Recent content by .38 Special

My calculation is that the seven round (okay, okay, +1 in the pipe) 1911 seems to have developed a reasonable reputation as a fighting gun. If the math disagrees, then the math is suspect.

Sure. Yeah. The 1911 is a lousy fighting gun. <insert eyeroll emoji here>

I dunno what to make of the flintlock comments. Yeah, they take some figuring, but once you've done that, they're easy and reliable. And frankly, the only affordable and easily available reloading components, these days, are blackpowder and flint. Smokeless, primers, caps, etc. are all...

@JohnKSa, I think the issue is not that anyone is particularly wrong, or even that someone is preparing for whatever scenario they have in mind, but rather that some folks are preparing for that scenario AND denigrated anyone who isn't.

So you are saying that there is no better self-defense firearm on the planet?

For the same reasons you don't: comfort, practicality, legality. My gun isn't the one that "gives me the best chance". Neither is yours. All of us are carrying compromises.

I wonder if a snubby thread has ever lasted more than a page or two before turning into a capacity debate. I personally carry a snub because the 340pd is the lightest thing I can get that still offers real horsepower: I'd rather have five rounds of .357 than ten rounds of .380. Am I "adequately...

I am completely bonkers for the .45 Colt. From a practical standpoint, if you have a single-action Ruger chambered for the cartridge, you have just about everything a revolver man could need. Are you a practical man? I guess I'm not; if I didn't have a Bisley flattop in .44 Special, I'd start...

For most folks, I'd say the price is about right. For @Mark_Mark I'd recommend holding out until an engraved one shows up for a hundred bucks. The .44-40, for what it is worth, is an annoying cartridge to handload.

Eliminating the graphite - and increasing your crimp, if it's not already pretty firm - may net you a slight increase. Other than that, though, I think you may have to be satisfied with what you've got: it's not out of the ordinary. If you really want to max out your velocity, you'll need to...

At 6'1", my ideal weight is 170 pounds, but I never get below 180 anymore. Even that little bit of a spare tire is enough to make appendix really unpleasant for me. I honestly don't get how it could be comfortable for anyone, but I'll take your word for it. ;)

I have very little experience with the round in rifles so can't comment about it. Your velocities with a 4" barrel are about what I would expect. What led you to believe they should be higher? I don't see any need to decrease powder charges, unless you are noting pressure signs. It looks to me...

I've tried it, and between the comfort issue and the morale issue, I just truly don't get it. For one, the gun butt digs into my gut, no matter how fit I am. It's just so physically uncomfortable that I really don't understand how anyone can tolerate it. And for two, the gun is pretty much...

I'm beginning to suspect that triggers matter less to mediocre shooters - or put another way, it takes a pretty good shooter to be able to take full advantage of really nice triggers. On a handgun, I'm a total trigger snob. On a rifle, just give me a crisp 3.5 pound pull and I'm happy. I've...

I'm another who simply carries his CCW gun - usually in the same way; strong side IWB or OWB, depending on the gun and the clothing. Of course, folks who carry things like .380 autos will worry that they don't have enough horsepower for the task. I consider that a clue... :neener: