it as a "loaner" in CHL class I teach as well as personally shoot it quite a bit. Should there be dramatic changes, I will report them, good or bad. I have no idea how this gun's dark rust-resistant finish will hold up compared to the Glock's tennifer. Time will tell and so will I.

A personal concern that I've had with striker-fired pistols is reliability in firing "hard primered" rounds. I recall some Greek surplus 9mm that was not recommended for Glocks due to this. I checked primer strikes with CCI, known for harder primers, a military Federal load, and a +P Remington load. Though not definitive, it does show reasonably well-centered strikes along with some cratering and firing pin "wipe." This caused no problems, but I'd sure be sure of my ammunition, not only in feeding/extraction, but also in firing.

This particular XD9 was reliable with lots of varied ammunition, but was reliably unreliable with Glaser Safety Slugs. I suspect that has to do with the recoil impulse of this particular light bullet, high velocity load. With standard 115 to 124-gr. bullets at standard and +P velocities, there were no problems. Not many of these expensive Glaser rounds were fired due to cost, but all failed to extract. Always test a potential defense handgun with the ammo you intend to use.

It's my opinion after looking the gun over pretty closely that its intrinsic accuracy potential is there, but I had a somewhat challenging time in practically being able to get it due to the trigger. Part of this is just me. I can usually be found shooting light, crisp 1911 triggers or very nice BHP triggers. However, some more practice and familiarization with the XD might result in some tighter groups.

So what's it good for? I think it's obvious that the pistol's meant to be a down-and-dirty defensive tool rather than a match-precision target pistol, but I do think it has the mechanical capability of doing some tight groups with practice and ammo it "likes." If you like holsterless carry and prefer the Glock genre of defensive pistols, this would be the one I'd pick over the Glock. Fully loaded, weight is NOT a problem and I personally find the feel of the XD more comfortable than the Glock 19. (I think the G19 is the best Glock to compare the Service XD to, but I only own one Glock, the G26.) Assuming reliability, I would not hesitate to carry this as a trusted personal defense pistol and think it would be capable of "rescue shots" at 15 yards in my hands right now. However, in a tactical type situation or taking small game, I'd have to go with my 1911s and P35s. This does not mean that I wouldn't take a shot at a jackrabbit 40 yards out, only that I'd have to "work at it" more. I'm sure that this is due to my having used the single-action automatic pretty heavily for just over 3 decades now.

I have no perfect pistols and didn't find it with the Service XD, but I did find a pistol that appears well thought out and reliable for "serious" purposes. As they've become a bit more common, they have gained a pretty respectable following, but just don't appeal to me the way that a more traditional semiautomatic does.

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Chameleon Weapons Defy Detection

Since 9/11, all kinds of new technologies and new techniques have popped up for detecting concealed weapons.

But they won’t catch everything; far from it. Last week I talked to ******* , ******** ******** of an outfit which makes weapons which can be hidden in plain sight. You can be looking right at one without realizing what it is.

Chamelon card.jpg One type is the exact size and shape of a credit card, except that two of the edges are lethally sharp. It's made of G10 laminate, an ultra-hard material normally employed for circuit boards. You need a diamond file to get an edge on it.

****** suggests that the card could easily be camouflaged as an ID card or one of the many other bits of plastic that clutter up the average wallet. Each weapon is individually handmade so they can be tailored to the user’s requirements.

Another configuration is a stabbing weapon which is indistinguishable from a pen. This one is made from melamine fiber, and can sit snugly inside a Bic casing. You would only find out it was not the real thing if you tried to write with it. It's sharpened with a blade edge at the tip which Defense Review describes as “scary sharp.”

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Pentagon Tells 35,000: Prepare to Deploy

LOLITA C. BALDOR | AP | May 8, 2007 03:29 PM EST
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WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has notified more than 35,000 Army soldiers to be prepared to deploy to Iraq beginning this fall, a move that would allow commanders to maintain the ongoing buildup of troops through the end of the year if needed.

Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said Tuesday the deployment orders, which have been signed by Defense Secretary Robert Gates, do not mean that the military has made a decision to keep the increased level of 20 brigades in Iraq through December. A brigade is roughly 3,500 soldiers.

Instead, he said the decision gives the Pentagon the "capability" to carry the buildup to the end of the year. The replacement forces, Whitman said, would give commanders in Iraq the flexibility they need to complete the mission there.

The announcement, said Whitman, has "nothing to do" with a decision to extend the troop buildup. He said the Pentagon "has been very clear that a decision about the duration of the surge will depend on conditions on the ground."

Early this year, President Bush ordered close to 30,000 additional troops to Iraq to quell the spiking violence particularly in and around Baghdad. Gates and his military leaders have said that commanders in Iraq will make recommendations in September on whether the buildup has been successful, and whether it should continue or if troops can begin coming home.

There has been increasing pressure from Congress and the American public to begin withdrawing troops from Iraq. Bush vetoed the $124.2 billion legislation that would have funded the war but which called for troops to start coming home this fall, and lawmakers are currently crafting a compromise bill.

According to the Army, the combat brigades would deploy for up to 15 months. The Army also said that close to 1,000 additional support troops from the U.S. Army Reserves would also deploy in August. Those would come from two units, an engineer battalion from Fort Thomas, Ky., and a signal battalion from Fort Huachuca, Az.

The 10 brigades are: the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment in Germany; the 4th Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division from Fort Stewart, Ga.; the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Brigades of the 101st Airborne Division from Fort Campbell, Ky.; the 3rd Armored Calvary Regiment from Fort Hood, Texas; the 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored from Germany; 4th Brigade, 10th Mountain Division from Fort Polk, La.; 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division from Hawaii; and the 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division from Fort Hood, Tx.

Monday, May 07, 2007

CALIBER WARS

Have No Faith in Your Defensive Handgun Caliber or Load!

(Or Why I don't Get Involved in "Caliber Wars.")

By Stephen Camp
www.hipowersandhandguns.com

Very common in gun shop discussions, shooting magazines and books, as well as on the Internet are incessant discussions on "which caliber is the best". Also included will be questions and opinions on which load leads the pack for a given caliber. Some walk with extreme confidence as they have the latest version of this or that handgun and it's loaded with "nuclear" ammunition. Besides, whatever "expert" they subscribe to has proclaimed that this combination is "best", citing gelatin testing or whatever. Others look up "street stats" on how well or poorly a certain caliber/load has worked. Some simply trust the gun shop person's decision on ammunition selection and walk out secure in the "fact" that they are now capable of protecting themselves with the "best' ammunition money can buy.

I do believe that certain calibers and loads offer some advantages over others, but don't really think it will always be a visibly distinct advantage and not the difference between daylight and dark that some would have us assume. (I'm speaking here of calibers ranging from .38 Special from a 4" barrel, 9mm, and up. These have sufficient power to offer both adequate penetration and expansion from what I've seen.)

This .44 Special Corbon expanded nicely using a Hornady 180-gr. XTP. It is not so aggressive an expander as some JHP bullets. Corbon no longer uses this bullet. Some people equate "stopping power" or their pet caliber's effectiveness solely with expansion measurements. Is this the only factor to consider? Is this bullet actually less effective than one that expands to a wider diameter? Maybe…under some circumstances, but perhaps not in others.

Some have concerns about serious lack of penetration. Opinions vary as to how much is enough. Some subscribe to the "two holes is better than one" theory and go with the deepest penetrators they can find, often .45 ball. Others want expansion but at least (10, 12, 14", pick a number) of penetration. Very heated debates occur over such differences of opinion.

Here are my thoughts on the matter and I claim zero status as any kind of "expert". Neither am I a physician or pathologist. I am a shooter and a hunter. Take it for what it's worth and then you decide if there's any merit in what follows.

Over-Penetration: It is a concern, but one that is overrated in my view. So many shots fired in gunfights completely miss the intended recipients that I believe getting the hits in the first place should take higher priority. With FMJ or non-expanding loads, there certainly is the possibility of a bullet creating a through-and-through wound and possessing enough residual velocity to injure or kill another person. With most JHP's or expanding loads, should the target's torso actually be completely penetrated, the expanded bullet will have lost considerable speed. It will probably be less dangerous, but the heavy magnums like .41 and .44 could be exceptions. It is not unusual for pathologists to find expanded bullets inside the clothing near the exit wound when preparing the body for autopsy.

In his book, Gunshot Wounds, Dr. Vincent J.M. Di Maio reports that a 38-caliber LRN bullet requires at least 191 ft/sec to penetrate skin. He finds that the same bullet needs an average velocity of 280 ft/sec to penetrate two layers of skin and 6" of muscle as this is the average velocity lost when such penetration's occurred during testing. It seems reasonable that if we're firing a 9mm, .38, or .357 expanding bullet that doesn't expand, but still has around 300 ft/sec or so upon exiting the felon's torso, it is possible for it to injure an innocent bystander.

In the field, I witnessed a friend shooting a 35-lb. javelina with 230-gr. .45 ACP Ranger SXT from a 5" 1911. At his shot, the animal collapsed and sand flew behind it. Another buddy and I found the fully expanded bullet lying on top of the sand. This animal was shot broadside and is not as thick as an average adult human male. I've no doubt that had the expanded forty-five smacked another person that it would have raised a whelp, but I do not believe it would have injured anyone.

An officer under my command was required to shoot a felon. He hit the bad guy in the heart with a 9mm 124-gr. Hydrashok +P+. The bullet did not exit the body. Another officer I know was shot with a .40 180-gr. JHP from a Glock 22. It remained in his torso until surgically removed. Yet another officer was hit from the side with a .380 ACP 95-gr. FMJ. This bullet precipitated a gunfight. The bullet penetrated an arm, entered and traversed the heart/lung region, exited between the ribs and fully penetrated his other arm!

Believe it or not, the bullet traveled along the inside of his ribcage and did not damage anythingmissed vital! At the scene neither he nor I knew that and it was a pretty tense time waiting on the ambulance! I have no idea what residual velocity the 95-gr. bullet retained, but I'll bet it was not much. Upon being shot, he returned a shot from his 9mm Hi Power, but missed the felon! Which bullet was more dangerous to other folks in the area? Obviously, the round that its intended target was.

It certainly remains possible that over-penetration can occur, but with expanding ammo I'm not sure how likely it is to be capable of inflicting serious bodily injury. Again, the FMJ or solid bullets will almost certainly be the worst offenders in this regard. Gunscribe, Massad Ayoob, once wrote that about seven out of ten .45 ACP 230-gr. FMJ bullets exit the average adult male torso. I suspect that 9mm FMJ in 115 to 124-gr. exits more often.

If an expanding bullet fails to fully mushroom, it should be slowed down and present less threat of over- penetration. Di Maio notes that in penetrating two layers of skin and 6" of muscle, the 158-gr. LRN bullet lost velocity in the range of 214 to 337 ft/sec. The same weight/caliber SJHP lost 264 to 335 ft/sec. (Gunshot Wounds. Di Maio. Elsevier Science Publishing Company. P215.) He attributes this to the blunter shape of the expanding bullet when expansion does not occur.

Unless our target is naked or not wearing a shirt, coat, etc, there remains a chance that a bullet that does fully penetrate his torso might be captured in his clothing. Again, I think misses are far greater threats than over-penetrating bullets in most instances.

Misses are more dangerous to innocent bystanders than over-penetration in my view. I believe that we'd see better "stops" with better placement and present less danger to those around us at the same time.

If you use .41 or .44 Magnum, I do think the chance of dangerous over penetration exists as quite a few of the expanding bullets are designed for deeper penetration for hunting applications. I'd look at defense loads from Corbon or Winchester's Silvertip JHP's in these calibers. I understand that Speer has just introduced a Gold Dot hollow point for the forty-one, but have no information on how it penetrates.

Expanding ammunition in .38, .357, 9mm, .40, or .45 ACP is usually designed for either rapid or "controlled" expansion and geared toward defensive use rather than deeper penetration which is desirable in hunting rounds. Of these more commonly used calibers, the .357 does have some loads specifically tweaked to penetrate deeply as it is more frequently found in the hunting fields than 9mm, etc. I would avoid the use of JSP ammo in the defensive handgun for two reasons:

1. It frequently does not expand.

2. It will probably completely penetrate a human torso.

Adequate Penetration: It has been said that we want expansion but we need penetration. I believe this. The rhubarb seems to be over what is "adequate." At the same time, I do not inadequate or doomed to failure. Opinions range from 9 to 10" to the more popular view of 12 to 14". Some want no less than 16". believe that loads failing to achieve whatever is deemed adequate are necessarily

Let's take a look at this issue.

This 9mm Corbon 115-gr. JHP +P routinely penetrates approximately 9 to 10" in 10% ballistic gelatin. It is deemed a "failure" by some in the "stopping power" community. Is it? Others report it as an effective round with better street results than others which penetrate considerably deeper. Who is right?

The mandate for deeper penetration stems from those believing that the only damage done by a handgun bullet comes from the permanent crush cavity. In other words, the bullet damages only that which it contacts. They cite that at velocities below about 2000 ft/sec, the temporary stretch cavity's creation is neither violent nor large enough to cause any significant damage.

For the most part, I believe that this is true but do not immediately accept that the temporary cavity is meaningless. I believe that if two bullets penetrate the same distance and expand to the same diameters, the one producing the larger temporary cavity is probably more effective. The rounds may very well be equivalent if striking an area in which organs are elastic, but might have a bit of an edge if striking near an inelastic organ and cause some damage even without contacting it. The destruction from the temporary cavity would not compare with that from higher velocity rifle ammunition.

The 147-gr. 9mm Gold Dot on the left would be favored over the 115-gr. +P JHP shown on the right. The heavier bullet creates a smaller temporary cavity and expanded to smaller diameter than the faster 115-gr.

It also penetrates deeper. Which is best? One penetrates more deeply, but produces smaller overall diameter. This results in a smaller diameter crush cavity.

My personal preference is for ammunition that expands and penetrates approximately 12 to 14" in 10% ballistic gelatin. Having used such ammunition in hunting, I've seen pretty consistent results and made clean one-shot kills. Certainly the shooting of various wild animals does not correlate exactly with defensive handgun use, but I believe there is some correlation. I do not believe that the mechanism of collapse in a living, non-homogeneous, organism can be entirely predicted in the laboratory using gelatin.

At the same time, the collection of data on what has or has not "worked" is not the full answer, either. The reason is that we cannot ascertain how many of the "one shot stops" were for psychological vs. physical reasons. Did the bad guy stop because he had to or because he wanted to?

Ammunition penetrating less than 12" is probably quite effective when shooting aggressors head-on and when no intermediate barriers exist. It might not be so effective if one's required to shoot his opponent from the side where an arm is likely to be hit and more penetration's required to get to vitals like the heart or aorta.

I settled on the 12 to 14" range as I think this is the better compromise between a load that might penetrate too little vs. one that regularly punches 16" and probably exit the average human torso. Were I extremely concerned with over-penetration issues, I'd pick a rapidly expanding JHP that does 9 to 11" rather than some of the pre-fragmented bullets. Bullets penetrating 12 to 14" should suffice in most scenarios whether shooting is face-to-face or from more oblique angles without excessive penetration. I am willing to accept a bit smaller expanded bullet diameter to achieve this.

Realistic Expectations: I think this is where we go astray; we expect way too much from our handguns. Hunters have known that seemingly equivalent shots on similar animals can produce very differing results. One may instantly drop while the other runs, yet both received lethal hits to the heart/lung area. This is so often seen that's it's accepted. Deadly force scenarios for most of us are much rarer and there are folks interested in self-protection that have no experience in hunting; they have never seen anything shot. They have never seen a deer with a shredded heart run a hundred yards. They have seen shoot-em'-ups on television and movies. Many of us do not have the proper "respect" for what adrenaline can do and most have not witnessed the damage a person on PCP can withstand and just keep going!

If a 150 pound deer can be shot through the heart with a .30-06 180-gr. expanding bullet at 2700 ft/sec and keep moving, should we expect that a 200 pound human hit with a 180-gr. expanding forty-caliber bullet at 975 ft/sec to be instantly incapacitated?

I believe it's an unrealistic expectation to assume that any defensive pistol cartridge will deck a human being as though struck by lightning. It will happen on some occasions, but not all and probably not the majority.

Many consider the .45 ACP 1911 a premier defensive handgun. I sure do, but only if one can shoot it accurately. This requires practice. There is truth in the statement that a hit with a .22 is better than a miss with a .44! If you don't shoot the .45 as well as another caliber or if you don't feel comfortable in carrying cocked-and-locked, a different caliber and action are legitimately called for.

The high-velocity rifle bullet doesn't always stop the game animal even with good hits, but normally the animal will not run as far before dying as when hit with an arrow. Even though hemorrhaging severely, they can go surprising distances if too quickly pursued. Adrenaline and the will to live push them beyond what many consider possible.

I submit that pistol bullet impact is more akin to the effect of the arrow than the centerfire rifle bullet.

In a life-and-death struggle, seconds seem like hours. The good guy has been forced to shoot the felon, but nothing happens despite a good hit. He shoots again and again and again and finally the bad guy drops. The actual time frame may have been but a few seconds, yet to our survivor, his handgun/load seemed not up to the job. None of them are in my opinion. Some are better than others, but none smite like the Hammer of Thor and it's simply not realistic to expect it. It could also be dangerous. Expect a failure and be mentally prepared to deal with it. Expect that multiple shots may be necessary to actually stop a determined aggressor.

Increasing "Stopping Power": Easy to say, but harder to do under stress is getting the hits. The hunter doesn't simply shoot at the animal's body; he strikes at the vitals. I submit that we must do the same thing, but have very compressed time frames in which to do it! Some say this is not possible and is an unrealistic expectation. I say "it is what it is" and that placement is power. There are torso hits and there are good torso hits. A bullet through but a lung gives the aggressor a case of walking pneumonia and is not a sure stopper unless he is devastated mentally. I doubt that any of us want to count on that. A bullet that cuts the aorta or pierces the heart is quite something else. It may not instantly stop him, but the clock is ticking and his conscious time will usually be measured in seconds rather than minutes.

Pick the load/caliber/handgun you want, but without the ability to place your shots at speed, do not expect it to "stop" quickly. Even if you can make quick, accurate shots do not place too much faith in your gun, caliber, or load. You can do everything right and still not instantly stop your attacker. The handgun simply doesn't have enough power. We use them because they are convenient and able to be with us when attack is not expected.

Firearm trainers have indicated that the long arm is much to be preferred to the handgun for defense. They're not speaking only with regard to the ease of accuracy, but to the increase in power. Unless the brain or central nervous system's damaged, we need the rifle to do what we expect the pistol to.

To increase your odds, I suggest the following:

1. Select a handgun in at least .38 Special or 9mm and base that selection on reliability and how well you personally shoot that weapon, be it revolver or semiauto. Use one that you are comfortable with. It doesn't matter if it's double-action S&W or a Browning single-action automatic. What matters is if you can get the hits with it and are comfortable using it.

2. Learn what you can from serious researchers in bullet performance and make your decision on a carry load, but be sure that it is reliable in your handgun.

3. Practice.

4. Practice.

5. Practice.

The "practice" part is too often neglected. Having the "best" gun and ammo is not nearly all of the solution. Competence with it is essential. Practice routinely and if necessary get training.

If what works for you is a double-action revolver, go for it. If you shoot .38's better than .357's, use that caliber. Hits count. Don't be as concerned with having "only" six shots vs. 8 or more. I think we run out of time before ammunition. A good hit or two with the .38 is better than a poor hit or miss with a .45 or .357 SIG, etc.

If you shoot a forty-five as well as a 9mm, go with the former, but do not expect it to be vastly superior to the nine. With equivalent hits, I doubt that much if any difference will be seen. If one does better with the 9mm, I'd cast my lot with it. Once you have a caliber capable of adequate penetration and expansion, placement is power.

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MUST SEE VIDEO - GUN CONFISCATION
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-taU9d26wT4

www.brightguy.com

Chameleon Weapons Defy Detection

Since 9/11, all kinds of new technologies and new techniques have popped up for detecting concealed weapons.