Reader Forum: March '96

Ammo Criticism
It seems that whenever writers for gun magazines write stories about .22 rifle or .22 pistol testing, they always use expensive target ammunition: Eley Benchrest Gold, Eley Tenex, Federal Gold or Ultramatch, CCI Green Tag, RWS 50, and so on. Why can’t they also include Winchester Super X, CCI Mini-Mag, Remington HV, Federal Hi Power, and other less-expensive ammo?

I realize that target ammunition normally performs better and shows the weapon’s full potential, but the average person who uses .22s doesn’t buy, nor do they have the funds to buy, target ammunition. Therefore, I believe regular .22 ammunition should be utilized in tests as well.

I shoot a lot of silhouette, and I use Winchester Super X, CCI Mini-Mag, and PMC Target. Yes, the cheap stuff, and I consistently come in the top three against guys using the high-price target ammo. I shoot mainly for the fun of it. I don’t really care if Joe Blow beats me or I beat him, my purpose is to do my best each time out, and if I win, that’s frosting on the cake. I love to see those silhouettes fall—regardless of what ammo makes them fall.

Anyway, you have a fine magazine. Keep up the good work in Performance Shooter.

-Charles R. “Chuck” Andreas
La Luz, NM

We appreciate your sentiments, but you hit the nail on the head when you say that premium ammo shows the full potential of the gun. We try to be as fair as possible when criticizing rifle and pistols, and accuracy testing is crucial in our determinations. Because lower-priced ammo has more variation in velocity and accuracy, we would have less confidence in it when assessing the intrinsic accuracy of firearms.

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A Glut of 1911s?
I want to buy a .45, having owned several models from different companies in the past, none of which particularly impressed me. Are any firms other than the usual suspects making them these days?

-Jim Taylor
Houston, Texas

Add two new companies to the list of businesses that are offering 1911-style .45 ACP pistols. Brolin Arms of La Verne, California, will offer a .45 pistol in standard and compact configurations and also has a couple of custom versions. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania importer KBI, Inc. is bringing in a standard 1911 made by Armscorp of the Philippines. With the additions of these new firms, at least ten companies will be selling .45s—probably a result of magazine-restriction laws.

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DCM News
I grew up shooting in DCM (Director of Civilian Marksmanship) programs, but I understand the agency is being killed. Is that so?

-Robert Woodward
Macon, Georgia

The Civilian Marksmanship Program, a part of the U.S. Army since 1903, will be turned into a private nonprofit corporation as part of a House-passed defense bill. Control of the program, which sells surplus rifles, provides ammunition to Boy Scouts, and teaches novices how to shoot, would move from the Army to a new nine-member board. The Secretary of the Army would choose the first board members. The Army would still provide surplus M-1 rifles for sale and give free ammunition to novice shooters. Army personnel would also remain as gun-handling instructors in the program. The legislation also calls for the Army to hand over to the private, nonprofit corporation roughly $900,000 that has accumulated through prior sales of the vintage rifles. The program has cost taxpayers about $2.5 million a year.

Both the program’s staunchest supporter, Republican Congressman Paul Gillmor of Ohio, and its biggest enemy, New York Democrat Carolyn Maloney, said they looked forward to moving it off the Pentagon’s books. Gillmor’s district hosts the program’s annual six-week competition at Camp Perry.