May 2008

Last-Gasp Self-Defense 32 ACPs From Walther, Kel-Tec, Taurus
When a reader asks, 'Which is the best gun for deep concealment?', or 'Is there a good self-defense gun out there with limited recoil?', our minds immediately turn to guns chambered for 32 Auto (32 ACP). We understand that many, or most, GT readers would wonder about the 32’s power, or lack of same, and that concern was addressed in one part of our test. Beside bench-shooting for accuracy, we also created an action test that focused on what these guns would most likely be used for—that is, rapid fire at little more than contact distance. In formulating our procedure, we took several factors into account. In close quarters there may be little or no opportunity to apply a support hand. Indeed, the hand opposite of the one holding the gun may be busy fending off a blow, the slash of a knife or, pushing back on the body of the assailant. Therefore, we decided to shoot this drill strong hand only. The target was placed 9 feet away, and we relied primarily upon point shooting. Three strings would be attempted, making note of accuracy and the elapsed time between shots (split times). Our target was an IDPA-style cardboard silhouette featuring an 8-inch-diameter circle in the upper 'chest' area. We aimed for the middle of the circle.

12-Gauge Matchup: Stoeger's Cowboy Gun Beats 870 Pump
Alot of people are buying shotguns for home protection these days. There’s a lot to be said for that, because a shotgun requires little training to be effective, the overall costs are relatively low, and the deterrent effect is on the awesome side, even though no shots may be fired. But what shotgun to get? What type and gauge is best? That’ll depend on your location and type of home to some extent, but there are some absolutes. Beginning with caliber, the 12-gauge has the most to offer in load variety, availability, and ammo cost. While there are good arguments for smaller calibers, particularly when light, young, or recoil-sensitive personnel may be using the gun, for this report we considered only the 12-gauge. We had never compared 'police' shotguns with double side-by-sides, so decided to have a look at the two to see if there are obvious or perhaps hidden advantages to one type over the other. We chose a police-type Remington 870 Express Magnum Folding Stock, 12-gauge pump (MSRP $505) to test against a double SXS Stoeger Coach Gun, made in Brazil by E.R. Amantino (MSRP $369). Both had 3-inch chambers. Although the Stoeger had 20-inch barrels, it was 2.5 inches shorter at 36.5 inches overall than the 870 with its 18.5-inch tube. Of course you can fold the stock on the Remington to give an overall length of 29.3 inches and it’ll still be functional. We tested with three types of ammunition. These were 2.75' Federal 1-ounce #8 Game-Shok, 2.75' Estate 1.25-ounce High-Velocity Hunting loads, and with 3' Winchester XX Magnum 00 Buckshot (15 pellets). While the obvious difference between these two guns is many shots versus two, that’s by no means the whole story. Let’s take a closer look.

Tricky Trio of 22 Autoloaders: Marlin Tops Remington, Ruger
The 22 autoloading rifle is an American icon. Many a youngster had one for his first rifle, and while they may not be ideal for that service, they are unquestionably handy rifles for any serious outdoorsman. They can also be excellent training pieces for just about anyone interested in serious shooting. We found three semiautomatic 22 LR rifles at the local gun shop. They were the Marlin Model 60 with tubular magazine and hardwood stock ($179), the Remington 597 SS with stainless barrel and synthetic stock ($283), and a Ruger-made 10/22 Model 1163 LZ distributor’s special, available through your dealer, with camo stock and laser sight ($526). The tricky laser got our attention. We couldn’t resist a good hard look at what it had to offer, other than a scary price tag. Although two of the guns would accept tip-off scope rings and two were drilled for traditional scope bases (the Remington had both), we chose to shoot ‘em with the iron sights provided. One of our reasons was to help us assess the laser sight on the Ruger. Would it prove to be useful in dim light, or against a questionable background where iron sights or even a scope would be hard to use? We intended to find out if that was a useful addition to the rifle, or just another sales gimmick.

Muzzleloading Propellants: Blackhorn 209 Earns an 'A'
Muzzleloading propellants have lagged behind propellants in cartridges for some time, this despite the great increase in inline popularity and use that continues today. Sulfur-based propellants are hygroscopic and filthy, promoting gun corrosion, requiring immediate cleaning, and are horribly inefficient. Blackpowder, a mixture not a compound, leaves behind about 50% of itself as fouling. Performance- and convenience-minded sportsmen have long looked for a better way. The prevalent blackpowder replacement for decades has been Pyrodex. Though synthetic, it also contains sulfur and generates sulfur salts that continue the corrosion problem. In the opinion of many muzzleloading enthusiasts, it is even worse than blackpowder in the corrosion and cleaning departments. Yet, for many years that is what muzzleloading shooters have been stuck with. Over the years, various volumetrically measured gas-generating compounds have been introduced. Due to marketing problems, production problems, and quality-control problems, many of these products have vanished from the marketplace. This includes such products as Black Canyon, CleaR-Shot, and various other compounds. So, with this history behind us, what are the best muzzleloading propellants today?