Basic Reloading Needs

In these days of skyrocketing ammo prices many people are considering reloading with good reason. Not only is reloading fun it will save you a good deal of money as well as time searching for ammo. I was contacted by a gentleman (George Phillips) who has written a short ebook detailing the basic equipment needed to start reloading. I’ve read the book and he covers the needs of the new reloader well. The text covers not only the equipment but why you need it. The ebook can be purchased for 99 cents through Amazon.com as well as from his website. The links are listed below.

Amazon.com

Phillips General Store

Salute to the Troops!

A video salute to our troops

more about "Salute to the Troops!", posted with vodpod

Smith & Wesson Military & Police

M&P 9MM

My son is leaving for Iraq again and left his S&W M&P 9mm for safekeeping and to let me enjoy it. This polymer pistol is full of useful features uncommon to most pistols of this type. The obligatory lawyer proofing feature on this one is a lever inside the mag well that is pushed down to disconnect the sear when disassembly is done.

Note the small lever lowered into place in this photo.

The color doesn’t show in the photo but the lever is yellow in color and is very easy to spot and can be lowered by using a pen, handcuff key or any small object. Once the lever is lowered into place with the slide locked back the lever at the front of the frame is rotated clockwise pointing down much like a Sig. The ambi slide release can be depressed and the slide comes off the frame rails very easily. Take down is standard from this point on by removing the recoil spring and barrel. Cleaning is then done as normal. Once the barrel is cleaned inside and out and the slide is lubed it can be reassembled at this time. The frame is cleaned very easily because of the polymer construction. A small drop of MiliTec is placed on the four point slide guides built into the modular frame. A small drop is also used on the trigger spring as well as the area around the striker at the rear of the frame. At this point push the lever previously discussed(sear lock lever-yellow) upwards then move the slide on the four frame guides. When the slide is held all the way back lock it in place with the slide lock then rotate the take down lever counter clockwise. The slide release can then be activated allowing the slide to move all the way forward. The pistol is now cocked so before pulling the trigger make sure the chamber is empty before placing a fresh mag in the pistol. Since it is striker fired you won’t damage the pistol by dry firing.

This photo shows the sear lock lever in the up position.

The pistol also has a feature becoming more common in pistol designs and that is the interchangeable grip inserts. The S&W comes with three inserts. The medium is the one that comes installed from the factory and the small and large are in the box. This is a very handy feature especially for police departments that have smaller female and male officers officers. They can customize the pistol to fit their smaller grip size. Changing the grip inserts is very simple. At the base of the grip behind the magazine is a small half moon piece that rotates in either direction. Turn it halfway in either direction and pull it straight down removing it from the grip frame. At this point it’s very easy to simply pull the insert out and replace it with the desired one. There are two notches that fit into the frame with very little force. Once in place simply push the long pin you just removed all the way back into the grip frame and turn it back to the original position even with the grip. It’s now locked into place and ready for use.

The three grip sizes

A very handsome pistol!

Compared to most very blocky unattractive pistols S&W placed some thought into making this one a nice looking 9mm. It has the slide cuts that are very aggressive but not uncomfortable in the least. It also has a blended rail for attaching various lights, lasers etc. The rail doesn’t add bulk to the pistol or hang down below the frame. In fact some standard holsters work with this pistol. The sights are the low mount Novak type which are my preferred sight pattern. They are easy to align and don’t catch on clothing when drawing. They have three dots as standard but night sights are available as an option.

Rear Novak Sight

Another feature is the loaded chamber indicator. At the top of the slide there is a small circle which allows a clear view of the loaded round in the chamber. This small circle is beveled to make it much easier to see if the chamber is loaded. The slide release as mentioned before is ambidextrous. The mag release is also reverseable. I prefer to have my mag release on the right side and release it with my index finger of my right hand. That way I don’t have to change grip to drop the mag. Changing it to the opposite side is simple and take a couple of minutes. Again you look into the magwell and you’ll see a spring vertically mounted holding the mag release in place by being on the right side of a small block. To change simply use a small screwdriver and pull the spring back to free the mag release. Once released remove it by slight rotation and pulling it free to the left side. The mag release button is then placed into the frame from the right side. As it contacts the previously mentioned spring use the screwdriver to pull it back so the release block will clear then drop the spring to the left side of the release block. That’s all there is to it your ready to go.
Shooting the M&P is straightforward and has a nice trigger that breaks at just below 6 pounds. That sounds like a lot but with the trigger design it feels less. The trigger is hinged at the halfway point and also uses a center piece that must also be depressed to fire the weapon. The magazine holds 17 rounds of 9mm. At the time my son bought this one S&W had the rebate program on the M&P. He chose to get two extra magazines for a total of “5″!!! He purchased the police package that had three mags. That is a very good deal considering the magazine prices these days. That’s also a heck of a lot of ammo on hand before having to reload! Also the magazines are made by MecGar which are becoming the standard magazine for many gun makers. They are very reliable and long lasting even when kept loaded over a long period of time.

This group was fired from 10 yards

The group above was for sighting the pistol in for my old eyes:-) It was already very close and only needed a light tape to get it right on the money. This is a group of 9 shots. One at the top and the two on either side was before adjusting the sights. After that the remaining 6 rounds went almost into the same hole. Plenty accurate to say the least. I fired ammo from Winchester (white box) as well as various duty loads. All total 6 brands of 9mm. The pistol seemed to prefer the Hornady TAP ammo as far as accuracy is concerned. I shot from ten yards, 15 yards and 25 yards. Instinctive shooting (no sights used) was very good. I used the large grip insert and found it pointed very naturally and all rounds fired at 7 and 10 yards at single and dual targets went right where I wanted them again without using sights just bringing the pistol up to about chin level and firing from one target to the next. Head shots were easy as were center mass shots. The grip angle is always a great help with this type of shooting. The grip angle is much less than the Glock especially with the large grip insert. I have never been fond of the extreme grip angle of the Glock and instinctive shooting for me is not easy with any Glock.
To sum it up this is a well thought out and designed pistol which would serve a police officer well as a duty arm as well as an off duty or civilian CCW pistol. Many holsters are available for it from IWB’s to duty gear as well as belt holsters of many kinds. My choice of holsters is and will always be Erik Littles beautiful holsters and gear. You can find his holsters, mag pouches, belts and many other items at http://www.combatgunleather.com You’ll find an extensive review of his gear on the blog in a couple of places. One is listed with a hi power and the other is a seperate review concerning his gear only. He has been featured in Handgunner magazine as well as others and has a perfect reputation.
If your looking for a reliable well designed defensive pistol in 9mm you really would be hard pressed to beat this S&W. S&W took on a tall order when they gave the Military and Police moniker from the old wheel gun we’ve all used for so many years and bestowed it on this new line.
I hope you found this review interesting and informative and as always feel free to write whenever you have any comments or questions:-)

Savage Model 93 .17HMR

Savage Model 93

The Hornady 17 stands for the Hornady Rimfire Magnum and for a small bullet it’s a magnum alright. It’s been out for some time but I finally decided to get on the bandwagon and give it a try. The standard 17 grn bullet travels at 2550 FPS at the muzzle and maintains a velocity of over 1900 FPS at 100 yards. The construction of the bullet is ingenious in that it uses a hard nylon nose that is very sharp. When the round hits the nose is pushed back into the bullet expanding it violently. A varmit doesn’t stand a chance and one round is more than enough to put any animal in that category down and it stays down. The other round available is the 22grn hollowpoint. The only downside is with a strong crosswind past 100 yards and you get a good amount of drift because of the bullet weight.

When firing this little speedster on a calm day it’s accurate in the extreme and out to 200 yards has very little bullet drop. I zeroed it at 100 yards and fired at a Muskrat at close to 200 yards. I left the crosshairs right on it and one shot did it. Maybe an inch of drop from point of aim to the actual hit after examining the animal. Normally I’m not a hunter but our city has had a big expensive problem with these and other burrowing animals at the city lagoon. The city asked me to go out and get rid of as many pest as possible. They bought the ammo so ok I can do that:-)

This target and the orange one were fired at 100 yards. Both are 2 inch targets. The first and second rounds went right and left on the orange one but the last one went dead center. The mag holds five rounds or six with one chambered and a full mag. After a little adjustment on the Tasco World Class scope and the remainder of the rounds went right into the bullseye. The recoil is very minimal and is on a par with a 22 mag. The report isn’t bad at all and doesn’t require hearing protection. The barrel is free floated which I’m sure helps accuracy as well. With the heavy target barrel the rifle balances very well. Something I really like about this rifle is it has the same accu-trigger as the Savage 10FP and most Savage rifles have now. It can be adjusted with the supplied tool from 2 1/2 pounds of pull to 6 pounds of pull. I set mine at 2 1/2 pounds. The trigger is also very crisp with a nice release. The bolt is also very smooth and reloads without any catching of the round as it feeds. The safety is on the right of the bolt and pushes forward to take it off safe.

With the ammo shortage and increasing prices the 17HMR is a good rifle to own. Fifty rounds runs about $11.00 which isn’t to bad considering the cost of centerfire ammo these days. That is provided you can even find any handgun or rifle ammo. 22 caliber and 17HMR isn’t hard to find thank heavens!
To sum it up this is an affordable rifle with ammo that won’t break the bank. It’s also super accurate and very enjoyable to shoot. I can certainly recommend this Savage for a variety of uses.

Kimber Raptor II

Kimber Raptor II

Ten Yard Victim–LOL!

   I’ve had my issues with one Kimber I’ve owned as you can read about in the blog. With that said if you do get a “good” Kimber they are fantastic pistols. The chance of getting a problem pistol is much less with a pistol from the Kimber Custom Shop. The Kimber Raptor II is such a pistol. In fact I’ve kept track of Kimbers QC issues over the last year and a half and I’m happy to report they seem to have resolved whatever issues they had at one time. That’s certainly good for them but more importantly for those of us who actually were hoping Kimber would come back to the fine product that was.
   A good friend of mine traded this slightly used Raptor to me last week and I couldn’t be more pleased with any 1911. I owned a generation I Raptor with the external extractor which I traded years ago. Ever since then I’ve wanted to get another Raptor with the traditional extractor and eventually hand it down to my son. The blue that Kimber puts on these custom shop pistols is very reminiscent of the deep shiny blue that S&W used way back when. This is a very attractive pistol. In fact it’s in the top two in my view. With the deep blue, scaled slide cuts and the same treatment on the grip frame it not only provides a wonderful grip but looks very classy. Yea I know a blued gun does wear but that just gives it character in my view and if it bothers you that much then you can always have it reblued down the road. The way I look at it is that the only truly beautiful finish is a deep shining blue!

Novak Type Low Profile Night Sights/Top Slide “Raptor”Cuts

   This custom pistol is also equipped with a new style low profile night sights. I’m not sure if Kimber requested the change in the rear sight profile but I do like it better than the older Meprolight design. The pistol is also equipped with ambidextrous thumb safeties. They are not terribly wide to the point of being disingaged by accident. The “Raptor” cuts also cut down on light reflection. The top of the slide and the front grip strap as well as the rear of the slide have a slightly muted finish. With most 1911’s I normally will exchange some parts to suite my taste and the way I shoot. With the Kimber it’s basically take it home, clean it and go shoot—no changes needed. Also, the beavertail has a raised pad on the bottom for positive disengagement of the grip safety.This is the first feature I check on a 1911. So many of them I have difficulty depressing the grip safety reliably to ensure I can fire that shot first time every time. This one works very well. The trigger pull is 3 pounds 12 ounces and breaks clean and crisp. Trigger takeup is also short with very little slack. The Raptor is fitted with a full lenght guide rod which I live with or without. They really don’t contribute to accuracy in my view but some shooters swear by them and that’s fine.
   Since all of the custom shop guns have the critical parts hand fitted it’s very much above average in the accuracy department. The target below was fired from 15 yards slow fire and is shown next to a loaded Wilson Combat 47D magazine for group size reference. This is 9 rounds fired.

I think this would make the suspect drop the gun:-)

   The target seen below was fired from ten yards fairly fast at approx. one round per second. The target is a Birchwood Casey 5 inch.

   The second target seen is the same target with two additional mags fired also at faster than one round per second.

Most of the rounds went into the area already shot

   This is a standard qualification target. The circle on the face is 3 inches. Two magazines fired relatively fast.

    A few pictures of this beautiful pistol even if it
s a little dirty at the time.

Even after 200 rounds the finish still shines through:-)

   These grips are the Mil-Tac G-10 grips sold by Craig Sword. They are very durable and provide a positive grip. The factory wood grips are still the most attractive with the blue finish. I hate to do ant damage to the Kimber wood grips but they can always be replaced. Outside of the grip change if your so inclined I can’t think of a thing that needs to be changed on this pistol. It comes perfectly outfitted to my taste and preferences. There is one thing that I should mention for those who like light rails on a 1911. Novak makes an add on rail that can be fitted and has a very low profile unlike many that add a considerable amount of weight and bulk. They do require that two holes be drilled into the lower frame which is something I would never do to this pistol. As far as magazines are concerned this pistol is not magazine sensative. Some 1911’s are and will only work with a few types. I used the factory mag which I think is a McCormick. I also used Wilson 47D’s, Metalform, Novak, McCormick match and plain old GI mags that have had many a round run through them. It works with any mag which is a big plus.
   Even though the price of all guns are skyrocketing, particularly 1911’s this is one that does give you value for your money. During all my shooting during this range trip I had no problems whatsoever. A total of 200 rounds of assorted types and brands were fired. That brings the total round count to 400 with many more to come! If I could only have three handguns it would be this 1911, my Sig P6 and S&W model 19. That provides a solid lineup of reliable defensive handguns.
   With the current political climate one should buy all they can afford to and hang onto them. It may be a very bumpy road ahead for the 2nd amendment and our rights in general. One last word–if you don’t belong to the NRA join now! Your support and active support is needed now more than any other time in our history.

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Springfield Armory Compact 1911

Springfield Armory Compact 45 ACP

   As to often happens I run into a pistol I hadn’t really planned on buying. I was shopping for a pistol but not another 1911. Well if you read this blog much you know how much I love 1911’s! This Springfield is a bit rare. They were made in the early 90’s for a few years. This one was made in September 1993 according to Springfield. Why they discontinued such a handy pistol is beyond me. It has a Commander slide and an Officers size frame. With the new magazines out these days you don’t suffer any lose of ammo capacity since they now make seven rounders. This one came with only one magazine which from the follower indicates it’s a Metalform (rounded metal follower). I purchased a used like new Mc Cormick which was all the gunshop had and ordered a Kim-Pro mag with baseplate buffers of two sizes. One nice addition this pistol came with was a set of Trijicon night sights. Something I like about the Trijicons is the front sight has a larger white ring around the Tritium vial. This is helpful in low light to make sure you don’t line the dots up wrong.

Trijicon Novak Type Night Sights

   When I bought it it had the thick rubber grips which some shooters like but I just don’t care for. Nothing wrong with them at all but we all have our preferences and I found these grips to be a bit to “tacky” and hang on clothing when you draw. I ordered a set of McCormick Cocobolo thin grips which are sent with the shorter grip bushings and short grip screws. A nice touch that saves you some money by not having to buy the bushings and grip screws as extras. Mc Cormick makes high quality parts as well as grips and other accessories. The thumb safety was a type I hadn’t seen before. Narrow but very short surface area which makes it hard to use. I also ordered an STI extended thumb safety which I did have to do a small amount of fitting to operate smoothly. The pistol also had an early GI type short trigger. I prefer a longer trigger because of my hand size. I already had a longer trigger in my parts bin which required no fitting. Now I have this fine carry pistol just how I wanted it.

With the rubber grips and original safety—Kim Pro Tac Mag with buffer pad

   The frame is marked as being made by Imbel as are almost all Springfield Armory 1911’s. While some look on this decision with disdain I don’t. Imbel has made very high quality weapons and parts for gun makers all over the world and continue to do so. In fact they make one of the best Fn-Fal’s made. The finish is a taougher one to figure out. It’s not a blued finish nor is it parkerized. It appears to be an early hi tech finish. Very pleasing to look at and after all these years has held up very well since this pistol had no wear whatsoever. It hasn’t been used much anyway but as years go by any gun picks up little dings here and there.

On to the range:
  
   It was very cold so my range trip was fairly short. In fact I haven’t posted a lot lately because our weather in Missouri this winter has been pretty harsh:-)
   I set my targets and placed a Brirchwood Casey 5 inch stick on target in the center mass of the target. The results can be seen below. I fired one magazine of 8 rounds slow fire at 10 yards. All but one round made one hole about an 1 1/2 across. As you can see I did throw one round:-) It happens no excuses and my fault completly. Obviously the pistol is very accurate.

Five Inch Target At Ten Yards

   This second round was to the head of the target which has a 3 inch circle which can be seen in the outline. I fired two full magazines with the results shown in the picture. I did pickup the pace and fired a round about every second. The results turned out very good with all rounds within the 3 inch circle.

Three Inch Circle  Target

   That was the extent of the shooting for that day. It was about 14 deg and enough is enough! I shot to get an idea of how this pistol will perform and it did very well!
    This Springield Compact will make a very nice carry pistol. With the Officer frame the edge of the grip doesn’t show nearly as much under clothing as the full size frame and coupled with the Commander slide your sight radius is perfect for the distances a 1911 or any defensive pistol is used. This is the first one of these Springfields in this configuration I have seen since the early 1990’s and because production was fairly limited if you find one of these give it a second look. It will fill your defensive needs very well.

  

  

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Northern Tribal Area Gun Market Pakistan

You won’t believe this video of a gun market in the northern tribal area of Pakistan. It’s an eye opener! Click on the link below to watch the video.

Full Screen Video

Ruger, Uberti & Marlin Rifle Cowboy Fun

Ruger Vaquero 357 Magnum Stainless Hi Polish

   Being a child who grew up in the 1950’s I was like every other little boy. I loved Cowboys and Cowboy movies. Roy Rogers and the Lone Ranger on TV then all the old greats at the movies. That love affair with all things Cowboy stayed with me into adulthood in the form of rifles and single action revolvers.
   When I was about 7 years old my dad taught me how to shoot a revolver with a second generation Colt single action army revolver in 45 Colt. That was the first handgun I ever shot. That’s a memory I’ll always keep close. My dad had several single action army revolvers he kept at my uncles house for a couple of years. My uncles home burned down and the old Colts were gone. Only years later I realized what a loss that was.

No it’s not pushed all the way into the holster:-)

   The first revolver to cover is the Ruger Vaquero. This gun is safe to carry six rounds in the cylinder since it uses a transfer bar instead of the old type with the firing pin in the hammer. Mine is the 5 1/2 inch barrel version which is a good barrel length for just having a fun afternoon of shooting or with your local SASS group dressing up and playing the part with all the other old guys from the baby boom generation:-) This Ruger is the hi gloss stainless which is about the most durable finish you can buy and very easy to clean. These old guns point naturally no matter who makes them. They just feel right in your hand. They are also surprisingly accurate considering all they have is the notch in the rear and a thin blade front sight. The Ruger is also a very durable revolver and can handle about any reasonable handload you can come up with and keep going through a lifetime of shooting.
   The trigger as it comes from the factory isn’t bad at all but can be improved with a little judicious buffing. One handed shooting from a holster draw will give you groups of about 4 inches at 10 to 12 yards shooting like you would in competition. If you slow down and use a handload 38 special with just the right amount of Bullseye powder you can squeeze a group of about an inch at 10 yards. One note here I don’t advise anyone get carried away and fan the hammer like in the old movies. One thing is unless someone who knows how teaches you it can be dangerous and the other consideration is it’s hard on the internals even the rugged Ruger.
   The holster rig pictured above my wife bought me on a trip we made to San Antonio Texas back in the early 90’s. An old Mexican gentleman made it by hand and had a bunch of rigs to choose from at crazy low prices like $30 for this rig. I dyed it black and added the conchos to dress it up a bit. The loops fit 38/357 rounds. It was a heck of a deal and has served well for all these years.

Uberti Cattleman

   The next revolver is the Uberti Italian made single action that is pretty faithful to the old Colt in design with the firing pin in the hammer. Again this requires you carry only 5 rounds in the cylinder with an empty under the firing pin. If you drop it and a round is under the firing pin it will fire! This one has a fairly matte blue finish. I ordered a set of the faux Ivory grips from Uberti which they didn’t even charge me for. I did have to fit them but it didn’t take very long and only required a minor bit of material be removed to fit well. This one is chambered in 45 Colt. Not as sturdy as the Ruger I use mainly Magtech “Cowboy” loads which are very mild and run about 700 fps. The trigger on this one is a little better than the Ruger which I would guess is just the difference in the old action and the Ruger transfer bar action. It’s not as accurate as the Ruger but it’s no slouch either. For those that may not be aware of it Beretta purchased Uberti after years of the company making the Stampede for Beretta. I undertsand that eventually the Uberti name will be gone and they will all be Berettas. All of the machinery is being or has been moved to Berettas facility. The action on this revolver is smoother than the Ruger with less effort to cock it and has less trigger pull distance. The trigger is also lighter by just a hair. It also handles well and points just as good as the Ruger. The Uberti is also a bit lighter than the Ruger which makes for a bit faster handling. The price of the Uberti is also about $100 less than the Ruger.

Marlin 1894 “Cowboy” Competition 38 Special Rifle

   I saved the best for last:-) This is the Marlin 1894 “Cowboy” competition model rifle which came in 38 special only and had a 20 inch barrel. It has a deep blue octagon barrel and a color case hardened reciever and an American Walnut high grade stock. It has the traditional Buckhorn sights with a gold bead Marble front sight. You’ll also note the holster rig I mentioned earlier. At least you can see it all in this picture. I do love this rifle and in my opinion it’s in the top two of the best looking rifles ever made!
   Marlin made this rifle for a few years for those who compete in the Single Action Shooting Society matches (SASS). Marlin put a lot of hand fitting into this rifle by hand smoothing and fitting the action. The cost was higher than the other Cowboy rifles in Marlins line. It ran close to $650 to $700 at most shops. Marlin discontinued this rifle much to the consternation of many a Marlin rifle enthusiast. Apparently Marlin listened to the customers since it has been re-released
chambered in 38 special and 45 Colt.

One Of The New Models. Note the bolt is not case hardened as they were on the old ones and mine.

Barrel Markings and the beautiful deep blueing

   The action on this rifle is as smooth as butter. In fact the first time you work the action you have to just pause and wonder at how they got it this smooth all the way through the stroke. Normally when the round is about to go into the chamber there is a little feeling of the round hanging a bit but not with this rifle. The balance and feel with this straight stock is fantastic. It handles like a dream and has such little recoil it’s back on target in an instant. From a distance of about 15 yards you prettty much put all your rounds into one hole of about an inch and a half. There are few if any rifles that are more pleasurable to shoot than a quality lever action like this one and the other Marlin lever actions made in the Cowboy configuration.
   I once owned a Winchester model 1892 that had been converted to 38/357 in the 1950’s when that was a popular thing to do with the old rifle. The size of the “92″ and the Marlin are pretty close and light in weight. One of the first things I thought of was the old model “92″ when I picked up the Marlin.

The Marlin and Uberti before I added the Ivory grips

   I don’t know why Marlin did away with the case hardened finish on the bolt. I much prefer the entire reciever,lever and bolt color case hardened since Marlin did such a beautiful job of creating this finish. Marlin has always made quality rifles. In fact my next favorite rifle is the Golden 39A in 22LR. One interesting tidbit of information on this 100 plus year old rifle is that back in the late 1950’s when the Rifleman TV series was so popular Marlin added a feature to the 39A that would have lawyers today licking their chops. Just behind the trigger attached to the lever was a flat piece of metal that could be swiveled forward so that when you worked the lever the metal piece engaged the trigger firing a round each time you worked the lever. This type was my first 39A and man was it fun! It’s the first and last one I’ve ever seen and command a big price these days if you can find one.
   If you have any interest in the old west or getting into the Cowboy action shooting scene you would do well to seriously consider the marlin 1894 “Cowboy” for your long gun and the Ruger Vaquero for your sidearm. Check the Ruger website at LINK
  Marlins lever action webpage can be found at LINK

  

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Bersa Thunder .380

In these days of economic recession and rising prices of both guns and ammunition an economical alternative to the standard priced $600 and up guns is good idea especially if it’s a very good gun which the Bersa is at $279.
This is written by Stephen Camp of Hi-Powers and Handguns. Thanks Steve!

Bersa Thunder .380 with Corbon 80-gr. DPX Ammunition

The .380 ACP continues to fill pockets or holsters among private citizens lawfully carrying during the turbulent crime-filled times in which we live. Though “ballistically challenged” when compared to the delivery of full-power 9×19mm or even .40 S&W in similar size handguns, the 9mm Short still has a fairly significant cadre within the shooting community. If not a primary weapon, it is frequently on duty as a back up gun or “BUG”.
I suspect that it remains a popular handgun because at .380 ACP pressures, the pistols chambered for it are straight blow back. The combination of forces from the recoil and mainspring must be overcome by momentum imparted to the slide when the weapon is fired, and the bullet and gases begin forcing their way out the barrel. There is no other mechanical locking system as on more powerful weapons such as the 9mm, .38 Super, or .45 ACP. This makes it possible to produce and sell 380-caliber pistols a bit cheaper than for an equivalent quality 9mm.
Anyway, the little things are still popular, but some see a problem with the 9×17mm, a.k.a. .380 ACP, and that is expansion versus penetration. Folks fearing too little penetration to reach the vitals from any angle at which the body might be struck, use FMJ. They get penetration, but at the cost of expansion. It is generally accepted that traditional 95-gr. FMJ @ 950 ft/sec or so yields about 14 to 16″ in 10% ballistic gelatin. This exceeds the 12″ minimum set forth by the FBI for effective handgun penetration. The problem is that tissue collapses on what is already a small wound channel. If shots are accurately delivered, the 380 ball might very well suffice, but it is also generally accepted that the cartridge is not a ballistic powerhouse compared to many other defensive rounds.
On the other side of the issue, we find people who use frangible rounds. These can vary from pre-fragmented loads such as the Glaser Safety Slug to other exotics designed to either completely disintegrate within the target to JHP bullets, which expand and tear a wider permanent wound cavity. The problem is that when these bullets expand, penetration is frequently in the 7 to 9″ range…and this bothers some people.
Evidently, the good folks at Corbon were listening and have completed work on their .380 DPX. This standard pressure load uses a solid copper alloy bullet with a large hollow cavity. It has been tweaked by Corbon to provide both expansion and still meet the FBI’s 12″ minimum. The term “DPX” means Deep Penetrating X-bullet; the bullet is made by Barnes of rifle X-bullet fame.

Here we see the 80-gr. Corbon DPX flanked by Federal 90-gr. JHP (left) and the same company’s 95-gr. FMJ (right). FMJ is considered the most reliable ammunition in some semiautomatics and hollow points having a rounded ogive that mimics ball can aid in reliable feeding. The Federal Classic JHP shown is such a round, but notice that the DPX is also shaped such that in most guns, it should feed without problems. Always test any defense gun with ammo to be used for “serious purposes.” The DPX round has a LOA of 0.949″.

It is well known that bullets with sharp edges can dig into aluminum frames if the magazine doesn’t position them at an upward angle. The Bersa had no problems with the Corbon DPX. There was no gouging of the frame that constitutes the lower portion of the gun’s feedway. This can be as much a function of magazine as ammunition shape, but with two separate magazines, this Bersa suffered no dings or gouges from 40 shots using this new ammunition. For those interested the hollow point measures 0.169″ wide at the mouth and 0.206″ deep.

I opted to test this ammunition using the Bersa Thunder .380 ACP pistol. The gun is completely stock. It was chosen because it seems to be an up-and-coming favorite for people opting for its caliber and can usually be had at around $200.00. In my limited experience with the gun, it is well worth the tariff and apparently others feel the same way. I also picked it as this gun has the shortest barrel length of my very limited .380 collection. The motivation for this is to test the Corbon ammunition at the lower end of the velocity envelope with what I had access to. My particular Bersa usually runs about 30 to 50 ft/sec slower than my Walther PP or FEG PMK 380 handgun.

The only pistol used in these informal tests was this bone stock Bersa Thunder. Two factory magazines were used and both worked fine.

Shooting: The pistol was shot for function and groups at two distances. At 10-yards, the gun was first fired with Winchester 95-gr. FMJ to establish POI vs. POA. Five rounds of the 80-gr. DPX were then fired at the same target.

These groups were fired using a two-hand hold from a standing position at ten yards. Holes that are circled were made with DPX. The Winchester 95-gr. ball made those that are marked with straight lines. At this distance, it is apparent that with this gun, the two loads’ points of impacts overlap. Each group consists of 5 shots.

This 5-shot group was fired at 15 yards using a two-hand hold and a rest. It was fired from a seated position. It is evident that the DPX load groups plenty well, striking just a tiny bit high for a dead-on sight picture. Most would agree that this is plenty close enough for the purpose that this ammunition is intended.

Ten rounds were chronographed. They were fired 10′ from the chronograph screens and figures obtained are listed below:

Low Velocity (ft/sec): 1055

High Velocity: 1084

Average Velocity: 1067

Extreme Spread: 28

Std. Deviation: 9
I do have neither the money nor the temperature-controlled setting to use 10% ballistic gelatin. For that reason, I used two other mediums. These were water and “wet pack”. The latter was plain newsprint that was soaked for 24 hours until super-saturated and allowed to drain for 30 minutes before firing. Both of these will stop bullets more rapidly than the gold standard gelatin, but some inferences can be made, I think.

Here are two .380 ACP 80-gr. DPX bullets that were fired from the Bersa. The one on the left was fired into water. The one on the right impacted the soaked newsprint. Expanded diameters are quite similar, but the one fired into the wet pack is slightly smaller. This appears not to be due to less expansion, but because of the denser medium forcing the petals slightly more rearward. Notice each of the expanded bullets has not attempted to turn nearly inside out, as can some rapid expanders. I believe that this aids in the bullet’s penetration capabilities. The bullet that impacted water measures 0.724 x 0.734 x 0.354″ tall and weighs 79.9 grains. The DPX that was fired into the wet pack measures 0.708 x 0.715 x 0.332″ tall and weighs 80 grains. This is very consistent performance, something for which DPX bullets are noted.

Some other ammunition was fired into the wet pack as well for purposes of comparison. Penetration depths are listed below. The wet pack was 10″ thick.

Winchester 95-gr. FMJ: 10″ + (It completely penetrated the stack and went into the ground.)

Federal 90-gr. JHP: 5 3/4″

Corbon 80-gr. DPX: 5″

Remington 102-gr. Golden Saber: 4 “

Corbon 90-gr. JHP +P*: 4″

Remington 88-gr. JHP: 3 1/2″

*The Corbon .380 JHP currently sold is not rated +P. This is some older Corbon that I had on hand and it clearly is so marked, both on the 50-round box and on the cartridge case. Chronographed against newer 90-gr. Corbon JHP, I find no difference in chronographed speeds from the Bersa. I have no hard facts on why the earlier ammunition was given the +P rating.
I am going to go out on a limb here and anticipate that the DPX will penetrate approximately 12″ of calibrated 10% ballistic gelatin. Note that the Federal 90-gr. Classic JHP penetrated a bit deeper. Checking the works of several researchers, I found that this expanding bullet often penetrated roughly 14″ of ballistic gelatin. I think that part of this can be found in the bullet’s inconsistent expansion, at least from the Bersa. That load only averages 969 ft/sec from my Bersa while it gets 1033 ft/sec from my FEG. I like the load, but I never got two to expand quite the same, regardless of the test medium …when using the Bersa.

On the left is the Federal Classic 90-gr. JHP. This is a standard pressure load that has been around for years. Averaging about 969 ft/sec from my Bersa, the expansion was irregular and erratic. No two recovered bullets were the same. Often, expansion was not nearly to this degree. On the right is Corbon’s 90-gr. JHP +P. It expanded consistently in the wet pack and usually shed its jacket. The DPX cannot shed its jacket, as there is none. From the Bersa, the Corbon averaged 1050 ft/sec on the nose.

Of the ammunition fired in my informal tests, the most consistent was the Corbon 80-gr. DPX and Remington’s 102-gr. Golden Saber. The lighter DPX did penetrate deeper. In ballistic gelatin, the heavier Golden Saber usually penetrates between 9 and 10 inches. The 1″ deeper penetration in the same medium by the DPX probably means it will get another couple of inches in the gelatin tissue simulant. Time will tell. From my gun, the 102-gr. bullet averages 855 ft/sec. I was disappointed not to have any Hornady XTP ammunition in my meager stash of .380 ACP ammunition. It would probably give it a good run for the money with regard to penetration, but normally does not reach nearly the same expanded diameter. The XTP usually goes to about 1.5 times its original diameter. I like the XTP quite a lot, but I do think that the DPX is probably going to do a bit more damage.

From the Bersa, this load was accurate and reliable. Note that Corbon lists its velocity at 1050 ft/sec. Even the lowest measured velocity exceeded it by 5 ft/sec. It has been my experience that Corbon ammunition almost always exceeds nominal listed speeds.

Observations: Corbon DPX ran smoothly through the Bersa with no hesitation whatsoever. It did not ding or gouge the frame portion of the feed ramp and ejection was positive and fairly uniform. Edges of the fired primers were rounded and there were no overt signs of high pressure. Though only forty shots were fired in today’s testing, the ammunition seemed quite reliable with the two magazines used.

I noted no unusual problems in cleaning the gun’s bore, something I have not been able to say when using Barnes X-bullets in certain rifles. At normal handgun speeds I do not think this will present any concerns whatsoever.

Frankly, I was surprised to see that this light 80-gr. bullet penetrated as much as it did. I expected about 3 1/2 to 4″ penetration. Perhaps the spaces between the sharp, stiff “petals” enhance its ability to drive deeper while still causing a wider permanent wound channel that ball for sure and many hollow points in this caliber. I think the fact that the expanded bullet doesn’t flatten out might help in this regard as well. Whatever the reasons are, the ammunition penetrated better than I expected. Hopefully, those with more sophisticated testing methods will be reporting soon. If their results show that the .380 DPX gets 12″ or more penetration, I’d probably go with this load over any other in this caliber.
Sounds like the “magic bullet” thing doesn’t it? Nope! I don’t think the .380 can be made into a “stomper” caliber that can compete toe-to-toe with considerably more potent rounds, but I absolutely do believe that this load enhances its ballistic capability. To my layman mind, it appears that trying to use the “best” ammunition one can in a given caliber is a good thing, but rather than trying to make that caliber something it is not, accept its limitations, but learn to use it quickly and accurately.

Rock Island Armory Match 1911

Everyone who has read my blog knows how much I love Rock Island Armory 1911’s. As I have said before they are the best buy bar none in a 1911. The newer “Rock” Match version is just another example of a company that listens to the customer base and produces a fine pistol at an unbelieveable price!
I was at our police department range a week or so ago and ran into a friend who had just purchased a Rock Island Armory Match grade pistol. Yep, I was drooling to get my hands on this one. I’ve been looking for one for a month or so without much luck but at least I got to shoot one.
I told him I would let him shoot my Sig if he would let me play with his new toy:-) He had already fired about 200 rounds through it with no problems at all. I happened to have 150 rounds of 45 ball so off I went to give this fine looking pistol a workout.
This pistol has the fiber optic front sight which I find very useful and easy to pickup as well as being fast. The rear sight is the Millett type that adjust for both windage and elevation and is very precise in it’s adjustment. The perfect setup if you compete in stock class competition. The pistol felt the same as the Rock Tactical I’m so fond of so it was a no brainer getting used to. The controls were very smooth. The action was something I noticed right off as being smoother than the Tactical was when it was new. There was definately some hand fitting with this pistol.
Shooting held no surprises. It was very accurate and produced a ragged hole at 10 yards and at 15 was more accurate than my Tactical again giving excellent results. At 25 yards the pistol really shined and once again produced a group measuring roughly 3 inches with 4 magazines fired. Again, very obvious a bit of extra work went into this pistol. I completely enjoyed shooting this pistol and it just renewed my desire to find one of my own. The way it is equiped is very similar to the S&W Doug Koenig but at a far lower price. It’s every bit as good a pistol as the S&W even if it is a bit more utilitarian in looks. That is not to say it’s an ugly gun by any means. I find the fit and finish of these pistols to be very appealing.
Steve Clark is a man I’m glad to call a friend wrote a fine review for the M1911.org website and graciously allowed me to publish his review of the Rock Island Armory Match 1911. A thorough job as always and I’m sure you’ll enjoy his contributed review.

Recently, I tested a target-style pistol from STI, called the Spartan. This pistol was unique in that STI International chose to use major components (frame, slide, and barrel) manufactured by Arms Corporation of the Philippines (better known as Armscor). During the time I was waiting for the STI Spartan to arrive for testing, I learned that Rock Island Armory was planning to release a target grade pistol too. My imagination began to run wild!

I fully expected the Rock Island Armory Match pistol to be at least a fraternal twin of the STI gun. Initial inspection of the RIA Match revealed a great many similarities, such as a fully adjustable rear sight, orange fiber-optic front sight, parkerized finish, etc. However, closer inspection disclosed some features that instantly got my attention. These not-so-subtle additions had me “itching” to inspect the pistol further, take some photographs, and give it a thorough work-out on my personal firing range. I live in a rural part of Texas, where such facilities are normal.

The Rock Island Armory Match (per the label FS Match) comes packaged in RIA’s black plastic clam-shell case. The interior of the case is lined in egg crate foam, and the pistol was double wrapped in a plastic bag and bubble-wrap bag. Two black 8-round Novak magazines were included in my package (although the pistol will ship with one 8-round magazine). Under the foam lining, one will find a fired cartridge casing, the owner’s manual, a warranty card, a firearms safety pamphlet, and a card entitling the pistol’s owner to buy Armscor ammunition at a 10% discount, if he or she joins (or is already a member of) M1911.ORG. I would also like to stress that this is the first review of the RIA FS Match. No other printed or electronic publication has reviewed this pistol, so this is another first for M1911.ORG.

The Pistol

The RIA Match is a full size (5-inch barrel) 1911, chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge. Inspection of the left side of the manganese phosphate treated slide reveals the company’s logo and Rock Island Armory, roll marked in block letters. The right side of the slide lacks any markings. The ejection port is lowered and flared for improved ejection of spent cartridge casings. There are no front cocking serrations on the slide of the RIA Match. The rear cocking serrations consist of nineteen straight lines, such as those found on G.I. type 1911s. The slide fits snugly on the frame, which has a Parkerized finish applied to its surface. The exterior finish on both the slide and the frame create quite a pleasing visual. There is no movement laterally between these two major components. I was informed that the Rock Island Armory Match is not part of a regular production run at the Armscor factory, but rather the slide and frame are hand-fitted in the Armscor Custom Shop. This extra attention to detail is evident when holding the pistol, as there is no rattle when the gun is shaken. In addition, the entire RIA Match pistol has been moderately de-horned, and the effect of this treatment should be apparent in the photographs. It most assuredly is noticeable when handling the pistol. Hand cycling of the action is effortless, in part aided by the excellent cocking serrations, but mostly because of the fine fitting of the slide to the frame.

The LPA rear sight of the RIA Match is mounted on the top of the slide, and is fully adjustable for both windage and elevation. This sight blends in well with the rear of the slide, and its rear face is horizontally serrated to reduce glare. The front sight is dovetailed nicely into the top of the slide, and its edges are rounded into the slide’s contour. This sight features a bright orange fiber-optic tube.

The slide stop/release is checkered, as is the magazine release button. The trigger has a serrated face with two elongated cutouts. There is no externally adjustable over-travel screw on the RIA Match. Trigger pull was characterized by a very small amount of take-up, with a crisp release of 4.25 pounds, from the box. This was a consistent measurement, meaning the sear released at 4.25 pounds, every time that the trigger was squeezed, or activated by the RCBS Trigger Pull Gauge.

The hammer has a true half-cock notch, and is an elongated Commander-style unit. Mated to the hammer is a beaver-tail grip safety utilizing an extended palm swell. The ambidextrous safety has a serrated shelf on both the left and right controls. These shelves are extended, and the right side is secured by a small cut in the sear pin, which corresponds to a small shelf on the bottom of the safety. Operation of all safety devices is positive and reliable. The magazine well is slightly beveled for easier insertion of the magazines. The pistol is easily loaded, as fully charged 8-round magazines slide into place with an authoritative click. When released, empty magazines fall free with no resistance. The flat mainspring housing is serrated, and fitted nicely to the frame of the RIA Match.

The stocks provided with the Rock Island Armory Match pistol are finely grained wood, and compliment the business-like looks of the gun. Sadly, my example had a small crack from the top of the left side grip screw to the top of the stock. This was the only cosmetic problem that I encountered in my inspection of the pistol. This minor defect is covered under Armscor’s Limited Lifetime Warranty.

Disassembly

The field stripping procedure to be followed with the RIA Match .45 ACP is different than for other, full length guide rod equipped full size 1911 type pistols. Field stripping the RIA Match proved to be much easier than was the case with either the previously tested RIA Tactical or the STI Spartan. Make certain that the pistol is unloaded and the magazine has been removed. A non-marring bushing wrench easily depresses the recoil spring plug so that the barrel bushing may be turned clockwise. Carefully allow the plug to exit the muzzle area, relieving all recoil spring tension. The slide can then be moved to align the take-down notch with the slide stop. After the slide stop is removed from the frame, the slide and frame can be separated. After that, it is a simple procedure to remove the recoil spring and full length guide rod. Turning the barrel bushing counter-clockwise will line up the bushing for removal from the slide, and the barrel can be taken out toward the muzzle. There is no firing pin safety on the Match pistol, so firing pin and extractor removal is accomplished following standard procedure.

Reassembly is in reverse order.

While I am admittedly no big fan of full length guide rods, the ability to use a bushing wrench is preferable to lining up the take-down notch with the slide stop while the pistol is still under the tension of the recoil spring. I applaud Rock Island and Armscor for this improvement.

Shooting the RIA Match Pistol

My normal shooting protocol with any new pistol consists of firing enough rounds to determine functional reliability before accuracy and chronograph readings are taken. This initial test was conducted using the two supplied 8-round Novak magazines, and 100 rounds of Armscor Precision 230 gr. FMJ ammunition. The pistol was discharged from a distance of 10 yards, using a modified Weaver stance.

The Birchwood Casey Shoot-N-C 8″ target shows that most of the shots fired were slightly left of dead center. As I tend to sometimes pull my shots to the left, I decided to forego any sight adjustments until accuracy testing commenced. Ejected casings consistently landed four to five feet to the right of my firing position. All 100 rounds fed and ejected without incident. The RIA Match handles recoil admirably, and is easily brought back on target during rapid fire.

During this phase of the test, I decided to try some Hornady 200gr. TAP FPD +P ammunition was kindly provided to M1911.ORG for use in conducting pistol tests. This is a relatively new type of jacketed hollow point, and I felt that if a problem with feeding JHP rounds was to appear, this would provide a good test.

Twenty rounds into the Shoot-N-C target provided ample proof that the RIA Match will reliably feed this type of JHP ammunition. Subsequent accuracy tests with a variety of factory FMJ and JHP ammo produced no malfunctions. I moved my shooting position to take advantage of a natural tree wind-break, but this forced me to shorten my range to 20 yards. All of the above readings and accuracy tests were made at 25 yards, except the Armscor results. From that point to the end of my shooting session, all firing was done from 20 yards.

The NRA target pictured above was engaged with 5 rounds of Armscor Precision 230 gr. FMJ at a distance of 20 yards. This group represented my best of the day, although later groups were centered on the target much better. A one click adjustment on the LPA rear sight brought everything in line. Memorizing the most ideal setting, I made several adjustments to the rear sight to determine how far a click would affect the impact on the target. Considering the windy conditions, I estimated that one click would account for one inch of impact difference at 60 feet. That is on a par with my previous encounters with adjustable sights on 1911 type pistols.

Total round count for the test exceeded 500. More of the full metal jacket ammunition was expended than the jacketed hollow point loads, but that is more a factor of cost per box than what the pistol prefers to digest. The donated ammunition from Armscor and Hornady is greatly appreciated. In addition to the ammunition mentioned in the accuracy and velocity table, I fired the following brands: Winchester SilverTip 185 gr., Speer Gold Dot Hollow Points 185 & 230 gr., Federal Hydra-Shok 165 & 230 gr., Taurus Copper Hollow Points 185 gr., and Remington Golden Saber 230 gr. Twenty rounds of each brand were fired through the RIA Match, with no failures of any kind.

Evaluation

The Rock Island Armory FS Match .45 ACP pistol is assembled and fitted in the Custom Shop at Armscor, in the Philippines. As stated earlier in this review, the slide and frame are hand fitted, and the rest of the components of the gun consist of parts that are made by Armscor. These parts are primarily Metal Injected Moldings, as told to me by Ivan Walcott. The M1911.ORG Forum is full of positive and negative comments concerning the use of MIM in handguns. Correctly manufactured parts that are covered by a Limited Lifetime Warranty should cause no denigration of the quality found in a Rock Island pistol. A manufacturing fact of life is represented by the use of MIM parts. They do not require labor intensive fitting, and allow the manufacturer to pass cost savings on to the consumer. I have thus far tested three guns that are either solely a Rock Island product, or that contained major components from Armscor. I have found nothing wrong with the quality of any of those three examples. I might add that I normally put more ammunition through a test pistol in the course of a review, than a majority of handgun owners would fire in a span of months. I have experienced zero failures in my test samples.

The Parkerized finish held up to several hundred rounds of various types of ammunition being discharged. In fact, the finish on the RIA Match is superior, in my estimation, to those of the previous test pistols, and the aforementioned guns had a dandy finish! I don’t keep a test pistol long enough to measure the effects of holster wear on the finish.

From the time the pistol was removed from its box until I cleaned it and re-packaged it, the trigger pull was excellent. The sear released at a consistent 4.25 pounds of pressure. This exceptional trigger pull, coupled with the adjustable sights and the hand fitting of the slide and frame, make for a wonderfully accurate handgun. Although windy conditions forced me to shorten my testing distance to 20 yards, I feel certain that the RIA Match would have delivered the same degree of accuracy at my normal distance of 25 yards. The bright fiber-optic orange front sight is easily picked up through the LPA adjustable rear sight.

Although I had some issues with earlier test guns and their stocks, I find that I grip these pistols in a different manner than my personal 1911s. That different grip allows me to keep my hand stationary throughout my range sessions, which ultimately yields better results on the target. Perhaps too, it is the type of beaver-tail grip safety that is standard on these target models. In either case, the “feel” of the pistols is growing on me, and I cannot find reason to complain.

I am yet to encounter a Rock Island pistol that refuses to eat hollow point ammunition. While the RIA owner’s manual specifically states that the guns are not warranted to reliably feed this type of ammo, it is gratifying to know that these guns are built to shoot a variety of factory loads and configurations.

My déjà vu reference in the opening of this test/review had to do with the similarities between the Rock Island Match pistol and the STI Spartan that was previously tested. Each of these guns is accurate, a pleasure to shoot, and an economical way to buy a target-grade pistol. However, I must be fair and state that I prefer the Rock Island Match because of the ease of disassembly. While my carpel tunneled and arthritic 57 year old hands can still manage quite a bit, anything that provides easier use is appreciated. I also favor the use of straight rear cocking serrations on my personal guns, and the RIA Match delivers on this option. The Rock Island handgun does not have front cocking serrations, a positive omission in my book. Finally, there is the absence of any type of firing pin safety on this weapon. That non-feature alone gets an A+.

Ivan Walcott (Sales Manager for Advanced Tactical Firearms, the importers of RIA pistols to the United States) states that the suggested retail price of the Rock Island Armory FS Match pistol will be in the plus or minus range of 650.00 U.S. dollars. Considering the quality and accuracy of this gun, I would rate this handgun as a “best buy.”

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank President Martin Tuason and Sales Manager Ivan Walcott of Advanced Tactical Firearms International Corporation, for providing the Rock Island Armory Match .45 ACP pistol used in this test. As soon as the handgun was available to them, it was sent to me for testing. We strive to provide the readers of the M1911.ORG E-zine with the most up-to-date information. In addition, these fine gentlemen also provided me with several boxes of Armscor Precision .45 ACP ammunition. This was my first exposure to this highly accurate, clean burning ammo. I was quite pleased with its performance, and I recommend it to anyone looking for quality in affordable ammunition.

My thanks go out to Hornady Mfg. Company for their donation of several boxes of their new 200 gr. TAP FPD +P .45 ACP ammunition. I have been pleased with the results in my shooting tests with this ammo, and I look forward to conducting some personal ballistic tests with this brand in the future.

As always, my Competitive Edge Dynamics Millennium chronograph performed above and beyond my expectations. Frankly, the chronograph put up with the wind better than I did!

Finally, I am indebted to Bill Lamb at GREAT GUNS in Burleson, Texas. He consistently stays on top of the test pistol situation, as well as providing a variety of factory ammunition, accessories, and gun expertise. I couldn’t do it without you, Bill, and I am obliged. Many thanks are expressed to your daughter, as well, for her assistance last week.

You may discuss about this pistol, ask questions or in general discuss about this review, in this thread in our Forums Site:

http://forum.m1911.org/showthread.php?t=26573