So... any of our members here have an interest in firearms?

Professor · Jan 30, 2021

VickMacky
Took my 10yo out to shoot the Ruger MkIV. His first time shooting it suppressed. SBR is still a bit too heavy for him though.

Speaking of Ruger Pistols, I've owned two .22s and test fired one .357 that could not hit the ground if you dropped them.

The first was a nice handy Bearcat I got cheap because it had been returned to the LGS by a dissatisfied customer. I soon found out why. The little pistol seemed to be in perfect time but it sprayed lead and sparks in my face every shot and I could not even see where the bullets were going.
Many years later I found out why. Apparently some of the early production barrels had no forcing cone cut in the breech. The lands were scrapping off streamers of lead from the bullets which were then blown out the cylinder gap. I traded the pistol back to the LGS for a Remington Rand .45.
The Second was a Ruger autoloader. There was nothing visible to explain it but this particular gun was very inaccurate. I sold it for several times what I had in it to someone I didn't like.
The .357 had been returned to another LGS. A prospective buyer asked me to check it out since it was being offered dirt cheap. Using .38 special rounds you could see the bullets spinning sideways and falling to the ground about ten yards or less from the muzzle. I looked down the bore and found it choked with leading. On cleaning the bore I found that a chip must have been caught in the reamer before rifling. There were deep more or less concentric scars all down the bore, deeper than the rifling in spots. You'd be lucky to get a bristle brush through it intact much less a lead bullet.
Ruger designs and materials are great, among the best in the industry, as is most of the workmanship, but for years they had next to nothing as far as quality control went.
I'm sure they rectified that years ago or they'd have never stayed in business.

VickMacky · Jan 30, 2021

Professor
Speaking of Ruger Pistols, I've owned two .22s and test fired one .357 that could not hit the ground if you dropped them.

The first was a nice handy Bearcat I got cheap because it had been returned to the LGS by a dissatisfied customer. I soon found out why. The little pistol seemed to be in perfect time but it sprayed lead and sparks in my face every shot and I could not even see where the bullets were going.
Many years later I found out why. Apparently some of the early production barrels had no forcing cone cut in the breech. The lands were scrapping off streamers of lead from the bullets which were then blown out the cylinder gap. I traded the pistol back to the LGS for a Remington Rand .45.
The Second was a Ruger autoloader. There was nothing visible to explain it but this particular gun was very inaccurate. I sold it for several times what I had in it to someone I didn't like.
The .357 had been returned to another LGS. A prospective buyer asked me to check it out since it was being offered dirt cheap. Using .38 special rounds you could see the bullets spinning sideways and falling to the ground about ten yards or less from the muzzle. I looked down the bore and found it choked with leading. On cleaning the bore I found that a chip must have been caught in the reamer before rifling. There were deep more or less concentric scars all down the bore, deeper than the rifling in spots. You'd be lucky to get a bristle brush through it intact much less a lead bullet.
Ruger designs and materials are great, among the best in the industry, as is most of the workmanship, but for years they had next to nothing as far as quality control went.
I'm sure they rectified that years ago or they'd have never stayed in business.

Wow, sorry to hear. To be honest over never owned any of their center fire or cylinder pistols as I didn’t feel they were very innovative with little aftermarket support. When it came to purchasing a .22 suppressor host it came down to this or a Browning Buckmark and after lots of feedback I went with this. I’m a happy camper, she shoots nice tight groups with Federal match and the only issues I have are when she starts to get dirty she’ll get FTEs but a drop of lube and she running like a top again 😀

Wryfox · Jan 31, 2021

Gonna throw some shade here....Behlert Sr himself built this one. The legend who taught the next generation of legends. Built in late 80s. 38 super. On a rest I've shot 1/2" at 25yds..ie one hole.

i20rider · Jan 31, 2021

alittle open blaster action.

VickMacky · Jan 31, 2021

i20rider

alittle open blaster action.

Like button!

jimdgreat1 · Feb 2, 2021

Three ruger revolvers. Just bought the 357 on the left. Middle is 44 mag and right is 22. All shoot well. I have 30 or so ruger firearms from the 60s to recent production. Never had a bad one.

SkunkPrince · Feb 2, 2021

I've always wondered about the traditional revolver grip... it just does not fit my hand, where the Model of 1911 seems built just for me.

My exwife (RIP) had her grandfather's S&W Military and Police and after putting a Hogue grip on it, I could hold that. Its orginal grip was just too small for me.

Professor · Feb 2, 2021

SkunkPrince
I've always wondered about the traditional revolver grip... it just does not fit my hand, where the Model of 1911 seems built just for me.

My exwife (RIP) had her grandfather's S&W Military and Police and after putting a Hogue grip on it, I could hold that. Its original grip was just too small for me.

The 1911 was designed for the Calvary. Calvary troopers being horsemen usually had larger hands than average and very often wore gloves.

SkunkPrince · Feb 2, 2021

Professor
The 1911 was designed for the Calvary. Calvary troopers being horsemen usually had larger hands than average and very often wore gloves.

Well, yes and no. It was designed for the entire army to use, including Cavalry, and Cavalry certainly influenced its design! Hence lanyard loop magazines, for example.

The Father · Feb 2, 2021

Savage 45. The runner up to the 1911 in competition for new Army sidearm way back when.

SkunkPrince · Feb 2, 2021

The Father

Savage 45. The runner up to the 1911 in competition for new Army sidearm way back when.

Have you shot it? If so, what was it like?

The Father · Feb 2, 2021

SkunkPrince
Have you shot it? If so, what was it like?

Should have added a disclaimer, looked up origin of 1911 and the Savage was the next in the running. I don’t have one, it looks like a big chunk and not very pretty. A what if, would the Savage been so iconic as the 1911, I don’t think so

SkunkPrince · Feb 2, 2021

The Father
Should have added a disclaimer, looked up origin of 1911 and the Savage was the next in the running. I don’t have one, it looks like a big chunk and not very pretty.

Ah, yes. I agree, that is not anywhere near attractive as the Browning design.

jimdgreat1 · Feb 3, 2021

SkunkPrince
I've always wondered about the traditional revolver grip... it just does not fit my hand, where the Model of 1911 seems built just for me.

My exwife (RIP) had her grandfather's S&W Military and Police and after putting a Hogue grip on it, I could hold that. Its orginal grip was just too small for me.

They are different but I enjoy both. Prefer the 1911 over any other.

noelekal · Feb 4, 2021

I can do me some good ol' revolver, especially the Smith & Wesson K- Frame and N-Frame with Magna stocks.

The 1911 gun is my favorite automatic.

And now, for something completely different ...

A 1916 vintage British contract Colt Government Model in .455 recently came to roost on the Colt shelf in the safe. It's probably the last 1911 gun I'll acquire (famous last words). I set out to obtain a Colt 1911 or Government Model in every chambering produced. All calibers but two have been gathered up. The .38 AMU would likely be priced out of my reach and I'm not counting the alloy-framed Colt Commander in .30 Luger as a proper 1911-gun.

This one saw honest service use and sustained that with only soft holster wear around the edges. Then it fell on hard times and suffered from some neglect to its surface finish in the years afterward. Field stripping finds tight, perfect mechanics, little wear from shooting use, and a sparkling bright bore, a rarity for an age where priming compounds were corrosive. Some ammunition has been gathered, but I need to find a source for cartridge cases so hand loading may be undertaken. These British contract .455 Colt Government Models are not often seen in the U. S. these days.

The .455 Self Loading is very slightly larger in diameter with a slightly longer case length and different rim dimensions. It's 224 grain bullet is said to give a nominal 700-720 feet per second. Both World War I Eley and World War II Kynoch ammuntion are on hand and will have to be tested over the chronograph to verify velocities.

Here's a U. S. military .45 ACP cartridge dated1918 with a .455 S. L. dated 1917. Note the curious blunt nosed bullet of the .455. Both feature cupro-nickel jackets common to the era.

The .455 Magazine is enough larger than a standard 1911 magazine well that it will not fit any 1911 here in which it was tried.

voere · Feb 4, 2021

The 1911 is a great handgun and so is the Hi Power as far as the looks go I give the nod to the Hi Power IMHO is just plain sexy looking. This HP is wearing G10 grips other than grips she is all original. I removed the original grips and went with the G10 grips for toting her around.

noelekal · Feb 4, 2021

Voere;

I'm a huge 1911 fan, but I also really like the High Power and have to agree that the High Power slightly beats out a nice 1911 as the most attractive semi-automatic handgun.

LuckyLes · Feb 4, 2021

You are all making me jealous with these beautiful 1911's. A handgun license in Australia is very difficult to get these days, and then only for competition at a range. Open or concealed carry is virtually impossible to obtain. Our laws here are extremely tight. Longarm ownership is not so bad, but we must go through the hoops to get a license still, and then have to get a permit to acquire any firearm after that.
Back in the day I used to shoot a fair amount of handgun competition and my 1911 was my favourite out of the 20 or so that I owned.
Now I only have longarms, and I am slowly selling them off due to ongoing health problems. That's why I am turning my interest to watches.
The artistry and craftmanship in a fine watch is akin to that in a fine handmade shotgun or double rifle.
Les

Professor · Feb 5, 2021

Over the years I've run across a few facts about the development of the 1911 and it's ammunition.
Apparently the .45 ACP cartridge originally was a scaled up .380, and used the same sort of round nose profile for its bullets.
When they went with the slight ogive profile the bullet had to be slightly longer and this resulted in the feed ramp that intrudes into the base of the chamber. A known weakness of the design compensated for by keeping the pressures fairly low and adjusting the metallurgy and internal profile of cartridge case walls. This gives a thicker harder wall near the base.
Another source of possible problems was that unless heavily crimped in some manner bullets could be forced back into the case causing extreme pressures and detonations blowing out case walls. In fact most Browning designed 9mm pistols of today can have the same difficulty.
I have a few post WW1 9mm and .45 ACP Remington cartridges in my collection. Both have a annular crimp under the bullets which form a internal shelf to prevent a bullet being driven back into the cases.

I learned of this when looking into Kabooms of Colt and FN pistols that used high pressure loads and no special crimps. I never had a problem with the Supervel 9mm in by P-35 but read of a few years later.
I always eased the first round into the chamber rather than letting the slide slam closed.
Some hot loaded .45 ACP ammo has used cases formed from .308 or .30-06 cases to avoid side wall blow outs.

I noticed my S&W Model 59 barrel has a feed ramp that does not intrude into the chamber. With cartridge seated nothing of the sidewall can be seen beyond the extractor groove.

PS
I've seen drawings and photos of the .455 Auto that showed a short round nose bullet similar to the original ACP loadings.

Waltesefalcon · Feb 5, 2021

noelekal
I can do me some good ol' revolver, especially the Smith & Wesson K- Frame and N-Frame with Magna stocks.

The 1911 gun is my favorite automatic.

And now, for something completely different ...

A 1916 vintage British contract Colt Government Model in .455 recently came to roost on the Colt shelf in the safe. It's probably the last 1911 gun I'll acquire (famous last words). I set out to obtain a Colt 1911 or Government Model in every chambering produced. All calibers but two have been gathered up. The .38 AMU would likely be priced out of my reach and I'm not counting the alloy-framed Colt Commander in .30 Luger as a proper 1911-gun.

This one saw honest service use and sustained that with only soft holster wear around the edges. Then it fell on hard times and suffered from some neglect to its surface finish in the years afterward. Field stripping finds tight, perfect mechanics, little wear from shooting use, and a sparkling bright bore, a rarity for an age where priming compounds were corrosive. Some ammunition has been gathered, but I need to find a source for cartridge cases so hand loading may be undertaken. These British contract .455 Colt Government Models are not often seen in the U. S. these days.

The .455 Self Loading is very slightly larger in diameter with a slightly longer case length and different rim dimensions. It's 224 grain bullet is said to give a nominal 700-720 feet per second. Both World War I Eley and World War II Kynoch ammuntion are on hand and will have to be tested over the chronograph to verify velocities.

Here's a U. S. military .45 ACP cartridge dated1918 with a .455 S. L. dated 1917. Note the curious blunt nosed bullet of the .455. Both feature cupro-nickel jackets common to the era.

The .455 Magazine is enough larger than a standard 1911 magazine well that it will not fit any 1911 here in which it was tried.

I've very nearly bought a 1911 in .455 on a couple of occasions but I just don't like the round. I do like your idea of getting one in each caliber produced. I am going for trying to get one of each model produced before WWII. So a model 1911 military, check; a model 1911 commercial, check; a 1911A1 military; a 1911A1 commercial; an Ace; a Kongsberg 1911; a Modelo 1916, check; and a Modelo 1927.