April 2008

Full-Time-Double-Action 9mms: We Like Sig Sauer, H&K, Glock
In this test we shot three double-action-only pistols designed for duty or personal self defense. Medium to large in size, they carry few levers, and this snag-free characteristic also makes them attractive for concealed carry. Two of the three guns, the $879 Heckler & Koch P2000 LEM V2 and Sig Sauer’s $749 P250 Two-Tone, utilize a hammer and firing pin for ignition. The $599 Glock G17, arguably the gun that started the polymer DAO revolution, relies on the preparation and release of a striker to impact the primer. Despite any similarities between the guns, this test challenged us to master vastly different trigger techniques. We began our tests from the 25-yard line supported by bench and sandbag. What better way to learn a trigger than limiting variables to grip, sight alignment, and a controlled press? We then added a second test. This would require landing rapid-fire hits on an 8.5-by-16-inch target from a distance of 5 yards, two shots at a time. Our shooter began each string of fire standing unsupported with a two-handed grip and sights on target but with finger off the trigger. We pasted a black 1-inch-wide dot in the center to provide a point of aim. Upon audible start signal from our CED electronic timer, we engaged the target as quickly as possible. Given that each stroke of the trigger both prepared and released the striking mechanism, we wanted to know how quickly and accurately we could land two hits on target one after another. We fired ten pairs and looked for a total of 20 hits on target. This test was performed twice. The second time we concentrated on applying what we learned from the first run. The rapid-fire test was performed firing one of our favorite practice rounds, Black Hills’ 115-grain FMJ ammunition sold in blue 50-round boxes. From the benches we tried Winchester’s new 105-grain jacketed softpoint Super Clean NT (nontoxic) ammunition; 124-grain full-metal-jacket rounds by Winchester USA, and 147-grain Subsonic jacketed hollow point Match rounds by Atlanta Arms and Ammo. Here is what we learned.

Solid, Dependable Pumps: BPS Beats Ithaca Featherweight
The quest for a used shotgun that will meet the all-round needs of a hunter and target shooter can often require some lengthy rack time looking over a number of selections. Toss in some specific needs and that search becomes even more complicated. What we finally brought to the test table were two pump-action shotguns that have been providing hunters across the country with a quality field gun for quite some time. Our pair of pumps that met our special needs were the Browning BPS Special Steel Field Model and the Ithaca Ultra Featherlight Model 37. Both of the shotguns featured short barrels and were more suited to field use than clay target busting; and both offered qualities that have built a good fan base for the veteran firearms. One of the key features of both shotguns is the bottom ejection system that helps a shooter retrieve fired hulls by keeping them close to your feet, rather than flinging them into the next county. This feature is particularly welcomed by dove hunters who don’t want to irritate landowners by leaving spent shells all over the county or by those shooters who like to retrieve their hulls for reloading.

Lever-Action Rimfires: Henry's Golden Boy is Golden Indeed
Lever-action rimfires can be a lot of fun for kids or adults, whether it’s p-yowing a can along the ground (with a safe backstop), punching holes in paper, or knocking a rabbit down at 100 yards. We recently tested a trio of entertaining lever-action rimfires to find out which one shot the best, operated most smoothly, and was easiest to carry. Our products were Browning’s BL-22 Grade II No. 024101103, which we found at Fountain Firearms (www.fountainfirearms.com) for $695, a significant premium above the gun’s stated MSRP of $567; Marlin’s Original Golden 39A, a robust 7-pounder that sells for $593 MSRP, but which had counter price of $395 at Fountain, and the Henry Golden Boy, whose counter price was $385 with an MSRP of $480. We tested the Henry gun in December 2006, when it was nudged aside by a Grade I BL-22 on the strength of the latter’s better accuracy. Reader follow-up mail asked us to look at the Marlin Original Golden to see how it fared against the Henry (we last tested that gun in 2002, when it earned a Don’t Buy). To complete the trio, we upgraded to the Grade II BL-22 to see if extra dollars offered enough in function and cosmetics to justify a sizable price jump. So we assembled a fresh test team, new ammo, and a critical eye to find out.

.32-Caliber Wheelguns: Ruger's SP101s Excel at Self-Defense
Reader mail tells us that Gun Tests readers are still interested in smaller-caliber handguns, and a new trend in wheelguns may be on the horizon. In our August 1999 test of .32 H&R Magnum revolvers, we learned that six rounds of thirty-two can be machined nicely into the same small cylinder that typically houses five rounds of .38 Special. We also saw that modern defense loads such as frangible ammunition can produce a lot of damage without harsh recoil. In this evaluation, we will examine a pair of .32 H&R Magnum revolvers and a third gun that may jump-start fresh interest in the snubnosed revolver. Because so few handguns are chambered for the .32 rounds, we had to mix single-action and double-action products, or else never test the category. Our first revolver is a single-action Western-style replica from Heritage Manufacturing. The No. SRR32MBS3BH Rough Rider is a 3.6-inch-barreled six-shot revolver with a bird’s head grip frame. It has a manual safety, but otherwise fits the profile of a period piece. The other two revolvers are both Ruger SP101s, and they are nearly identical. Our SP101 SP-3231X was chambered for .32 H&R Magnum. However, the six chambers of our SP101 KSP-32731X provides about one-eighth inch of additional space to accommodate .327 Federal Magnum ammunition. This is a new cartridge developed by Federal and Ruger that seats a 0.312-inch diameter bullet atop a taller, stronger case that we measured to be just less than 1.2 inches long.