June 2009

Affordable 45s: Para USA, CZ, and Beretta Shoot It Out
When it comes to 45 ACP semi-automatics, we’re always looking for ways to fill our holsters without emptying our bank accounts. There are many 45s that cost about $1200, and it’s not hard to find 45s that cost twice that or more. In this test we will look at three affordable 45s with suggested retail prices that are well under the $1000 mark. Aside from categorizing by price, both the $650 Beretta PX4 Storm F and the $874 CZ 97BD could also be categorized as traditional double action (TDA) guns. We compared these guns to a $600 single-action 1911, the new Para USA GI Expert. We followed the same test procedure as our last evaluation of 45 ACP pistols published in the April 2009 issue. We fired five-shot groups from a bench at targets 15 yards downrange. Then, we put our guns through an action test of firing 10 three-shot strings standing offhand at an IPSC Metric target 7 yards away. Using a shot-activated electronic timer, we began with the pistol held chest high with both hands. Upon an audible start signal, we pushed the gun toward the target and attempted to land two hits inside the 5.9-inch-wide by 11.1-inch-high A-zone located at center mass, followed by a single shot to the B-zone, which delineated the head area of our target. This area was 6.4 inches by 6.9 inches. We’ve used this procedure many times before and think it offers valuable insight into what is required to bring the gun into action. We shot this test at the Impact Zone in Monaville, Texas (theimpactzonerange.com). What proved more difficult than formulating a test procedure was finding ammunition. Supplies of popular calibers such as 45 ACP have all but dried up. If we hadn’t visited Top Gun in Houston (topgunrange.com), we may not have been able to find any reasonably priced ammunition at all. To test we purchased a supply of Hornady 200-grain XTP hollowpoints for about $22 per 20-round box. We handloaded two other test rounds. They consisted of cases topped with Zero brand 185-grain jacketed hollowpoints and 200-grain roundnosed lead bullets by Bushwacker. Each round was powered by Winchester 231 powder with charges about midway between the starting load and the maximum load, as per Hodgdon’s latest load data. We used Winchester large pistol primers, and the rounds were loaded on a Dillon Precision Super 1050. Both our handloads were previously developed for competition, so we knew our rounds would be safe and accurate. Throughout our tests, all three guns performed without malfunction, so we were able to concentrate on the handling and performance of each pistol.

Head-to-Head Shootout: Bolt Rifles from Savage and Marlin
It has been said that if you can’t do it with a 30-06, you probably can’t do it. That little saying is likely more right than wrong. It has been over a century since the U.S. Military recalled the (.30-03) M1903 Springfield rifle and modified it to accept the 30-06 in the form of the M1906. The most popular hunting cartridge in North America has spawned numerous variations, being necked up in the form of the .35 Whelen and necked down as in the 25-06, with the 270 Winchester perhaps the most successful of its many offspring. Newly introduced for 2009 are two bolt guns chambered for the 30-06, one being the latest incarnation of the highly refined Savage long action and the other the latest walnut model of the recently introduced Marlin XL7 rifle. If imitation is the greatest form of flattery, the Marlin profusely flatters the older Savage 110 action, but there are salient differences between the two, as we were soon to discover. Introduced in 2008, Marlin’s re-entry into the bolt-action centerfire arena is essentially a copy of the Savage 'round front, flat rear' basic long action integral magazine bolt action rifle right down to the barrel nut. Presented as an economy rifle, this new blued/walnut version is a slightly upscale but still few-frills model; the walnut version is apparently a 'deluxe economy' model. It just begs for comparison to the Savage, and naturally it will get it.

Duel at the Mostly OK Corral: 12-Ga. Cowboy Action Shotguns
Cowboy Action Shooting members, whose increasing numbers show no need of a stimulus package, have developed their hobby into a tribute to the gun battles of the Old West—both real and fictional. Shotguns often figured into these armed conflicts, normally giving the scattergun handler a distinct advantage over opponents armed with a handgun or rifle, as long as the battle was up close and personal. One of Hollywood’s classic depictions of how a shotgun could turn the tide in a gun battle was in the 1966 movie The Professionals, featuring Academy-award-winning actors Lee Marvin and Burt Lancaster. Marvin, armed with a Winchester Model 1897 pump-action shotgun, faces down eight mounted bandits armed with bolt-action rifles as they meet in a narrow canyon. With just a little help from Lancaster, himself armed with a Winchester lever-action rifle, Marvin clears the canyon of bandits as he touches off seven shotgun blasts in rapid succession. Most of the bad guys don’t even have a chance to get off a shot before they are knocked out of the saddle. Although the battle is pure Hollywood, this type of shotgun action and its recreation on film has become a driving force behind the increasing popularity of the veteran firearms. Both the side-by-side hammer guns and the pump-action hammer guns of old left a distinct mark in history and are now resurfacing in the form of replicas finding favor at shooting competitions across the country. The popularity of the simple and easy-to-handle shotguns is also growing among people interested in home-defense firearms. For our trip back to the past, we selected both a side-by-side and a pump action to see if there is any advantage or downside—other than the number of shots—with either Old West style shotgun.

Buy Springfield's Ported XD40
Ported guns are loud, and some say they are dangerous. But porting makes it possible for the shooter to practice more often and fire more rounds with more comfort, especially if the caliber of the weapon is big and bad. The concept of porting is simple. The expanding gases that drive a bullet out of the barrel can also be redirected at such an angle that it fights muzzle flip and reduces felt recoil. Some guns are designed to weigh more, specifically to absorb recoil. But in the case of polymer-framed guns such as the Springfield Armory XD, this is not the case. The use of polymer construction created an all-weather lightweight carry gun, but when faced with the pressure and power of 40 S&W caliber ammunition, making the gun more comfortable meant porting was a desirable option. We’ve tested the XD several times in several sizes and caliber. But we had to know if adding holes to the barrel would be a plus or a minus to the XD’s performance, so we got an XD Service Model 4-inch V-10 Ported XD9702HCSP06 in 40 S&W. The V-10’s barrel was perforated with 10 holes, five on each side of the bore centerline. The first hole (approximately 0.1 inch in diameter) was drilled just less than 0.9 inch from the muzzle and there was about .08 inch between each hole. What effect did it have on performance?

Hunting Rifle Follow-Up: We'd Pass on Sako's 75 Finnlight
Along with our 30-06s tested elsewhere in this issue, we also shot a hunting-appropriate bolt action, the Sako 75 Finnlight in 308 Win. The line was officially discontinued for the 2007 model year, being replaced by the 85 series, but there are plenty of the 75-series bolt rifles floating around the used and NIB market. When we first thought about testing a Finnlight 75 in 2004, they listed for $1,267. We never tested the gun during its heyday, but we’re always on the lookout for good guns selling for lower prices, and we came across a sample and decided to put it through its paces. A check of recent completed auctions on GunBroker.com showed that 75 Finnlights described as NIB or 95% or better condition sold for $900 to $1100—substantially more than the very good Savage 111 reviewed on page 15. We wondered, would the expensive name-brand bolt gun be as good as the Savage.