At the request of readers who have noted
that the Ask Jeff page has become very slow to load due to the
number of questions on it, we have archived our older Q&A. We thought this a better alternative to deleting them
entirely; this way, all the Q&A we have posted will remain
on the site and available for reading.
Boge Quinn - Webmaster |



What would you recommend for a light weight .44. Mag for backpacking, hiking etc?
Russell
September 21, 2009
The S&W 329 is a very good, very light .44 Magnum, but is best for a very experienced shooter. Recoil with heavy loads is pretty stiff. A better compromise would be a S&W Mountain Gun or a Ruger Super Blackhawk with the 4-5/8 inch barrel.
Jeff



Hi Jeff. New to your web site, but really like what I see. I have a reloading question, but will comment as well. First, the reloading question. I'm trying to work up a load for a 7MM Remington Magnum using Nosler's 160 Grain Accubond bullet. As you well know, the powder and bullet manufacturers are so litigation conscious, all of their loading data, at least to me, seems very cautious. Wondering if you have gotten any info from other shooters loading this bullet with Reloader 22 powder.
Now for the comment. In reading the comments of others on your web page about our citizenry being armed, I'd just like to say how much I appreciate those like you, standing up for our freedom to Keep and Bear Arms. I'm a hunter, a shooter, a retired U. S. Army Officer and a police officer. I've owned and used firearms since I was 12 years of age and have never once used one unlawfully. But then, I'm not a criminal. The firearms I own have been obtained perfectly legally. I carry one every day as a police officer, also perfectly legally. It is the criminal element of society in this Nation and in other nations that have driven uninformed politicians and the masses to believe that violent crime can be curbed if guns are eliminated. There are mountains of evidence to the contrary. Wherever private gun ownership has been banned, violent crime has increased. Simple as that. As a police officer, I have no issues whatsoever with legal gun ownership or concealed carry. I have contacted many concealed carry permit holders in possession of firearms at the time of the contact without the slightest threat to me - or anyone else for that matter.
I sent a letter to my elected representative the other day. In it, I asked her if she know why the Right to Keep and Bear Arms was the SECOND amendment, directly following the amendment guaranteeing Freedom of Speech. Here's what I told her. I firmly believe our Forefathers were extremely wise in providing for the exercise of free speech. Because, in exercising that freedom, we have the ability to debate. We may debate with our elected officials and tell them when they are wrong and express exactly what the will of the PEOPLE really is. As long as we are a People free to express ourselves freely through the exercise of peaceful dissent through verbal debate, we will remain a free people. Once we lose the freedom to speak and interact verbally freely with each other and with our government, we will no longer be a free People. Our Forefathers knew that. That is why the Freedom to Keep and Bear Arms comes directly after the guarantee of free speech. Because, our Forefathers, having not had freedom, knew what it was to be enslaved by a government. And, they knew that once OUR government moved to deny us our freedom to speak freely, the only way to regain our freedom would be through the threat of, or the actual use of the force of arms. That's why the Second Amendment is the Second Amendment. It's to remind our government what comes next when it moves to deny us our Freedom of Speech. And, THAT is why SOME in our government - and other governmental bodies (like the United Nations) so want to disarm the American public. Once disarmed, the enslavement of the people of the United States to a government that is NOT Of the People, By the People and, For the People is inevitable. Once the American public is disarmed, denying us any other freedom our government wants to deny us, will be just too easy. We therefore, must stand firm in unwavering support and defense of the Constitution of the United States - and its Amendments - against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
Thanks for allowing me the exercise of my First Amendment Right to Freedom of Speech.
Dave
September 19, 2009
Thanks for that well-written and informative email. Many of the emails that I receive daily exhibit very poor grammar and punctuation, not due to ignorance, but laziness. It is refreshing to read a letter that shows care and intelligence in its form and content. Many of the miscreants in our government, and our society, think that the Second Amendment was placed in our Constitution to guarantee our right to go deer hunting. That is absurd, and intentionally misleading by those who promote such ignorant conclusions. On the handloading question, load data is provided as a guide, but an experienced handloader can exceed those limits by carefully and progressively increasing powder charges. However, this must be done on a gun by gun basis. What works in mine might be excessive in yours, so go slowly, and keep in mind that the game animal hunted will not be able to tell the difference in a few feet-per-second. I like to work near the top of the velocity potential of a given cartridge, but settle on the most accurate load, even if it is not the fastest.
Jeff



Jeff,
For a trail gun in the South, do you recommend the Taurus
Judge, and if so which model?
Russell
September 18, 2009
Yes I do. I like the UltraLite best as a trail gun, but the smaller
Public Defender as a concealed carry piece.
Jeff



Jeff , I recently purchased a .44 mag Ruger super
Blackhawk. I am planning on using it for hunting white tail in upstate
New York. I have a scope for it but wanted to use a red dot. The gun is already drilled for it but I was told not to put one on it as the recoil is too much. what do you think?
ED
September 18, 2009
Depends upon the dot chosen. Many on the market are junk. I really like the Trijicon Reflex above all others. It is rugged, accurate, and always "ON". It never needs batteries.
Jeff



I've noticed in some of your videos that you are a left handed rifle shooter. I am too. What are your favorite AR type rifles for lefties, are some more ambidextrous than others? What are some of your other favorite rifles that work well for you even if they are not designed to be left handed? One of my favorites is my
Browning BPS shotgun.
Ryan
August 12, 2009
The BPS is probably the best pump shotgun ever built, and the safety is right on top, just as God intended. I like standard
ARs. Adding an ambidextrous safety helps, but is not necessary. The Ruger and Winchester single shot rifles work well for lefties.
Jeff



Jeff,
First time question, have you in the past ever done a review on S&W 442 or a 642 and some of the best +P ammo to use in
it?
Also as I am a Lefty like you, do you think the Stag Arms left handed Model 2L is worth the extra money over the Model
2? I shoot and carried a M-16 in the Air Force in Germany back in 1985 and did very well will the right handed M-16.
Thanks for your time,
Tim
August 12, 2009
The STAG is a very good weapon, but I can use the RH version just fine, and that I what I prefer. I have reported on the
342PD and the 340. The 642 is an excellent weapon, and a very good buy in today's market.
Jeff



Pourriez-vous nous dire quelles sont les
poudres adéquates pour le rechargement des cartouches d'un revolver SMITH
& WESSON 500 Magnum,ogive de 350 grains?
Merci d'avance,
Jeannine
15 juillet 2009
Essayer 42 grains de Hodgdon, H4227, ou H110. 42
grains de Winchester 296 sont aussi un bon choix. Utiliser un apprêt
de magnum avec tous ces chargements.
Jeff



Jeff, I just read your 2005 review on Trail Boss powder and have a few questions. Did you notice a decrease in overall noise from using this powder to propel some bullets well below subsonic levels? If not, do you think that is due to the pistol length
barrels? I need to load some ammo for dispatching raccoons in semi-populated areas and want to keep the noise down really low if possible. Most shots are less than 25yds, but the .22lr just hasn't been cutting it. We've had a few too many run off to crawl up somewhere, die and stink the place up. I was considering loading up some 32 H&Rs, 38 specials, .45LC or maybe a few rifle rounds listed on the IMR website. What do you think, have any experience with quieter loads? I would be firing these out of rifles with barrels longer than 16 inches.
Thanks,
Adam
July 6, 2009
The long barrel is the right way to go. Carefully experiment, and use as heavy of a bullet as will stabilize,
preferably a cast lead bullet. Load down as far as you can go without sticking a bullet in the bore. Trail Boss should do the trick for you, but if it does not, try
Titegroup.
Jeff



Jeff, first of all I would like to tell you how much I enjoy your website and the reviews and articals you write. They are to the point and no B. S., thanks.
I was reading your review of the Kel-Tec SU 16C rifle which you said you liked and it had enough accuracy to even varmint hunt with. I
believe you said it was shooting close to MOA or less with some ammo at 100 yards. I was also reading a review by "nutnfancy" at the YouTube website, he was using two SU 16C rifles with and without scopes. His average groups were around 3 inches at fifty yards.
I like the rifle and was thinking about buying one if I can find it in my area. My question, is the rifle accurate like the one you were shooting or will I be getting the 3 inch groups at fifty yards like "nutnfancy" ?
Keep up the good work, thanks.
Bill
July 6, 2009
It depends upon several factors. Some people spend good money for a rifle, and then cheap out on the scope and ammo. Every component has an effect on the performance of the weapon. If you use a good scope, properly mounted, and quality ammo, your rifle should perform every bit as well as mine. Never put a whole lot of faith into someone named
"nutnfancy".
Jeff



Jeff, It is 3:50AM here, & as usual, on a sleepless
night, I find myself enjoying your no bullshit website. I picked up a
Ruger Blackhawk Flattop .44 Special yesterday. 5.5 inch. Have read your article on these 2-3 times & am looking forward to playing with this long-awaited revolver.
Now to the point of this e-mail: B & C reticles. I just ran across your work-up on this. And of course I am using a caliber that does not fit the list. My load is a 210gr Nosler PART. at 2800fps.(By Chronograph) B. C I have a very nice custom 338-06 AI on a SAKO action + Macmillan stock. 24" Lilja barrel. This gun has long been a favorite of mine & I have taken 6 Bull elk & 2 nice muledeer. But my older eyes & slower brain function makes it harder to calculate the hold anymore. Sooo, I broke the bank & got a
Leupold 4.5x14x40mm scope with a B&C reticle, hoping this will help. I do not like to make a practice of shooting critters at long range, but sometimes it just works out that way in Montana. Actually, I would much prefer to sneak up on them & use a handgun. The last Bull elk I shot was 40yds. Took close to 2 hours crawling on my belly to get there. I have a certain Whitetail buck I have been after for 2 years now. Last chance was at 317yds but I could not take the shot as there was a hunter on the ridge just above the buck. How do I calculate?
T.W.
July 2, 2009
I would start by using the standard setting, as with a .30-06 or similar. However, try it out in the field or at the range. You might need the magnum setting, but I doubt it.
Jeff



Jeff, how would you compare the Ruger LCP with the
Kel Tec P3AT? Which do you prefer and why?
Jim
July 1, 2009
They are so close in design, that I have no preference. I gladly carry either in my left front pocket with confidence.
Jeff



Great website!
Are you going to do a comparison of all the
pocket .380 autos anytime soon? Do you have any preference?
Thanks,
Dan
February 19, 2009
I will not be doing a comparison. I have done a separate
review on each that is available. I report my findings, and let
the reader decide for himself/herself which best fits their
particular needs. For me to make a comparison and declare one the
"best" would be both arrogant and presumptive of me.
Much like me trying to pick a man's wife for him. What I find to
be "best" might not be for someone else. Therefore, I
report the facts, such as the weight and size, reliability, and
accuracy. Me choosing the "best" pocket .380 would be
fair to neither the reader nor the manufacturers. I could not even
make this decision for myself. That is why I own several
pocket .380 auto pistols. Of the ones that I have tested, they are
all good. You will never see another "comparison" type
article on Gunblast, as long as I am the editor.
Jeff



Hi Jeff,
I have a concern about mass gun confiscations in the United States. Do the NRA, Peterson Publishing,
GOAL, FFL dealers and others of the gun related trade, have any plans to destroy their membership lists, subscription lists and sales lists, in the event of a forecasted nationwide effort by the government to raid citizens homes to disarm them? I know there would probably be government
punishments for doing so but if they really want to be patriots they should do so anyway. If the government trashes the constitution and assaults American citizens they should all do their duty. Do you agree? If you do, could you mention it or post a poll on your site to get readers
opinions? The Revolutionary War's first battle was over the confiscation of guns. The legal authority of the time was the one who was trying to grab the guns. I guess the only real mystery is whether Americans have as much guts as the minutemen of the 1770's colonies.
Jim from Tennessee
February 15, 2009
Jim,
In Tennessee, the state keeps no records. After
the background check, the records are destroyed everyday. The gun
dealers keep the yellow 4473 forms. However, if BATFE walks into a
gun store and demands the forms, every gun dealer would likely
turn them over.
Jeff



Jeff, I'm glad and relieved that Boge is back home. I've been talking to him about changing his health habits so we can enjoy him in the future.
Have you guys considered changing the black background of Gunblast to white or some color easier on the eyes? When I read a column for very long, my eyes have to struggle to see the letters on the black. Just a thought. Thanks,
Tom
February 3, 2009
Tom, you're not the first to make this request. I
have begun changing the text on our articles to a bold-face type,
hopefully this will get the job done without my having to totally
redesign the site. All the articles linked on the main page
reflect this change, as will all articles going forward. Let me
know how it works for you, and thanks for the prayers and advice!
Boge



I purchased a Browning Gold that was taken apart. It is not feeding correctly now. I need to know if you could help me find a diagram, that shows the correct way to reassemble the gun. Your help would be greatly appreciated.
Chris
February 1st, 2009
Brownell's has a great deal of info on their web
site. Click on this
link.
Jeff



Hi Jeff, I wanted to mention that when I read your comments page I was a bit ashamed at the other Australian who raised the pro gun control issue - so I thought I should contribute to your outstanding website.
As a Australian who lived in the USA for 2 great years I came from a background filled with media rubbish about the USA. Hard line stuff - with the only information
available to me being shootings and mass murderings and right to carry issues - which if you believed the hype - meant that every
American citizen was a gun carrying nutbag who would shoot you for any
reason. (hence your other writers views)
Nothing could have prepared me for what I found in the America - a nation of freedom loving people who were amazingly generous and intelligent - who
didn't understand the word "No". The USA is the last place in the world with true freedom who people
appreciate personal responsibility for their actions.
I never felt safer in any other country than I did in America, I have experienced far more crime and antagonist behaviour in Australia then at any time in the USA. And its because you have more respect for each other as a result of being one of the only places in the world where freedoms are a part of your rock solid law.
The other "Australian" who mentioned school shootings and violence forgets the fact that so much world wide attention was given and that a school is one of the last places in
America where a mentally sick person can be assured of meeting no armed resistance - which is why they do not attack peoples homes or police stations - because their run for glory will be cut very short.
Best Regards,
Matt
January 29, 2009
You, Sir, are much wiser than most. The only
shootings that make the news are the ones in which the criminal
comes out the winner. Many crimes are stopped by armed citizens,
but it does not further the liberal's agenda to report those, so
they are seldom mentioned.
Jeff



Hi Jeff,
Love your site, I'm concerned that Hallie says that Bobbies don't carry guns, this is false, we have armed response units in the
UK and armed police in our airports etc, wherever they are needed. Increasingly they are forced to carry anti stab vests as knife crime has soared there, 5 needless deaths a week average. Since hand guns have been banned, gun crime has risen in the
UK, they have even had to set up OPERATION TRIDENT to deal with the unusual level of violence from a certain section of our male youth, the only people using hand guns are the criminals, sometimes even better armed than the police. The good news is the majority of the time it is to wipe each other out, but still proof that handgun bans don't work. Our
Olympic team has to travel abroad to train, PC gone mad and yet no reduction in crime, just the punishment of law abiding citizens that the government doesn't trust even if they do win medals. Women may not even have mace, a pen knife or a sharpened comb in their handbag as should they kill their attacker and that would mean they (the woman) had premeditated killing someone. I had enough and moved to a
European country that allows me to keep firearms at home and in the car if not on my person, but only after a years worth of paperwork, medical approval (yearly) and gun club attendance, my neighbours
questioned by the police as to if they have any objections, paperwork controls every 3 months, a limit of 7 central fire handguns/semi autos/ex military calibre bolt actions inclusive submitted for authorisation again every 3 years with the police (a 6 month process). This country has less gun deaths than the
UK for an equal population, Criminals here don't buy guns legally, they don't do paperwork, intruders KNOW that there is at least a shotgun under the bed of the vast majority of homes, we have the legal right to shoot them within our house if they are carrying a gun and refuse to leave, we may not shoot someone in the back, fair enough, we may not shoot someone with a knife, but then would he hang around faced with a 12 gauge or a 300 win mag? Shooting someone means sitting in jail until proven innocent and probably banned from having guns thereafter, but importantly still alive. Even if my new government was to go English on us, hunting rifles will never be banned, and we will at least sleep at night knowing that we have the right to protect our own lives, something that has been stolen from the English because the human rights of the aggressor must be guarded and that keeping that first world war
bayonet or a kitchen knife next to the bed means that you are just waiting to murder the first innocent burglar/rapist in the course of his work.
Jesus loves life, the martyrs and He gave their lives for our sins but I would rather ask Him forgiveness for defending mine and my neighbours and winning.
Keep fighting for your rights, they are quashed only too easily.
B
December 30, 2008
Thank you for those comments. You have a perspective that neither I nor most of my readers have, and I appreciate you filling us in.
Jeff



Hello Jeff,
Thank you for all the great information on your site and for the comprehensive review of the
S&W M&P 9mm. I recently acquired this fine pistol and am interested to know your opinion on the best personal defense ammo available in 9mm. I apologize if this information is already posted on your site; if so, please feel free to direct to me to it. I know that you recommend Cor-Bon, is there a specific load? Also, the Barranti Leather link at the end of the review is dead, so I am curious to know if they are still in business? Can you recommend any other concealed carry holsters? I am thin and find that inside the pants options create less of a noticeable bulge than any belt mounted or paddle holsters I have tried.
I appreciate any information you can offer.
Thank you,
Josh Latta
December 30, 2008
The M&P is a very good choice. Barranti has changed his web address. It is now
www.barrantileather.com.
There are lots of good ammo choices today. From Cor-Bon, I really like their DPX in 9mm. Also
Buffalo Bore has some good loads using the Speer Gold Dot bullet. For an inside rig, the Cross Breed Supertuck is very comfortable.
Jeff



Sir,
I just purchased a Ruger old model Blackhawk in .357 Mag which is in excellent condition. The gun has a very low serial number. It works great but the barrel seems to have some copper fouling. I probably should just leave it alone but the gun is in such excellent shape I hate for the barrel to look anything but pristine. What is the best method to clear the fouling without harming the gun. I am not looking for a quick fix just something that cleans out the fouling. You can contact me at huainantzu@aol.com.
Also, can I order a Ruger Super Blackhawk with a four and a half inch barrel from the factory with some accuracy work done.
Thanks,
Don
December 29, 2008
Ruger does not do accuracy jobs at the factory. Try Barnes CR-10 to get that copper fouling out. I have found nothing better.
Jeff



Why do we need handguns? Why do you feel the need to collect them? There are so many handguns in the world. There is no number high enough to count all of them. They are the easiest way to kill a person. So, why do we need them? I don't know if police need them. Bobbies in England don't carry guns at all. I love this country and all we have, GOD has truly blessed us! And I know the Army needs gun. & I'm not sure about the picture on your home page. Pointing a gun at the viewer. Would you shoot a person? And take their life? Let us ask ourselves, is this something that Jesus would do in modern times. Would he own a gun? I am not prefect by any way. Nor, do I think I am better then any one else. As Paul said "We are all sinners of witch, I am chief" I would like to know your answer to this question?
Hallie
December 21, 2008
If we had no guns; no one, not even the bad guys
had guns, would we be better off. There are some communities, in
the US, where even the cops do not carry guns. Those communities
are what we call prisons. In prison, the people who are allowed to
enter and to exit are carefully screened. No one can bring in a
weapon of any kind. In prison, there are more law enforcement
officers per capita than anywhere in the world. Even with all this
security, crime is rampant. The gangs rule the community. You
either join up with a gang, or you are the victim of a gang. Guns
may not be the perfect answer, but it is the best that we have.
Guns prevent more crimes than any other deterrent. Without the
individual right to carry a gun, gangs would rule our streets. In
the US, the communities that do not allow citizens to carry guns
have the highest crime rates. A small woman with a gun can defend
herself against the largest man. Without the gun, she is pretty
much his victim. Same thing with an elderly couple against a gang
of thugs. Criminals in prison have, when interviewed, stated that
an armed citizen is their biggest fear, and the greatest deterrent
to their committing their crimes. I do not know what Jesus would
do, but He has powers that I do not possess. He has thousands of
angels at his command. Me, the best that I have to fend off
attackers and to protect my family is a gun. I would not shoot to
take a human life, but I absolutely will shoot to protect one. If
some predator tries to make me or someone whom I am obligated to
protect a victim of his evil, I will shoot. If he dies, I would
not celebrate his death, but I could live with that a lot better
than I could live with watching him harm a loved one and be
helpless against his attack. The gun is the best tool that I have.
The police have guns, and they are civil servants doing a job that
we pay them to do. They are hired to carry the gun for us, and to
use it if necessary. However, a policeman is not sitting next to
me, so until I need one, call him, and he arrives several minutes
later, I have to be my own policeman, and protect myself and those
whom depend upon me for protection. I keep a gun within reach at
all times. That might not be the perfect answer, but in this
imperfect world, it is my answer.
Jeff



My name is Zac and I'm a 21 year old elementary teacher down here in San Antonio, Texas. Many twenty-year-olds are excited about turning twenty-one for legal drinking, but not me! I was actually excited about purchasing my first handgun. I ended up with a Taurus pt-145 pro. It's a really fantastic handgun and it feels great. Now, I've been wandering around the net trying to read up about the changes that are tacked on with our new president that effect our right to own our handguns. I'm confused, Jeff. One blog says "They're gonna collect our guns!" , and other blogs say that we're gonna remain unaffected. I find this hard to believe. I even watched the stuff on the NRA website. I just got my gun. I love it. Will I end up
losing it?
Zac
December 21, 2008
I do not know. Obama's record is very anti-gun.
However, I do not think that he could get Congress to pass a total
ban. I do believe, however, that any gun restrictions that
Congress passes, he will sign into law, because he has stated that
he favors a ban on ALL semi-automatic firearms. I heard him make
that statement. We have something like 80 million gun owners in
the US, and maybe 5 million NRA members. That tells you that most
gun owners do not care enough to support the best defense that we
have. The NRA is far from perfect, but they are the most powerful
gun-lobby in DC. Make no mistake about it, Obama is an enemy to
the freedom of gun ownership in the US. We must be vigilant, and
keep a close eye on him and his cronies in the Congress.
Jeff



I got a S&W460 with a 12in barrel
were can I find load data for it?
Name Withheld
December 21, 2008
There is good load data available online at www.hodgdon.com.
Jeff



Jeff, Help.
I am getting a Savage 93r17Classic and would appreciate some advice on a brand of scopes for it.
I have been researching them and there are so many to choose from. I am looking at the following
brands: Bushnell, BSA, Nikon, Simmons, Barsa.
I am looking in the 100 to 170 dollar range. I am looking at the Leupolds but they are pretty well out of my price range.
I would like at least a 4 x 10 x40. Would bigger be better? Are there any brands to stay away from or are they all good now days?
Sincerely,
Pete
December 21, 2008
All those that you listed are imported, and some
within each brand is better than others of the same brand. If you
can get along fine with a 3 to 9 power, that would be my choice,
and the Leupold that Wal Mart or the Leupold Rifleman that www.swfa.com
sells is pretty close to your price range. However, Bushnell and
Nikon both have some pretty good scopes, but the lower end stuff
that Bushnell sells is not as good as their Elite line.
Jeff



Would the Taurus 45/410 pistol "The Judge" be a good defense weapon for a woman? Could a moderately fit, 135 lb woman fire the 410 version and expect to discourage a man sized target at 15 feet?
J. Foster
December 21, 2008
Yes it would. For concealed carry, the Judge is a
bit large, but for home defense or in a vehicle, it is an
excellent choice. If dropping a man dead is considered
discouraging, then yes, it would.
Jeff



OK, now I have another question. My Rock River plan fell through, and I am presented with another choice. I have already put down $100 on a new Olympic Plinker Plus with an upgrade to a
collapsible stock. The gun should be here by the first few weeks in the new year. The total price will be $761.00 with the new stock. Or... I have found a new DPMS flat-top .308 for just under $1200.00. It is optics ready, but includes no iron sights. I believe it has the dust cover, a
collapsible stock, and 2 mags. I know these are 2 separate brands/calibers, but which do you think is the better deal/rifle? I can have my hands on the DPMS, but have no exact date for the Olympic. I'm pretty sure I could get my deposit back for the Olympic, but don't know if that is the best thing to do. Please help! Any thoughts or opinions will be greatly appreciated, especially about the benefits of one brand over the other. Thanks.
Chad
December 21, 2008
They are two very different rifles, but if it was
my choice, I would grab that DPMS. They are now backordered close
to two years on those, and finding one for sale is becoming very
hard to do.
Jeff



I'm looking for my first concealed carry weapon. I
recently test shot at a friend’s house and he recommended a Bersa
380. I prefer revolvers though, and was looking for some
suggestions on any alternatives that may suit this application and
not be too bulky or uncomfortable to carry around.
Thanks,
Terry
December 21, 2008
For a revolver to carry concealed, I like a
concealed-hammer lightweight .38 Special, like the S&W 642.
Jeff



I am wanting to purchase a .22 semi-auto
pistol. I am considering the 22A S&W, the 45/22 by Ruger
or the Browning Buck Mark Camper. As far as accuracy,
trigger and overall quality, which would you prefer? I enjoy
your website.
Thanks,
Dave
July 29, 2008
They are all good pistols, but the Ruger would
be my first choice.
Jeff



Jeff,
I'm contemplating my first Colt SAA in .45 LC. I've been comparing the
P1840, and the P2840. I've noted the P2840 has a black powder frame. Not
being familiar with black powder as yet, is it possible to use the P1840
with black powder if necessary? This might be a stupid question, but I'm
wondering if the P1840 would be more versatile. Thanks for your help.
Brett
June 10, 2008
The reference "black powder frame"
has only to do with the type of retention device for the base pin.
It is just a styling thing. You can use any type of suitable
powder in either gun.
Jeff



Le escribo desde San Jose, Costa Rica, me gustao mucho su sitio, me ayuda
con dudas, cuando observe su articulo sobre la M&P45 me ayududo a
decidirme por comprarla, con la cual estoy mu agusto. Gracias.
Paulo
May 8, 2008
Estoy contento que usted disfruta de
Gunblast.com, y que el artículo M&P fue útil a usted. Es una
excelente pistola.
Jeff



Hi Jeff I'm a gun owner and live in Australia. We hear all to often about these shootings in schools in the US, innocents killed many injured both physically and emotionally, good folk scared for life. You know more people are killed with firearms in the US each year than are killed on our roads in Aus plus firearms incidents! What is being done about this appalling loss of life Jeff? I'll tell you...... nothing because the average American ego is so large the average American cant pull their head out of their ass to see the light of day. Kids can buy firearms and ammo!
What sort of appalling lack of CIVIL RESPONSIBILITY is this. Is the average
American proud of this ability to arm themselves? And for what ?
To people outside the US looking in, it seems that Americans are paranoid !
Seriously this is how it appears, so much for "living in the land of the free" I love your web site, but heads need to put together, laws changed and the
penalties need to fit the crime, here's a thought Jeff. If the ruling was that if a felon commits a crime and has in their possession a firearm, weather it has been produced or not during the
robbery/assault a mandatory 20 years jail sentence with NO CHANCE of
parole is imposed PLUS time for the offence, I would think twice! Something
has to be done Jeff, its all fun and games playing with "big boys toys" but passing the responsibility of owning firearms off to your
Constitution is not any kind of responsibility at all!
Regards,
Mike Hodgson
March 7, 2008
Firearms have been available here for over 200 years, yet it wasn't until our government created "gun free zones" that these tragedies started taking place. These low-life shooters are going to schools to do their shootings, where they know that no armed citizens will be present. When I was in school, many of us has guns in our pickup truck gun racks on school property, yet we never even thought about opening fire on our classmates. The
availability of guns is not the problem, it is the evil that is in the hearts of some people. What you do not hear on the news is how many times lives are saved because someone was armed, and stopped a shooter from doing violence. We arm our police, as you do yours, yet in doing so we are just hiring others to do that which we should be willing to do ourselves. It is every citizen's responsibility to protect our own families, friends, and neighbors from those deranged, evil people who choose to do us harm. Adding a
mandatory twenty years to the sentence of someone who has just murdered six people is not a
deterrent, and most of these scum take their own lives anyway, after their deeds are done. The police cannot be everywhere at once, and usually they can only show up in time to write a report. If someone tries to do me harm, it is my responsibility, not that of the government, to protect myself. Our society today devalues human life, with the gruesome violence in movies, television, and video games. As a nation, we no longer teach our children the ways and teachings of Jesus, but allow them to do everything that they like, get everything that they want, and suffer no consequences for their actions. That some grow up to be selfish, disrespectful, hate-filled brats should not come as a surprise to any of us.
Jeff
Jeff,
I guess I may have overstepped the mark with a couple of comments I made,
I'm sorry. What you have written does make sense to me. I guess we are from two very different worlds when it comes to survival and thinking about it, if lived in the States I would probably carry one myself.
I guess I went off half cocked so to speak!
Keep up that great web site.
Regards,
Mike H :}
No problem at all. I welcome differing views on any subject. I would prefer than people were nice to each other. It is shameful what some do to their fellow man. I do not think that gun control can ever stop violence. A case in point is our prison system. Access in and out is strictly controlled, and there are more police per capita in a prison than anywhere in the world. Guns are strictly forbidden. There are no guns inside the prison buildings, yet murders, rapes, beatings, and robberies still take place in that controlled environment, everyday. Without an armed populace, gangs rule. Evil people will always do evil things. Your comments are always welcome. It is good to hear other opinions on the topic.
Jeff



Would you please compare several of the modern striker fired, polymer frame sa's and rate them from 1 to 10 for quality, dependability, design, features, etc., and of course, your personal preference. I have in mind the new Ruger, Glock, Smith and Wesson, Taurus, Springfield, FN, plus anything new you saw at the shot show.
Thanks,
Rufus Ward - Westminster SC
March 6, 2008
I do not like to do comparisons. Most of the new guns all work perfectly, and comparing them only shows what I prefer. What fits my hand might be different from what works well for others, so I prefer to report on different guns one at a time. Coordinating getting all the guns here at once is also a logistical nightmare, as gunmakers seldom deliver when expected, for reasons involving importation and their production schedules. Also, if I leave out a certain guns, readers will complain that I have slighted their favorite gun. The way that we have done it for years seems to work best.
Jeff



How about a preview of the new SW Nightguard
Series -- in particular, Model 396 .44 spl -- saw it at the SHOT
Show. Maybe compare it to Charter
Arms Bulldog (Pug) which you have already reviewed.
Since SW is a sponsor, I should think the
Model could be easily previewed, and know you are a fan (like me)
of .44 spl.
Have complete trust and confidence that your
review will be honest and candid. Besides, you will scoop Guntests
Mag (unless its in their March issue) ... but even still, I would
look forward to it.
Also have checked out your sponsors' links
often.
Don't care for the mixing of the religious
and political content though. But as long as the articles and ads
are clearly marked, I don't have to find myself subject to them.
Please stick to guns and ammo as I believe your audience is much
more diverse than you may think.
However, I do appreciate your site and your
willingness to present contrary reader comments and opinions.
Jeff D.
Second Amendment Democrat
February 24, 2008
I have an order in for one. We always wait
for a production gun to review. Hopefully, it will be here soon.
Jeff



Great site. However, I would like to
see you a little more critical of products. Sometimes I feel
like I'm reading the company's brochure. Maybe have a counter
point paragraph describing some of the problems which were
observed. Nothing is perfect. Nevertheless, I look
forward to your Shot Show report!
Thanks again,
Todd
January 17, 2008
I always report any problems encountered with
a gun. I evaluate the trigger, accuracy, reliability, handling,
and overall performance. Perhaps I am biased, as I really do love
guns. I report my findings, and I do not waste my time nor that of
my readers testing junk. I seek out good products, and report on
things that I think are beneficial to shooters. I can't decide
upon that which will be the perfect gun for every reader, but try
to report the facts, and let the reader decide. Same with scopes
and other products. I want to review good stuff. I could go to Wal
Mart and buy a junk riflescope, and trash it in a review, but that
would serve no purpose. I like shooting, and hate typing on a
keyboard, so I would rather do so reviewing a quality product.
Jeff



Your website states: "Vote for
Clinton and say goodbye to your guns" (or something like that). Please
elaborate. Do you have one single quote from Clinton in which
total disarmament of the American people is a proposed agenda? I
said "disarm" and not "control" mind you. Will
you please provide any verified quotes from ANY current members of
our government in which total disarmament is the objective.
Senators, congressmen, House members etc...ANY politician who has
made ANY statement encouraging complete disarmament.
I am NOT attempting to start a conflict.
If you can provide me with any verifiable
proof of a conspiracy to hijack the 2nd amendment I wish to be
enlightened.
Regards,
Craig
December 13, 2007
The top politicians would never come out
and flatly call for total disarmament. It would be devastating to
their careers. They want to nibble them away a little at a time.
Let's look at the Clinton gun ban from 1994 as an example. They
wanted to ban the so-called "assault rifles", so they
made a ban against any rifle that fed from a magazine and had a
bayonet lug and flash suppressor. When that happened, the AR-15
makers just eliminated the flash supperssors and bayonet lugs. The
Clinton whitehouse cried "foul", stating that the gun
makers were "going around the law", when all they were
doing was complying with the law. Then they got the magazine
capacity ban into law, once again attempting to eliminate the
guns. What is the difference between disarm and control? How can
they control a gun which I possess? They cannot control it at all
when it is in my possession.
Hillary Clinton on Gun Control:
Hillary Rodham Clinton offered her support
for a legislative proposal to license hand guns. The legislation,
sponsored by Sen. Charles Schumer, would require anyone who wants
to purchase a gun to obtain a state-issued photo gun license. “I
stand in support of this common sense legislation to license
everyone who wishes to purchase a gun,” Clinton said. “I also
believe that every new handgun sale or transfer should be
registered in a national registry, such as Chuck is proposing.” Source:
CNN.com Jun 2, 2000
If you own a gun... make sure it’s locked
up and stored without the ammunition. In fact, make it stored
where the ammunition is stored separately. We’ve made some
progress in the last several years with the Brady Bill and some of
the bans on assault weapons, but we have a lot of work to do. Source:
ABC’s “Good Morning America” Jun 4, 1999
The 1994 Violent Crime Control and
Law Enforcement Act banned 19 types of military-style assault
weapons whose only purpose is to kill people. Source:
It Takes A Village, by Hillary Clinton, p.126 Sep 25, 1996
Barack Obama has called for a total ban on
the ownership of semi-automatic weapons of all types.
John Edwards has called for reinstating the
1994 "assault weapons" ban.
Jeff
Thanks.
You don't need to refresh my memory to the asinine 1994
"assault/crime" bill. It was as pointless as
ineffective. The quotes you sent me were as I suspected--not at
all what I asked for. I wanted evidence of disarmament. Something
to back up the "elect Hillary, lose your guns" statement
you made.
Wow. The only thing you could come up with is a license proposal.
Yikes!! Run for the hills!!!! I already have one of those
actually. I have a Texas CHL (CCW) that I am very proud of.
The only thing bad you presented was the Obama quote. I don't
expect much from him anyway.
So where are we? No evidence whatsoever of an attempt to bypass
the 2nd amendment. Just some variable layers of gun control. Do
you consider the requirement of a driver's license and auto
insurance as "vehicle control" ?
Craig
December 14, 2007
How about looking at the examples of every
nation that has collected the guns of its citizens. First, every
one of them, including Adolph Hitler, called only for
registration. After they were registered, then they collected the
guns.
Same thing happened just a few years ago
in California. They wanted to only "register" the
semi-auto rifles. Then, they later collected them, giving the
owners a voucher for payment to be made sometime later.
This stuff just ain't right. Infringing upon
our gun rights is no different than infringing upon our other
God-given rights. Hillary proposed a "one gun per month"
limit. How about limits on freedom of speech, or limiting freedom
of assembly to one meeting per month. No Sir, I ain't falling for
it!
If you want to, vote for Hillary. Go be her
personal lap dog if you like. I do not like her. I do not trust
her. Your "layers of gun control" IS stepping on the
Second Amendment of our Constitution. Driver's license is not at
all a good correllation. There is no inalienable right enumerated
in our Constitution to drive a car. There is an enumerated right
to keep and bear arms, and that means to own and carry guns. It
also means that we do not need the permission nor the control of a
conniving, corrupt, disrespectful, and hateful woman to freely
excercise that right. She is not a nice person, and she wants to
control your income, your health care, your retirement, and your
guns. She wants to control you, and you Sir, do not seem to mind
it at all.
Jeff



My boyfriend has a Ruger
22 single six with a 9 1/2 inch barrel. I have looked everywhere
and cannot find a holster for it. He would like a leather shoulder
holster to carry it in. Do you know where I would be able to find
a holster for it?
Christy
November 10, 2007
With a barrel that long, look closely at one
of the Grizzly Tuff holsters. They are comfortable, and are
perfect for carrying such a revolver afield: http://www.gunblast.com/GrizzlyTuff.htm.
Jeff



I have decided on a Savage 204, but not
whether new or used. I was reading about breaking in new barrel
and wanted to know if that makes a big difference in how accurate
it may shoot. Buying used to save money a person has no way of
knowing how it was broke in. Thanks for your help and your insight.
John
October 4, 2007
Look the rifle over for signs of abuse, and
look at the crown to see if it has been damaged by a cleaning rod.
Don't worry about the "break in". It is like seasoning
an iron skillet. Just give it a good cleaning with Barnes CR-10,
and start over.
Jeff



Thanks for your good sense about the .30-30.
You and Chuck Hawks can't both be wrong, and here on the
reservation we eat many elk every year, all shot with .30s, that
call into question the modern obsession with flat-shooting
magnums. A 6-lb Model 94 is the funnest hunting rifle, and
perfectly capable in the hands of a decent hunter.
Van
September 17, 2007
After all these years, the old .30 WCF still
does a fine job.
Jeff



Jeff, I purchased the XD-45
4 inch. It seems that every time a it ejects a shell after
firing it leaves a shall ding about 3/4 of the way up from the
base of the shell. Any ideas what's causing this?
Ray
September 17, 2007
It is hitting the edge of the ejection port,
but it will do no harm.
Jeff



Do you think someone can learn shooting a
pistol from a .22 caliber versus a 9mm.? My thoughts include
cost and can not think of another (cheaper) way to get as much
time on the range for the cost of a .22 Ruger. I understand I
should still practice with my 9mm CCW but do not want to waste my
time with a purchase of a handgun for cheaper ammo and handgun for
practice if it is not worth it.
David
August 7, 2007
Perfect choice. I shoot more .22 than
anything else.
Jeff



I just read the article on your website about
Ruger Bearcats and it stated:
Thus Ruger introduced its “prefix” numbering system in January 1969. The Ruger Bearcat had the prefix of “90” added to its serial numbers. Known are serial numbers 90-00022 to 90-25622.
I have a Ruger Bearcat with serial number 91-002XX. Is it maybe not authentic? It looks GOOD to me!!
Melinda
August 2, 2007
The 91- prefix guns are known as Super
Bearcats. The major difference is, the Supers have steel
frames instead of aluminum alloy.
Boge Quinn



Hello Jeff,
I hope you don't mind a statement. I read
some of the questions and thought I might enter a nut to crack of
my own. I was in Nam. I used an M14 with selector switch. I pulled Night duty in the
Long Bin ammo depot. I used the selector switch most of the time.
You can't hurt the M14 (.308). I and others put the M14 through
quite a bit of rough handling, dirt, moisture, etc. You can give
me the M14 anytime. Thanks.
John in Oregon
July 10, 2007
Thanks for your comments, and mostly for your
service. You are correct about the old 14. It was (and still is) a
dandy fighting tool.
Jeff



Hi Jeff, I read so much about stopping power.
My Question is, does a 380 have enough stopping power? Will a 380
go clean through a body? If so doesn't it depend on where you hit?
Rich
April 10, 2007
With most handguns, there is really no such
thing as stopping power. Too many factors involved. The .380 does
not have enough power. Neither does a 9mm, .45, or .44 magnum. A
12 gauge shotgun up close is much better. However, a handgun is a
compromise between size and power. I would be perfectly happy
carrying a Bersa .380, hoping
to avoid a fight. Same with a .45. If I am ever in a
gunfight, I hope that I have a rifle or shotgun, but a handgun
will do in a pinch. A .380 usually does not completely penetrate a
human torso. You nailed it with your last sentence. Practice as
much as you can, and pray that you never need it.
Jeff



A Smith and Wesson Mod 66-1, what does the
(1) stand for?
Ed
March 3, 2007
In 1977 the gas ring was changed from the
yoke to the cylinder, and the -1 was added to the model number to
designate this difference. The -1 was made from 1977 to 1982, when
the -2 was introduced, eliminating the counterbore for the
caseheads.
Jeff



I think killing squirrels is wrong
Mill
February 25, 2007
Okay, but it is no worse than killing
chickens or pigs or cattle to eat. Unless you are a vegetarian,
you have no grounds to believe that it is wrong. If someone else
kills your meat for you, it is no different.
Jeff



What is the scoop on 3'' barrel 45 autos? I
have talked to many people who believe .45 ACP was never meant to
perform in such a short barrel. What are your thoughts?
Stanford
December 26, 2006
If set up properly, they work well. However,
the hard part to conceal on a 1911 is the grip section. The barrel
and slide are easy to hide, and I see no reason to go any shorter
than a 4.25 inch barrel. Any shorter, and you are giving up sight
radius and velocity and gaining nothing.
Jeff



Explain something to me please. I just read
some stuff in the "Politics"
section of this site and am curious. Why are all you conservatives
so damned obsessed with the Vietnam war and specifically "who
served or not" or whatever? Wasn't Clinton bashed by you guys
for being a "dodger" not long ago? I suppose Cheney-Bush
were REAL war heroes back then huh? Shouldn't you be BLAMING the
Dems (Macnamara-LBJ) for Vietnam? Double standard, eh? Strange
things occur when you apply logic while thinking.
Craig
December 22, 2006
I don't care who served or who did not. I was
too young, as were my brothers. Clinton dodged the draft by going
overseas, but even that doesn't bother me. I dislike Clinton for
his morals. He is a man who cheats on his wife. Anyone who will do
that should not be trusted to run our country. It shows a lack of
integrity. Many Republicans also lack moral fiber. I vote for
people in both parties, and try to vote for whom I believe to be
good people, with good leadership skills, and beliefs that are
similar to my own. That is the best that any of us can do. Mr.
Bush served in the National Guard, which is an honorable branch of
our military. I do not know what Mr. Cheney did. It is really none
of my business.
Jeff



Well Hello Jeff,
I must admit that after
your review of the Bushmaster .308
it makes me rather sick to think they has decided to totally stop
production of that rifle.
I must admit that it also makes me quite suspicious about what is
not said.... hints of problems in the mass market quality control
department perhaps.
Jeff, since I am a fan of testing the poop out of " battle
rifles" doing things such as ripping as many rounds through a
rifle as fast as I can to see how it holds up, I would like to
know if you ever really "torture test" the hell out of a
combat rifle and if so what problems (if any) have you
encountered.
I feel strongly that if one is going to purchase a military combat
civilian semi auto rifle that it should hold up under extreme
rapid fire conditions... just as if you were in a major fire
fight. Many "authors" are given a far superior rifle so
as to achieve the end result of promoting a particular company and
its product. To date the only "perfect rifle" that has
not malfunctioned under extreme torture tests is the famous AK 47
. Many of our troops just as back in the days during
Nam are losing there life to the far less potent and still far
less reliable and high maintenance M16 .223. and snapping up
the enemy's AK 47.
Never do you hear much , if anything from someone willing to
publish an article about reliability under extreme battle
conditions.
What can you lend to your many readers about the above information
and .... What if any brand or maker of a .308 do you feel could
stand up to such durability. I personally have seen many fail
under what should reflect real all out battle conditions.
I hope you don't mind publishing this, as I hear much that no one
is really going to come clean and tell or test a weapon like it
should be.... EXCEPT for the makers who often brag of putting
thousands of rounds through there rifles and with little to no
problems. "Hype" I say, as I have duplicated some of
there claims with countless malfunctions and internal parts coming
apart.
I truly hope you don't mind editing some of my grammar and
spelling along the way. I am lacking to an extent in that
department. I think public is craving your in depth answers
in a non political fashion to all the questions above.
All the best,
Louis
September 9, 2006
The Bushmaster was a good
weapon, and it used readily available FAL mags. When the magazine
ban expired, that was an advantage that no longer mattered, and
the Bushmaster was more expensive than its competition. DPMS,
ArmaLite, Rock River, and others all make good .308 AR-10s. If
I wanted to, I can make any weapon jam. That is not my goal when
testing a weapon. Put enough crud into a rifle and it will
malfunction, even the AK-47. The latest generation of the M-16 is
a very good battle rifle, but it must be kept free of oil in
conditions of blowing sand, as the sand will stick to the oil.
Even the Israelis like the M-16, and it has replaced the Galil
in the hands of many of their units. They are now transitioning to
a new bullpup design to replace both the M-16 and the Galil. I
test weapons under normal conditions. It would not be realistic or
fair for me to abuse a weapon until it failed, as all will
eventually. Also, testing weapons for military use is not the
purpose of Gunblast. I will leave that to the gentlemen at Fort
Benning. I review weapons for target shooters, hunters,
plinkers, and for home defense. Therefore, testing under normal
conditions that a shooter might encounter seems reasonable to me.
I do not think that Donald Rumsfeld has the time to read
Gunblast on a regular basis. There is a need to test all military
weapons under extreme conditions. I just ain't the guy to it.
Pouring a weapon full of sand until it fails is no help to our
readers. However, that stuff does interest me, and I do read
military type small arms reviews, with a special interest in the
findings of the US military proving grounds.
Jeff



Hey Jeff,
I really enjoy reading your articles, and I
have to say, I will be soon purchasing a Savage rifle on your
recommendations. I do have a question though. Each
time I read your articles, your groupings are usually extremely
tight (1/4" or less). However, I often read that the
norm for out of the box savages are about .75". I was
just wondering if there were any adjustments that you make to the
rifle to get such good results? If so, what are they so that
I could do that when my new rifle comes. Or are you just a
really good shooter, or both?
David
September 6, 2006
David,
When shooting groups, I try to determine just
how well the gun will shoot, with little input from me. I use the
best ammo that I can get, a quality scope, and use an absolutely
stable benchrest, usually the Target
Shooting Inc. Model 1000. I try to eliminate all
human error, as much as possible. This gives the reader an idea of
how well the rifle will shoot. Of course, under field conditions,
I can't shoot nearly that well, but knowing that the gun will do
its part if I do mine, gives me confidence in my equipment.
Jeff



Jeff, I read your column often, and read the
one on the Ruger Mini 14.
Partly on the strength of your review, plus my own list of defined
purposes for the rifle, plus a lot of other Internet research, I'm
about to buy the "ranch" edition of the Mini 14.
The question I have is about the whole "accuracy" frenzy
surrounding the Mini 14, and usually stirred up by AR15 advocates.
Many folks seem to feel like 1.5 to 3.0 MOA @ 100 yds (which is
typical for a new Mini 14) isn't adequate, but as you said, the
Mini isn't really intended to be a match target rifle.
1. So my first question is: If you were to buy a Mini 14
today, do you think it's worth the money to get it "accurized",
spending anywhere from $300 to $600 on up, just to squeeze it down
to 1 to 1.5 MOA? Or do you think Ruger are doing an adequate job
of manufacturing it as-is, and you'd just leave it alone and use
it for what it's designed for? I hear that when you get a
rifle accurized, sometimes it makes it less reliable and
robust....I'm not a target competition person, so I don't know if
accurizing is worth. But I DO want to be able to hunt
varmints, etc., and I want it to be accurate enough to hit
them at say 150 to 200 yards using a scope.
2. And a second question is, for a person who's not really
interested in a combat rifle, but can only afford ONE super-tough,
super-reliable, all around weapon that you could hunt with in a
pinch, plink with, and defend yourself with, is the Ruger is a
better starting point? I've looked at the AR15's, and I'm
worried about the complexity of cleaning one in the field, how
finicky they can get with certain ammo, etc. I really like
the Ruger's looks, reliability, etc., but don't want to get it if
it's truly a "piece of junk" as some of its critics
claim.
Thanks in advance for your feedback, and for your online columns.
I love reading them.
Tom
July 18, 2006
I really like the Mini-14. It is a dandy
rifle. I also like ARs. I find the AR system to be a bit more
accurate from the bench. However, in the field, I cannot tell the
difference between a 1 minute rifle and a 3 minute rifle. There
are too many other factors involved. Out to 200 yards, if I miss
an animal with the Mini-14, it is my fault. I would get the Mini,
and try a few different brands of ammo to see which it likes the
best. The only downside to the Ruger is the availability of good,
cheap, high capacity magazines. If you want some 20-round mags,
pay extra and get some factory Ruger mags. They can still be found
brand new at gun shows. If they aren't stamped with the Ruger bird
logo, they are not Ruger mags. After firing the Mini, leave the
bolt slightly open. I do this by placing an empty cartridge case
in front of the bolt sideways, holding the bolt back about 1/4
inch. If you don't do this, be sure to clean and lube the weapon
after each firing session, particularly the gas system. Or, just
buy the stainless gun and don't worry about it. It is a very good
weapon.
Jeff



I have a Ruger No1 that was purchased in 1976
that has the inscription "Made in the 200th year of American
Liberty". Is there a collectible value for this gun? I
see the current suggested retail for this rifle is $ 1000.00.
Stan
July 12, 2006
The 1976 so-called "Liberty Rugers"
are beginning to have collector value, especially if you have the
original box.
Jeff



Dear Sir, I mailed a
$600.00 deposit to Robinson Armament for one of their new XCR
rifles - over one year ago. I have talked to them on the
phone several times and I feel that they have been stalling me.
As a 1967-68, US Marine, with combat experience, I cannot accept
any M-16 type rifle design-due to the large number of deaths I
personally witnessed after the M16 was hopelessly jammed in the
hands of Marines being assaulted. I saw my fellow troops
throw their black rifle at the NVA as a last desperate act. Is it
time to cancel my order? Your opinion will be appreciated!
Roy
July 3, 2006
I would certainly ask for
a refund. That is too long of a wait. I understand your disgust
with the M16. It was sent into battle before it was ready.
However, the current AR-15 weapons are superb, and very reliable,
but that is your call, not mine. You might want to take a look at
the ArmaLite AR-180. It is a
different gas system, and Eugene Stoner designed it as an
improvement over the M16. One advantage is that the new ones can
use the cheap and plentiful M16 magazines. Also, thank so much for
your service in the Corps.
Jeff



I grew up in a family with guns, mostly
rifles for hunting and I've done a little myself but apart from
that I haven't had much reason to have a gun. I have friends who
hunt and I visit their hunting lodge a lot and my girlfriend
has a house in the woods. Recently I was in the woods by myself
and it struck me that maybe I should have some protection as there
are a lot of bears in these woods. What hand gun would you
recommend as protection, safety and easy to handle? I thought
about a .357 magnum but I'm not sure. Can you advise me?
Thanks,
Bill
June 26, 2006
A good .357 magnum loaded with heavy 180
grain loads would serve you well.
Jeff



Hi Jeff, I need to
buy a couple of boxes of 38-40 rounds. And what would you say
would be a good
cowboy six gun to start shooting as a beginner?
Thanks,
Bob
June 21, 2006
I like the USFA Rodeo. It is an excellent
firearm.
Jeff



I have been to your site and had a look. I
read the articles and still have one question. Has it been tried
to produce a longer cylinder on the Taurus Tracker, in order to
utilize longer cartridges? Thanks.
Best Regards,
John
May 31, 2006
Not to my knowledge.
Jeff



Hello Jeff, I was wondering why you do not
have any reviews on Marlin lever rifles. Is it because of the
cross-bolt safety that you don't like?
Dave
May 21, 2006
I like Marlin rifles, and own a few of them.
While just about every manufacturer in the gun industry likes to
have us review their products, I can't get anyone at Marlin to
even return a telephone call. About twice per year, I call the
marketing people at Marlin, explain about Gunblast to an answering
machine, and leave my telephone number. The gentleman has never
returned a call in five years. I have also spoken with their
people at the SHOT Show every year, but get not much more than a
blank stare from them. Most manufacturers are aware of the value
of an Internet magazine, but the folks at Marlin and H&K just
do not want us to review their products. At least the marketing
lady at H&K came right out and said so. I have yet to hear
from Marlin. That is too bad, as they do make good rifles.
Jeff



I'm a big fan of your online magazine (and a
big fan of Savage's rifles too) ! My question is about the 6.5mm
Grendel and Savage rifles... Since you know many people at the
Savage factory I was wondering if they are planning to offer the Savage
Model 12 Long Range Precision Varminter in 6.5mm Grendel
(since it's just a wonderful caliber) ?
Have a nice day and thanks for the great job
you do !
Guillaume
April 26, 2006
At this time, there are no
plans to do so. However, I was up there visiting the factory about
11 months ago, and one of the engineers had a box of 6.5mm Grendel
cartridges in his desk drawer, so they are considering it.
Jeff



I appreciate your article on the best loads
for S&W's Model 19 ("Smith and
Wesson Model 19, 357 Magnum - Best Practice Round").
Do you have similar favorites for the S&W 586/686 and Ruger
P345?
Thanks in advance,
John
March 27, 2006
I like the 125 grain JHP in .357 for social
work, and the 180 for deer hunting. In the .45, I like Cor-Bon
PowRBall.
Jeff



Have you seen or heard of doing a trigger job
on the new Ruger .17 lever action? I know of one that needs a
trigger job. It has a lot of creep.
Wendell
March 24, 2006
Any good gunsmith can do this for you.
Jeff



Can I shoot 22lr in
my 22mag pistol or single shot 22mag contender barrel?
Thanks,
Dr. Walt
March 21, 2006
It will work, but is
not a good idea, as the cases usually split, and can send hot
powder gases back towards the shooter.
Jeff



Jeff, you seem to be a great fan and a
wealth of knowledge on the Freedom Arms sixguns. I would
like to know your thoughts on the inverted crown option offered by
them. Are there advantages to this option other than the
appearance? Thanks for your time and help.
Steve
December 26, 2005
It protects the crown from knocks and dings
that might hurt the weapon's accuracy.
Jeff



Great site. I have a Ruger Single Six (SN#
4592XX) marked under the grips XR3-RED. I want new grips. I'm
confused what I need. From what I understand the XR3-RED suppose
to be after 1973. Thanks for any help.
Robby
December 24, 2005
The XR3RED has been used from the early
1960s, and is still in use today. It is the most common grip frame
on the Single Six, the original Vaquero,and the Blackhawks. Check
out Bill Hamm's article on
Ruger SA grip frames for more info.
Jeff



Firstly, thank you for such a great resource.
I am looking for a new carry gun while at my place of business,
traveling to the bank, home, etc. I now have a Para P12 in .45.
After 2 months of carry, I tend to leave it at home now more often
than not. I thought it was small and would do the trick when I
bought it, but now feel that it is just too big and heavier than I
would like it to be. Also, I live in South Florida where outer
wear is almost nonexistent. I mostly wear slacks and a shirt,
tucked in.
Some first thoughts were a S&W Sigma in 9mm, a Kahr CW9,
Kel-Tec P11 or possibly a Glock 26. Of course, price is somewhat
of a concern. Would you please shed some light on your experiences
with the mentioned firearms and possibly throw in your two cents?
In advance, I really appreciate any help.
Thank you,
Brian
December 20, 2005
Those are all good guns, and any would serve
you well, but they do require a holster, and you might end up
leaving them behind also. For everyday, everywhere, I carry a S&W
342PD loaded with blue Glasers.
Jeff



Hi there again Jeff -
You've been of great help to me over the past couple years that I
have asked Gunblast pertinent questions regarding my own personal
use of handguns.
This is no exception in terms of importance. I am moving my family
back to Idaho, as a familial-based continuity of life just isn't
happening nor possible here in L.A. I have an Idaho CCW of which
I'll also be renewing, and I am highly considering switching from
a conventional double action/single action pistol (a Beretta 96D)
to a Springfield 4" Mil-Spec .45 (which I also plan to
personalize over time with after-market parts, etc.; I'm just
getting into the 1911 milieu - and I'm hooked :-)
Would you ever recommend or concur with carrying a SA pistol
concealed W/O a round chambered but w/ safety "Off", so
as in the moment of needing to defend oneself, one would actually
have to chamber a round and then acquire the target?
I ask only because it seems to me that in order to be fully
efficient in such a terrible circumstance for anyone, a
significant amount of extra training might be required if carrying
a SA gun "cocked & locked".
The thing is, after al these years owning and carrying a multitude
of different handguns / calibers, NOTHING compares to the utility
and just plain old trust-factor of a 1911 .45
Thanks once again - this site is unparalleled - it's the first one
in my "Favorites" box!
Regards,
Robb
December 19, 2005
I would not carry it with an empty chamber.
If you ever do need it in a crisis situation, you will need it
quick, and you might only have one hand free to operate the
weapon. Cocked and locked is the only way to go with a 1911.
Jeff



Jeff, I just found this
site and have read your articles on the newer model 94 Winchesters
with the top tang safety. My question is - have you had any
problems with your hand hitting the safety back to safe when
gripping it to shoot? Seems like it (the safety) would be in the
way. I am thinking of purchasing a Ranger model to accompany my
Trapper.
Dan
December 18, 2005
I have never had that
happen to me. it is not in my way at all.
Jeff



Ok, sir, you rock! Jeff, I greatly
enjoyed your write-up on this rifle: http://www.gunblast.com/Winchester-Ranger357.htm.
However, where DO I find a brand new Winchester Model 94 Ranger
Compact .357 Magnum? The Winchester web site does not appear
to list this particular piece. Are they currently offered?
I do not have the cash in hand yet so I have not attempted to
contact Winchester directly nor have I asked any local gun
dealers. I looked quickly on the Lipsey's site and did not
see any of this model and configuration. I am saving
furiously to be able to buy the fine firearm you so eloquently
praised in your article. Hopefully I won't have to accept a
substitute or used gun. Oh, one last question: How on
Earth do I convince my wife that I NEED one? :-)
Russell
December 17, 2005
Winchester no longer makes the Compact, but
the Trapper is pretty much the same gun, but with better quality
wood, and it costs a bit more. Tell that sweet little woman that
it is for home security, so that you can better protect her.
Jeff



I have a guy that wants to sell me a Thompson
1927 M1 submachine gun. Do you know anywhere I can find a price on
it? He gave me it to look at and try to find a price for it.
Thanks a lot for your help.
Tony
December 2, 2005
If it is an original M1, full auto, it is
worth about $4500, if it is legal. If it is illegal, it will get
you 5 years in the Federal Pokey minimum.
Jeff



You recently reviewed Savage's
12FVLSS. I was very interested in the firearm and tried to
further research it without much luck. I found it online twice but
it was only in a left-handed, .223 model. It was also not equipped
with the Choate stock. Did Savage stop making it with certain
features or am I just lost on something.
Thank you, Kris
November 29, 2005
The "L" in the model number is for
left-handed. The 12VSS is the right-handed gun with the Choate
stock, and the 12FVSS is the right-handed gun with the standard
stock. They are still in production.
Jeff



Jeff, I have a Texas
Longhorn Arms, Grover's Improved Number 5 pistol, 44 mag. # K257.
I purchased it new from Bill Grover approximately 12 years ago. At
the time I paid approximately $1000.00 for it. They are
beautifully made and is very accurate.
I understand that Bill Grover passed away in 2004 and the pistol
are no longer being made. I did a search to try to find out
about a T.L.A. Collectors Association, but found nothing. I would
like to know how many were made and the approximate collectors
value. I will be 60 in December and I want to get my
collection in order, should something happen to me. Sincerely,
Doug
November 23, 2005
Doug,
Bill Grover was a fellow Shootist (www.shootists.com),
but as I am honored to be a relatively new member of this fine
organization and Grover was in failing health for a few years, I
never had the honor of meeting him. I passed your question on to a
couple of good friends, gun writers and fellow Shootists who own
TLA sixguns, and the following is what they told me.
Jim Taylor is a contributing writer to Gunblast.com, Chairman of
the Shootists, a good friend of Bill Grover's, and proud owner of
TLA sixguns. Here's what he said:
"Boge .. the 2005 Standard Catalog of Firearms says the
serial numbers run from K1 through K1200 ... though I don't know
if that many were made. I have one of the last West Texas Flattop
Target Models .. it's in the 700 range. There is a TLA Owner's
Group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TLA_Collectors/?yguid=99412734.
Jim"
John Taffin, dean of today's gun writers and IMO successor to the
mantle of past greats like Elmer Keith and Skeeter Skelton, is
founder and past President of the Shootists. He was a very close
friend of Bill Grover's, owns many TLA sixguns (including several
#5s), and was instrumental in bringing Grover's sixguns the
recognition they deserve. Here's what he had to say:
"DON'T HAVE A CLUE AS TO HOW MANY WERE
MADE BUT WOULD GUESS LESS THAN A THOUSAND. JT"
I hope this helps. Congratulations, you have what is, in my
opinion, one of the finest sixguns ever made.
God Bless, and Happy Thanksgiving!
Boge Quinn



Jeff,
I am looking for a small game revolver.
I was thinking about getting a Ruger Blackhawk in .30 Carbine and
wanted to hear your take on it. I really prefer a centerfire
so I can reload.
THANKS!
Jim
November 20, 2005
I have a Blackhawk .30 carbine, and really
love it. It should be just perfect. It can be loaded down with
semi-wadcutters for edible game, and loaded hot with jacketed
soft point ammo for coyotes and such. Good choice.



Since I only have one eye the purpose of a
scout rifle; shooting with both eyes open, is moot. However,
I do like the idea of being able to use my open sights if my scope
fails. Having said that I have a question regarding scope
mounts. What is your opinion of the "see-through"
style scope mounts/rings? One of my more experienced friends
counseled that the higher a scope sits the easier it is to knock
"off."
Stan
November 7, 2005
I despise "see through" mounts.
The scope should be mounted low to all ow the check to rest
firmly on the stock. I suggest a set of Leupold Quick Detach
mounts.



Looking for a good deer rifle for my eleven
year old. He is a small frame boy . He needs something without a
lot of recoil. His shots will be within 100 yards. Most a lot
closer. Looking for something not to expensive.
Ricky
November 6, 2005



Jeff,
Since Hurricane Katrina and other disturbing events, I
am in the market for a defensive auto loader pistol. I have read
your evaluation of the Taurus PT 145SS and it pretty well made up
my mind for me. The others that I have considered, however, are
the Kimber UltraCarry II, and the KAHR P45. Of the three, which
one offers the best all around value, reliability, and
serviceability, in your opinion? Also, does or will Taurus offer
the PT145 with a Titanium slide? Size and weight are a concern.
They offer the Titanium slide in 9mm, but I am set on a .45
ACP.
Thank you in advance for your advice.
Larry
November 3, 2005
All of those are good weapons, and should
serve you well. Try to handle them all to see which fits you the
best. Also look closely at the Ruger P345, and the Glock. At
this time Taurus has announced no plans to offer a Titanium .45.



First time handgun owner here. Bought a Ruger
GP 100 357 w/adjustable sight. My question is, can the trigger
pull be lightened up, and perhaps the length of the pull shortened
somehow? It's pretty stiff and I notice that by the time I have
the trigger squeezed to the point of releasing the hammer (the end
of it's travel) it is beginning to pinch my fingertip between the
trigger and trigger guard and would be nice if it released the
hammer about 1/8" further out. Any of this possible?
Thank You,
Runswith Scissors
Reseda, CA
November 1, 2005
You have chosen a fine weapon. Wolff
Springs sells a lighter trigger spring for the GP.



I'm a person who likes to
shoot but is on a tight budget but i want to be able to go hunting
medium-size game. What kind of rifle do you recommend?
Noah
October 30, 2005
It would be hard to beat the new Stevens
200 for a new rifle. A good used .30-30 lever action Marlin or
Winchester can be purchased fairly cheaply, and would also serve
you well.



I am just about to head
back from Iraq after a 18 month deployment (oh JOY! not..)
anyways, so I'm looking into picking up a good .44mag lever gun
and a revolver in the same caliber that I can use to hunt
everything from deer, to the hogs and javalina in Texas...what
rifles do you suggest? Also, do you think that the 44mag in a
lever gun is a bit much for my very small woman (5'3" 114lbs,
but she says she's 'sturdy') what sorta things might i do to make
this a more pleasant experience for her?
Spc Eric Billings
Bco 2-116th
Kirkuk, Iraq
October 25, 2005
I would buy the Winchester Trapper and a
Ruger Super Blackhawk. Both can use mild-recoiling .44 Special
ammo for practice.



I was recently mugged, and am now extremely
cautious about security, especially in my car. Is there a pistol
of some sort that would fit in my glove box or under my seat, or
even in my handbag?
Meryl
October 25, 2005
I suggest a small revolver, such as a Ruger
SP101 or a S&W five-shot small frame gun, along with good
training.



I'm just wondering what
would be the best blaster for dealing with bullet proof vests?
Duncan
October 18, 2005
There is no such thing as a bullet proof
vest.



I have two(2) questions to ask.
1)I would like to know what you would suggest as the absolute best
.45 ACP ammunition for self defense. Recoil is no issue to me. I
am currently carrying a Wilson Combat Protector and/or a Wilson
Combat Protector.
2)I keep a Remington 870 loaded with full house slugs for backup
in my truck say the need arise. The problem is i am looking for a
high powered revolver to store instead for trips that i take were
space may be limited, what would you suggest.
Mark
October 16, 2005



Jeff,
I have got a Ruger
Single Six .22LR Revolver, 5 1/2" barrel, with the
3 screw, flat gate, and they have set of Ruger Ivory Grips on
them. Now I can find out what the gun is worth, but I can
not find a value on the amount the gun is would the ivory grips on
it. I am trying to find out as much as I can about this gun
before listing it for sale in our gun shop. Any information
someone could give me would help much. Thanks y'all in
advance.
Amber
October 16, 2005
If the grips are original, they would add
about $400 to the value.



Hi there.
I aim (pardon the pun) to put an XS Ghost Ring sight system on my
Marlin Guide Gun and will remove the factory rear sight at the
same time. It occurs to me, however, that in removing the original
rear sight I would be creating a gap in the gun's
"lines".
My question is: Is there such a thing as a filler piece of
some description made by anybody? It'd be nice to remove that
sight and retain the integrity of the gun's good looks.
Russ
October 12, 2005



I just started reloading primers in used
casings and will be adding wax bullets for indoor practice
shooting over the winter. I've been using the Lee auto prime
system to put in the primers. I am careful to ensure that the
primer fits flush to the shell. My problem is this. After firing,
the spent primer backs out of the casing just enough to prevent
the cylinder from turning. I use a .45 cal. Ruger Vaquero and have
to remove the cylinder after each time I fire. Is this because the
used casing may be misshapen from prior use? Would I be better off
using shells just fired once by myself. Any ideas would be greatly
appreciated
David
October 11, 2005
When shooting wax bullets, you need to set
aside some cases just for this, and not use them for regular
bullet loads. For your wax bullets, you must drill out the flash
hole in the primer pocket to a larger diameter. A one-eighth
drill bit works well. With the larger flash hole, your primers
will not back out of the case.



Hi, I am on a quest. I recently bought one of
the new Bushmaster Carbon-15
pistols, type 97S with the full rail. I love the pistol and am
desperately trying to find a thigh holster rig for it. I
found a photo of one for an M-4 carbine rifle but was told it was
from a Korean website. I hope you have a suggestion or if
you can point me in the direction of someone who can custom make
one. Thanks
Dean
October 10, 2005
Contact Bob Mernickle, and tell him that I
sent you. I am pretty sure that he will make one for you. www.mernickleholsters.com



Hello: I just finished an older review
of the Winchester Ranger 357.
I bought one a couple of years ago and it has become a favorite.
I would like to mount an aperture rear sight instead of a scope on
this angle eject model without drilling for a side mount. Do you
know what may be available using the factory scope holes?
Thanks,
Terry
October 8, 2005



Good Afternoon,
I am looking for your opinion on bore sights. Just wondering what
type or brand you prefer?
Thanks.
Gary
October 7, 2005



I bought a Ruger Super Red Hawk
454 Casull with a 7 1/2" barrel from a buddy of mine. What is
the maximum range of this gun for shooting a whitetail deer? What
range would you recommend for sighting in the scope?
Thanks,
Tom
October 6, 2005
I would sight it in for 100 yards, and
limit your shots to the distance that you can hit an eight-inch
paper plate everytime from an offhand position.



I am involved with Cowboy Action Shooting. I
want to reload some 45 LC for my rifle. I have been told I
cannot use round nose lead bullets because they may impact the
primer on the round in front of it while in the tube magazine.
QUESTION: Is there a good way to
flatten the end of the round nose bullets before they are put into
the case, thus forming a legal "round nose flat point?
Lefty in Utah
October 6, 2005
There are many RNFP bullets on the market
today. Most lead bullets for CAS are made this way.



I have a Taurus 605 2inch barrel and i read
your article about Trail Boss powder
and was wandering if it would be a good choice for light target
loads in 357 and 38spc. New to your website and really enjoy it.
Hope to become a member soon.
THANKS,
HENRY
October 5, 2005
Sir, Trail Boss should be perfect for that.



What is the difference if
any between a (scout) scope and a handgun scope?
Len
October 3, 2005
Scout scopes usually have the eye relief
set up for mounting about 8 to 12 inches from the shooter's eye.
Handgun scopes are built for eye relief out at arms' length.



I am looking for some
bullets (Hard Cast or Jacketed) to load in an older Ruger Vaquaro
.45 Colt. I would use them primarily for Brown/Black Bear
protection here in Alaska. I normally shoot Cowboy Action
with my reloads that run around 750 - 800 fps or so. What
would your recommendation be; as I don't want to buy a .44 Mag and
don't like excessive recoil?
Thanks,
Greg
October 2, 2005
I would load some heavy, like a 300 grain,
cast bullet from Cast Performance or Mt. Baldy to about 1000
feet per second. They will do the job well, without excessive
recoil.



Jeff, can I shot 300 +P+ Ammo in my new
Beretta Stampede 45 LC? It almost comes up to a 44 Mag. Load
in ballistics. I own a Ruger New Model Super Blackhawk 44 Mag. 7.5
in barrel but it is heavier than I want to carry. What Load
could I use in the New Beretta to Deer Hunt without blowing up my
gun? Will it stand the power that a Ruger will? Or should I
just stick with the Ruger Blackhawk 44 Mag. for hunting?
You guys have a great site and I'm especially
proud that you are Tennesseans. You certainly have the greatest
influence on my gun decisions and purchases.
Hagan
September 30, 2005
Not unless you want the cylinder to come
apart in your hand. Please do not do this. The Stampede will
take any game in North America with a good 250 to 285 grain
Keith bullet at 1000 fps. No need to push it. The Stampede is a
fine sixgun, but it is not as strong as a Ruger Blackhawk.
Cor-Bon has some good whitetail hunting ammo. Any of their
personal defense ammo will work fine for deer. Do not shoot
their heavy Plus P ammo in the Stampede.



Jeff:
I enjoy your site.
I own a Kimber .308 rifle and am thinking of selling. It only
holds 3 rounds. I like the accuracy and safety, but to load it is
a bit difficult. First load all 3 rounds into magazine. Then close
bolt while pushing down on top of internal mag. Then open action,
cycle bolt and close action. this leaves you with one in the
chamber, two in the mag. Do not try to open action and top off
mag, because "claw" extractor will grab the chambered
round. (all as per Kimber manual).
With regular Winchester action, its easy to have a full mag w/
loaded chamber because you can load a round directly into the
chamber, push down on the full magazine and close action.
"Claw" extractor will grab the seated round w/o a
problem.
What do you think?
Robert
September 30, 2005
You are correct. A push feed design allows
that. Also, the Browning is even better. The magazine swings
down with the floor plate, allowing the magazine to be topped
off without opening the action.



Hi,
I read all kinds of things about caliber effectiveness. Most would
agree that the 9mm in FMJ is not a truly desirable round. I've
also heard stories about .45's not penetrating or stopping the
goblin. What is the truth? Would a .45 with a sabot and 9mm JHP
give the penetration and velocity to make a truly effective round?
I know a Rifle is the only way to go for true effectiveness and
just about anything in a close up headshot will work. But for
times when a long gun is not feasible what can someone truly trust
their life to?
Fred Huff
September 26, 2005
Shot placement is the key. I would rather
have a .22 magnum with which I was confident in my ability than
a .45 with which I could not hit. I usually carry a .38 loaded
with Glasers.



Dear
Jeff,
I
thoroughly enjoyed your article on the Ruger New Vaquero. Sounds
like a SUPERB revolver! I have been looking at the New Vaquero and
the Taurus Gaucho, and can't seem to make up my mind. Have you
tried the Gaucho? I would be interested to hear any comparisons
you may have between the 2 revolvers, as I will be buying one very
soon. Thanks in advance for any assistance you may be able to
provide in this matter.
Howard
September
18, 2005
I could not decide either. I ended up buying
both, and recently added another Vaquero in 7 1/2 inch. Here is
the article on the Taurus:
http://www.gunblast.com/Taurus_Gaucho.htm
Jeff



I enjoyed your article on the mini 14 .I
had one in the mid 80s ,I loved it. I spent 4 years in the USMC
once I got out I felt I needed to get a AR15.I got a Bushmaster. It
jammed once a trip to the range. I sold it because
it didn't make me feel safe. I recently decided that I was going
to purchase a Mini 14 again. After looking at all the negative
things so many Web sites say about it I'm not sure. I want it to
be able to keep me safe in the event of another Katrina storm. I
live in Florida so that's a good possibility .Are the new Minis
in stainless with the synthetic stock a good choice? besides the
Ramline mag are there any other mags on the market that are good. I
think that most of the bad press about this rifle comes
from like you say it not being the newest carbon fiber toy.
John
September 9, 2005
The stainless/fiber rifle would be an
excellent choice. I prefer the genuine Ruger mags to all
others. I see them at gun shows selling new for about $30
each. I would trust my life to a Mini-14. They are very
reliable.


Sir, I just acquired a 32 Colt
Police Positive ( pat.1884 July 4 1905 ser.# 109092) with
black plastic grips. The pistol is in excellent condition; I
don't think it was ever fired. It is fire blue in color in
with a 3.1/2 in. barrel. Could you please tell me the type of
ammunition this pistol would use? I read your article and you
mentioned a number of different rounds. Is mine a pocket police
model or just a police positive? 32SW ,
32 Colt long, 32 Colt short ? ammo available?
Also, Are these pistols ok to shoot after 75 years? Just your
opinion.
Thanks for your time,
Joe
July 24, 2005
The best ammo for your gun is .32 S&W
long.
Jeff



I have owned guns for most of my adult life
– all revolvers. I have become relatively proficient with my
Ruger GP-100 and my S&W 60. After shooting several semis, I am
now ready to make that purchase. I have narrowed my choices down
to these two: the S&W 1911 or the Beretta 92FS 9mm. Any
advice, pros & cons, would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
JM
June 2, 2005



I used to reload quite a bit and so loaded
hollow point semi jacketed 115 grain bullets for my Taurus
PT111, but my son convinced me to buy factory self-defense
rounds of 147 grain. I can't afford to shoot them for
practice, and notice el cheapo FMJ rounds fire really low
and to the left.
Also, I'd like to get a laser sight for
this pistol, and there seems to be nothing around for it!
Would a generic trigger guard mount work for me? I usually
put my left forefinger on that rest for accuracy.
What would you suggest for my PT111?
BTW, I've had no problems (Yet) with the
pistol.
Thanks,
Rick
May 30, 2005
I do not like trigger guard lasers because
of their bulk. They make it really hard to get a holster that
fits. I would suggest tritium night sights instead.



Jeff, I am looking for a very accurate 17 cal. I have read some of
your articles about the 17. I have 2 Savage rifles and like the
AccuTrigger very much. I
would like to shoot small varmints (crows, etc) out to 200 yds.
Is the 17 fairly flat to 200 yds? Which type of 17 cartridge
should I
use (17HMR)? What brand and model do you suggest? What ammunition
exhibits the best accuracy? I have looked at the 17HMR rifles on the Savage
website, and they do not mention them having AccuTriggers. Would another brand
be better? I trust and appreciate your opinion.
Joe
April 28, 2005
I really like the Savage, but the trigger on the .17 is nothing
like the AccuTrigger. It can be greatly improved by a gunsmith,
however. I would try every available brand of ammo to see which
works best in the rifle that you choose. One guy who can work
real magic on a Savage 17 is Michael McLain. He does a real good
trigger job for a reasonable (cheap) price. Give him a call at:
931-827-3332. Tell him that I recommended the Savage or the CZ.



I have a question concerning my dream rifle. I
borrowed a Savage from one of my dad's friends for the day and I must say, it was an
experience like no other! I have agreed
with myself and your advice to save for a Savage firearm. Here's
my question to you: I want to be able to hunt animals
from beer to moose with this rifle. Don't worry, I'm not a bear
hunter. Anyway, I want a rifle caliber that is suitable for
all of these animals BUT wont make me flinch too much after 2 or 3
shots. What would you recommend?
Chase
April 23, 2005
The grand old .30-06. With 150 grain bullets, it is perfect for
whitetail and antelope. 165 for caribou, 180 for elk and moose,
and 200 to 220 for the big bears.



Mr. Quinn, In regard to your article on the
Ruger NEW Vaquero Colt .45, is there a safe load for it that will
stop/kill the brown bear of north central New Mexico ? I have read
at 25-30 yds and at 1000fps a 255gr Speer Gold Dot has the same
impact trauma as .357magnum and makes a larger hole. The
area that we would would need protection will be such that 30 yds
would be as far as you could see due to trees. I don't think my
wife can handle a .44 mag.
Thanks for your time,
Steve
April 17, 2005
That Gold Dot would probably work, but I would prefer a hard
cast Keith or LBT type bullet at about the same speed. It would
penetrate deeper.



Hi
there, first of all I just want to add that you guys run an
outstanding website, I have come here often to look up reviews on
guns I can't find anywhere else and it's very nice to know that
you give the most information as possible so keep up the good
work. Ok so anyways, I have a question for you, I recently
bought a S&W 500 and we were using 350 grain loads and at
about the 3rd round, the pin did not ignite the primer and there
was an indent there, so we tried again and it didn't go, so I just
tossed the 3 dollar bullet away. Then, after 20 rounds, the
gun started to lock up or get stuck and I couldn't rotate the
cylinder unless I used my other hand to move it. But then
mysteriously, I kept messing with it and now it cycles fine like
nothing ever happened. So I ask you, what happened? I
was going to get it fixed at S&W but I looked at a lot of
forums and it seems that many people have gotten there guns in
worse condition than what it was before they sent it. So do
you know of anybody that can make the 500 a reliable piece of
hardware, like putting better springs in or tinkering with it to
function perfectly? Any custom work, or gunsmiths that can
make it 100%, please let me know if you know of anybody and I
would really appreciate it. Thanks a lot and keep up the
good work! :)
Evan
April
13, 2005
I can only speculate, but it sounds as if you had a burr or
metal shaving in the works somewhere that finally worked itself
out. Keep shooting it. If it gives you more problems, contact
S&W and insist that they fix it.



Jeff,
I read your July article on the Ruger
Ranch Rifle and have been looking to
purchase a new rifle. I enjoy shooting ground squirrels in Northern California
and have been doing so with my Ruger 10/22. I like the semi-auto guns for
this purpose but want to be able to get out a little further. The
Mini-14 Ranch seems the perfect answer but my sons are trying to talk me into a
bolt action 223 Varmint heavy 26" barrel like the Savage or
Remington....
Last year when we went shooting these ground squirrels, I shot
close to 3000 rounds through the 10/22. I know that ammo is much less expensive
and plan on being more selective about my shots with a 223, but I am not
sure if I would be happy with a bolt action..
Just curious what you would buy, given the situation??
Thanks,
Mark
February 6, 2005
The Ranch Rifle is a very good
weapon, but it is not as accurate as a Savage bolt gun or a
varmint class AR-15.
I have a first production Piney Flats TN
Thunder Five revolver. I was curious if I could shoot 454 Casull
in this gun since it is also offered in 45/70.
Thanks,
Rick
January 29, 2005
NO!!! Do not do that. The .454 operates at
much higher pressure than does the .45/70.



Based on your article and a couple of others,
I just bought a new Ruger Single Six .22 LR "Hunter", and I'm
looking forward to
using it as soon as the wind chill factor here rises to positive numbers.
I'm a fairly decent shot with a shotgun. This is my first handgun.
I have a couple of questions that I am sure you can answer.
First, a friend who shoots handguns a lot told me that it was
"common knowledge" that a .22LR rimfire semiauto was inherently more
accurate than a wheel gun of approximately the same quality and barrel
length. For the life of me, I cannot figure out why this would be the
case. Perhaps the semi needs less hand movement for a repeat shot, but
might there be another reason? It seems to me that a decent wheel gun,
such as the Ruger in question, with a 7.5" barrel would be damned
accurate.
Second, what would you recommend to clean the gun? Any particular product or combo of products or method?
Third, for good "plinking" accuracy, freedom from
misfires, et cetera, got any favorite rounds?
Thanks!
Harry
January 23, 2005
Your friend was partly right. It is
EASIER to build an accurate semi-auto than to build an accurate
revolver. The revolver has six chambers instead of one, and each
has to precisely line up with the barrel. However, some of the
most accurate handguns in the world are revolvers. Both types of
handguns can be much more accurate than I can hold. For ammo,
get a variety of suitable ammo to see what your guns shoots
best, then practice a lot, and show your friend just how
accurate that Ruger is.



I have a stainless Ruger security six
manufactured in 1978.
The recoil shield is not dished out and
there is no warning label on the barrel. Please explain.
At that time, that was the way that Ruger
built them. It is an excellent revolver.
Jeff



Here on Cape Cod
in eastern Massachusetts we are overrun with coyotes. At certain
times of year by law we are limited to hunting them
with handguns chambered no larger than .38 cal. What would you
suggest is the most efficient caliber to use given that
limitation. I would like to use a revolver with a scope mounted.
Most shots would be in medium dense woods 50 yards or under.
Most coyotes here are crossed with red wolves and go 50 to 70
lbs.
I would use a Ruger Single Six Hunter
in .22 Magnum. The Hunter comes with a scope mount integral with
the barrel. If you want something larger, a Smith & Wesson
.357 magnum with at least a six-inch barrel should seve very
well, as they are drilled for a scope mount.



Q:
I have a Pact powder dispenser with the
scale. I noticed that Lil'Gun left a lot of residue on the
inside of the dispenser. Have you found this with your setup?
A:
Most likely the powder sticking to
the measure is due to static electricity. Rub the outside of the
powder hopper with a dryer sheet.



Q:
Hi Jeff,
I'm interested in getting a large caliber conversion for the AR-15
style rifle. The two rifles and calibers I'm interested in
are the Alexander Arms .50 Beowulf
Overwatch (the 24" barreled monster) and the .458 SOCOM
by Tromix. I'm also considering Tromix's .50AE model, as
well.
What are your opinions regarding those rifles? Ballistics,
reliability, quality, etc. I've read your articles on the standard
.50 Beowulf offered by Alexander Arms, as well as the Overwatch
version of the rifle, and I admit that I'm leaning more
heavily towards the Beowulf, but any information you can provide
would be most appreciated.
Also, on a mostly unrelated note, I'm also considering a big-bore
handgun. My two top choices here are the .454 Casull by
Ruger and the .50 AE chambering of the Desert Eagle. I'm
leaning towards the Desert Eagle, even though its more expensive
and the .454 Casull has slightly better ballistics. Any
thoughts regarding those two handguns? Another
consideration...if I go with the Desert Eagle, would it be worth
then more seriously considering the .50AE Tromix rifle?
Thanks, and keep up the great work!
Dean
May 27, 2004
A:
I find the Desert Eagle to be rather
clumsy in my hands. If it fits you well, however, it is a good
handgun.
I also looked at the SOCOM, .499
Leitner-Wise, and the Beowulf. Yesterday, I purchased the
Beowulf with the 16 inch barrel. I like the people at Alexander
Arms, and they certainly build a great rifle. Also, brass and
ammo is readily available for the Beowulf.
You might want to consider the .50
Beowulf in a rifle, and one of their revolvers chambered
likewise.



Q:
Jeff,
I noticed in your article on the Ruger
#1 Tropical in .405 Winchester,
that you drove 300gr cast bullets to nearly 2400fps. This
seems quite
fast.
Did you get any leading? How much? How many shots
could you fire until
accuracy deteriorated?
I just obtained a #1 Tropical in .458. I am wanting to get
350gr CAST
bullets to 2200fps. Do you have any recommendations to
maximize
accuracy and reduce or eliminate leading?
Thanks for your opinions,
RangerBob
May 24, 2004
A:
I used Mt.
Baldy gas check lead bullets, and experienced no leading at
all. The bullet alloy is very good, and the gas check eliminates
flame cutting the lead base.



Q:
I own a rifle chambered for 5.56 and would
like to know what the possible side effects of firing .223 in my
rifle would be?
Thanks for your help,
Morris
May 12, 2004
A:
There will be no adverse effects. They are
basically the same cartridge, except that 5.56mm is loaded to
NATO specs, and .223 is a bit milder, loaded to SAAMI specs.



Q:
I have a Model Winchester G9483CCH lever
action Crazy Horse commemorative rifle. How do I find out the
value of this rifle? I have the original box, plus an
envelope with two Crazy Horse 13 cent stamps postmarked Crazy
Horse, South
Dakota. Thanks for your help!
Tommy
May 1, 2004
A:
For the value on any commemorative
Winchester, go to: www.cherrys.com.
They keep a complete list. I also have one, serial CCH952. This
is a great rifle, and fun to shoot.



Q:
Hello. I plan on shooting a bison on a local
game farm, for the meat. I am going to use my Taurus Raging bull
454 Casull with 6 inch barrel. I have worked up several loads for
the gun and am very impressed with the performance. My question
is, would you choose a 325 grain LBT solid cast bullet at 1533
fps, or a 240 grain Hornady XTP magnum bullet at 1838 fps. I do
not have any medium to test the bullets performance in. My goal is
a 1 shot kill, since the ranch owner is not too keen on the use of
pistols on his farm. Any input you might have on this subject,
such as loads, performance figures, past experience, or your ideas
of how ethical it is to shoot a game farm animal, would be
appreciated. Thanks,
David
April 12, 2004
A:
By all means, please use the cast LBT
bullet, cast hard. The XTP is perfect for deer, but the LBT
should offer better penetration. Game farm hunting really
depends upon the farm. It is a very good way to harvest a bison
for meat.



Q:
How many options are there in a .44 mag
semi-auto handgun? I hear there is pistol called a Grizzly - who
is it made by, and is it new? Thanks again...
John
April 10, 2004
A:
The Grizzly is one option, but it is kind
of off and on in production. The Desert Eagle would be your best
bet.



Q:
I have acquired a .357 caliber Ruger New Model
Blackhawk. It says on the top of the barrel, "Made in
the 200th year of American liberty". Can you give me
any information about this gun? It is at least a 6-inch barrel
with wood grips. Any information would be greatly
appreciated.
Eric
March 21, 2004
A:
It
is commonly referred to as a "Liberty Model". Ruger
placed this marking on all guns produced in 1976, and it is worth
about $75 more than a comparable gun without the inscription.
Jeff



Q:
Jeff, I have a1852 Sharps rifle used in the
Civil War in pristine condition. I had it appraised and they said
it was worth today around $6500; do you think the value will go up
and is there a market for this item? I do not know what to do with
this gun? Keep it or sell it?
Thanks,
Joe
January 18, 2004
A:
Joe,
the value will most likely increase. It is probably better than
money in the bank. At least you can enjoy the Sharps, if you like
shooting it. However, you could also sell the rifle and buy
something that you would really like to have. Life is short. I
would either shoot the Sharps, or use the money to buy other guns.
Either way, you can't lose.
Jeff



Q:
I read your review of the Kel-Tec
380. Do you all carry this? And do you think the .380 has
enough power for a PRIMARY gun? Thank you!
Name Withheld
January 14, 2004
A:
Boge
is carrying this gun almost on a daily basis. Like any handgun, it
is a compromise between power, weight, and concealability. If you
know a fight is coming, a shotgun or rifle is a better weapon. The
Kel-Tec has the ability to be with you ALWAYS, and loaded with
proper ammunition I would not feel undergunned with one.
Jeff



Q:
Hi Jeff,
I spent the better part of my work day so far absorbing everything
I could from your website. The biggest thing I noticed is that you
are a lefty. I am interested in purchasing my first 1911-type
pistol. I've done a bit of casual handgun shooting over the years
in different models and calibers but have yet to own a .45 of any
type let alone a 1911. (I have shot a couple Glocks in .45 and
found them decent to shoot).
Here is my question: You being a lefty, is there any particular
model of 1911 you recommend these days? I'm looking to do some
informal target shooting and possibly participating in a league or
two or some small competitions. Any thoughts you can provide would
be most helpful.
Thanks!
Pete
January 7, 2004
A:
Pete,
All
you need is one with a left-handed thumb safety, or ambidextrous
safety. The other controls (mag release and slide release) can be
worked very easily with your trigger finger.
Jeff



Q:
Jeff:
I just bought a Stevens 411 in 12 ga.
When I select the left barrel to shoot first, the safety lever
moves to the safe position immediately upon firing of the left
barrel. Thus I have to again push the safety lever to the fire
position in order to fire the right barrel This occurs only if a
shell is actually fired. Does not happen when dry fired.
When I select the right barrel to shoot first, I can shoot the
right barrel and then I can immediately fire the left barrel with
out having to move the safety lever (this would be what I would
expect to happen).
Does your sample of the 411 exhibit this behavior? Is it normal
for side-by-side shotguns with single triggers (my previous
experience is only with double triggers)?
Clint
January 2, 2004
A:
Clint,
This
is not normal. Call Savage and see what they want you to do. They
might have you send it in, or they might have a warranty station
close to you. Keep me posted.
Jeff



Q:
I took the 411 to a Savage warranty
station and they fixed it while I waited there. They said the
detent for the safety lever was a little shallow and they
simply enlarged it a little and all is well. Thanks for your info
and advice. I enjoyed reading through your web site.
Clint
January 8, 2004
A:
That's
great news. I hope that you enjoy you new shotgun, and thanks for
reading Gunblast!
Jeff



Q:
I have always wanted to load and shoot the
38-55 and the 32-40 WCF. At first I could not find the
old guns at prices I could afford. So I got barrels made for
the Thompson/Contenders. Then found the darn things to hard
to open, as my hands got weaker with arthritis. Also was
never able to find good mild loads - to me mild is from 1200 to
1600 fps -- now I see I can get the 336 Marlin in 35-55 WCF.
My question is with a cast bullet weighing from 250 to 275 or so
can I expect to get good results using Accurate 5744? From
what I read this seems to be a powder acceptable for lead bullets
and pressures are on the low side.
Do you have any experience or observation that might be of use to
me?
Thanks,
Sam
December 12, 2003
A:
Sam,
AA5744 is ideal for mild loads in the .38-55. It is a great
cartridge.
Jeff



Q:
I have a Colt SAA clone in 44-40. I'd
like to be able to shoot 44 Special with it. Is any
conversion necessary, or can I just drop a 44 Special cylinder in
it and fire away? Thanks!
Don
November 17, 2003
A:
Don,
First check the bore diameter. Many .44-40 revolvers were made to
shoot bullets of .427 diameter, while .44 Special bullets are .429
to .430. If the bore diameter is okay, a new cylinder is all you
need.
Jeff



Q:
Sirs, I read your review article of the S&W
500 Magnum on your internet site and thought you did a superb
job of describing all the attributes, characteristics, and overall
performance of this revolver. I particularly welcomed your candid
(objective) disclosure that the cylinder tends to rotate freely
backward after shooting. You diagnosed a cure for the problem
would simply be a stronger cylinder stop spring. I just bought
this model pistol a week ago & have not fired it yet and
wondered if S&W might be contemplating issuing a recall to 500
owners for this deficiency? Would you have any recommendation on
how I should proceed from here for S&W to make the necessary
modification? Any help regarding this concern would be
appreciated.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!
Kevin
October 27, 2003
A:
Kevin,
Shoot your gun first to determine if yours has a problem.
It might not need anything. If it has a problem, call S&W.
They will send you a shipping label to return the gun for repair.
Jeff



Q:
What's a kit gun? I was looking at the
S&W catalog. The Model 360 is an ultra-lightweight .357
they call a kit gun. Any idea what that means, and where the
name came from? It looks like S & W has copyrighted the
name.
Miles
October 25, 2003
A:
The term
"Kit Gun" came into general use over 80 years ago, and
refers to a fisherman's or outdoorsman's "kit" or tackle
box. The idea was for a light, compact gun that could be stowed in
the kit.
Jeff



Q:
Hello, I enjoy reading your excellent
articles. I am passing along my experience with the .500
S&W Magnum.
These guns still have major problems to be
worked out.
I have serial # BCE5184 which S&W
shipped from their factory on 9/12/03.
This morning, I tried it out at my
local range at the Ansonia Rod & Gun club (CT) with factory
COR-BON (Barnes 275 gr HP).
The gun broke after firing the first
shot.
The action cannot be completely cycled now
(at least on one chamber) It cycled perfectly when I purchased
it, prior to shooting today.
I was able to get exactly three rounds out
of the gun. Loading one round into the cylinder at a time.
Firing, opening, reloading one chamber and then when thumbing
back the hammer, found I could not cock the gun. The problem was
not there until the first round was fired.
I guess this gun might be beefy, but
still has little parts that can't take the abuse of this round.
Have I purchased a $1,000 paperweight?
Thanks for your thoughts and keep up the
great work!
TRW
October 9, 2003
A:
I would
take the gun back to the dealer to be sent to S&W. They will
fix it under warranty. Keep me posted.
Jeff



Q:
First off, you have a great website!!
I just purchased a Springfield Loaded Operator. I was pleased with
the fit and finish, and went to the range. The range was very
discouraging. At 25yrds I wasn't hitting the target at all. I
moved the target to 10yrds and with bench rest and sand bags tried
again. I was getting tight groups, but all were 3.5 inches low at
10yrds. I used 230 FMJ Winchester and 230 JHP Federal Hydra-Shok.
Both were 3.5 inches low at 10 yrds.
I call Springfield and they told me there wasn't anything wrong
with the gun!!
I have sent it back to Springfield and asked them to correct the
problem. They said it will take 5-7 weeks to get it back to me.
This is the first time I have sent a gun to the manufacturer, is
the 5-7 weeks normal? I feel like I got the short end of the deal,
what do you suggest I do? Any idea how I can get them to get it
back to me faster?
Thanks for your help and time.
John
October 9, 2003
A:
John, it
should not take that long. All you need is a shorter front sight.
Jeff



Q:
Jeff, in your article about the Freedom
Arms .32 caliber revolver there is a photo of you shooting it
from a bench with a rest. It appears that the butt is on part of
the rest and the barrel is also supported on the front part of the
rest. I have read various places that it is best to not have the
butt or barrel touching a rest. Apparently you are having good
success with your technique. Is the rest pictured available for
sale? Would it work for heavy recoiling 45 Colt loads? I am always
looking for a better way to shoot accurately. My goal is to work
up a load that equals the guns' potential and then practice with
that load from positions used in the field. I have tried a variety
of techniques at the bench using sandbags but have never felt that
I had hit upon the best method for testing the gun/load potential.
If your rest is the best way (other than a Ransom rest) I would be
interested in possibly trying it. Thanks, Brian
October 5, 2003
A:
Brian, here
is a link to an article on that rest: http://www.gunblast.com/Gun_Rest.htm.
Tell them that you saw it on Gunblast.
Jeff



Q:
I need some good honest info and well you
guys are number one in that sector. I have a Savage 99e,
production time I've been told anywhere from late 60's to early
80's, it's in 300savage now. And I wanna do some
customizations on it. The stock is ugly. Looks like
birch with clear nail polish on it. Squareish and just plain
ugly. The rifle is 99.9 percent, ( I bought it NIB and fired
5 rounds, then my pectorals torn back open (car wreck, long story)
put it back in the case, I'm healed now and almost back to
normal). The first thing i wanna change is the stock,
can I get a high quality synthetic one? I'm a user and an
abuser. Then run like greased lightning but look like crap. I
fall, trip, drop 'em and really like synthetics. Next I
wanna know if I can re-chamber it to .308, just for a
greater selection in ammo, and finally, does anyone do a finish
similar to the one on my Glock? 'Cause I like that and it would go
along the same lines as the stock.
Thanks, you guys rock!!!
Pauly
October 1, 2003
A:
Pauly,
I know of no one that makes a synthetic stock for that gun.
For a durable matte black Teflon finish, contact Robar
Corporation at: www.robarguns.com.
The finish is called Rogard, and is explained of their website.
Jeff



Q:
Jeff, in your article about the Ruger
SS Bisley 45 Colt you said, "but the best groups were
obtained using the excellent Cast
Performance 335 grain wide long-nose bullets. These bullets,
loaded with a healthy dose of Hodgdon's
Li'l Gun powder". I too am using that bullet and powder
in my Ruger Bisley 45 Colt. I am using 22.5 grains for 1230 fps.
Is that safe or should I back off? The Hodgdon website lists
20.0 grains as a maximum load with that powder and bullet,
giving a velocity of 1206 fps.
I have another question about bullet
selection for lighter, plinking loads. I have been using a 250
grain RNFP with good results (either 6.2 grains of
Titegroup for 850 fps or 10.0 grains of Universal Clays for 1050
fps) but I am considering trying either the Leadhead 270 Keith
or the Dry Creek Bullet Works 275 Keith. I have heard that Keith
bullets tend to be more accurate than the RNFP type. Is that
true? Would I likely see better accuracy from the Leadhead or
the Dry Creek (which company has better quality control)?
On another topic, I just bought the Ruger
SS Bisley with the 5.5" barrel and adjustable sights. I
also have the standard blued Bisley with 7.5" barrel. I
called Ruger to ask why they cannot ream the cylinder throats to
the proper dimension and told them that there is a big industry
developed to fix their poorly dimensioned guns. They were
basically clueless and I talked to one of the heads in customer
service. Oh well. To get the new one shooting great will still
cost much much less than to buy a Freedom Arms revolver.
Brian
September 29, 2003
A:
That
Lil'Gun load is probably okay in your Ruger. Look for hard
extraction problems. If they come out easily, you are all right.
My favorite Keith bullet is made by Mt. Baldy Bullets in
Cody, Wyoming. www.mtbaldybullets.com,
phone
307-944-5631. Tell Frank that I say "Hello".
Most Rugers in .45 have too tight throats. Read this article: http://www.gunblast.com/Brownells_Reamer.htm.
Jeff



Q:
Jeff,
I read your excellent article on the .500
S&W, and in it you mentioned that
the gun jumped time consistently with the 440gr loads until you
replaced
the cylinder stop spring. I picked up a 500 S&W and am having
the same
problem with heavy loads. Do you know if S&W has made a change
to their production revolvers to address this issue, and if so at
what serial number did they begin making the change? If not, I'd
like details on the stronger cylinder stop spring you installed:
where to buy and what is the spring tension weight. Thanks so much
for your help and an excellent website.
Regards,
Kurt
September 28, 2003
A:
Kurt, as
far as I know, S&W service is denying that there is a problem,
but I do suggest that you call them first. I added two coils
from a larger spring that I had on hand to the existing spring. If
you get too heavy of a spring, the trigger will not return fully
forward. Please let me know what S&W says when you call them.
Jeff



Q:
I have a question. I'm wondering which of
the following scenarios wears out (weakens the springs) in a
magazine faster. I've heard arguments both ways. Some say
continual use, i.e. compressing and decompressing the springs,
wears it out faster. The same person has said they found loaded,
but unused, magazines 20 years later and they were
practically brand new. Others say you should never store a
magazine loaded because that is what wears them out the fastest.
Where do you weigh in on the subject?
A:
I try to
rotate my magazines, keeping some loaded and some resting, but I
have no proof either way. I can guarantee you that if you wear out
your magazines by shooting a lot, you will be a much better
marksman and the new magazines will be a welcome expense!
Jeff



Q:
Jeff,
I agree with your assessment of the Ruger Mini 30, it
makes a great deer hunter up here in Michigan.
I have some questions for you.
Have you ever heard any problems with using Wolf 7.62x39 ammo? Or
other Chinese made ammo like Norinco? I have used this and heard
it was decent ammo but every third shell wouldn't fire but a mark
was left on the primer. Guy at the gun shop told me that I was
using cheap ammo in an expensive gun and the primer was too
recessed. Is this true? Or do I need to send it back to Ruger for
repair? The Winchester deer loads seem to work OK. Yet more
questions....Do you recommend a target load for this gun? Most
stores only seem to carry hunting loads and foreign made ammo.
Shooting hunting loads at a target gets expensive. I'd appreciate
your help.
Thanks,
Rich
September 23, 2003
A:
Rich, the
Wolf ammo has harder primers than American made ammo, and it also
leaves a coat of lacquer in the chamber. I know of no inexpensive
ammo that is match grade.
Jeff



First off, I immensely enjoy your forum;
good information all around. And I'm hoping you can
continue the trend of providing good, sound advice.
Jonathon
July 11, 2003
A:
If it were
me, I save the $200. I would have a hard time choosing, even if
they were priced the same. They are both great rifles.
Jeff



Q:
I am very, very new to varminting. With
me, it is born of a need. I have a friend with a ranch.
Ground squirrels and all their cousins are wreaking havoc all
over. You can't drown or get rid of them by any way except
shooting them. Poison is not an option because of all of the
other critters. We are going to have to shoot them all (yeah,
right!!) They are very smart. They must be shot from a
distance. .22 LR and Mag probably will not be sufficient on
a target that small from the distance we have to shoot them at due
to trajectory. Can't use .223 etc. due to neighbors bad attitude
toward being shot. I know absolutely nothing whatsoever about
the .22 Hornet. It looks like this caliber is right on at
about 175-200 yards. Is this caliber an option? What
about ammo cost, availability, etc.? Any help you can be with
recommendations, advice for or against anything, opinions in other
calibers, the best rifle, or whatever, would be greatly
appreciated.
Thank you,
Ross
July 6, 2003
A:
The Hornet
will fill the need that you describe, as will the .218 Bee, and
the .17 HMR. Ammo is not cheap, unless you load your own. Get an
accurate rifle. In the Hornet, the CZ, Kimber, or Ruger should
work very well.
Jeff



I have been reloading for about 3
years now. Most of my experience has been limited to .45 ACP and
.308 Win. Recently I have been working with .223 loads.
Yesterday I read (on the Bushmaster
website) that .223 and 5.56 are not truly interchangeable.
It was stated that the dimensions of the case(s) are not
precisely the same and that the 5.56 round is loaded to a higher
velocity (thus great pressure than .223). It was also stated
that either round can be fired from a weapon designed for 5.56
but that the military round (5.56) should be avoided in any
civilian arm chambered for the .223. I must admit that I am
confused as I thought that they were one and the same. What
precautions must I take when loading .223? What if I am using
surplus 5.56 brass? Also, in your opinion (or best guess) can I
fire surplus 5.56 ammo through my Ruger Mini-14? Just wondering
if you can shed some light for me.....Thank you!
A:
I use them
interchangeably 5.56 is loaded to NATO specs, and can have higher
pressure than .223. Either will work perfectly in the Mini-14.
Jeff



Q:
After reading your review about the S&W1911
I was confident that I had to handle this gun myself and asked my
dealer to contact me as soon as he got one in. When I came in to
his shop yesterday he said he didn't trust the gun at all and he
had remarks about the Loaded Chamber Indicator, the small hole on
top. He said that it would cause a small bump on the fired case
and therefore make the case useless for reloading or at least
shorten case life. What is your opinion about this?
With kind regards,
Randy
June 24, 2003
A:
That is a
bunch of BS. The notch is at the rear of the chamber, where the
case does not expand. In fact, with any 1911, much more of the
case head and rim are unsupported at the bottom of the barrel,
just above the feed ramp. If your dealer would take a barrel out
of any 1911 and insert a round into the chamber, he would see what
I mean.
Jeff



Q:
Hey, great site, just found it a couple of
days ago. Glad to say I'm a fellow southerner, I live around
Decatur Alabama. Great article on the Trijicon
Reflex and ACOG sights. I was skeptical at first about the
Reflex because of the lack of batteries, but now I want one.
Anyway, I bought a DPMS M4 carbine last week, and I was wondering
first, your opinion on this carbine. Next, if properly taken care
of, about how many rounds can I expect to be fired through it
before it needs replacing? Also, what sort of replacement parts
should I buy?
Thanks a lot,
Kyle
June 17, 2003
A:
Kyle, the
DPMS is a great gun. Stock up on magazines and ammo. You should
need no replacement parts for years. These guns are built to last.
Be sure to check out our Archives section
for many more articles.
Jeff



Q:
I called Savage Firearms this morning to ask
when I might expect a .243WSSM with the AccuTrigger.
The lady said they were working on it, BUT, Winchester is having
trouble with the ammo and won't let Savage use it, and Savage
doesn't want to make the rifle until the problem is worked out.
I know I'm not going to get an honest reply from any of the gun
rags, but I'm wondering if you know what is wrong with the ammo?
I really liked the idea of the .243WSSM, and I'm really
disappointed. The local gun stores today told me they are
not surprised and suspected something when Browning failed to come
out with a rifle in this caliber. Anything you could say
that might inform me more would be much appreciated.
Ross
May 28, 2003
A:
The .243
WSSM is a good concept, and should be great once they get
everything working properly. One problem is the angle of the
shoulder. Once formed, it is fine, but it is hard for a machine to
draw the brass with that steep of an angle, and be consistent. I
think that it will work out. Of course, the old .243 Winchester is
hard to beat, or even the .25-06.
Jeff



Q:
I am currently in the market for a .357
magnum revolver. The Ruger GP-100 6" adjustable
sights, stainless steel seems to call out to me but I have not
found any good reviews on this firearm. Do you have
experience with the 6" GP-100 and what is your opinion on
this firearm. I plan to use it for hunting and camping.
A:
Chris, I do
have experience with the 6" GP-100. It is an accurate,
strong, and reliable sixgun. It will serve you well.
Jeff



Thanks,
David
May 26, 2003
A:
David,
for out to 350 yards, the two guns will both do the job extremely
well. At 500 yards, the 25-06 will be much better, and can double
as a deer and antelope gun. Be sure that you get the AccuTrigger.
It is well worth the extra 40 bucks.
Jeff



Q:
Jeff, I have been searching for gas check
lead bullets to load for my .357 mags. The only source that I have
found so far is Liberty shooting supplies. The problem with
Liberty is that their shipping charges are 2 to 3 times the amount
of other companies that I have dealt with. Do you know of any
companyies that sell quality gas check bullets at an honest price?
Thanks in advance for any help in this matter and keep up the
great work on the site.
Steve
May 18, 2003
A:
Check with Cast
Performance. Theirs are the best bullets available at any
price. Tell them that I sent you.
Kelly
Broast at Cast Performance Bullets: 307-857-2940
Jeff



Q:
I know you have shot a lot of Rugers. I am
going to buy a new Mark II with 5.5" bull barrel in blue
steel. I have heard that the MKII is prone to jamming. Some
sources also say it has bad accuracy. I tend to believe it has a
lot to do with ammo. Have you tried any of the Sellier &
Bellot .22LR ammunition in a Ruger MKII? What of other types of
inexpensive ammo that shoots well and doesn't jam up?
Thanks in advance,
Robert
North Carolina
May 14, 2003
A:
Robert, the
most accurate .22 that I have ever fired is a MK II auto, and has
always proven to be absolutely reliable for me. I usually use the Federal
Wal-Mart special stuff. You get 550 hollowpoints for about 8
bucks.
Jeff



Q:
Jeff, per your excellent article, the Freedom
Arms 97 in .45 Colt, I purchased one. (Do the manufactures
know how influential the Quinns are on the gun buying public?)
My thinking is this would make a dandy hunting handgun for
Whitetail. What factory loads come to mind for this revolver
that would be suitable? Also, do you have any favorite loads
for the .45 colt that would work with this revolver?
Thanks again,
Scott
Memphis
May 5, 2003
A:
Thanks
Scott.
The
only way that the manufacturers know how influential we are, is if
you tell them!
Any good jacketed hollowpoint or heavy lead bullet factory in .45
Colt will cleanly take a whitetail, if you do your part.
For a good handload, I like a 250 to 260 grain lead semi-wadcutter
bullet with about 8.6 grains of Alliant
Unique powder
Jeff



Q:
HI, MY NAME IS ROBERT AND I WAS WONDERING IF
YOU MIGHT KNOW OF ANYONE WHO MAKES OVERSIZED REVOLVER BOLTS FOR
ACCURIZING RUGER SINGLE ACTION REVOLVERS? AND WOULD SUCH AN ITEM
REALLY WORK FOR TIGHTENING UP A CYLINDER? OR WOULD AN OVER SIZED
CYLINDER PIN DO THE JOB?? OR SHOULD BOTH ITEMS BE USED TOGETHER??
THANKS FOR YOUR HELP.
ROBERT
April 5, 2003
A:
Robert, try
a new base pin from Belt
Mountain. A new bolt is not necessary.
Jeff



Q:
First off I want to say, I love your page,
you write about guns and it's
not all daisies and roses like most of the magazines out there.
Today I was in a gun store and was getting some ammo for my Glock
32 (.357sig), the counter man started off on a soap box on
how it's a "dead round" and I'd be better off with a
40cal barrel for it, yadda yadda yadda. Basically
he said it sucks. Now I'm not a gun whiz, pro or Dalai Llama of
firearms but I do like to shoot and I take fact as fact. I
read the literature and I see a compact semi auto that is
equivalent to the revered .357mag. I bought the gun from another
store and they seemed to love it. Did I get burned with a
soon to be unavailable round? Or is this guy just a big bore
junkie that loves one round and everything else is crap (no
offense to big bore fans, my favorite revolver is my Colt Anaconda).
Thank you, and you're doing a great job!!
Pauly from CT
April 5, 2003
A:
Pauly, that
guy is full of crap. The .357 SIG is a great round. It is based on
the .40 S&W case, and even if the .357 is discontinued in 50
years, you can easily form cases from the .40 S&W. The .40 is
more popular, but so what? The .357 SIG is a professional's
cartridge. It is a high-performance cartridge. It is a great
cartridge, allowing magnum power in a compact handgun. I think
that it will be around for a long time. Have fun.
Jeff



Q:
I am an
experienced rifle reloader, but new to pistols and pistol
reloading. I would like to use my .357 Blackhawk for
whitetail and am looking for some input on loads. is it
better to use a cast bullet or jacketed hollowpoint? What weight?
I was looking at using a Hornady XTP 158gr with 10.5gr Blue Dot,
but am not sure if it is the best choice after reading many posts
and sites online. Average deer are up to 175 and shots would
be 100yards or less.
Thanks!
Mark
March 30,
2003
A:
Mark, the
load that you described should be ideal for Whitetail. Place the
shot correctly, and it should perform very well.
Jeff



Q:
I was interested in your thoughts on a good
varmint scope for your money. I was planning on mounting this
scope on a model 12BVSS .22-250 . The Leupold Vari-X III 6.5-20x
40mm was recommended to me; is this a reasonable scope for my
money or are there better options out there.
Craig
March 23, 2003
A:
The
Leupold Vari X III is a great scope, but for about $200 less,
you can buy a Bushnell Elite 4200. It is just as good, and
probably better than the Leo.
Jeff



Q:
Hello. I have a post ban Colt flattop
competition which always fired reliably with low cost commercial
and military spec .223 ammo.
I just had a Jewell trigger installed and
it is smooth and adjusted to 2.5 lbs. The Jewell kit
included a new low mass hammer.
Now, every 2nd or 3rd round chambers up but
fails to fire when the hammer is released. The rifle
leaves a very small dimple on the primer when I cycle the round
out of the chamber. Reinserting it allows me to fire off
the round so it's not dud ammo.
Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
My gunsmith and I have no clue what is wrong.
A friend of mine says the cheaper
commercial and the military spec ammo such as the South African
ammo has thicker or tougher metal forming the primer face and
takes a harder strike than that supplied by the low mass hammer
Jewell supplies with the trigger.
I'm stuck here...................
A:
Jim, you
are onto the problem already. Military ammo usually has harder
primers to withstand the rough handling. Try some commercial ammo
and see if you have the same problem. I would try to see if the
original hammer will work with the Jewell trigger. If you are only
going to shoot paper, an occasional misfire is acceptable. For
anything more serious, reliability is everything.
Jeff



Q:
I recently purchased an 1892 Winchester at
a gun show which had been rebarreled and chambered to .357 mag.
When I got it home it functioned perfectly. There was a bunch of
heavy grease all over everything on the inside (like RIG), so I
got a degreaser and let fly. I got a lot of the grease out, but
now the carrier will no longer lift up to the chamber as it
should. Any ideas as to what the problem is, and how to fix it?
A:
It sounds
as if the carrier is binding, which could be due to excessive wear
or an ill-fitted part. You need a good gunsmith to look at it.
Jeff



Q:
I have a S&W
317 3 1/2" 22LR AirLite Kit Gun as pictured in Jeff's
article. I would like to know what he has selected as a holster
for the gun.
Thanks in Advance
Joe
March 9,
2003
A:
I carry
mine in an old Safariland model that is no longer in
production. A great holster would be a 1920 El Paso Saddlery
(www.epsaddlery.com), but
a lighter holster would be an Uncle Mike's nylon.
Jeff



Q:
I just read the comments on the 50
Beowulf. I have the upper on order
and I intend to put it on a Bushmaster .223 lower. What
modifications
am I going to have to do? Does the modifications ruin the
lower from
working again with the Bushmaster upper? HELP me, Obi-Wan Kenobi!!!!
Allen
March 7, 2003
A:
The upper
will in no way hurt your lower, and you can readily change from
.223 to .50 and back again. The .50 Beowulf operates at much lower
pressure than the .223, and no other modifications will be needed
to your lower. You may, however, want to wear a thicker shirt with
the .50 Beowulf.
Jeff



Q:
I've just bought a Bushmaster M17 IBUS
.223 1-9" twist and I was hoping you could help out on the
best type of ammunition to buy. The rifle will be used for
target shooting at 100-300 metres. I have tried a batch of
Federal 62 grain but wasn't consistent. I will start
reloading again soon, My Government confiscated my last one as
it was part of the Pistol compensation scheme. All my Lee kit
was handed back to the Police who subsequently "landfilled"
it with all my other treasured tools and accouchements. Thanks
for your help.
Martyn - Land of the oppressed, UK
March 5, 2003
A:
Martyn,
I really like the Black Hills Ammunition. They have several
different loads available, including some match grade stuff. Keep
your chin up, and try to elect some pro-freedom M.P.s.
Jeff



Q:
Jeff, I'm looking into the Single Action Ruger
Bisley-Vaquero 45LC with 4-5/8" barrel for cowboy mounted
shooting for our kids. Is there any advantage to getting one with
a 5-1/2" barrel for this application ? Thanks for your
response.
Lyle
March 4, 2003
A:
There is no
advantage to the longer barrel for CAS. The 4 5/8" should
serve you well.
Jeff



Q:
Jeff-
I Just bought a SW1911 as my first 1911 and have a thumb safety
question- The safety on my gun will partially move up with the
hammer down and lock the slide closed.
If I cock the hammer and then pull the trigger with the
safety like that the hammer drops.
Is this a problem?
Zenon
March
1, 2003
A:
hat is not
really a problem, as many 1911s will do this. Make sure that the
safety is working when you cock the gun and fully apply the
safety.
Jeff



Q:
In the 2003 Bushmaster catalog, there is a
little section on you shooting
1/4" groups at a 100 yards with a Varminter.
Was that a stock gun, and what
loads (powder, powder grains, bullet type and weight etc)...Thank you,
Jared
February 28, 2003
A:
That gun was a
stock Varminter, the second one that they built. It is very
accurate. I purchased that gun. I have received hundreds of emails
from readers who also purchased a Varminter. They all get great
accuracy with that rifle. Good accuracy also requires good ammo.
My best accuracy was with a Barnes 50 grain VLC bullet
loaded into Lake City cases with 26 grains of AA2460
powder and a CCI primer.
Jeff



I am wanting to reload my 7x57 ammo with Barnes
bullets; I shoot a Ruger model 77 so I understand about
all the Mauser actions that are floating around that are unsafe.
Do you have any loading data for the 140
grain Barnes X-bullet for the 7x57? Also, what do you recommend
for the entire length after loading 140 grain bullets? This is
the only gun I hunt deer with, so for me to go out and buy a big
reloading book is kinda hard to justify; in other words, my wife
would skin my head!
Also, how do you join your group?
Horace
February 28, 2003
Horace,
Try 51 grains
of IMR 4831, 52 grains of Alliant Reloader 19, or 48
grains of Hodgdon H414. These are all maximum loads, so
back off a little and work up to the best load for your gun.
The overall
length depends upon your particular rifle. First, the round must
fit the magazine. I like to barely seat a bullet in the case, then
chamber a round carefully, letting the rifling seat the bullet.
Then remove the cartridge, measure the length, and seat the
bullets slightly deeper, so that they do not touch the rifling.
That will give you the best overall length for your rifle.
To join
Gunblast.com, just go to the following page and follow the
instructions:
Gunblast.com
registration Page
Jeff



Q:
I understand a rifle has to be modified to
use the Garrett .44 mag bullet. I would like to do this, and a few
other things to my 1894 Marlin. Can you please recommend a good
gunsmith?
Thank you,
Ross
February 27, 2003
A:
Ross, the
Marlin is very finicky about cartridge length. I do not know of a
smith that specializes in this work. The Winchester model 94 can
handle the Garrett cartridges with ease, as the 94 is set up for
long cartridges.
Jeff



Q:
Have learned so much reading the Q&A's.
Thanks.
Just returned a S/W model 29-3 to the gun shop because it was
skipping rounds...meaning every 10 rounds or so the cylinder would
not rotate when hammer pulled back and the hammer fell on the dead
cartridge. I was shooting 240 gr JHP with only 19 grains of Hercules
2400. The Store owner thought maybe my loads were too hot. I don't
think so.
Three questions:
1) Is this a known problem with the model 29?
2) If so is there an easy fix?
3) After returning the modle 29 I bought a
1982 vintage Dan Wesson .44 Mag revolver. Me thinks this gun will
handle just about anything I can feed it. This is no carry gun but
can you comment on the DW .44 Mag as far as quality and accuracy.
Personally I like the ability to adjust headspace and interchange
barrels. Your comments please.
Thanks,
Bill
Jan. 22, 2003
A:
Bill,
On the
S&W design, the gun will behave as you describe if the trigger
is not fully returning to its fully forward position after each
shot is fired. Someone could have replaced the trigger return
spring with a shorter one, or cut the factory spring. If shooting
double action, you must be sure to return the trigger fully
forward also, before beginning the pull for the next shot.
The Dan
Wesson is a great revolver, and really dominates the sport of
metallic silhouette shooting, for its power, accuracy, and
durability.
Jeff



Q:
RE: Model 92/Puma
Good article. OK Paco, how about this load (my
favorite 454 load - developed for AK bears/moose): 31gr W296 or H110,
355gr LBT WFN hard cast, CCI small Magnum Rifle primer. Compressed load.
Double crimped (Roll & Taper). Approx. 1700fps in an FA Casull. IYHO,
would the Puma stand up to that kind of beating?
Bryan
Jan. 19, 2003
A:
Bryan,
Sounds like a good load. My 32/H100/300JHP runs
55,000 CUP. With a cast bullet of 55 grains more weight, I would
suspect around 75,000 CUP +p+. I wouldn't shoot too many of them
out of the Puma. Any lever gun that gives any slight sticky
feeling on extraction has a load too high in pressure for the gun,
if all else is well. If you are getting 1700FPS from a 7-1/2"
barrel, the 20" barrel with H110/W296 will give around
300-350FPS more, which should be well over 3000 FPs of muzzle
energy. .308 Winchesters in bolt guns have to work hard to get
close to 3000 FPs, but again...
Go slowly, test, take care. The FA handgun can
take more than lever guns. Less parts, more beef.
God bless,
Paco


Q:
Just wondering if Savage will make available
the AccuTrigger as an upgrade
for previous model 12 owners.
Greg
Jan. 18, 2003
A:
Jeff has checked with Savage on this, and the
AccuTrigger cannot be retrofitted to older models.
Boge


Q:
What is your impression of the Ruger Mini-30?
Worth spending my money and time? If not, what would be a good
alternative?
Thanks in advance,
Paul
Jan. 18, 2003
A:
The Mini-30 is a
good little carbine. Accuracy is not spectacular, but plenty good
for deer hunting. They are rugged and reliable, and a bit more
powerful than a .30-30.
Jeff


Q:
Just run into your site trying to compare
ammo such as the 22-250, 7.62x39, and the 223 to see what has the
better range, accuracy and take down, any suggestions?
Jeff
Jan. 16, 2003
A:
That would
depend upon the intended target. The .22-250 shoots the flattest,
the 7.62x39 penetrates the most, and the .223 is a good all-around
cartridge for vermin and social work.
Jeff



Q:
I have just purchased a Taurus .480 Raging
Bull and was wondering if you have tested any of the red dot
sights. Do you think they would hold up on this caliber?
Thanks,
Bill
A:
Get a good red dot with a warranty. A good
one should hold up, but the cheap ones are crap.
Jeff Quinn



Q:
I have a question about the Old Model
three-screw Ruger in 30 cal. Carbine. Is this revolver built on
the .357 frame or the .44 frame?
Lynn
A:
All .30 Carbine Blackhawks were built on the
.44 frame.
Jeff Quinn



Q:
Question on the Cor-Bon Pow'R Ball article (see
article at Cor-Bon "Pow'R Ball" High Performance Ammunition):
Was the point of impact significantly
different from 230 gr. ammo in the guns you shot with?
Eric
A:
No significant difference at combat ranges,
but impact was lower at 25 yards.
Jeff Quinn



Q:
I found the article by Jeff Quinn about
Bushmaster's New "Varminter" Rifle (see article
at Bushmaster's New "Varminter" Rifle)
most interesting. I, however, found no information in the article
regarding what his handload was, e.g. powder and quantity? How can
I find out this information?
Thanks,
Marv
A:
Marv, I used Lake City cases, 26 grains of AA
2460, Barnes 50 grain XLC bullet, CCI small rifle primers. As
usual, Gunblast.com assumes no responsibility for your use of this
load. Start 10% below on the powder charge and work up gradually,
carefully observing for pressure signs.
Jeff Quinn



The Remington 788 that I
was using was okay but the stock split so I was thinking about a
new rifle. I have been told at a local gun shop that the big
chain stores sell inferior quality guns, scopes and ammo. I
was told that they were safe and all but the guns were not as
accurate and the ammo may not expand properly and so on. They
also said Savage was junk and if I wanted that junk to go to Wal-Mart.
I don't want to spend a fortune for a new rifle and scope but I
don't want one that is so junky that it won't be accurate or the
scope will fog up if I got it at Wal-Mart or Kmart or something.
Could
you let me know if such things could be true? The Browning and
Weatherby that he said were real guns were nice but very high
priced for my situation. If you could give me any advice I would
appreciate it.
A:
The guns that are sold by the large chains
are the same quality as those sold in any gun shop. Wal-Mart
does have a deal with Beretta to sell a shotgun made just
for them, and Ruger makes a special 10/22 with a
longer barrel for Wal-Mart. Savage makes some of
the most accurate rifles in existence, not "junk" by
any means! All guns are fully covered under under their
manufacturer's warranty, regardless of whether they are sold at
a gun shop or a major retailer. The ammo sold by chain stores is
good, high quality ammo, the same as you will get in a
gun shop.
I do believe in supporting the local gun
stores, but the people who told you these things are
liars. I would find a new gun shop.
Jeff Quinn


Q:
I have a Ruger #1 California Highway Patrol limited
edition in 357 cal. with the wheel and wings emblem of the CHP
engraved on it. Can you tell me how many were made and current
value?
Stewart
A:
Stewart,
the CHP edition was a limited
run, only 1,820 total
produced. My collector price info only shows them at
about $600-650, which is just about
the normal price
for a #1. I have seen them
listed recently for
$800-850 but do not know how
well they sell at that price.
Depends on the gun's condition and what the market may bear.
Thanks for
the question, and Happy Holidays!
Boge
Quinn


Q:
I have a Ruger Security-Six, which seems to
be a very rare gun. It is an early model 150 serial number
prefix. It is Model RDA-84, in .38 special, with adjustable
sights. How rare is this gun known to be-and, how valuable might
this gun be, in new condition, with the original white shipping
box with red RDA-84 marked on the outside?
Mike
A:
Mike, the 150 serial number series were the
first Ruger double actions, with the "low back
" grip frame. The most common was the RDA-34 or the blue
Security-Six with adjustable sights, square butt, 4" barrel
in .357 Mag. There were several models made (about 16 or so) and
some were in very limited quantities. The RDA-84 is like the
RDA-34 except in .38 Special. It should have a serial number in
the 150-607XX to 150-624XX range, so with the limited s/n range
and other models being produced concurrently there were probably
not too many of the RDA-84s made. I suspect some of them
probably went overseas also.
In mint condition in its original box with
all the papers to a collector looking for one to fill a slot it
may be worth $425 to $475. However, there are not that many
collectors specializing in these guns, so I would say somewhere
between $325 to $350 would probably be a more realistic
expectation if one were looking to actually sell the gun -- of
course you never know until you try!
Thanks for reading Gunblast.com, and for
the interesting question.
Boge Quinn


Q:
Hello, Read your article on the Ruger
Stainless Bisley revolver (see Jeff's article at Ruger Stainless Bisley),
very nice job. Do you know where I might find one? AccuSport is
out, and Ruger said, "Not aware of any more at this
time."
Happy Holidays and good shootin'!
Scott
A:
Scott, AccuSport was the only place to get
one, as the gun was a limited run especially for AccuSport. I suggest
that you (and whatever friends you can muster) bug Ruger about
putting the gun into regular production. If they see a demand,
they'll make the guns!
In the meantime, keep an eye on the gun shows
in your area, especially the larger ones. We have seen a couple of
the AccuSport Bisleys at recent shows.
Boge Quinn



Q:
Jeff, I read the article on the Tasco true-mildot
scope (see Jeff's article at Tasco's
Varmint / Tactical Riflescope) because I have
one. I've been trying to figure out from the information given to
convert to an 18'' target as to how many mildots would be covered
at 200 yd. increments from 1000 to 400 yards and haven't been able
to come up with it. Can you help?
Dick
A:
It is simply a matter of doing the math. We
know that 1 mil at 1000 yards is 36", therefore 18" will
be 1/2 mil at the same distance. At half the distance, 18"
will cover twice the number of mils. 1/2 times 2 equals 1,
therefore 18" covers 1 mil at 500 yards, 2 mils at 250 yards,
etc. There is a website that sells a neat little slide rule to
quickly estimate range with a mil-dot reticle. The device is used
by just about all sniper and anti-sniper units. It is called the Mil-Dot
Master and can be found at: www.mildot.com.
It is inexpensive and will save a lot of time and brain-strain in
the field.
Jeff Quinn



Q:
Hi Jeff,
First I'd like to tell you that your page is
full of good information for everyone who is looking for honest
advice.
Now my question: I'd like to buy an AR-15
rifle in .223. But yet I don't know what barrel to choose,
20" or 16". How big is the difference when it comes to
accuracy? I'd like to use the rifle for distances up to 330 yards
but also for IPSC rifle matches. For this mixed purpose would you
recommend a 16" or 20" barrel?
Thanks for your help.
Kind regards from Germany,
Ralf
A:
Ralf,
For all around use, I recommend the 20"
barrel. You could also buy 1 rifle with 2 different top
ends, but if you only own 1, I'd go with the 20" I love my
16" and my 24", but I think that the 20" is the
best compromise.
Jeff Quinn



Q:
Great article on the Savage ML-10 (see
Jeff's article at Savage's New Smokeless Muzzleloader).
I have two questions: First, did you have any problems with misfires? I
have experimented with different bullet/sabot combinations and have had
enough misfires to not want to hunt with this rifle. Second, what were
your safe loads for Hodgdon Lil' Gun Powder?
Thank you in advance for your reply.
Mark
A:
Mark, we have had no malfunctions of any kind with
our ML10, it functioned perfectly in every respect. We also know a bunch
of guys who are using the ML10 (it has become quite popular in our neck
of the woods), and none of them are having any problems. If you are
having misfire problems (and you have verified that you are properly
seating the primers), I'd contact Savage for a solution.
As for loads with Lil'Gun, start with 42 grains and
work up carefully to a maximum of 46 grains with the 250-grain bullet
and 44 grains with the 300-grain bullet. Be advised that Savage still
has not recommended Lil'Gun; neither they, Hodgdon nor Gunblast will
accept responsibility, etc., etc. Do make sure that powder grains will
not infiltrate the nipple tube before using Lil'Gun (or any other
small-grained powder), as individual guns may vary.
Boge Quinn



Q:
Hi, great article about the AO Ghost Ring sight (see
Jeff's article at AO Ghost Ring).
I have a Winchester Trapper as well in .44 magnum,
and have been looking for a better way to pick up my targets. Mainly
paper and plinking right now but I may use it for hunting in the next
couple of years.
My question is this: does this in any way disqualify
this rifle for use in cowboy action shooting? I would think not because
they allow other tang mounted sighting systems; I did want to inquire
about that though.
Please let me know your thoughts and if there are any
other comments or additions you can think of for my sighting systems.
Thanks,
Tom
A:
The AO is great for
close to moderate range. For finer work, I like the Williams Fire
Sight (see Jeff's article at Williams Fire Sight).
Also, check out the Marbles Tang sight (see Jeff's article at Marble's Tang Sights).
As for Cowboy Shooting, the SASS handbook
states: "Only open iron sights or original style tang mounted peep
sights are allowed." I believe this would preclude the use of the
Williams Firesight and probably the AO Ghost Ring in Cowboy competition.
Although they are "open iron sights" and thus would fall under
the letter of the law, these sights are of a more modern design and
would probably be seen to at least violate the spirit of the game.
Certainly the Williams Fire Sight would not be allowed because of the
modern fiber-optic inserts. Sights such as the Marbles Tang Sight should
be legal when used with an original-style front sight (brass beads work
well with tang sights).
Following is a link to the official rules from
SASS's web site:
http://www.sassnet.com/pages/shootershandbook.html
Thanks for reading GunBlast.com!
Boge Quinn



Q:
I totally agree with your opinion of the Savage
10ML (see Jeff's article at Savage's New Smokeless Muzzleloader).
You mentioned Hodgdon's Lil' gun powder; would you send me a
starting point using that powder? Anyway, can't wait to go try the gun
myself!
Thanks,
Tom
A:
Thanks for writing, Tom. I noticed by your return
email address that you are currently serving in the U.S. Army, and I
want to thank you as well for your service to our Country.
Jeff says a good starting point for Lil' Gun in the
ML10 is 42 grains, working up carefully. Pay close attention to be sure
that no powder grains flow through the primer insert orifice as
discussed below. Neither GunBlast.com, Savage, or Hodgdon assumes any
responsibility for the use of Lil' Gun in the ML10.
Boge Quinn



Q:
I was trying to find information on a gun
that I was given as a gift, it is a Savage Model 99c in .308. It
is very nice and older than I had first thought. I really
enjoyed your web page and figured I'd drop you a line and find
out if you could tell me where to get more info on the Savage
rifles, maybe some place where I could get info on the gun via
the serial number.
A:
The 99C is a great lever action rifle. The
99s (and preceding 95s) were designs from the late 19th
century and remain modern to this day. They were at least
60 years ahead of their time. The 99C differs from most 99s by
having a detachable clip magazine. They are great shooters, and
are beginning to have some collector appeal.
Jeff Quinn



Q:
Actually I have a couple of questions and
could really use some advice..
By the way, I really like your site... keep
up the good work.. it is great!
First of all, I have a Ruger Vaquero in 44
magnum, 4-5/8" barrel. I really like to use 300 gr. cast in
it with light -to- medium loads.. most everything I do in this gun
shoots real low at 25 yards.
I have never filed on a sight before, and to
be honest I really do not know "how."
I'm not afraid to try, but could use some
advise on the "how to," of it.
Next question.. I have a Ruger Black hawk in
.45 Colt. it seems no matter what I feed it, no matter what loads
or mixtures, it just will not group! It sprays. Ruger won't seem
to help me here with this one, only their, "we do not
recommend reloads" thing.
They told me the bore diameter was larger
than the chamber throat. They will not listen to the fact that
many say this makes for a lousy shooter. Could this really be the
problem here?? I have sent it to them enough! I am at a loss as
what to do with it. For a Blackhawk, (new), it shoots lousy! Do I
use larger diameter cast lead anyway and go on, or will that even
solve the problem? Any and all help will really be appreciated on
these two situations.
Thanks,
Gary
A:
Gary,
The thing to remember when filing
down the sight is to go slow. It is much easier to remove material
than to put it back. File a little, and then shoot...file some
more, shoot some more, until the impact matches point of aim.
Contact Dave Clements
about your undersized chamber throats. He can fix them easily.
www.clementscustomguns.com
Jeff Quinn



Q:
With the bad reputation that the TEC-9
received during the late 80's and early 90's I was just
curious about the real truth of the weapon. I know it
showed up in countless crime scenes and that it was given a
bad rap because it looked evil but what I want to know is
it really a good, reliable, accurate weapon just given a
bad name because it was so inexpensive making it easy to
obtain and therefore used more often in crimes or is it
just a piece of junk not even worth its low price? Any
opinion would be much appreciated.
Thanks.
-Aaron
A:
Aaron,
The Tec-9 is an OK gun, nothing really
special but worth the low price. It is a "fun gun", not
reliable enough to stake your life on. It's worth having just
because "they" don't want you to!
Boge Quinn



Q.
I really like your web site. After reading your
review (see Jeff's article at Bushmaster's New "Varminter" Rifle)
I am looking to buy a Bushmaster AR-15, and I just went to the
local gun shop to see one. My question is: what is the maximum range on
the .223, or the average accurate range?
Mike T.
A:
The US Military says max. effective range is
800 meters.
Jeff Quinn



Q:
Jeff, I finally got a Super Redhawk 480 and love it. I did have one problem,
however: I mounted a Leopold 2X with a little Loc-tite and had a problem with the scope
shifting. I started over and placed some Loc-tite between the rings and the scope. I
hope that works...A little tighter fit this time. Have you got any suggestions? Thanks
again for the great articles on the handgun (see Jeff's
articles on the .480 Ruger at The .480 Ruger
and Loading the .480).
The best and most informative ones yet!
Doug
A:
Doug, thanks for the question. Here's a neat
trick for mounting scopes on both rifles and handguns: place a small strip of black electrical tape, about 3/8" X 1", inside the
rings, top and bottom. This will grip the scope to prevent shifting. It's
cheap and it works.
Jeff Quinn



Q:
Hi Jeff Quinn. I posted a question on sixguns.com about temp sensitivity of Lil' Gun
and you answered that you had not noticed it being overly sensitive. I then saw your
article about the 45 Colt Stainless Ruger Bisley (see Jeff's
article at Ruger Stainless Bisley)
in which you said the following: "The new Bisley grouped, as expected, in the two and one-half to three inch range at twenty
five yards with my standard plinking ammo, but the best groups were obtained using
the excellent Cast Performance 335 grain wide long-nose bullets. These bullets,
loaded with a healthy dose of Hodgdon's Li'l Gun powder, produced groups of two
inches and under. I have not yet worked at developing special loads for this sixgun,
which I believe will produce even better accuracy." I am curious what kind of velocity
you are getting with the Cast Performance 335 and Lil' Gun. As I said
in my post, last March I was getting 1250 fps using 22.0 grains and this weekend I was getting
1420 fps with the same charge.
Thanks,
Brian Carlson
A:
Brian, I have not worked with Li'l Gun enough in this gun to publish any
conclusions at this time. I want to work up a good load specifically for this
gun. I will know more later on the subject, but I just don't have all the
details at this time. Thanks.
Jeff Quinn



Q:
Great article on loading for the .480 Ruger (see
Jeff's article at Loading the .480),
THANKS and God Bless,
Billy
A:
Billy, the case head is indeed different on the two cartridges. I use
shell plate B for the .480 and G for the .475.
Jeff Quinn



Q:
Do you have any idea where I could get some info on an
old Ruger Bearcat frame? I purchased it a few years ago from a well-known local gunsmith. It is a Bearcat frame
and trigger guard, the frame is marked PR-1, and the serial number is
J1XX.
The frame is anodized or painted black, the trigger guard is unfinished aluminum.
The gunsmith told me that he got it directly from Ruger as a sort of "experimental" thing.
I am trying to find out if it is worth my locating the other parts to build a shooter, or if
it might be worth something to a collector as-is.
Any info would be most appreciated. I have looked for Ruger
Collectors on the Internet, and your site is the
closest thing I have found so far.
Andy
A:
Andy, the Bearcat frame you have is from the early so-called "Alphabet" series
of Bearcats. It is not from an experimental gun. The frames were all anodized
black.
When Ruger began making their Bearcat in 1958, they made about 1,000 and
then changed their serial numbering technique to confuse their competition
regarding how many Bearcats they were making and selling. They began with
"A" and went through "Z". Thus, A001 through A999, B001 through B999, etc.
all the way through Z999. After this, Ruger began numbering the little guns again around
2,000 and up, but they skipped most of 1,001 through 1,999, again to confuse the
competition. Interesting, isn't it?
The frame you have, J1XX, was made in 1959 or early 1960.
There is some interest among Ruger collectors in the
"Alphabet" frames, with certain collectors trying to get
an example of each letter. Since what you are looking for is a
shooter, I would suggest you locate a collector who has some
interest in Ruger's "Alphabet" frame Bearcats and work
out a mutually-equitable trade.
Thanks to our buddy (and resident Ruger
collecting expert) Bill Hamm for helping us with the above
information.
Boge Quinn



Q:
Do you know of a source for .32 Rimfire
ammunition? Thanks,
Robert
A:
Check out the Old Western Scrounger at www.ows-ammunition.com.
They are a good source for hard to find and obsolete ammunition.
Jeff Quinn



Q:
Jeff, You mentioned in a post on the sixgunner.com
discussion board that you'll be heading out west on a road trip. You also said you'd be looking for guns
on that trip. I've had the occasion to take a few trips but haven't been able
to buy handguns outside of my home state due to federal laws. Since you mentioned bringing home one of your
acquisitions on your motorcycle I assume your bought and took possession of the gun while traveling about the country.
Now, how can I do that? Do I need an FFL or whatever?
John
A:
It is legal to buy a long gun out of state. Handguns I have
shipped to my local dealer.
Jeff Quinn



Q:
I may be obtaining a Ruger .44 Magnum soon, I am not sure if
it is a Redhawk or a Super Redhawk. Not having much knowledge of handguns at all, other than knowing I like being
a proud owner of them, what is the difference between the two? Until Monday night, I only know from the present
owner that it is a very pretty and BIG gun.
Thanks,
Jeff R.
A:
Jeff, thanks for the question. The Ruger
Redhawk is a big double-action revolver that Ruger chambers in
either .44 Magnum or .45 Colt. It is a fine DA revolver with a
unique and strong locking system, and it balances very well
considering its size (49 ounces with 5 1/2" barrel). The
Redhawk is available in either blued or stainless steel, and is
available with Ruger's patented integral scope mounting system,
which is the best system ever devised for mounting a scope on a
revolver.
The Ruger Super Redhawk is a bit bigger even
than the Redhawk (58 ounces with 9 1/2" barrel), and is
chambered in .44 Magnum, .454 Casull, and the new .480 Ruger (see
Jeff's article on the .480 Super Redhawk at The .480 Ruger).
The Super Redhawk has a three-way locking system, and the frame
extends over the barrel a couple of inches for added strength at
the forcing cone area. The Super Redhawk also comes standard with
Ruger's integral scope mounting system, and is available in
stainless steel only.
Either revolver is a fine choice for a
double-action hunting revolver. Both guns are as strong as the
proverbial bank vault and exhibit fine accuracy, but the Super
Redhawk is considered to be the stronger of the two, with the
added strength coming at the price of an extra half-pound or so of
weight. You won't go wrong with either one! Following is a picture
of each:

Ruger Redhawk (Model RH-445) in blue.

Ruger Super Redhawk (Model KSRH-7)
Thanks again for the question, and thanks for
reading Gunblast.com!
Boge Quinn



Q:
Jeff, I have been experimenting with 480
Ruger loads and I wanted to get some input from you. I have been using the Hornady
325 XTP. I have tried the 10 grains of Unique along with the Hornady recommendation of 26 grains of 296 for a 1400fps
load. Is the Unique 10 grain load is sufficient for deer? (1000fps) or do I need
to look at higher velocities. If so I would prefer the capability of having sufficient energy out to at least
50yds. Would appreciate any input. I am curious if you have run the Unique load past 10grains to something higher. I use
Unique alot in .45ACP so I usually have plenty. Thanks for the help.
RT
A:
The 10 grains of Unique is ideal for deer. For more powerful
loads, I prefer 296, 110, or Li'l Gun. The purpose of the deer load is to give a powerful but
milder load. The 325 at 1000 is perfect.
Jeff Quinn



Q:
Jeff,
I have two questions for you, Please give me your best
insight. Regarding the Taurus model 445 .44spl. 5 shot, stainless, DOA. How
strong is this gun?? Will it safely handle ammo up in the 1200fps range,
mainly low powered .44mag ammo? Just curious???? Second, I have a Marlin 444P
Outfitter, How big a bullet will feed through the loading gate, (make
the turn into the magazine)? THANK YOU!
GRIZZZ83
A:
Thanks for the inquiry. I would stay away from real heavy loads in the
Taurus. It is a great gun, but is not a magnum. You can shoot heavy .44
Specials, such as the Cor Bon loads, but it is still basically a nineteenth
century design with a removable sideplate.
In the .444, you can go with heavy cast bullets, such as the
Cast Performance 320. Just be sure to watch the over-all length.
Jeff Quinn



Q:
Jeff,
About ten years ago, Smith & Wesson introduced an N-frame revolver in 10mm, the Model 610. At the time, these revolvers
were not listed in their catalog, but were made available to distributors with a total production of about 5,000 units. In
about 1998, they re-introduced this model in the "Classic" configuration, with laser engraving, un-fluted cylinder and
drilled/tapped. I came across one of the first run 6 1/2" models about four years ago
and have enjoyed it to no end. It is the most accurate revolver I have ever owned, with my best
handloads going into inch and a half groups consistently at 50 yards with Burris 2X scope. Also, the concept of the full-moon
clips is the best method ever devised for recharging a cylinder (thank God there
weren't enough 1911's in WWI).
My question is; have you, or are you familiar with anyone, who has done any real performance load development for this
gun/cartridge combo? There is plenty of data available for the "Ten", but I have yet to see any specifically for the wheelgun
platform. One exception would be an article in a Handloader Cast Bullet
Special Edition (ca. 1992 ?). These were mid-range target type loads.
I have done a fair amount of loading and shooting with this gun, (even bought another for iron sight use) and have
developed a technique that I feel is well suited to this cartridge
in the revolver format. It basically uses a technique which is quite well known to handloaders of rifle cartridges, in that I use
a longer overall loaded length than can be used in a semi-auto pistol. SAAMI spec. for the 10mm is (I think)
1.250". In my cylinder, I can use a length of 1.325", without the bullet contacting the throat. As we know, less bullet jump
means better accuracy in most rifle applications, so why not in a handgun?
My results, as far as velocity, have not met my expectations with the powders I have tried ( Unique, Power
Pistol, Blue Dot, 2400, 800-X, W-W 540.........) and with mostly the Hornady 180 gr. XTP-HP. Most are in the 1250 to
1300 fps range, But (of course) I would like to see these bullets get
to their destination faster than would be possible (safely) in an auto loader. What are your thoughts on this
subject? I feel the combination of the heavy frame revolver with 6 1/2" barrel would be capable of 1400+ fps, without
exceeding safe pressure levels, which should be in the 40,000 psi vicinity. The
old 10mm "Hot Rod" factory (170 gr.) load from Norma is listed at 44,000 psi max.
Thanks, I know you guys have some answers that aren't available from the
newsstand shooting magazines, and that's why I like your site.........
Mark
A:
Mark,
It sounds as if you have a real shooter there. The 610 has a
very good reputation for accuracy. Seating the bullet further out will indeed add a bit
of powder space, which should give more velocity. The one advantage that an
auto has over the revolver is that it suffers no loss at the barrel /
cylinder gap as does a revolver. Keep your 610 tight to reduce loss at this
gap. You may need to try a slower powder, but not as slow as 2400, to reach
the velocity you desire safely. Remember, go slowly, and watch for pressure
signs, such as sticky extraction. Also, I would lean heavily toward the
accuracy of the load, instead of velocity only. You may not be able to
safely exceed the velocity of an autoloader, due to the aforementioned loss of gas
at the barrel / cylinder juncture, even with the longer barrel of the Smith.
You might try a powder such as Hodgdon Longshot. Proceed slowly. Don't
wreck your fine revolver for another 50 feet-per-second.
Jeff Quinn



Q:
Paco gave me his opinion on heavy cast 41 Magnum load of
a 255-grain WFNGC-LBT bullet over 18.0 grains of 2400 powder with
W-W large pistol magnum primers. I tried 250-grain WFNGCGC-LBT
bullets over 17.8 grains of 2400 w/ Federal Large pistol magnum primers in
my S&W Model 57- I observed that I was getting flattened primers with just
the beginning of cratering or cupping on the primer. They are
chronographing at 1350-1370FPS in 80 Degree F. I would like to to drop
the amount of powder to reduce pressure just enough to stop the
primer cupping. I don't want to drop velocity below 1300 FPS if possible. I Intend to use
these loads for Boar hunting in Sept. in VT where the temperature can
vary substantially. Any suggestions would be Appreciated.
Rich
A:
Rich, I would worry less about the primers than about
extraction. If the cases are not sticking badly, I wouldn't worry about the load. However, you
may find that slightly dropping the powder charge will give you a more
accurate load. That bullet at 1200-1250 fps will do anything that you need,
and the boar will never know the difference. It seems odd at first,
but many times a heavy cast bullet will penetrate better at lower velocity.
Jeff Quinn



Q:
Hi Jeff -
Would you happen to know if Unique meters well from
the Lee Pro Auto Disk Powder Measurer? I shoot a Redhawk 45 colt and currently load with W231, 2400
and AA#9 (all of which meter beautifully through the Pro Auto Disk). I'd
really like to try Unique but I'm told it can be a bear to meter consistently.
God Bless,
Alan
A:
Alan, Unique is very easy to meter in my experience. It is a
small, flat flake powder, and flows through my Lee measures without a problem. Thanks for
asking.
Jeff Quinn
[Ed. Note: see Jeff's article on the new
Unique powder at Alliant Unique -
Boge Quinn]



Q:
I got a hold of an old 3-screw .45 Blackhawk, made in
1971, and would like to experiment with some "heavy" loads using 255-320 grain bullets. Is
this frame the same size and strength as the current "New Model"
Blackhawks? Thanks!
Tom
A:
Yes, Tom, the frame is the same, with the exception of
30 years of advancement in metallurgy. The old model .45 is a fine sixgun, and will
accept any loads listed for Rugers.
Jeff Quinn



Q:
Jeff, I read your last answer on the Q&A page about the
heavy bullets hitting high. What makes the gun recoil before the bullet exits the muzzle?
Sean
A:
Sean, the gun begins to recoil the moment of ignition of
the powder charge. The same force that pushes the bullet forward, also pushes the gun rearward.
As we learned in high school science; for every action, there is an equal and
opposite reaction. Because the gun weighs more than the bullet, it moves slower to the rear
than the bullet does forward. The axis of the bore being above the grip, the barrel begins it's upward climb as
the bullet begins moving down the barrel. With a heavy, relatively slow moving bullet, the
barrel rises more before the bullet leaves the muzzle, resulting in a higher
impact upon the target. Good question.
Jeff Quinn



Q:
I really like the web site, and LOVE the Ruger 44s. I'm on my second Super Blackhawk, and had a Super Redhawk in between! Just had to go back to the SA
though. I'm reloading again after several years to help keep costs down, but seem to have a problem. I desired to work up a light load for my 44
Blackhawk, and had selected Hornady 240 gr SWC bullets due to availability. I planned to use 8.5 gr of Unique for about 1000 fps.
When I arrived at my local supplier, I was informed that he was out of Unique, but that he had Herco on hand. He recommended I go with the Herco. I had
seen 10.5 grs of Herco with a 240 gr SWC on a reloading chart in the past, so I thought I would give it a shot.
Having not use this load previously, I started with 9 grs of Herco. The load seemed to work well at first, producing decent groups. However the pistol
shoots very high, about 8 in high at 25 yds with the sight set all the way down.
I have since used 8.5grs of Unique with about the same results. What is up here? What do you suggest?
I really like your web site, and plan on using it a lot in the future.
Thank you,
Scott
A:
Scott, this all has to do with barrel time and recoil. When shooting a bullet
of 180 grains for example, you won't have this problem. With a heavier bullet
at lower velocity, the gun will recoil more due to the heavier weight, and
the bullet will spend more time in the barrel, allowing the muzzle to rise
more before the bullet has left the gun. If you considerably speed up the bullet, it will leave the bore sooner, the muzzle will not have risen as
much, and the bullet will impact lower on the target. For lighter loads, you
can use lighter bullets for better results. The Herco powder is much slower than Unique, and should be reserved for
heavier loads. We have an article on the new cleaner-burning Unique at Alliant Unique.
Jeff Quinn



Q:
I am currently looking to purchase a revolver with a bird's head grip. I
was pleased to hear that Ruger was going to make a Sheriff's Model with the grip. Will they
be offering that grip on the Vaquero? If so, what barrel lengths and what calibers? Also, what is your
assessment of the Cimarron/Uberti Thunderer? Any help on this would be appreciated.
Thanks!
Dan
A:
Dan, the first birdshead models will be on the Vaquero,
in both blued and stainless. The first ones will be .45 with 3.5 or 5.5 inch barrels. I handled
them at the SHOT show, and they felt great. I like the imported sixguns fine,
but prefer the Rugers for strength and durability. Thanks for reading
Gunblast.
Jeff Quinn



Q:
I am going to be deer hunting this coming fall with my
Ruger Bisley 45 Colt. What would be the minimum velocity needed for a 300-grain
LBT bullet out to 100 yds? Thanks for your help.
Bill
A:
Bill, Thanks for the question. As you know, deer are fairly easy to put down if
hit correctly with the right bullet. You have the bullet problem solved, as
the 300 grain LBT is certainly up to the task. I would strive for anything
over 1000 feet per second that gives good accuracy. With that bullet, and plenty of practice, you should have
no problem putting a deer in the freezer.
Jeff Quinn



Q:
In Ruger's catalog they list the Super Blackhawk .44 Mag w/ 5
1/2" bbl as weighing 46 oz. And they list the Blackhawk .45 Colt w/ 5 1/2" bbl as 39
oz. What's the difference, is the Super a larger frame or are the frame sizes
the same but the steel is heaver in the Super? Both have fluted cylinders and look the same except for
the hammer spur.
Noel
A:
Noel, Thanks for the question. All Super Blackhawks have steel grip frames,
while the Blackhawks have an aluminum grip frame. This, along with the fact
that more steel is removed boring the larger chambers and bore in the .45,
accounts for the difference in weight.
Jeff Quinn


Q:
Jeff: I am considering purchasing a Ruger Bisley-Vaquero 45LC,( 4-5/8"
barrel). I would like to also deer hunt with this revolver, but was wondering if
these sights are set for light loads. I am presently hunting with a 7 1/2" Bisley 45LC which performs
wonderfully, but is harder to pack around. What do you think about this Bisley-Vaquero for
deer hunting? Thanks for your help.
Bill
A:
Bill, the 4 5/8" Bisley Vaquero is a great sixgun, in fact, I
have a matched pair of them. The sight radius of the short barrel is not as much a factor as
the sights themselves. The rounded profile of the front sight just is not as
conducive to accurate shooting as the sight on the Blackhawk or the regular
(non-Vaquero) Bisley. With a front sight that is rounded and shiny, the sunlight
can play some tricks on your sight picture. Then we have the problem of not being adjustable. You will have
to find a load that you can sight in the revolver to hit your target. I'm not trying to discourage you at all from
using the Vaquero, it can be a good hunting sixgun, you just have to work a
bit harder to succeed with it than your 7-1/2" Bisley, with the excellent adjustable sight. As a
side note, I have a cousin that killed six deer this past season with his 4 5/8" Vaquero. Thanks for the
question.
Jeff Quinn


Q:
Jeff, I've never reloaded for pistol cartridges ( yet ), so I'm not yet
familiar with burn rates, etc. Do handgun cartridges generally burn completely before the bullet exits the barrel ( regardless of length ) ?
Vic
A:
Vic, ideally, yes, the powder should all burn inside the bore. But in real
life, it seldom happens that way. When you fire a gun, the flash from the muzzle, and from the barrel/cylinder gap on revolvers, is powder burning
outside the gun barrel. Pistol and revolver cartridges use faster burning powders than most rifles
due to the case capacity of the cartridge. The best thing that you can do,
before you start loading, is to get yourself at least 3 good reloading manuals and read every word. They contain a wealth of information. And, as
always, thanks for the question.
Jeff Quinn


Q:
Jeff, on a Ruger SA, is there any noticeable difference in
performance between a 4 5/8" barrel and a 5 1/2" barrel ( especially in accuracy ) ?
Thanks, Vic
A:
None. Theoretically, a 1" barrel can be as intrinsically
accurate as a 10" barrel.
Practically, however, the 10" barrel will be easier for most people to shoot
accurately, due to the longer sight radius. The difference of 7/8" between a
4- 5/8" barrel and a 5- 1/2" is negligible as to practical accuracy. I prefer
the 4 5/8" barrel for its handling qualities and balance.
Jeff Quinn


Q:
Is Ruger planning to produce a 480 Ruger in a single action frame? I just
read an article in the American Rifleman about the 480 Ruger and it appears
the caliber is only offered in double action so far. I do love Rugers' Single action
revolvers.
Dennis
A:
The official reply is no, they are not planning to offer a
single-action .480. However, the unofficial reply is maybe. If you have an interest in such
a sixgun, call Ruger and let them know. I don't believe that they would invent the cartridge just for the Super Redhawk.
It would also work great in their lever action rifle and autoloading carbine.
Thanks for the interest in our website. Your input and opinion is valuable to us. That
don't mean that I am going to pay you anything for it, but that your thoughts are welcome at
Gunblast.
Ruger's phone number is: 520-778-6555
Jeff Quinn


Q:
Hi Jeff -
Came to your sight through sixgunner.com. Great job!
I'm new to handguns (in general...shot lots of .38's and
.357's) and I'm looking for a good trail gun for black bear country. I'm leaning towards a 4 5/8" 45
Colt Ruger Blackhawk. Is this a good way to go or is a DA a better choice?
God Bless, Alan
A:
Thanks, Alan. In my opinion, you could not make a better choice for your
stated purpose than the .45 Blackhawk, especially if you load your own ammo.
If you do not load your own, you may want to consider the .44 Magnum Super
Blackhawk with the 4 5/8" barrel. Most factory .45 ammo is loaded pretty mild. With a
Ruger single action, you are getting a super-strong and rugged gun that will withstand years of hard use and
keep on going. - Jeff Quinn


Q:
A question about the Ruger Super Blackhawk Hunter you
show in the SHOT Show pics: I went through the 2001 Ruger catalog, and
it's not in there. Was it released too late to make the catalog, or is it
not for sale yet? Any help you could offer would be appreciated. Thanks,
Todd
A:
Todd, According to the Ruger rep we spoke to at the show,
the Hunters should be available no later than mid-2001, and they are supposed to
be available in April. For those readers who don't remember the Hunters,
they are stainless Super Blackhawks in .44 Magnum with a low rib on the
barrel into which are cut the integral scope mounts for included Ruger
scope rings. This is basically the same scope mounting system as found on
the Super Redhawk, and it makes for a sleek package for those who prefer a
scoped single-action revolver without interfering too much with the lines
of the gun. Also, Ruger's scope ring system allows for removing and
reinstalling the scope without loss of zero.
On the subject of Ruger's SA revolvers, the birds-head
grip frames are set to be available by April as well, and they will be offered in a 3 1/2"
Sheriff's Model (by the way, to my hand Ruger's birds-head is much better than Colt's).
There are some other plans that Ruger has for their single-action revolver line in 2001 that we are VERY
excited about that Ruger divulged to us in confidence, so we cannot reveal them as yet. Suffice it to say that
2001 will be a very interesting year for those of us who are fans of Ruger's single-actions.
Boge Quinn


Q:
Seems like over kill for shooting the biggest bullet
in hunting revolvers these days. Can the 500gr spg. bullet be loaded in the
.45 colt backwards to win the award? I Met one fellow who was hunting deer and needed 330 gr
bullets, and he asked where I thought a 240 or 250 would probably do the job and shoot flatter than
the heavy bullet. Jeff, what's the deal? -Gary
A:
Gary, you are absolutely correct. The heavy bullets in
any given caliber have one very real advantage, that being the ability to hold together and
penetrate. The heavy bullet, when correctly constructed to stay together, penetrates much better than a lighter bullet
that is made to expand. On whitetail deer and other similar animals, a good 200 to 260 grain jacketed
hollowpoint is about ideal. On bigger or tougher animals, more penetration is
needed. That is where the long, heavy, hard-cast bullets are needed. Thanks
for your comments.
Jeff Quinn


Q:
I recently purchased a RUGER M-77 MRK-II. I would like to know if there are any accuracy tuning tips
I can do in the home? - Sparkz
A:
There are two different kinds of rifle accuracy; intrinsic
and practical. Both can be addressed, but the first kind usually requires the skills of a
talented gunsmith, such as lapping the bolt lugs and pillar bedding. Whether
this will help the practical accuracy in a hunting rifle is questionable.
Now for practical accuracy. Some of the things that affect practical
accuracy can easily be accomplished by the average shooter. First, you have
already chosen a good quality rifle. You need a quality scope that is clear
and mounted solidly. Use a drop of blue loctite on the scope ring threads.
You don't want anything moving in the mounting rings.
One of the most easily changed variables in practical accuracy is the ammo
itself. You didn't indicate the caliber for which the rifle is chambered, but
experimenting with different ammo can make a lot of difference in the performance of the
weapon. After deciding upon the bullet weight and type to fill your needs, try different brands of ammo or, if you
load your own, different powders, to find the most accurate load for your gun. The one that
works best in your buddy's gun won't necessarily be the best for yours. Do
all your testing from a solid rest.
I think that these two things will get you 90% of the practical
accuracy from your rifle. After these, you get into things such as trigger adjustment
and bedding, but work with the ammo first. I think that you will be surprised
how well that rifle can shoot.
Jeff Quinn


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Any loading data indicated were arrived at using specialized equipment under
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potential user of this data. Always use data from respected loading
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