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Ammunition

Hornady Introduces New .22 WMR Ammo Using VMAX Bullet

Hornady 22 wmr
Hornady has introduced new .22 WMR ammunition using the VMAX bullet. The new 22 Magnum cartridge pushes a 30 grain VMAX bullet at 2200 fps (322 foot/pounds of energy).

The V-MAX bullet is a polymer tipped hollow point that allows for excellent expansion while increasing the ballistic coefficient.  Having a polymer tip ensures the bullet will expand because it prevents the hollow point from being clogged.  Additionally, the tip compresses on impact, which in turn presses against the inside of the cavity, helping to force the bullet open.

Hornady claims that the new ammo is the “finest product in its class,” and offers “accuracy never seen before from this cartridge.” Reviews from shooters on MidwayUSA’s website have posted they are getting groups of .125″ – .781″ at 100 yards with this ammo.  By any reasonable standard, those are very good groupings – especially out of a rimfire round.

This ammunition should be an excellent varmint round.  I could see this being used by hunters to about 125 or so yards depending on the animal.

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Self-Defense Issues

Negligent Discharge by Pilot on US Airways Flight

holster negligent discharge

holster negligent dischargeNegligent discharges (ND) are not only dangerous to people who are around when the bullet exits the muzzle, but they are also dangerous to all gun owners. A single negligent discharge may run on the evening news or on the front page of the local paper, whereas the millions of people who safely handle firearms every day are never mentioned. A single mistake tarnishes all of us.

In this case, we have a commercial airline pilot who appears to have negligently discharged a firearm while the plane is on a cross-country flight. We can assume it was a negligent discharge because there is no mention of any reason the firearm would have been intentionally discharged.

So, the Flight Deck Officer program, which the TSA has been dragging their feet on for the past six-plus years, now has a black eye. This will, no doubt, be a reason that the TSA and Congress can point at to “prove” the program of training and arming pilots is a bad idea.

The pilot involved in this incident was fired because of the ND.  He took the case to arbitration and was rehired after an 18-month suspension.  Subsequently, the Department of Homeland Security demonstrated that the holster design was largely at fault for this and at least two other negligent discharges.

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Categories
Self-Defense Issues

Don’t Quit Before The Battle Is Won: A Sad Self-Defense Story

smith & wesson 642

smith & wesson 642In Largo, Florida in 2002, an 88-year-old man and his 86-year-old wife were attacked in a daytime home invasion style robbery. The couple was attacked in their condo by a 19-year-old convicted drug dealer as they returned from a nearby supermarket.

The 88-year-old victim was able to retrieve his .38 Special revolver (loaded with +P hollow points) and placed two well aimed shots on the attacker. The first shot hit the convicted felon in the face. As the attacker fell, the second shot struck him center mass in the back.

With the criminal down, the homeowner set his revolver down and turned to call 911. Police arrived three minutes later. When the officers arrived, they discovered that the would-be robber had gotten up, taken the gun the elderly man had set down, and murdered the man with a single gunshot to the head. Police apprehended the murderer on scene, as his bleeding had rendered him semi-conscious by this time.

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Categories
Reloading

RCBS Introduces a High Capacity Case Trimmer for Handloading

RCBS Case Trimmer

RCBS introduced a new high capacity case trimmer for handloading and reloading. The High Capacity Case Trimmer is designed to handle big bore cases such as the .50 BMG and .416 Barrett cartridges.

The trimmer comes in a small kit that includes three pilots and a case holder collet.  The collet will hold .408 CheyTac, .505 Gibbs, .400 Jeffery, .45-60 Win and .40-60 Win among others.

The High Capacity Case Trimmer is backed by the RCBS lifetime warranty.

When this case trimmer was introduced in 2008, the MSRP was $109.95.  As of October 2014, the MSRP was up to $162.95.  That’s a significant price increase and reflective of the economy at large, unfortunately.  The good news is you can click here and get your RCBS High Capacity Case Trimmer Kit for a lot less.

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Categories
Ammunition

Winchester Ammunition Introduces Low Noise .22 Long Rimfire Cartridge

Winchester Ammo 22

Winchester Ammo 22

If you are looking for a quiet 22 rimfire round, consider the Winchester SUPER-X CB-Match round.  Winchester Ammunition introduced the .22 Long rimfire cartridge in 2008.  The round is designed for high accuracy and very low noise.

The SUPER-X CB-match .22 Long round pushes a 29 grain bullet at a relatively slow 770 fps from a 24″ barrel.  From a 6″ barrel, Winchester states the muzzle velocity is a paltry 575 fps.  Expect even less velocity from a handgun like the Walther P22 (3.4″ barrel) or Ruger SR22 (3.5″ barrel.)

This round matched to a gun with a sound suppressor, and this should be a very quiet shooting round.

I would expect that this round would be reliable in only bolt-action and single-shot firearms. Running it in a semi-auto pistol or rifle may not work well, as the load probably doesn’t generate enough force to reliably operate the gun’s action. Of course, I could be wrong, and if anyone has any luck running this in a semi-auto gun, please sound off in the comments section below.

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