Letter to the Editor:- Point and Shoot
Subject: Just ran across your site – interesting
HAS YOUR HANDGUN TRAINING SET YOU UP TO BE KILLED?
Hello,
Here is a link to an article that you may wish to add to your blog/e-newsletter/site-articles, or even publish in paper form.
I am the author. Feel free to edit it as you wish.
Best Regards,
John Veit
MILL CREEK, WA 98012 USA
UNSAFE AT ANY DISTANCE – THE FAILURE OF POLICE HANDGUN TRAINING.
INTRODUCTION:
Hopefully, you will find this article of interest.
Here are some reasons why you should read/share it.
1. It may lead to a reduction in Police casualties, and in a reduction of dollars now spent for naught on learning shooting methods that are neither practical nor effective for self defense use. It also poses the conundrum: whether or not all “non street” Police need to carry a firearm.
2. The same benefits that can accrue to cities/police/agencies, also can accrue to members of the public.
3. The info also may encourage responsible gun ownership by those who think that a gun is some sort of a magic wand that will keep them safe and ward off evil, by letting them know that guns are seldom used, and that without effective training, they will not be practical for use in their self defense or for the defense of loved ones. What one sees happen in the movies or on TV, or reads about in fictional literature, is really not reality.
Be advised that this article will be met with indignation by some. And that circulating it will be sort of like throwing rocks at a hornets nest and hitting it.
But the facts are what they are, and getting upset over them, won’t change them. However, with knowlege, discussion and action, things can change for the better.
I write about and post info written by gun EXPERTS AND PROFESSIONALS, plus info developed by me and based on my experience and testing.
Please keep in mind that I am just a messenger, and that you don’t have to like what the facts are or what the experts say, but what is, is what is.
SO DON’T SHOOT me. OK?
Click here to read the companion article: Has Your Handgun Training Set You Up To Be Killed?
BACKGROUND
The The New York Police Department (NYPD), and other Police Agencies large and small, issue handguns to Officers for use in protecting the Officers and the public. And each year millions of tax dollars are spent on Agency firearm facilities, firearms, and firearms training.
The Officers are trained to shoot, but not how to shoot effectively in life threat situations, which is closely akin to sending soldiers into battle with guns but no bullets. And beyond the cost in dollars spent, is the greater cost of Officers injured or killed and the damage done to their families, plus the added costs of: collateral damages, disability pensions, replacements, legal actions, and etc. that flow from this state of affairs.
In January 2007, the NYPD paid the RAND Corporation to examine the firearm-training program of its force of about 37,000 Officers. The examination resulted in a 2008 report which details a variety of training issues, and gives recommendations for improvement.
One issue identified, is the clear disconnect between shooting effectiveness when in training and when on the job. And that issue, which can have life or death consequences, is not addressed specifically with a recommendation.
The following focuses on the disconnect as detailed in the report. Also included is information on practical shooting methods, which are said to be equally effective both on the range and on the street. And they can be taught within the time and range constraints placed on students and instructors,
WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?
Firearm incidents get major play in the press. However, what does not get publicity, is that those incidents are relatively rare. Per the RAND report, it is statistically unlikely that an Officer will discharge his or her weapon during his or her entire career on the police force.
For example: during 2006, only 156 Officers out of the force of some 37,000, were involved in a firearm-discharge incident. And fewer than half of those incidents involved an Officer shooting at a human being. Most involved Officers shooting at dogs.
Also, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ): “of the 43.5 million persons who had contact with police in 2005, an estimated 1.6% had force used or threatened against them, a rate that was nearly the same as in 2002 (1.5%).”
The rarity of incidents might be a reason for not doing much if anything about them administratively. However, for the participants, they are deadly serious and personal. And if one goes badly, it can become a public relations nightmare for an Agency.
Per the report, firearms training has increased dramatically over the past 100 tears, as has the quality of weapons carried. But on average, there appears to have been very little improvement in the ability of Officers to hit their targets during the rare firearms incident.
The average hit rate for NYPD Officers involved in a gunfight between 1998 and 2006 was 18 percent. For every five shots, four bullets missed the intended target and went somewhere else. And that hit rate is consistent with the “normal” hit rate in armed encounters which hasn’t changed much for years and years.
The average hit rate for Officers who shot at subjects who did not return fire, was 30 percent. Officers hit their targets 37 percent of the time at distances of seven yards or less. And hit rates fell off sharply to 23 percent at longer ranges.
Also, Officers in gunfights fired 7.6 rounds on average, compared with an average of 3.5 rounds for Officers who fired against subjects who did not return fire. And most Officers have firearms with a capacity of well over 7 rounds, plus extra magazines.
FBI statistics show that life threat incidents happen at very close ranges. Between 1989 and 1998, of the 682 local, state, and federal law-enforcement Officers in the United States who died because of criminal action, nearly 75 percent (509) received fatal wounds while within 10 feet of their assailants.
Now, if you are wondering about the hit rates, and why they are so low, you need to understand that there is a “twilight zone” of sorts in the world of the gun, where reality can get intertwined with tales like The Emperor’s New Clothes.
Where else would you find job performance scores of 18, 23, 30, and 37 percent in life or death matters, to not result in a 911 call for all the King’s horses and all the King’s men.
The disconnect between on the range performance and on the street performance, is the long standing elephant in the room, and about which nothing much has been done other than recognize its existence. For years, the very low hit rate was attributed to error on the part of Officers.
During the 1970′s a long term and in-depth study of NYPD Police combat cases, produced findings in line with those of the RAND study. It is known as the NYPD SOP 9.
THE TRAINING LOAD
The NYPD Police Academy trains, approximately 4,000 recruits each year in two classes of about 2,000 recruits each. Included are two weeks of firearm and tactical training that includes handgun qualification. A minimum of 78 percent hits on a number of stationary targets from fixed firing positions is required to qualify.
There also are semiannual firearm qualifications which include a two-part lecture, practice fire of 45 rounds of ammunition at stationary targets at 7-, 15-, and 25-yard distances, un-scored practice on a tactical pistol course, and qualification firing of 50 rounds at stationary targets at 7-, 15-, and 25-yard distances. A minimum of 39 hits is required to qualify (78 percent).
A comparison of the qualification requirement with on the street hit rates, clearly shows a disconnect between them.
Per the report, the firearm-qualification program is less about making sure Officers can effectively use their pistols in real-life situations, than it is about meeting legal requirements and professional standards.
And while the qualification course meets the standards required by the state of New York, and it is consistent with national norms, shooting at paper targets on a known-distance range is basically just target practice.
Also, the handgun qualification process implies that qualifying Officers are proficient, but a consensus among police firearms trainers, is that the training does not substantially enhance officer or community safety.
Steps have been taken to make shooting training more realistic, including firing at moving targets, firing from cover and crouched positions, moving to different firing positions and distances plus firing from each, firing in pairs, and firing after exertion. However, it is impractical time and resource wise, to provide that training to all Officers. And those exercises are not scored.
A SOLUTION
Hopefully, the time is near when tax dollars and employee time will no longer be frittered away on training and qualifying that has little relationship to on the on the job incidents.
Bill Burroughs, in his paper of several years ago: Components and Considerations for Combat Shooting, said that “Shooters miss at close ranges because of faulty, incomplete and, yes, negligent training.”
He also said that combat shooting is actually quite simple and anyone can learn it.
In a span of less than two hours and with shooting fewer than 100 rounds of ammunition, an Officer can be taught The Applegate System method and reproduce it during periods of stress. And marksmanship levels are high inside the distances where the method was designed to be used – close quarters.
Bruce K. Siddle, in his 2000 paper: The Science of Combat Point Shooting, said that Barron and Beasley had trained more than 500 students in the Applegate System of Point Shooting. And that scores increased to 95% and higher, from 90-95% on the static firing line.
More importantly, students maintained the simple Point Shooting system when they participated in stress induced dynamic training exercises. Barron attributed the improvement to the simplicity of the Applegate System.
Now, just because something appears to be very simple, practical, and doable, and just because it holds the promise of improving the safety of Officers and the public, and providing tangible returns for millions of tax dollars now being spent for naught, does not mean it will happen.
In the topsy-turvy world of the gun, such things are easily trumped by professional standards, legal requirements, and tradition.
The powers that be do things in traditional ways. And they defend them with the zeal of the true believer or religous zealot.
The issue of traditional Sight Shooting Vs other shooting methods, has been cussed and discussed as far back as the early 1800′s.
Then, pistols were used for self defense against highway robbers and housebreakers, and for dueling. They were closed at the back, and some had sights on them.
And in a highway robbery or housebreakin: 1. there usually would be no time to use the sights, or 2. bad light would prevent them from being seen and properly aligned, or 3. one’s focus could/would be transfixed on the threat.
So to aim and shoot fast, the index finger was placed along the side of the pistol and pointed at a target. That automatically and accurately aimed the pistol. And the middle finger was used to shoot. (See Lt. Col. Baron De Berenger’s 1835 book: Helps And Hints – How To – Protect Life And Property, With Instructions In Rifle And Pistol Shooting.)
Also, Sight Shooting still could be employed if there was time, good lighting, and one had the presence of mind to use the sights.
With the adoption of the 1911, the optional use of the index finger method was squelched.
Due to a minor design fault in the slide stop of the 1911, if the slide stop pin is depressed when the gun is fired, the gun can jam. As such, the US Military publication – Description Of The Automatic Pistol, Caliber .45, Model Of 1911, specifically cautioned against using it.
More than likely, the result was the instinctive-but-un-aimed fire that is known today as spray and pray.
Another matter that affects shooting accuracy negatively, is the slow but relentless lock-step march towards larger caliber and higher capacity firearms. The march continues, even though there is no widely known and accepted scientific data supporting the use of larger caliber or increased capacity handguns.
A high caliber gun with its bigger kick, and in particular, one with a large and bulky grip to accommodate more bullets, is difficult to hold and shoot accurately by those with small to average size hands.
Bigger guns are also heavier to carry, and their ammunition is more expensive to buy and shoot than the common 9 mm.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The RAND report recommended a number changes and actions to improve training, including the trial use of Tasers, lasers and gun mounted lights.
There are minuses which come tied to the use of lasers and lights. Both require user training, batteries, and continued maintenance to insure that they will be in operable condition for their “rare” use. So, a good return on the costs of purchase, user training, and maintenance, is dubious.
Finally, if the safety and protection of Officers and members of the public is of prime importance, then Officers should be trained in simple and practical COMBAT shooting:
1. which can be learned in less than two hours, and with shooting fewer than 100 rounds of ammunition, and
2. which can be reproduced in periods of stress and with high marksmanship levels at close quarters distances.
The same is true for members of the public who care about responsible gun ownership.
Thanks John,
You bring very relevant points forward which have been ignored for years and cost many lives. the address for further infomation is www.pointshooting.com
Over the last thirty years I have been more than likely, just as guilty or probably more so than most. preoccupied with coaching shooters to hit targets, even under extreame time pressures for competition. The empahsis has been on the target and sights.
Ignoring the training I received in staying alive from the very well written training manuals of some ten years previos, produced by the British Army. Our instructors were not up to much, they were too engrossed with bayonet practice, maybe as they did not want to use the ammunition or maybe it hurt their ears. (no one ever used ear protection in those days)
I can remember an instructor picking up a .38 Webley or Enfield and stating to the section, This is a revolver, its a heap of junk, its got sharp corners so that after your six shots, you can throw it at the enemy and as its hard and got sharp corners you have got more chance to hurt someone that way. He could not demonstrate how to shoot it, he closed his eyes as he squeezed the plus thirty pound trigger and as he had no idea of controlling the handgun whilst this tugging went on, the target was very safe. That was a very sad beginining but after some time they introduced the Browning High Power in 9 mm, and manuals written by Sykes and Appelgate, learning and information that had been found out the hardway at great cost of human life. This was soaked up like blotting paper by a young soldier intent on a career of active service. In actual fact most use was made of that training in a later career as a Prison officer as face to face aggression was a daily event and that earlier training had been the best preperation for close quaters confrontation. I still have some of my notes and will put them together in a document as soon as I have a few hours space. Ron Owen
Magazine March 2009 No12
Welcome to the Twelfth Edition of the Owen Guns Bulletin.
STOP PRESS
We are currently publishing our new website at www.owenguns.com
Where we are in the process of listing 1000s of rifles,shotguns, handguns, accessories, and gun parts that we have for sale. Visit the website now. We also have shooting articles and important firearm information for the gun enthusiast. Take away free gun photos and free firearm images for your gun gallery collection. New firearm related material being added every day.
Human Retention verses Computer Search.
Score- Humans Zero- Computers One
Yes, your right its not a Magazine for a Brno its just one solid piece of plastic.
The Impossible or Mircaulous Sale of a Singe Shot Adaptor.
With this Bulletin becoming more popular I sometimes get over 200 emails inquiries a day, most with difficult questions that need time, to find answers. So sometimes I get behind a bit. The up side of this is we learn so much. Last week we had an email enquiry from. John. ‘Price and availability for Single Shot adaptor, for Brno Mod 2. (CZ452).’ Wow what’s that thinking of single shot adapters for SLRs and Mausers, Then I’m thinking of Morris tubes for Lee Enfield’s. I gave up, with little embarrassment as in this business you learn something new all the time and asked Jason and Terry, both had never heard of one. Well with my 40 or so years of playing with Brno’s and Terry’s 30 and Jason’s 20 that Ninety years of experience in what we love doing most. So I emailed back to John, sorry never heard of one. A few days later John phones me. Apparently he in a club where they can only shoot single shot. He is then on a working holiday in the United States for some weeks and discovers from a computer that there is an item for Brno’s a ‘Single Shot Adaptor’ available he is in the land of 50 million shooters and a million gun shops so everywhere he stops he is in the shop asking for a ‘Single Shot Adaptor’, everywhere he goes no one has ever heard of one. Im feeling a little better now, ‘Phew its not just me’. So when he came home to Brisbane he does a Web Search. He tells me that he found one in Owen Guns magazine. Never! I says, I’ve never heard of one never mind advertise one in the magazine. Yes he says in the December edition. The Search Engine found it. I couldn’t believe it so went and checked. Yes he was right. “The CZ 452 actions…………. . Single shot adapters, 5 round magazines and 10 round magazines are available” was in the blurb under the photograph. I apologised, told him we learn something new everyday. That when the Winchester Rep had offered them to me I had asked him for some information and he had directed me to the CZ web page in the states and I had never noticed the words single shot adaptor in the words just felt comfort that we had the 5 and 10 shot mags in stock. I told him that I would find out if they were available in Australia and get back to him. I phoned the Representative, he was in Geelong . I phoned again, he was in a meeting, I phoned again I was put though to the Tea Room I could hear all the girls discussing what they were buying from Kmart. Then the line went dead, then I phoned again then the receptionist put me though to a salesman he had not heard of them, then the Rep phoned me he had not heard of them, but finally they phoned back and someone in the store had found them on a computer print out. I ordered it. I contacted John and told him he faxed payment details. It arrived a few days later and its now on its way to John but before it went, I photographed it with Jason’s new Camera, just so I would never forget what one was. In case I waited another forty years before seeing one. Here it is and the winner is a happy customer a happy supplier and happy Gun Shop. Due to the marvellous World Wide Web and our humble email magazine and email responses.
Monthly Specials
The Norinco JW 105. in .223 Rem
This is the (Jain Way) JW Model 105, Sometimes called Norinco. These rifles are made in the same factory that manufactures the now famous JW 15 .22 rifle (the Brno Mod One Copy) if you have had a JW15 or know of anyone who had one, you will know that they shoot sometimes better than the rifle they imitiated. These JW105 s are in .223 Remington calibre and have a five shot detachable magazine. They also come with Weaver style mount bases and Quick Detachable studs for QD sling swivels If you look carefully at the middle photograph you will notice a shiny silver colour. at the breech face,the camera has picked up the chrome plating from inside the chamber. The Chinese are the only non-military manufactures that can afford the chrome process of plating the Barrels and Chambers. They have also chromed the forward section of the Bolt. Chrome plating gives the best protection against erosion and corrosion than anything else besides regualr cleaning. The JW 105 is a copy of the Geveram that was very popular in the 1950s and 1960s, they were very good quality but I believe that Gevarm had to stop making them as the were too expensive to produce.
These are the best value .223 remington centre-fire, repeating rifle on the market.
Brand New $460.
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WORLD CLASS 6 X 40
Tasco is a leading name in the optical industry for eons, Tasco’s World Class Scope hs been an industry standard since the 1990s it is the scope that many others are judged against and found lacking. The World Class due to its World Class forever Guarentee is rarely used we have sold thhousnads of them and I have been deealing with Tasoc since 1975. The vision is quality, the adjustments are precision and the cross hairs are the rights sized for target or hunting. They were selling there for $188. Now
Special $105.00
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Tasco RED DOT.
Red dot sights use refractive or reflective optics to generate a collimated image of a luminous or reflective reticle.
This collimated image appears to be projected out to a point at infinity, which makes the image of the reticle appear to the user to be projected onto the target. Due to the fact that
the reticle image is collimated, magnifying the image of the target is impractical, as it would make the sight too hard to hold steady. The RED DOT sights are very usefull for fast moving shooting in poor light conditions. No need to get your eye on the middle of the cross hair, point and shoot when the RED DOT lines up with the target. The collimated image does have its advantages,
however, as the scope can be placed at any distance from the eye without distorting the image of the target or reticle. This makes red dot sights suitable for use on pistols, rifles, or shotguns.
Other Built-on dovetail rail to fit standard centre-fire weaver-style bases .
Finish Black Matte
Weight (grams) 6.7 oz.
Length (inches) 3.75in
Eye Relief (mm) Unlimited
Optical Coating Rubicon .multi- layered, fully coated
Focus Type fixed
Parallax Setting 50 yards
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TASCO 4×32 Silver Antler
Thirty years ago we would have paid a $1000. for the same quality of vision and precision, a guaranteed leading optical manufacturer who warranties their products all over the World. They have a light gathering clarity that would have made those old dark Pecar’s appear like looking through a knot hole in fathers wooden leg. What’s more they are Waterproof. In 1970 during a storm in the Victorian mountains I can remember emptying my Pecar like a jug. It had a steel tube but it leaked like a sieve.I was so disappointed I hunted Samba for years with open sites as I wanted reliability. I took the low priced option then and will always follow that example, at this price I could afford to buy a spare one.
4 x 32 Silver Antler Rifle Scope
$40.
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Prostaff 3-9×40. Nikon have been manufacturing the worlds most sort after Optical lens since the 1960s. Now you can own one of their Rifle Telescopic Scopes for:-
$375.00
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Ian Skennerton has spent more than four decades of world-wide research and study, evolving through two prior editions and many other related titles. The Lee Enfield has proven itself as the finest battle rifle of all time. No other firearm has served for so long at home and abroad with such a proud record. This study encompasses all aspects of the Century of Lee-Enfield development & production… Britain, America, India, Australasia, South Africa & the Far East. Rifles, carbines, bayonets, parts, tools, accessories & ammunition are arranged into specific groups & chapters. There are five new chapters
• Preview, Model Identification
• Lee-Enfield Hybrid
• Serial number Production Ranges
• Component Parts Evolution
• An Ammunition Summary.
The Pattern Room collection has been the primary source for samples and records. With the larger format, this presentation sets a new standard for collectors, students & shooters of the venerable Lee-Enfield… indeed, for all arms books. While the ‘Lee-Enfield Story’ has long been accepted as the definitive tome on the Lee-Metford and Lee-Enfield rifle series, this new volume increases the record from 504 to 608 pages and features improved photographic detail, larger illustrations and an improved layout.
Special Price for this month only $79.00
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Leupold 3-9×40 Variable Riflescopes
Leupold 3-9×40 Variable Riflescopes
Bushnell Sportsman 3-9×40 Variable Riflescope at the once only price of
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RCBS Great Prices, Get the Best Reloading Tools for the Lowest Price.
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RCBS Uniflow Powder Measure
Throws consistently accurate charges reload after reload. Powder pours uniformly from measuring cylinder into case, thereby eliminating the hazards of “overloads” caused by clogging when charges are dumped”. Changes easily from charge to charge without emptying powder hopper. Numbered measuring screw is used for reference to find a given charge at a later date. The measuring cylinder has precision ground surfaces and slides into the honed main casting for a precision fit. Standard 7/8?- 14 thread. Includes stand plate, drilled for easy mounting on a bench or under a reloading die lock ring. Two drop tubes for .22 caliber and upwards are supplied. The Uniflow Powder Measure is fully capable of accurately measuring all three major powder types – ball, cylindrical, and flake. It will even cut the cylindrical powders so that a precise charge can be obtained. NOTE: The Uniflow Powder Measure should be used in conjunction with an accurate powder scale for setting the original charge and for checking charges occasionally during the run.
Special Price RCBS Uniflow Powder Meausure,
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Accurate Firearm Design
Diameters and Shapes of Barrels.
We will now discuss the particular outside diameters and shapes of barrels for various types of small arms. It is understood that in each case the steel used is a modern steel suitable for the breech pressure of the cartridge involved. The first consideration is that of safety. The barrel must be of sufficient diameter, that is wall thickness, over the chamber and breech portion to successfully withstand the pressure without any enlargement of the chamber, and of course without any danger of the barrel bursting. Every reputable manufacturer proof fires every barrel and gun he makes before he permits it to pass final inspection in his plant. Thus it is fired with one or more proof cartridges which are loaded to give a breech pressure about one-fourth greater than that given by the heaviest standard cartridge that can be used in that gun. The chamber is then guaged for dimensions, and if these are still within specifications the arm is considered to have passed the proof or safety test, and the barrel and action are then stamped at the breech with the manufacturers proof mark. This test proves the strength of both barrel and breech action and assures that the measurements are correct, and that there are no flaws in the steel.
A barrel for .22 rim fire cartridges can be very light and small in diameter and still be perfectly safe. In fact one famous American manufacturer makes the .22 Long Rifle barrel on his over- under gun with an outside diameter of only .500 inch at the breech tapering evenly to .45-inch at the muzzle. Another the AR7 Explorer is a lightweight alloy with a thin steel liner inside the alloy barrel housing. Never heard of any giving a problem except when they were fired with intact solid clay hornets nests, still they only bulged expanded but not kill the idiot that thought it was a good way to remove the nest. As long as the thin barrel, is of good steel, it is ample for safety with this cartridge, and also for the ordinary accuracy demanded of a short range .22 game or survival rifle, but not for fine accuracy. A majority of the small, light .22 caliber sporting rifles have barrels measuring about .75-inch at breech and .50-inch at the muzzle, and give good accuracy when the method of holding is very uniform. The legendary Small Bore Target Rifles, which are, generally speaking, among the most accurate .22 caliber rifles ever made by quantity production, and are generally found with three weights of barrel, all 28 inches long, and all with straight taper from breech to muzzle. The “Standard” barrel which makes the complete rifle weigh about 10 pounds, has a diameter of 1 inch at the breech and .715-inch at the muzzle. The “Heavy” barrel, rifle weight 12 pounds, measures 1-inch at the’ breech and 7/8-inch at muzzle.
The Bull Barrels sometimes weighing 15 pounds or more with no taper to the muzzle at all. There is practically no difference in the pure accuracy of the three weights of barrel when held and fired very uniformly in a steel machine rest. But in actual match shooting the heavy and bull gun barrels are not so sensitive to slight variations and tensions of the firing positions, and they heat up slowly and maintain a more even temperature, resulting in very slightly better accuracy. Almost all the important matches at 50 yards and beyond are won each year with the heavier barrels. However, almost every year we see one or more important matches won with the standard barrel. That is one thing that makes shooting so interesting that there is always a shooter or a rifle that can go one better than the average expectation. The standard barrel rifles are usually preferred for club shooting because such shooting is usually done in the “three positions,” or SSAA Field Rifle that is prone, kneeling, and standing, or Silhouette which is all standing and the weight and balance of the standard heavy barrel is such that most shooters can hold it more steadily in the standing position. Many of these competitions have weight restrictions and as the barrel is the major factor the diameters have to accommodate the rules. It is believed that the bull gun presents no advantage over the heavy barrel except that now and then a very powerful man may be able to hold it just a trifle more steadily in the prone position. All of the good quality medium sporting weight barrels frequently record 10-shot groups at 100 yards slightly under 1 inch extreme spread when fired with the best match ammunition, in good weather conditions and at warm temperature, and after the barrel has been fouled and warmed by the firing of at least ten rounds of sighter’s. The conditions those listed conditions above are very essential for super-fine accuracy in any .22 rim fire rifle. Lever and pump action repeating rifles, and semi-automatic rifles, particularly those having tubular magazines under the barrel, generally have barrels with outside diameters of 7/8-inch to 1 inch at the breech, tapering evenly to about .55-inch at the muzzle. Such rifles are used with cartridges which seldom give a breech pressure in excess of 40,000 pounds per square inch, and barrels of this diameter, when made of Ordnance or superior steels have an ample safety margin. Usually a heavier barrel is not practical with such rifles without a redesign of the breech action, as the barrel and magazine threads or openings in the receiver are not sufficiently far apart to permit a heavier barrel and allow space for the tubular magazine. Also a very high degree of accuracy is not demanded of such rifles, as they are intended and are used mainly as a saddle gun on a horse or motor bike for when a working man has that rare opportunity at moderate distances seldom exceeding shooting exceeding 100 yards. Indeed the light barrel, the free chambering, and the peculiar construction preclude very fine accuracy in most lever and pump action rifles, and particularly in those having tubular magazines. Fired under very uniform conditions of holding most of them will average grouping ten consecutive shots in about 3.5 inch extreme spread at 100 yards, although those for very light cartridges, such as the .218 Bee, .25-20, and .32-40 low power may show as small a spread as 2 inches. Such rifles have considerable jump when fired, and a small variation in holding or other conditions will alter the point of impact considerably. Thus firing with the magazine empty or filled with cartridges, and with the barrel cold or quite hot, and combinations of these two variables may make a difference of six inches or more in the location of the center of impact at 100 yards.
But under game shooting conditions when the hunter almost invariably fires only one, two, or three shots from a cold barrel, and starts with the magazine filled with cartridges, the accuracy is usually entirely satisfactory for pigs shooting up to 100 yards. (Yes, I know lever action enthusiasts do better than this, and the 30/30 Winchester and 45-70 shooters will be offended but for giving new shooters some idea in general of all lever action, lets stick to the 100 yards for lever actions with open sights.)
With the modern bolt action rifle the breech construction is such that there is practically no limitation to the weight and outside dimensions of the barrels that can be used, except that imposed by the barrel thread in the receiver ring. The base of the barrel thread must terminate with a shoulder on the barrel slightly larger than the thread, so that the barrel can be turned up extremely tight in the receiver to a solid abutment against this shoulder. The barrel may be an extremely light one resulting in a weight of a complete rifle as low as 6.5 pounds, or a heavy “bull” barrel making the rifle weigh about 13 pounds. Such modern bolt action rifles now often use cartridges of very high intensity, and with breech pressures running from 48,ooo to 55,000 pounds, (and more) and quite generally various manufacturers have standardized on a diameter at the breech of about 1.125 inches, or in the case of the very heavy “bull” barrel of about 1.25 inches. Diameters at the muzzle run from .55-inch in the extremely light barrel for small caliber cartridges to 1.00 inch and over in the bull barrel.
Fig I
Examples
No. Diam. Diam. Diam. Remarks
at A at B at M
1 1.00 .75 .500 Minimum specifications of a .22 cal. barrel.
2 1.05 .850 .550 Minimum specifications of a 25 -20 cal. barrel.
3 1.14 .956 .647 Lee Enfield .303 cal. service barrel. Diam. at C .770″, B-C and C-M being nearly straight tapers. The very Minimum for .300 Magnum barrels.
4 1.14 .956 .647 Sporting Center-fire barrels.
5 1.18 1.00 .700 Minimum for.35 Magnum barrel .375 and barrels.
6 1.20 1.05 .750 Recommended .375 and .400 Magnum barrels.
7 1.25 …. . .875 Target or Varmint Rifle barrel. Taper breech to muzzle.
8 1.05 ….. .90 Bench Rest Target Rifles. Either straight taper breech to muzzle or not taper at all.
Figure I, is a drawing with general information indicating the exterior diameters and shapes of barrels used in high power bolt action rifles. The well read rifleman usually selects a modern bolt action rifle because he wants to use a cartridge of high velocity and flat trajectory in a rifle which will give at least good long range accuracy, and which will give at least good long range accuracy, and which will not be so sensitive to jump that centres of impact will change materially with changes in firing position. If these be the requirements, then it is thought that a barrel not lighter than that shown in Number 3, Figure I should be chosen. This is the general dimensions of barrels used in the old service rifle shooting the .303 cartridge. (Many variations and even barrels with ‘H’ on Knox form at Breech, denoting Heavy barrel)
With first class .303 ammunition such a weight of barrel, a free floating barrel in a machine rest from a bench is capable of grouping ten consecutive shots in less than one inch at 100 yards. For all cartridges up to .308 in power and diameter, such a barrel is ample for the hunter rifleman who shoots in mountain forests or open plains country and who demands good long range accuracy without excessive weight. With such a weight of barrel, changes in temperature and firing conditions will not effect the barrel and result in a changes of centre of impact of much more than .500 inch at 100 yards, and proportionately at other distances. (Keep your ammunition temperature as static as you can)
With cartridges such as the .222 Rem , 223 Rem and 22.250 Rem, and even the .243 Winchester, a barrel from a factory sporting rifle of this weight may group in 1.125 to 1.250 inches at 100 yards from the bench when ammunition, particularly the bullet, is first class.
With rifles manufactured as close to the ideal standard as modern bolt action rifles now are, the cartridge can sometimes be fully responsible for accuracy or inaccuracy. Thus in describing accuracy attained when read in shooting magazines conveys very little information to the well informed shooter if only the make, model, and caliber of rifle is given. Intimate details of cartridge and bullet should also be given or else it mean nothing.
It has been stated that the heavier the barrel, other things being equal, the better the accuracy. Of course the power of the cartridge must be considered. The above barrel, Number 3 in Figure I, would be a heavy barrel for the .22 Hornet cartridge, but a light barrel for the .308 or even the .220 Swift cartridges. As a matter of fact it is a little too light for really good long range accuracy and maintenance of centre of impact with the .300 H. &- H. Magnum cartridge, which is considerably heavier in power than the .308 cartridge. It is thought that a barrel for Magnum cartridges should never be lighter than No. 4, Figure I, with a length of not less than 24 inches, for good and reliable long range accuracy and the moderate recoil necessary for fine marksmanship. Such a barrel in a bolt action rifle of usual sporting type will result in a complete weight of about 9.25 to 9.75 pounds. The .300 H. & H. Magnum cartridge, by reason of its flat trajectory, long sustained killing power, and lack of sensitiveness to wind is a very fine long range game load, but only in a fairly heavy barrel.
Therefore it should be chosen only by the hunter who has the strength and endurance necessary to carry it all day in the wilderness without undue fatigue, and also who has the strength that the rifle is not “sluggish” when used on rapidly moving game.
The weights and dimensions of barrels furnished on the Remington 700 bolt action rifles are an excellent guide as to sensible barrel diameters. This famous rifle is generally furnished with three weights of barrels.
The Standard on normal barrel measures 1.125 inches at A (Figure I), .95- inch at B, and .600 inch at the muzzle, and is therefore about the same weight as the Number 3 barrel in Figure I.
An exception is the standard barrel for the heavy .375 H. & H. (Or other heavy) Magnum cartridges which approaches the “target” barrel below in dimensions and weighs about one pound more than the regular standard barrel in other calibers. The standard barrel results in a weight of complete rifle of about 8 pounds (9 lbs., in .375 cal.). Weights of course vary a few ounces according to caliber and stock material such as Synthetic, laminates or timber) as naturally where the outside diameter is the same a .22 barrel will weigh slightly more than one of .30 caliber.
The Target or Varmint barrel has the same diameter at the breech (1.125-inch) as the standard barrel, but with a straight taper to about .75-inch at the muzzle. The length with both weights of barrel is generally 22 or 24 inches except for the .220 Swift and .300 H. & H. Magnum or other Magnum cartridges, the reason the length is 26 inches is to give advertised velocities and minimize muzzle blast. In other than a few calibers, standard barrels only 20 inches long may be had by those who prefer carbine type rifles. The complete Target or Varmint with a moderately heavy “target” barrel and very heavy target stock weighs about 10 .5 pounds except in rifles like the .220 Swift caliber where the longer barrel weight takes it out to 11 pounds.
NRA prone competitions, shooting from the sling, have a demand for heavy 28 inches long target rifles. The complete rifle with heavy target stock is about 13.250 pounds. Choice of centre fire calibres for long range target rifles is normally down to in whose opinion which calibre handles wind problems better than an other, More will be said about Wind problems in future editions. The quality of the barrels manufacture contributes mainly to tighter groups not the specifications or the weight.
There are two rapidly growing classes of riflemen in the world who demand accuracy above all other considerations, that is both pure accuracy (grouping ability at a given distance) and the ability to make sure hits that comes from flat trajectory and wind handling abilities. The rifle and ammunition together give the first. The ammunition and bullet alone give the latter two qualities.
The varmint shooter’s target may be crows, rabbits, cats and foxes (presenting about equally small objects) which he needs to surely hit up to about 350 yards when he does his part correctly, rabbits which he would like to hit to 350 yards, and foxes to 400 yards. He usually chooses a modern, bolt action, telescope sighted rifle, with a heavy barrel approaching bull gun weight, for such cartridges as the .220 Swift and .22-250 Varminter . (There are lots of fashionable alternatives but they change and the classics go on forever) The military snipers requirements are very similar to those of the varmint shooter. The type of shooting he is often called on to do is about the same. His target may often be an aperture about 6 inches high and 4 inches wide in a parapet, pill box or an aiming slit in an armoured vehicle, at distances seldom exceeding 500 yards. But he is usually restricted to the standard military cartridges and the maximum weight or manufacture of rifle which was standardised by people in the office, on a higher pay scale who think they know more about that conundrum ‘Military Intelligence’.
The question naturally arises, how much more accurate is a heavy barrel than a light one? What price do we pay for light weight in a rifle? The average accuracy for the light No. 3 barrel has already been given for both heavy and light cartridges. The editor has seen a number of rifles with barrels approximating the weight of No 3 barrel (1.14 inch to .650 inch) and using the .222 .223 rem of 5.56 x 45 and stock standard 6.5 Swedish Mauser Mod 96 rifles which, with hand loaded ammunition and bullets ‘known to be accurate’, repeatedly give 10-shot groups measuring 7/8-inch at l00 yards and less than 2 inches at 200 yards. Occasionally due to the day or the shooter the groups may be smaller or larger but not by more than another .0125 of an inch. The heavier barrel bring improvements but a poorly manufactured heavier barrel can never make up for quality workmanship.
More Information on Barrel Specifications Next Edition.
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Understanding Reloading Ammunition
Multiple Head /Station Presses and Turret Presses
Most presses, whatever the model or make, when fitted with 7/8 inch Die Sets will full length size the external dimensions of the Brass or Steel case, they punch the used primer and resize/expand the inside of the case neck to the correct size to accept the bullet. Most are provided with a seat for a gravity operated automatic primer feed. This device automatically drops a fresh primer, from a tube into the cup of the punch as the leaver arm moves to its rest position. Then a slight downward thrust on the leaver arm seats the new primer. Then in ‘C’ “O” or “H” presses the dies have to be changed to allow the bullet seat die to be fitted to the threaded orifice that holds the dies or a slot in the case of the “H” Press. With the Multiple Station press which sometimes have six orifices to hold dies, powder measures and even another set of dies set in fixed position for reloading another calibre, no changing needs to occur.
Most common is the turret press, such as the RCBS Turret Press have six holes. This is essentially a “C” press, but with the top arm of the “C” formed by a circular turret rotating on the upright of the “C.” A number of die holes are arranged in a circle. Some form of detent is provided to insure alignment of successive die holes with the ram. The number of die stations ranges from four in the Lee Turret Press to twelve in some of the American Bonanza or Hollywood. A few “H” presses are produced with two or three die stations and as many shell holders on the bar aligned with them. One other variation is the discontinued C-H “Slide- O- Mafic” press with four die holes in a sliding bar riding in a T-slot at the top of the frame.
All these presses have been available since prior to the Second World War but were not imported into Australia en mass until the late 1960s, we had an Australian Brand for many years Simplex which copied the best idea’s from the “O” and Turret Presses, the Super Simplex was a copy of a small Lyman pistol press and could be found in the loading shed of every Australian shooter in the 1970s by the mid 1980s due to there inability to full length size rifle cases, (short on leverage) they could be found in every shooters rubbish bin. Of course some did try to sell them to friends but they were not lasting friendships as soon as the new shooter found the limitations he wanted a ‘C’ ‘O’ or ‘Turret Press’. These standard presses have been available for fifty years in Australia and the only thing different and new different even though its concept is take from the “O “ press with three legs instead of two is the Lee Turret Press. Instead of the RCBS Turret system using the C post fitted with an external rotating head it has an internal rotating head held externally by three posts on the “O” principle.
The third front post can be alternated from right to left to assist those who need to choose which hand they need to use to replace the cases. These presses, can also by fitting a shell plate be used as a small progressive press as with each action of the handle the shell plate rotates and realigns the case for a different operation, such as, Full length size, remove primer seat primer on down stroke, then by hand, a loaded round is removed from the shell plate then an empty case is placed into the plate, a projectile is placed on top of a prepared case, another full action of the handle and the empty case is resized in one station, primer replaced, powder from powder measure inserted and the bullet seated to its correct depth in the case the plate has rotated and you do it all over again. Each time you convert and empty case into a loaded round. Progressive Presses are much quicker but of course come at a much more expensive price, also they take more mechanical ability to set up and sometimes for those less adept at the mechanics the simpler systems are quicker. The Lee Reloading equipment has the reputation for economy with reliability. Over the last 35 five years that I have been selling and using them I can only remember one press handle breaking. The customer had not used any case lubrication on a new set of full length dies. The case, with good reason stuck in the die, usually the shell holder just strips the rim of the case or rips the case in two, when the leaver depress the ram, but this must have been a strong rimmed case and he could not depress the handle. So he went to the Garage and got a four foot long piece of pipe, (it had previously been used by the council to stop cars driving on the footpath) it was 3 inches in diameter and fitted comfortable over and to the base of handle. With one push, of all his weight as the end of the pipe was over five feet in the air by now (you can imagine the leverage) he pushed and broke the bottom of the handle off. The case and rim shell holder all stayed where they were the handle broke at the bottom near the toggle. The Press and die set were undamaged. We have to thank the guy for being honest about what happened and not blame the product. He was, when instructed properly on the use of case lube, very impressed with the Lee Press after he got his new handle.
The Precision Part of the Process, Reloading Dies in Next Edition.
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Thought for the Week !
For many reasons I’m a night owl. (maybe I get more work done then when the phone stops) After I turn off the computer and before I crash into the land of nod, I often watch the talking heads on the news, the curly lipped intero- gators from the ABC and CNN, they always remind me of ‘Barbi and Ken’, with fixed puppet smiles and less intelligence. Since this Financial Crash thing began, they have interviewed thousand of different experts, who have ten thousand better theories of why it began and when it will end. Ninety Nine percent of them are not much smarter than the ‘Barbi and Kens’ who interrogate them, they talk incessantly without breathing, figures which all end in billions and trillions and all the poor banks are going broke. They have all lost billions, if its not a 100 billion it does not rate a mention. The real sufferings of the ordinary people are totally ignored. People are only there for financial institutions to exploit. The governments only there to take more tax off the people and give it to the banks so the banks can lend it to more people and make them happy and deeper in debt.
Then the other night a crack in the system, it was like someone lit a candle in the ‘Black Hole of Calcutta’.The talking head asked his inane question, the expert, fired up, “Where do you think all of these billions and trillions that have gone out of every country in the world has gone to?” “Who do you think is the benefactor of all this money, which Country or institution do you think now has all these trillions from the investment funds, stock markets, insurance companies? “Which bank are they sitting in now?” The Intero gator was flummoxed, this wasn’t in the script he wasn’t supposed to answer questions, he was only there to ask them. There was a stunned silence. “Well I will tell you where it is,” says the expert, “It’s nowhere, it did not exist before it does not exist now and it will never ever exist in the future and they are all just zero’s on a computer screen. Its not worth the paper its printed on because no one has ever printed that much, not 2 % of it. The money for the big bail out, that does not exist either, the government has to borrow that off the Federal Reverse which is a private bank and you the taxpayers will have to pay the interest on it. No matter, that they do not have it either, they create that debt, that you and I will pay interest on, with the keyboard of there laptops. Then the Government is going to give it back to those same banks and they are supposed to cajole the people into borrowing it, off them for houses and cars, more interest back to the banks for something that does not exist. The debt will stay and the government will never be able to repay it, only the interest will be paid out of the peoples taxes, Banks will get richer and the poor will get poorer, until some one wants to run the scam the other way again, for a while. The Talking puppet was white his make up was running, his mouth was open, his lips curled, (probably to hide his forked tongue). Then he said, “Surely that’s not right”, thank you Mr….
(I was pleased that someone finally said it,) Someone told the truth at last. I was very sorry I missed his name he deserved recognition for his forthright honesty and bravery, they will never let him get on the telly again. He might get very sick, or have an accident or get his credibility removed with a set up. I missed that name but I will never forget what he said. One of the other experts on the financial crash apparently, spoke out the other night, when asked what anyone could do to insure there future in today’s uncertain times, where should people invest, property, gold, government bonds? He said, “Only one way to get some security is to buy 20 acres in the country and grow your own food, because at any price its going to be hard to get. Only 3 percent of Americans produce food.” Ron Owen
__________________________________________________________________
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Operator Manual for FN-FAL Self Loading Rifle ‘SLR’
Operators Instruction Manual, specifications.technical details, function, gas regulation,Zeroing, Stoppages and immediate action and maintainance. With Assemble and Diss-assemble methods.
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Owen Guns Bulletin February 2009 No 10
Welcome to the Tenth Edition of the Owen Guns Bulletin.
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We are currently publishing our new website at www.owenguns.com
Where we are in the process of listing 1000s of rifles,shotguns, handguns, accessories, and gun parts that we have for sale. Visit the website now. We also have shooting articles and important firearm information for the gun enthusiast.
Take away free gun photos and free firearm images for your gun gallery collection. New firearm related material being added every day.
I do not like being the prophet of Doom but historically when the America economy sneezes and the rest of the world has a heart attack and gets into the grave and shuts the lid on itself, shooting gear gets hard to get and expensive.That’s my thoughts on their offered solutions, they never learn that creating more debt, by allowing the Banks to create more money never works, they are really only robbing the public by devaluing the peoples money and resources. History tells us that thousands of small factories will go broke and close, as our Firearm industry is only a specialised industry, its priority for government bail outs, is minus a thousand. We are not as worthy as the motor car industry, until there is a war. Sadly, that same Crystal Ball tells us that when ever the world get into on of these economic graves those forces that rule the world see filling graves with people, as the only way to return it to prosperity. For example during World War Two civilians could not buy .22 Ammunition or reloading components as the government had commandeered the factories. I am not trying to panic anyone, but I just wanted to inform people who have been customers of this business since when it started 35 years ago of what I think ??? is in the future. Meanwhile all of the team at Owen Guns hopes everyone going Shooting for the weekend has a great time. Ron Owen
Any Inquiries on any products phone 07 54824099 or 07 54825070
Monthly Specials
Leupold 3-9×40 Variable Riflescopes
$349.
Savage /Stevens Model 200 synthetic Stock Bl
BRAND NEW IN THE BOX
7 mm Remington Magnum
$550Plus Freight
Stevens® Centrefire
Stevens Model 200 – Long Action
Caliber
22″ (25-06 REM, 270 WIN, 30-06 SPFLD)24″ (7MM REM MAG, 300 WIN MAG)
Overall Length
42.75″ (25-06 REM, 270 WIN, 30-06 SPFLD)44.75″ (7MM REM MAG, 300 WIN MAG)
Barrel Length
22″ (25-06 REM, 270 WIN, 30-06 SPFLD)24″ (7MM REM MAG, 300 WIN MAG)
Weight
6.5 lbs
Magazine Capacity
4 rounds (25-06 REM, 270 WIN, 30-06 SPFLD)3 rounds for (7MM REM MAG, 300 WIN MAG)
Stock
Gray synthetic with positive checkering, dual pillar bedding
Sights
No sights. Drilled and tapped for scope mounts
Rifling Rate of Twist
1 in 9.5″ (7MM REM MAG)1 in 10″ (25-06 REM, 270 WIN, 30-06 SPFLD, 300 WIN MAG)
Features
Standard trigger, blued barreled action, free-floating and button-rifled barrel, top loading internal box magazine, and swivel studs.
Special Price
$550.00
Stevens Model 200 – Long Action
Caliber
22″ (25-06 REM, 270 WIN, 30-06 SPFLD)24″ (7MM REM MAG, 300 WIN MAG)
Overall Length
42.75″ (25-06 REM, 270 WIN, 30-06 SPFLD)44.75″ (7MM REM MAG, 300 WIN MAG)
Barrel Length
22″ (25-06 REM, 270 WIN, 30-06 SPFLD)24″ (7MM REM MAG, 300 WIN MAG)
Weight
6.5 lbs
Magazine Capacity
4 rounds (25-06 REM, 270 WIN, 30-06 SPFLD)3 rounds for (7MM REM MAG, 300 WIN MAG)
Stock
Gray synthetic with positive checkering, dual pillar bedding
Sights
No sights. Drilled and tapped for scope mounts
Rifling Rate of Twist
1 in 9.5″ (7MM REM MAG)1 in 10″ (25-06 REM, 270 WIN, 30-06 SPFLD, 300 WIN MAG)
Features
Standard trigger, blued barreled action, free-floating and button-rifled barrel, top loading internal box magazine, and swivel studs.
Special Price
$550.00
Email owenguns@spiderweb.com.au for more & bigger photos, its worth it.
Remington Genesis 1000 fps.
Idea for Dad and Son, An Adult Air Rifle. Practice Target Shooting in the Garage.
Includes a 3-9×40 Variable Air Rifle Scope and Air Rifle Mounts. $398.00
(Air Rifle Scopes have to be EXTRA shock resistant for High powered Air Rifles) . These single shot spring air Genesis pellet rifle feature ultra Hi ergonomics in its soft, synthetic pistol style grip and sculptured cheek piece, 28 pounds of cocking force gets up to 1000 fps. Other features included
Two stage Adjustable trigger, Ventilated rubber recoil pad, Precision rifled steel barrel, Crossblock trigger blocking mechanism, Ambidextrous safety, made in the USA.
TT. OLYMPIA .22LR Pistols NORINCO
As used to win all the GOLD in 1936 Olympic Games, originally made by Walther in Germany and subsquently copied by Russia and China. These are the Chinese version, used in Pistol Clubs the world over.
The Norinco pistols are all high quality steel, there is no alloys or plastics they are all carbon steel, except for the wooden hand grips which have been checkered like the original to give the best possible grip, not looks.
They are excellent value at
$150.Plus Postage
Bushnell Sportsman 3-9×40 Variable Riflescope at the once only price of
$90.00
RCBS Great Prices, Get the Best Reloading Tools for the Lowest Price.
RCBS Great Prices, Get the Best Reloading Tools for the Lowest Price.
plus postage
EMAIL Or PHONE 0754824099
For More RED HOT PRICES
EMAIL Or PHONE 075482409
The Weight of BARRELS
Rifles.
The weight, of a barrel which in the same material is relative to the length and outside diameters, of the barrel, of a fire arm depends on a number of things. Most testing on this subject has been done by the worlds military forces as they have the most to win or lose we can make use of their findings. Experience has proved that a military rifle should not weigh over 9 and half pounds. Most sportsmen prefer that their rifles should not weigh over 8 pounds, although there is a class of hunter-riflemen (Varmint) who take pride in sure hits and clean kills at long distances, and who are willing to carry rifles weighing up to 11 pounds to obtain the better accuracy. Target shooters, also, have found that a rifle of about 11 to 12 pounds holds steadier than a lighter weapon, and of course they do not have to carry their rifles long distances over rough country. It should be understood that the heavier the barrel of a rifle, other things being equal, the more accurate it will be, because it jumps less and is more uniform on discharge, and it heats up at a slower rate and retains a more even temperature. Some hunters prefer lightweight of medium barrels and 6 and half pound rifle is possible but when mounts, scope, sling, sling swivels, ammunition in the magazine the quoted figures in the magazine quickly add up.
Savage M12VFPL in .243 win Great long range rifle if you can carry it there.
The barrel of a rifle or shotgun usually comprises approximately one-third of the weight of the entire arm, and in any given model of firearm is about the only part that can be varied materially in weight, hence the importance of the weight of the barrel in determining the weight of the entire firearm. Even changing a wood to synthetic stock will only change it a few ounces. Sometimes the synthetic is heavier.
Hand Guns
Most people buying a handgun will never look or consider the weight of a pistol in numerical figures but select by how it feels and points for which purpose they intend to use it. Generally as a large rule of thumb the average weights for shooting, target or military. slow, timed, and rapid fire; a hand gun should weigh about 36 ounces. Some great revolvers are made to weigh as much as 44 ounces, but they have not proved popular among the best pistol shooters because they are not “lively” enough when you want to point them quickly at different targets.
This Smith & Wesson .44 mag is something Dirty Harry would be proud of, but not a quick pointer.
A revolver for low powered cartridges may weigh as little as 26 ounces, and pocket weapons for self defence at very short distances may also be light, but a target pistol shooter using a light weapon finds that accuracy and timing has been sacrificed. With a hand gun the receiver or frame is the heaviest portion, and the weight of the short barrel does not figure so prominently in the complete weight.
Shotguns
Shot gunners who do a lot of walking prefer guns weighing 6 to 7 pounds, as they tend to carry heavy ammunition, and more of it than a rifle hunter, while duck shooters prefer about 7 1/4 to 8 pounds for flying targets when staking out their favorite swamp. Shotguns that use 3 inch magnum shells usually weigh slightly over 8 pounds.
Krieghoff one of three in the world made in 1926 Lightweight U/O for hunting the highlands.
It should be said that these weights are the results of design by manufacturers with years of experience where not only personal preference, but also ballistic performance is considered. All firearm design is a choice of compromises, because a man who has to carry his weapon all day naturally prefers the lightest weight possible, while maximum ballistic performance demands all the weight permissible. It would therefore be a mistake to design a small-arm differing materially from the above weights, except for some very special purpose.
Next edition Barrel Steel
Understanding Reloading Ammunition.
Due to the changes in our economic system, already prices of shooting equipment, have risen 30 to 40 % in the last three months and as in the 1930 s, many manufactures may close ,so it makes good sense to begin reloading ammunition.
Reloading does not just mean cheaper ammunition prices, it means a continuity of supply and customized ammunition to suit and extend your requirements from the firearm. So the cheaper ammunition is just the icing on the cake.
The requirements of equipment to successfully reload ammunition are quite small, it only get expensive when a person wishes to speed up the process and still keep a degree of accuracy. The basic setup consists of a loading press or tool; dies to suit the calibre concerned; a shell holder; and a means of weighing or measuring powder charge. Normally the press will contain provisions for seating the new primer, but, if not, a separate priming tool is required.
While designs of the various makes and models of all those items differ a good deal, most function in essentially the same manner and perform the same operations. Here we will describe the basic and variant designs of the essential tools and equipment. The many other items will be covered a little later in this tome.
Loading Presses for Rifles and Hanguns.
The most common form is the “C-type” sold by several makers but originally introduced over eighty years ago by Pacific. At the top of the “C” frame we have a hole threaded 7/8 x 14 TPI (threads per inch) into which loading dies and accessories are screwed. At the base of the “C” is a horizontal or slightly angled flange, drilled for bolts or screws to attach the press to a bench or work stand. A massive tubular housing extends downward from the “C” roughly aligned with the die hole at the top. This extension is a carefully drilled and reamed full length, the hole being accurately aligned with the die hole. The frame is generally cast of iron or steel, sometimes an aluminum alloy.
The Lee "C" Press is economical and will always work.
A ram fits closely in the hole and is free to move vertically. Its upper end is machined to accept a shell holder head to grip the cartridge case. Some older presses had the shell holding surfaces machined directly into the upper end of the ram, but this expensive practice has ceased. An egress hole for fired primers is drilled in the ram, some directing primers out to the front, others to the rear.
The lower end of the ram is slotted and drilled to receive a toggle arm, usually of flat steel stock. This arm is pinned to a heavy toggle which is in turn pinned to the frame inside appropriate recesses. The toggle is further drilled to accept an operating handle. The toggle and arm form a “toggle-joint” or “knee joint” which functions exactly as the human knee. It is actuated by the handle to raise and lower the ram with considerable force.
When the toggle and arm are in line (all three pivot points falling in the same line) they support the ram at the upper limit of its travel. As the toggle joint is “broken” by handle movement, the ram is drawn downward. Reversing toggle movement, straightening the joint, moves the ram back upward with great force. The toggle joint exerts progressively greater force as it approaches the closed (straight) position, making it ideal for forcing oversize cartridge cases into resizing dies.
RCBS Die Sets, will last for lifetimes.
Features and Function of Reloading Tools
Removable shell holder heads such as those made by RCBS, Lee or Lyman slip into a T-slots in the ram. They interchange quickly to allow speedy calibre changes.
Most modern presses “break” the toggle away from the operator on the handle upstroke and use the more powerful downstroke for closing the joint and forcing cases into dies. Some presses are designed so that the toggle may be assembled to close on either the up or down stroke to suit the operator. Early models closed on the upstroke which resulted in many an exasperated handloader lifting tool and bench off the floor on a heavy resizing job.
My mother really was upset when I broke the kitchen table after I was just testing a new press and had attached it to the table with some large G clamps, (she would do anything for me but not let me get away with drilling the bolt holes through her table.) She was very forgiving though.
A detachable shell holder head fits into grooves in the head of the ram. It is machined so that it encloses both front and rear of the case rim in such a manner it can both press the case into a die and draw it out with great force without deforming the extraction rim. The holder is drilled at the centre for passage of fired primers and a primer seating punch. Holders may be held in the ram by setscrews or spring clips, and there have also been screw-in and lock-nut variations.
Lee Shell Holder
At the lower end of the “C” the press is fitted with a swinging arm carrying in its upper end a primer seating punch. The punch is usually adjustable in height, and several interchangeable diameters and shapes are available to fit different primers. The top of the punch is surrounded by a spring-loaded sleeve to align and keep the primer in place.
A slot to accept the arm is machined in the ram. When the ram is at or near the top of its stroke the arm is manually pressed forward against its supporting spring into the slot. Dimensions and placement of slot, arm, and punch combine to align a primer in the sleeve with the primer pocket of a case held properly in the shell holder. Then, with the arm held forward, the ram is moved downward, pressing the case over the primer to seat the latter. Some designs provide a mechanical stop to control depth of primer entry into case; others depend on individual operator “feel.”
Lee Auto Prime, seperate from the press but a quicker way to re prime the cases.
Raising the ram slightly then allows the priming arm to be snapped clear of the ram by its spring, freeing the ram for further movement.The length of the ram stroke must be as great as the longest cartridge to be loaded; this requires the opening in the “C” to be about 1/2″ greater than the longest loaded cartridge. Nearly all ” C” modern designs are made sufficiently large to accept the long H & H Magnum cartridges. Even though they are one of the cheapest options in the reloading market, I have never seen a factory manufactured one that is not capable of reloading millions if not an infinite number of rounds of ammunition. I have also been very impressed with home manufactured presses as they are not a high tech item and quite easily home manufactured by machining the ram and operating handle on a lathe and a little creativity with a welder and drill press.
Next Edition the O frame press.
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Manual for Tokarov M1938 Assault Rifle
Operators Manual, photographs, specifications and details of all types and different Models and Ammunition.
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Owen Guns Bulletin Nov 08 No 5
Welcome to the Fifth Edition of the Owen Guns Bulletin.
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| Stevens® Centerfire | |
| Stevens Model 200 – Short Action | |
| Caliber | 223 REM, 22-250 REM, 243 WIN, 7MM-08 REM, 308 WIN |
| Overall Length | 41.75″ |
| Barrel Length | 22″ |
| Weight | 6.5 lbs |
| Magazine Capacity | 4 rounds |
| Stock | Gray synthetic with positive checkering, dual pillar bedding |
| Sights | No sights. Drilled and tapped for scope mounts |
| Rifling Rate of Twist | 1 in 9″ (223 REM) 1 in 9.25″ (243 WIN) 1 in 9.5″ (7MM-08 REM) 1 in 10″ (308 WIN) 1 in 12″ (22-250 REM) |
| Features | Standard trigger, blued barreled action, free-floating and button-rifled barrel, top loading internal box magazine, and swivel studs. |
| Special Price | $650.00 |
| Stevens® Centerfire | |
| Stevens Model 200 – Long Action | |
| Caliber | 22″ (25-06 REM, 270 WIN, 30-06 SPFLD) 24″ (7MM REM MAG, 300 WIN MAG) |
| Overall Length | 42.75″ (25-06 REM, 270 WIN, 30-06 SPFLD) 44.75″ (7MM REM MAG, 300 WIN MAG) |
| Barrel Length | 22″ (25-06 REM, 270 WIN, 30-06 SPFLD) 24″ (7MM REM MAG, 300 WIN MAG) |
| Weight | 6.5 lbs |
| Magazine Capacity | 4 rounds (25-06 REM, 270 WIN, 30-06 SPFLD) 3 rounds for (7MM REM MAG, 300 WIN MAG) |
| Stock | Gray synthetic with positive checkering, dual pillar bedding |
| Sights | No sights. Drilled and tapped for scope mounts |
| Rifling Rate of Twist | 1 in 9.5″ (7MM REM MAG) 1 in 10″ (25-06 REM, 270 WIN, 30-06 SPFLD, 300 WIN MAG) |
| Features | Standard trigger, blued barreled action, free-floating and button-rifled barrel, top loading internal box magazine, and swivel studs. |
| Special Price | $650.00 |
GUN Law FACTS
LETHAL GUN LAWS, or LAWS on (TOY) REPLICA
GUNS?
By Michael Yardley
(Written 12/01/2003)
LONDON FOUR ARMED ROBBERIES EVERY DAY
Last Friday, the Home Office hosted a summit meeting the purpose of which was to “do something” about the increasingly serious problem of guns on our streets. Gun crime was up by more than a third last year. That is not a short-term blip. Over the past 50 years, the long-term trend has been relentlessly upwards. In the whole of 1954, there were four robberies in London in which guns were used. Today, four armed robberies take place in London every day.
So the Government does indeed need to “do something” to stem the criminal use of guns. Unfortunately, the “Gun Summit” demonstrates that what ministers propose to do is what they usually do in these circumstances: issue eye-catching initiatives which make headlines in the media, but do nothing whatever to address the real problem. Its outcome was merely a series of noises aimed at reassuring the Government that its policy on guns is “on the right track” and will eventually reduce gun crime.
It isn’t and it won’t. The Government seems convinced that gun crime will be reduced by the passing of yet another law prohibiting guns and attaching harsher penalties to those who use them. You might think that by now ministers would have realised the limitations of this approach. After all, in the wake of the Dunblane massacre, the Conservatives passed a law banning the use of full-bore sporting handguns. They were enthusiastically supported by Labour: Tony Blair invited Anne Pearson, the founder of the “Snowdrop Campaign” to prohibit all guns, to speak at the 1997 Labour Party Conference. Her plea for a ban on all handguns was implemented by Labour once the party was in power.
BAN GUNS and DOUBLE THE ARMED CRIME.
What has ensued since that legislation? Crimes involving handguns have more than doubled. More people, not fewer, have been shot and killed with handguns. The only effect of the law has been to punish, not the gun-toting criminals who murder and maim people on the streets, but the innocent sportsmen and women who enjoy target shooting. The gangsters have not been affected in the slightest. They have not found it any more difficult to obtain their deadly weapons. The black market in firearms is flourishing.
Guns were banned in Lebanon in 1959, ultimately all communities are responsible for their own safety. As Governments are only concerned with power and their own safety.
That black market is fuelled by the tens of thousands of guns that have become available since the break-up of the old Soviet Union and the instability in the Balkans. The collapse of effective border controls has enabled organised criminal gangs to sell guns in Britain on a very large scale. And eastern Europe is not the only source: guns come with drugs from the Caribbean and even China. Customs officials seem to be about as effective at intercepting illegal guns as immigration officials are at intercepting illegal immigrants. They catch at most one per cent of the incoming traffic.
There are no grounds for thinking that the Government’s latest eye-catching initiative – a mandatory five-year sentence for anyone caught carrying a gun or imitation firearm – will have much effect. There already is tough legislation on the statute books. The 1994 Firearms Amendment Act, for instance, attaches a 10-year prison sentence for anyone who uses a “firearm or imitation firearm” to threaten someone else. It is true that a 10-year sentence is not “mandatory” – but then five years won’t actually be mandatory under the new legislation either. Judges will retain their discretion to impose a much lighter sentence.
Furthermore, the Government’s insistence that it will crack down on the use of replica guns may well have the opposite effect to the one intended. At present, the majority of firearms used by criminals are either outright imitations, or imitations modified so as to fire ammunition. Even when modified, imitation guns are much less dangerous than real ones: they are inaccurate, very slow, and highly unreliable, frequently blowing up in the hands of the user. If action by the Government restricts the supply of imitation guns, then criminals will simply use real ones more often. The ample supply of weapons being smuggled into Britain makes that outcome only too likely.
‘CORE PROBLEM’ IS THAT GOVERNMENTS CONTINUE TO IGNORE THE REAL PROBLEM ‘CRIME’, AND IN A BLIND EFFORT TO LOOK LIKE THEY KNOW WHAT THEY’RE DOING THEY ATTACK PRIVATE GUN OWNERSHIP.
The Government, however, seems unable to see it. The core problem is an arms race among criminals and gangsters, who are now settling their disputes with increasingly powerful weaponry. Drug dealers need to monopolise supply in the area they control in order to maximise the price they can charge. That means eliminating the competition by terrorising them. These people are not frightened of the police, nor of the penalties imposed for carrying guns. They are frightened of their rivals – who they know have guns. Jamaican, Kurdish, Turkish and Albanian gangs all shoot each other, and they have all ensured their supply of up-to-date automatic weapons.
Obama's Anti Gun administration leave the White House for a day at the Beach.
Guns on our streets will not diminish until we diminish the power of criminal gangs. The Government’s first priority should be an aggressive strategy to attack gangs and gang culture, drugs and drug-dealers – a policy which would require rather more political courage than simply proposing yet another ban.
Charlene Ellis and Latisha Shakespear, the two girls killed in Birmingham at New Year, were caught in the crossfire when one gang tried to eliminate its rivals. The killers used an automatic weapon, perhaps an Uzi or MAC10 machine pistol. These guns fire bullets at an alarmingly fast rate. I have spent most of my life using guns: I have shot with automatic weapons many times, and represented my country at service pistol shooting. But when I was invited to test a MAC10 automatic pistol, I found the gun rotating in my hands uncontrollably when the trigger malfunctioned. Some of my bullets ended up buried in the ceiling of the shooting-range, nowhere near the target I had originally tried to aim at. The idea that such weapons could be used routinely by irresponsible, untrained and utterly amoral criminals is truly terrifying. But in the absence of courageous action against gangsters, that is the situation which the Government’s “solution” is likely to perpetuate.
Michael Yardley, a former Army officer, is the author of a history of armed police operations.
Gun History
Guns and SteelPart Two
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Rifle Trials At Hythe In 1857The peculiar features or the Whitworth rifle may be summed up as follows:-
The Government were desirous of testing the merits of my new arm, and of comparing it with the Enfield rifle, and a series of trials were made by the direction of Lord Panmure. The subjoined account of these trials, is extracted from the “Times,” of April 23rd, 1857:- For the last few days a very interesting and important series of experiments has been in progress at the Government School of Musketry, Hythe, in order to test the comparative merits of the Whitworth and Enfield rifles. The trial, which was of a most searching and impartial character, was conducted by Colonel Hay, the able head of the school, and has terminated in establishing beyond all doubt the great and decided superiority of Mr. Whitworth’s invention. The Enfield rifle, which was considered so much better than any other, has been completely beaten. In accuracy of fire, in penetration, and in range its rival excels it to a degree which hardly leaves room for comparison. The following table gives the best results that have been obtained from 10 shots of each arm respectively in the course of the experiments, which were brought to a close yesterday, in the presence of Lord Panmure, and of a number of military and scientific spectators:-
* The figure of merit is the average divergence of the number of shots fired. It would appear from these figures that at 500 yards, in 10 shots, the Manchester rifle has a superior accuracy of 1.87 of a foot; at 800 yards 3.11; at 1,100 yards 5.63; and that at 1,400 yards and upward, the Enfield weapon ceases to afford any data for comparison. In penetration the results have been equally decisive; the Whitworth projectile with the regulation charge of powder going through 33 half-inch planks of elm, and being brought up by a solid bulk beyond, while the Enfield ball could not get past the 13th plank. All these were made by firing from a beautifully constructed machine rest, which placed both weapons on a footing of perfect equality, as to the other condition under which they were tested. By referring to the table of experiments it will be seen that the target made by the former weapon at 1,100 yards so nearly as good as that made by the latter at 500 yards. These are great results to have achieved, and amply justify the forethought of the late Lord Hardinge in securing the services of so eminent a mechanic as Mr. Whitworth for the improvement of the rifle. Until he took the subject in hand the proper principles for guidance in the construction of the weapon had not been accurately determined.  A Military Whitworth Rifle General Hay informed me that the best figure of merit obtained by any rifle at a range of 500 yards, before the year 1857, was 24 inches, and here the new Whitworth rifle had a figure of merit of 12 inches at 800 yards, and of 4.62 feet at 1,400 yards. The figures of its competitor, the Enfield rifle, at the same ranges were 4.11 feet and “no hits,” that is to say, the Enfield bullet could not touch a target, 14 feet square, at 1,400 yards range. The accuracy of the Whitworth rifle may be estimated from the following facts, a figure of merit of 10.5 inches has been obtained at a range of 1,000 yards, 20 shots being fired. At a range of 500 yards it is a common thing to obtain a mean deviation of 3 to 5 inches, from my mechanical rest in the gallery, with 20 shots. Trials Of The Whitworth And Enfield Rifles,
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| Rifle | Range | Figure of Merit |
| Whitworth
Enfield |
500 yds
500 yds |
10.194
18.240 |
| Whitworth
Enfield |
800 yds
800 yds |
18.264
45.750 |
| Whitworth
Enfield |
1,400 yds
1,400 yds |
74.844
110.451 |
| Whitworth
Enfield |
1,700 yds
1,700 yds |
129.762
Beyond range |
| Whitworth
Enfield |
2,000 yds
2,000 yds |
129.565
Beyond range |
In the experiment on penetration, a Whitworth bullet made of a hard alloy passed through 34 half-inch elm boards, while a tubular bullet passed through 34 of the same boards, cutting out clean cores in its passage. The range was 307 yards.
I have not any record of the penetration of the Enfield bullet, except that given in the Hythe trials, where it passed through 12 half-inch elm planks, and was stopped by the 13th plank.
A Rifle Fired By The Queen
Queen Victoria opening the Range by firing the first shot using a Whitworth Rifle.
The first prize meeting of the National Rifle Association was held at Wimbledon on the 2nd July, 1860. Her Majesty, the Queen, graciously signified her intention of inaugurating it in person, and also of firing the first rifle shot.
Accordingly a Whitworth rifle was mounted on the mechanical rest, which is dependent on the use of my true planes for its geometrical exactness. The drawing shows the rest supported on a tripod stand, and weighted to ensure steadiness; the rifle is placed on a light steel slide, having true plane surfaces sliding on other true planes, which construction ensures that the recoil of the piece shall take place in one definite unchangeable line. Nothing can disturb the accuracy of the aim at the instant of firing.
Sir Joseph Whitworth's Mechanical Bench Rest of the 1860s.
A spring balance fixed on a smaller tripod, also weighted, receives the recoil by means of a projecting arm, and measures, its amount.
The target having been fixed at a distance of 400 yards, a silken cord attached to the trigger was handed to Her Majesty by me, and the rifle was discharged by a slight pull on the cord.
The adjustment was so accurate that the bullet struck the target within 1.25 inches from the centre, or point of intersection of the two cross lines, as shown by the diagram copied from a photograph:-
(Read Part 3 of Guns & Steel in the next edition of the Owen Guns Bulletin Edition 6.
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