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airforce condor .22 4-16x scope and benchmade knife $4.95 $4.95 outside u.s outside u.s $7.95 $7.95 june xxxx 2010 2010 dynamite defensive duo tactical dream robar sr60 .308 win pg 18 pg 18 1911 .45 acp p238 .380 acp ruin for bruins bear necessities · charter arms pink lady .38 special · sa xdm 3.8 self defense 19+1 9mm hunting rifle perfection · weatherby .257 wby mag pg 16 pg 16 · blue ridge .300 win mag www.gunsmagazine.com

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first round knockout the undefeated p220 accurate easy to handle .45acp that really packs a punch it s not just a classic it s a sig www.sigsauer.com/classic

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the most advanced gun care systems in the world ® otis technology trs the most accurate rail system ever made in this age of modern warfare with the advances in lasers illuminators and night vision the need for the retention of absolute point of aim on rail systems has never been greater otis has developed the world s most accurate ar15/m4 carbine picatinny rail system it achieves this level of accuracy by a manufacturing system so unique a patent is pending on it trstm stands for turned rail system all of the critical alignment surfaces for aiming are machined on a single rotating axis so all four mounting surfaces hold their required tolerance conventional milling requires adjustments for re-fixturing tool wear and tolerance build-up otis s trs eliminates these and holds to the mil-spec tolerance where others fail consequently no matter where an aiming device is affixed it will be accurately aligned on any of the four rail surfaces compare it with any system you know and see for yourself usa made in the · machined on a single axes for 100 concentricity and alignment of aiming surfaces · trs holds the picatinny mil-spec standard which means greater repeatability in your mounted accessories · the world s most accurate rail design interchange lasers illuminators on all 4 quadrants · free floating design-convert conventional two point hand guards to free float · trs unified design provides a more stable platform than 2 piece systems · concentric rotational lock attachment reduces chance it can vibrate loose or change zero · 100 machined not extruded on all mounting surfaces · high quality t6061 aluminum carries a lifetime warranty · fits all ar-15 carbine modern sporting rifles with a removable front sight including the m4 · large ventilation ports allow for greater heat dissipation · milspec hard coat type iii anodized · integrates with virtually every rail affixed attachment on the market today · accepts picatinny/weaver compatible accessories otis technology 6987 laura st lyons falls ny 13368 800 otis-gun www.otistec.com © pyramont gmc 2010

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vol 56 number 6 655th issue 6 8 sig s sublime pair a .45 yacht with a .380 lifeboat these 1911 s are sweet and not sauer story massad ayoob photos chuck pittman june 2010 crossfire letters to the editor handloading john barsness massad ayoob 16 on the cover 12 handguns 14 gunsmithing hamilton bowen dave anderson clint smith 16 rifleman columns 18 ranging shotstm 22 shotgunner holt bodinson the .257 weatherby 24 montana musings mike duke venturino jacob gottfredson 12 guns magazine issn 1044-6257 is published monthly by publishers development corporation 12345 world trade drive san diego ca 92128 periodicals postage paid at san diego ca and at additional mailing offices subscriptions one year 12 issues $24.95 single monthly copies $4.95 change of address eight weeks notice required on all changes send old address as well as new subscription problems for immediate action write guns magazine attention circulation dept 12345 world trade drive san diego ca 92128 or call 858 605-0250 contributors submitting manuscripts photographs or drawings do so at their own risk material cannot be returned unless accompanied by sufficient postage payment will be made at rates current at time of publication and will cover reproduction in any or all guns magazine editions advertising rates furnished on request reproduction or use of any portion of this magazine in any manner without written permission is prohibited all rights reserved title to this publication passes to subscriber only on delivery to his address the opinions and recommendations expressed by individual authors within this magazine are not necessarily those of publishers development corporation postmaster send address changes to guns magazine® attn circulation dept 12345 world trade drive san diego ca 92128 copyright © 2010 by publishers development corporation 26 optics 58 views news reviews rights watch david codrea 78 odd angry shot john connor john taffin 82 campfire tales 28 surplus lockertm holt bodinson handguns the 2010 crop 18 departments 30 34 out of the boxtm ·springfieldarmorypg30 ·charterarmspg32 questions answers jeff john 70 quartermaster featuringgunsallstars thismonth · john taffin · justin carroll the robar sr60 30 72 73 74 76 guns classifieds custom corner new products gun of the month smallgamecombo fromairforceairguns 80 advertiser index springfield armory xdm 3.8 19+1 9mm www.gunsmagazine.com · june 2010 4

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76 photo joseph r novelozo photo joseph r novelozo guns magazine gun of the month small game combo from airforce airguns and benchmade knife 36 40 48 52 40 guns of the indian wars mike duke venturino modern science gives us clues from the actual battle sites sig s sublime pair massad ayoob a .45 yacht with a .380 lifeboat these 1911s are sweet and not sauer magnum class accuracy jacob gottfredson blue ridge rifles .300 win mag bear necessities john barsness how much rifle do you really need newonlineextrasonly at www.gunsmagazine.com 52 feature lessonsfromthebackupgun by massad ayoob worldchampionship go to www.gunsmagazine.com/productindex for complete product info and manufacturer s links for products featured in fmg magazines warning firearms are dangerous and if used improperly may cause serious injury or death due to the inherent variables in the reloading of ammunition be sure to verify any published loads with manufacturer s data products mentioned or advertised may not be legal in all states or jurisdictions obey all firearms laws always consult a professional gunsmith when modifying any firearm be a safe shooter www.gunsmagazine.com 5

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the finest in the firearms field since 1955 crossfire guns magazine april 2010 board of directors thomas von rosen ceo thomas hollander randy moldé marjorie young editor jeff john managing editorial assistant stephanie jarrell art director/staff photographer joseph r novelozo art assistant jennifer lewis advertising sales director anita carson advertising sales assistant dana hatfield production manager linda peterson web site manager lorinda massey promotions coordinator elizabeth o neill publisher roy huntington letters to guns guns magazine® welcomes letters to the editor we reserve the right to edit all published letters for clarity and length due to the volume of mail we are unable to individually answer your letters or e-mail in sending a letter to guns magazine you agree to provide publisher s development corp such copyright as is required for publishing and redistributing the contents of your letter in any format send your letters to crossfire guns magazine 12345 world trade dr san diego ca 92128 www.gunsmagazine.com e-mail ed@gunsmagazine.com concord hymn i want to thank john connor for his wonderful and moving tribute to the minutemen and the concord hymn i only wish i could write like that because of his article i will forever remember april 19th along with 9/11 december 7 1941 among so many other dates our country should remember every year we owe everything that is this country to those brave men and all the brave men and women who have followed since it doesn t take a genius to determine the events that started our revolution that day are remarkably similar to the course our government is now taking we as a people are going to have to stand up to elected officials who feel they no longer need to listen to we the people now that they are in office because they know better than we what is best for us bob dangler hastings nebraska are talking about i tend to read articles on basics on what s new etc and like the campfire stories and reading about what our soldiers are doing i think americans need to know what is going on in afghanistan some may think because the war is so far away it has no meaning for us but the fact is it is over there to keep it from being right here in our lap give bush some credit thanks for a great magazine steffen richards via e-mail contributing editors field editors john taffin holt bodinson dave anderson clint smith massad ayoob mike duke venturino sam fadala david codrea john morrison glen zediker john sheehan jacob gottfredson mike cumpston john barsness dave douglas fmg publications shootingindustry.com publisher editor russ thurman advertising delano amaguin 888.732.6461 email delano@shootingindustry.com americancopmagazine.com editor suzi huntington advertising denny fallon 800.426.4470 email denny@americancopmagazine.com americanhandgunner.com publisher editor roy huntington advertising steve evatt 800.533.7988 email steve@americanhandgunner.com gunsmagazine.com editor jeff john advertising andrew oram 866.903.1199 email andrew@gunsmagazine.com fmgpublications.com editor sammy reese advertising scott mcgregor 800.553.7780 email scott@gunsmagazine.com tel 888.651.7566 fax 858.605.0205 tracy@fmgpublications.com national advertising 12345 world trade dr san diego ca 92128 tel 866.972.4545 fax 858.605.0211 anita@shootingindustry.com special editions codrea got it right i believe mr wolf is the one displaying faulty logic in his criticism of david codrea crossfire march anyone who goes on national television and says they believe you should be able to own and shoot guns just not be able to take them home is not a supporter of our second amendment rights if the police or any other government controlled organization controls access to our guns they in effect control us and our ability to exercise our rights if you believe the federal government will pass out firearms to the american public when that government is doing something the people do not agree with you are sadly and disappointingly mistaken take a look at new orleans during and immediately after katrina firearms were seized from law-abiding citizens for so called public safety that doesn t sound like they were willing to let people have their guns during an emergency the second amendment is our most important right in my opinion without it all other rights are null and void if the government so chooses i believe mr wolf has missed the point on this one encouraging people to shoot is admirable and as gun owners we should support anyone who does however supporting someone who is actively supporting gun control just because she likes to shoot is like supporting someone who supports censorship just because she can carry on an interesting conversation ryan sommerfeld via e-mail dueling trees after reading duke s montana musings in april s issue i d like to relate a personal experience with dueling trees i picked up my first tree at a gun show it was the same as the ones in the pictures with the rectangular plates on one occasion i was shooting from my 20-yard line with a .45 acp one plate had rotated only 90 degrees and a bullet caught the inside edge of the plate a piece of the bullet was thrown back at me and caught me in the forehead right between the eyes and yes i could see it coming i replaced the rectangular plates with round plates and haven t had any problems since i also came up with a game for dueling trees i paint the plates different colors and have a partner shout out a color of the plate to be shot it adds a bit more challenge and fun rick caughie belfair washington online advertising manager tracy moore classified advertising lori robbins tel 203.662.9740 sigbuch@optonline.net tel 800.633.8001 fax 858.605.0247 classads@fmgpublications.com fmg east coast sales sig buchmayr buchmayr associates 28 great hill rd darien ct 06820 customer service www.gunsmagazine.com subscription services 858.605.0252 editorial 858.605.0243 production 858.605.0216 books/merchandise 888.732.2299 general counsel/legal affairs steele n gillaspey email .sng@g-glaw.com express service www.gunsmagazine.com and click contacts email ed@gunsmagazine.com email production@gunsmagazine.com email .rachelle@fmgpublications.com in the beginning i am retired and a latecomer to guns consequently most of the articles in your magazine leave me in the dust and i have little idea of what the writers 6 produced in the u.s.a www.gunsmagazine.com · june 2010

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america s millionaire patriot wants you armed and trained he s giving you a free springfield armory xd pistol when you attend professional training front sight firearms training institute s founder and director dr ignatius piazza commits his own money to help you secure front sight s four day defensive handgun and one day 30 state concealed weapon permit course free guns almost gone respond today to get yours america s millionaire patriot dr ignatius piazza five days of training for pennies-on-the-dollar plus for those who act fast america s millionaire patriot has reserved a brand new free springfield armory xd tactical pistol in your choice of 9mm .40sw or .45acp that s right the gun is free so don t hesitate on this amazing opportunity for guns readers go to https www.frontsight.com/free-gungm.asp for all the details to get your free gun dr piazza has also set aside a free holster magazine pouches surefire flashlight swat belt logo d stainless steel folding knife armorer s mat front sight hat front sight shirt and the entire set of 7 front sight dry practice training manuals all free of charge if you can simply act fast and go to https www.frontsight.com/free-gungm.asp all totaled you get over $4,000 in amazing value it can all be yours for literally pennies-on-the-dollar it s easy to get go to https www.frontsight.com/free-gungm.asp today grab your free gun before it s gone for your convenience registration and delivery of your new springfield xd pistol will be handled through the local federal firearms dealer of your choice so make sure you take advantage of the millionaire patriot s generosity before all the guns are spoken for time is running out thousands are already securing the professional training front sight offers and arranging for their free gun to be shipped to them find out why america s millionaire patriot is willing to train you for pennies-on-the-dollar and give you a free springfield armory xd tactical pistol i ll give you a hint why it s because he can he leads the us firearms training industry by leaps and bounds and knows that once you attend a course at front sight you will want to come back for more and will tell all your family and friends to come with you what are you waiting for it s easy just go to https www.frontsight.com/free-gungm.asp even america s millionaire patriot has a limit to his generosity so don t wait on this or you will miss the best course gun and gear deal ever offered grab it before it is gone don t have time to take the 5 day handgun course and get your free gun subscribe to front sight s free e-mailed gun training reports at www.frontsight.com

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handloading · john barsness · on the softer side cartridge case annealing he cartridge case shortages many tfind,past year brought remington when newbrass wasshooters couldn t have imagined for a while some impossible to especially .223 brass did start trickling onto the market it cost quite a bit more than prior to 2009 as a result many shooters who used to reload a rifle case a few times and then toss it are now making every case last as long as possible and the almost forgotten handloading technique of case annealing is making a comeback neck ends up harder than the other so a bullet exiting the neck may tilt slightly also some necks end up softer than others neither problem helps accuracy proper technique some descriptions of this technique suggest tipping the brass into the water is a necessary part of annealing but the water merely prevents the casehead from unless we stick way too much powder cases in a pan full of water deep enough being annealed we want the case head in our loads expanding primer pockets to cover all but the neck and shoulder to remain relatively hard otherwise beyond use the biggest limitation in of the case the necks were then heated a normal load results in a blown case case life is the neck cracking due to with a propane torch until they glowed and maybe a blown gun with brass airwork-hardening many metals become red then tipped over into the water one cooling results in the same amount of brittle and crack if pushed back and problem with this method is it s difficult annealing as water-quenching also heating brass really red-hot forth repeatedly exactly what happens to heat the necks evenly one side of the can make it too soft brass is a to brass after we resize and shoot it substitutional alloy meaning the over and over again atoms of the two elements have work-hardening primarily similar structures atoms of the affects the neck both because it s lesser element in this case zinc are the thinnest part of the case and substituted for some of the copper because resizing works the neck atoms cartridge brass is about more than the rest of the case in 70-percent copper and 30-percent typical bottleneck rifle dies the neck zinc heating brass hot enough for is first squeezed down when the the neck to appear red in normal brass is shoved into the die then light requires a temperature above bumped up again by the expander zinc s melting point of 787 degrees ball on its way out of the die even fahrenheit this won t melt the when we only squeeze the neck brass because its overall melting smaller with bushing or collet dies hornady sannealkitaboveincludeseverythingneeded the neck still gets worked more than exceptapropanetorch.theneckandshoulderofriflebrass point is around 1,700 degrees f but does make the brass softer than if the rest of the case especially if we isannealedatthefactoryafterthefinalcaseformingand neck-size only in time this makes theannealingcanbeseenonthetwolapua6.5x55caseson heated to just below zinc s melting point we want the brass pliable but the neck brittle whereupon it cracks theleftbelow ifcasesaren tannealedeveryfewfirings during resizing or firing and the theneckeventuallycracks,asitdidonthewinchester.338 not soft case is useless magnumcaseontheright workin too hard it s also a good idea to anneal the necks and even shoulders of wildcat cartridges after we neck cases up or down or blow the shoulders out all case-forming techniques workharden brass something to consider after we ve spent considerable time creating a batch of .223 ackley improved or 6.5-06 cases luckily it s easy to bring case necks back to life many techniques suggested for annealing however do almost as much harm as good for decades the technique usually suggested was to stand the 8 temperature brass will anneal at 600 degrees but it takes an hour at that temperature typical annealing instead applies temperatures of around 725 to 750 degrees for a shorter period the technique i ve used for the past decade or so was developed by my friend fred barker a retired metallurgist who published an article about it in precision shooting magazine fred knew the old torch-the-neck technique often resulted in overheating and also thought it kind of a pain instead of a torch fred used a simple paraffin candle believe it or www.gunsmagazine.com · june 2010

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speed precision accuracy as the fastest shooter on earth jerry miculek demands performance and he expects the same from his gun care that s why this legendary shooter turns to gunslick protm jerry trusts gunslick s advanced chemicals and tools to remove the most stubborn fouling while protecting his firearms for future action enjoy the same gunslick protection as jerry miculek visit www.gunslick.com jerry miculek 32-time champion shooter © 2009 gunslick protm

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not the tip of a candle flame produces over 1,500 degrees f by applying heatpaint that melts at 725 to 750 degrees to the neck of the case fred eventually found holding a typical rifle case about halfway up the body then turning the neck in the tip of the candle-flame until the case grew too hot to hold produced the right amount of annealing when the case gets too hot to hold it s dropped on a wet towel and wiped off both removing the soot from the candle flame and preventing heat from migrating to the head of the case i generally use paper towels tossing them when they get too dirty but a cotton towel will do handloading reflect who you are rock river arms elite comp a4 magpul ctr stock tactical half-quad free float handguard two stage trigger chrome lined 1:9 twist barrel hornady kit the barker technique is simple cheap and quick but perhaps not as precise as some nit-picky handloaders might desire a couple of years ago hornady brought out their case annealing kit based on much the same principle the kit includes three case holders with 1/4 shafts that fit into a typical power screwdriver or handheld electric drill and a bottle of 475-degree tempilac temperature-indicating liquid the case holders don t grip the case instead the case just slides into the cylindrical hole in the middle of the aluminum holder the case body is painted with a ring of tempilac 1/4 down from the base of the shoulder then inserted into the case holder then the flame from a propane torch is applied to the case neck as the case spins slowly the neck reaches 700 degrees by the time the tempilac 1/4 below the shoulder reaches 475 when the tempilac melts the case is dumped into cold water perfectly annealed for those handloaders who need to anneal a big bunch of cases ken light manufacturing offers the bc 1000 automatic case annealer this features an electrically turned rotary head that holds up to 20 cases as the head turns it brings each case neck in line with a propane torch annealing 1,000 cases per hour at $390 it isn t exactly cheap but for those of us who do a lot of shooting it would soon pay for itself hornady mfg co 3625 old potash hwy grand island ne 68802 800 338-3220 www.hornady.com ken light manufacturing p.o box 2745 lake havasu city az 86405 800 790-3184 www.kenlightmfg.com le home hunt target reflect who you are at www.rockriverarms.com www.gunsmagazine.com magpul ctr stock tactical half-quad free float handguard two stage trigger chrome lined 1:9 twist barrel rock river arms elite comp a4 11

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handguns · massad ayoob · handguns the 2010 crop the manufacturers do indeed have some cool new stuff four walking afteraislesdays test-firingmiles of at the shot show and another day some new stuff on a las vegas range i came away with some good vibes styledtoduplicateaglock,thisdry-fireonlytrainingpistolisonemasorderedat theshow.itcanduplicateanyoftheglock triggerpullweights ruger is pushing the .327 federal magnum again with a 7-shot revolver in the gp100 format and an 8-shot in the blackhawk envelope their slim sr9 autoloader is available in a nicely sized compact now colt has some dao 1911s and a classic-styled retro lightweight commander inspired by wiley clapp coonan back the coonan autoloader for the .357 magnum revolver cartridge is back both full-sized and in a more compact model beretta offers some new variations of their modern classic the model 92 sig has a new treatment for their classic series pistols making them even more user-friendly and variations on the p250 polymer convertible theme including a model with ambidextrous framemounted manual safety the taurus slim 9mm and new little .380 are nice and kel-tec s new auto pistol will hold 30 rounds of .22 magnum rimfire smith wesson has the longest list of new introductions led by a pair of polymer-framed pistolas carrying a classic company name the bodyguards the bodyguard .38 special revolver is double-action-only with its entirely new lockwork which includes a very smooth easy trigger pull and a cylinder that rotates clockwise like an old colt s its cylinder latch is ambidextrous and located on top behind the rear sight the bodyguard .380 auto weighs only 3/4 pound and features decent sights the slide locks open on the last shot and can release via the slide lever and a manual safety both bodyguards come with proprietary integral laser sights designed by insight and both shot very well in test-fire outdoorsmen may prove very interested in s&w s new lightweight long-barrel .357 and .44 magnums masholdsa cutaway chiapparhinowithlexan sideplate.hethinksithas potentialasmorethana conversationpiece notetheshortenedcylinderonthenewest s&w.45acpwheelgun.masorderedone 12 www.gunsmagazine.com · june 2010

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picking favorites is of course a subjective thing the handguns i ordered at what some have called the biggest gun show in the world are as follows s&w model 625s this new variation of the moon clip-fed jerry miculek special .45 acp revolver has a distinctive cylinder shortened appropriately for the length of the cartridge with its 4 tapered barrel threaded deeper into the cylinder window of the frame this reduction in freebore should improve accuracy the action is truly sweet and i intend to compete with it in the enhanced service revolver division of idpa this italian resurrection of the mateba revolver has a steep grip angle a flanged grip that locks over the web of the firing hand and a barrel aligning with the bottom chamber of the cylinder instead of the topmost i ordered one with a 4 barrel to try in idpa stock service revolver and ppc service revolver competition the action is reasonably smooth and should be amenable to slicking-up and the design features should absolutely minimize muzzle jump with +p and magnum ammo i m told it will accept speedloaders in l-frame s&w size besides it s so ugly it should make a nice conversation piece anarrowpointstotheradicalnewambi cylinderreleaseons&w snewbodyguard.38 oppositethearrowisthenewintegrallaser sightbyinsight training is a dummy glock with a trigger mechanism adjustable to duplicate every conceivable trigger system from the target shooter s 3.5-pound pull to the nearly 12-pound pull of the new york plus ny-2 module it allows sustained dry-fire practice without having to work the slide to re-cock for each trigger pull a laser sight allows the shooter to gauge the smoothness of his trigger control and another laser marks the spot where the shot would have gone when the sear releases useful for solo practice it will be particularly valuable for coach and pupil dry-fire training s&w centennial .22s because the s&w hammerless allows a higher better controlling grasp than other j-frames earlier exposed hammer .22s like the kit gun weren t perfect duplicates for feel the new 7-shot .22 magnum will be desirable for recoil-sensitive people who want an ultra-light pocket revolver and the .22 lr will probably end up being the understudy gun for the model 340 m&p .357 that lives in my trouser pocket it will afford lots of low-cost practice in the critical skill of the draw to the shot since the recoil difference doesn t matter until after the first round goes off there is truly some cool new stuff out there with the grip reshaped to get the hand deeper into the gun and more finger on the trigger and with a muted version of the glock rtf2 grip roughening the gen 4 pistol feels great in a hand already accustomed to this brand and pin-on backstraps to adjust to hand size are the icing on the cake what really appeals to me though is the new captive double recoil spring most who ve shot the gen 4 glock 22 report a palpable reduction in the .40 s&w round s snappy recoil and it will be interesting to determine if the same is true of the 9mm g17 i hope to try both in gssf and idpa competition a dry-fire glock from next level stop the threattm winchester® pdx1 410tm when it comes to the safety of you or your family choose the shotshell load that delivers a threat-stopping combination of two distinct personal defense technologies pdx1 410tm ammunition for personal defense highly effective in both shotguns and 410 compatible handguns like the taurus judge® the 410-gauge supreme elite® pdx1tm features a distinctive black hull and black oxide high-base head and combines three plated defense disctm projectiles and 12 pellets of plated bb shot the result is the ideal personal defense load for short range www.winchester.com engagement with the performance needed to stop threats ©2010 winchester ammunition www.gunsmagazine.com 13

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gunsmithing · hamilton bowen · headspace we all have it y ou can t hang around gun nuts gun cranks or gun junkies very long without hearing the term headspace all guns have headspace just like all people have blood pressure and your gun can have excess or even insufficient headspace just like people can have high or even low blood pressure put simply headspace is cartridge endfloat in the gun s chamber put another way headspace is the amount of movement back and forth a cartridge has along the chamber axis good headspace is the optimal clearance as defined by saami sporting arms and ammunition manufacturers institute an organization founded in 1926 at the behest of the federal government relax they got this one right to promote industry standards and specifications of safety uniformity interchangeability etc the european equivalent is the commission international permanente pour l epreuve des armes a feu portatives or en anglais permanent international commission for firearms testing commonly abbreviated as cip of immediate interest to us is the standardization of production cartridges and chamber specifications which include headspace numbers proper headspace is a balance between clearance needed for function on the one hand and cartridge integrity on the other headspace is defined in terms of the chamber specification not the cartridge specification but improperly formed cartridges are a source of functional headspace problems just the same for the best education in the matter there is no substitute for a set of saami mostautoloadingpistolcartridgecasesare rimlesscasesandheadspaceoffthecase mouthratherthantheshoulder,aswoulda rimlessriflecartridge thegreat.300holland&hollandcartridge,an earlybeltedmagnumround,doesn thavemuch ofashoulder.thebelted-headdesigngaveboth excellentfeedingandheadspacecontrol thislovelypre-warsavagem99takedownin.30-30bearsaheadspacecheckbeforegoingafield 14 cartridge/chamber drawings my aging nra handloader s guide has a fairly complete set like lots of things there are only two forms of bad headspace too little and too much too little headspace is about as rare as a housecat without halitosis in this instance the chamber is too short and a standard-spec cartridge may prevent the action from closing at least without a crush or interference fit in a typical magazine rifle the bolt won t close without pressure if at all in revolvers the cylinder won t close or rotate if the gun is loadable at all excess headspace is the usual culprit and can be potentially dangerous in extreme cases in my experience there are a couple of typical manifestations of headspace too much can lead to erratic ignition or out and out misfires since the cartridge will be pushed forward to the end of the chamber by the firing pin before it can do its job which both robs the pin of real impact energy and puts the primer anvil further out of reach in some guns this condition may go unnoticed since the extractor hook may keep the cartridge near enough to the firing pin to achieve ignition more worrisome is where the case body stretches on firing if the case is repeatedly trimmed and reloaded at some point on firing the head will separate from the rest of the case in extreme cases a new cartridge fails completely in either case depending on the gun type and design high-pressure gas can leak through the action with disastrous results we re talking about really high pressure here even the lowly .22 lr generates 20,000 psi magnum rifle and revolver rounds can exceed 60,000 psi your car tire works at about 35 to 40 psi stocks and grips splinter action bits and pieces fly off if you are stupid enough to shoot without eye protection you could get issued a white cane catastrophic gun failures due to extreme headspace are practically unknown but could occur where extended shooting batters action components to the point they let go assuming the gun and shooter aren t www.gunsmagazine.com · june 2010

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thisheadspacegaugeisinasavage99.just dropinthe no-go gaugeand,iftheaction closes,startthinkingaboutacourseofaction todetermineifthegunissafetoshootornot already damaged by case failures and high-pressure gas most modern firearms are made very well with much attention paid to headspace and it is exceedingly rare when this specification is incorrect older guns made when steels weren t as tough or close headspace standards weren t followed or even existed or even newer guns with the crap shot out of them are the usual culprits so what to do if you suspect a headspace problem ask your gunsmith to examine your gun and check it or do it yourself remembering the eyes you save may be your own or those of someone close the best way to check headspace is with a proper gauge these are available from various makers or through the usual gunsmithing supply outlets most of mine are from manson precision tooling gauges are variously configured depending on case design rimless gauges have full cartridge body-section shapes while rimmed or belted case gauges are stubby fellows with just flanges or belts while it is always best to check headspace with stripped bolt or slides most gauges have extractor grooves cut and can be used with the gun fully assembled chambers breech faces and the gauges themselves must be surgically clean for an accurate reading the least bit of grit dust or powder residue can skew results badly to check most guns just treat the gauge as a cartridge and try to close the gun s action bear in mind closing the action on a no-go gauge isn t a test of strength so no need to force the issue and risk creating a headspace problem where there was none before most gauges are keyed to saami numbers and are available in go and no-go configurations with some makers adding a field type if your gun s action will not close on a go gauge headspace is short if it does close the gun is considered to have at least minimum headspace if your action closes on a nogo gauge it is close to or may exceed the longest allowable chamber length depending on the gauge s configuration and the gun warrants further checking ordinarily closing on a field gauge means headspace beyond allowable specs and an investigation of the gun should follow before further shooting bear in mind you should always use gauges from the same maker for a given caliber you should also query them about their no-go and field gauge specifications to see if the nogo is actually at the maximum allowable chamber length some may come in short and will indicate allowable but not excess headspace having the gauge specifications and saami drawings in hand will enable you to unravel headspacing questions easily these gauges are not terribly expensive but well worth it checking headspace when building or buying a gun can save a lot of time money and headaches down the road manson precision reamers 8200 embury road grand blanc mi 48439 810 953-0732 www.mansonreamers.com brownells 200 south front street montezuma ia 50171 800 741-0015 www.brownells.com midway usa 5875 west van horn tavern road columbia mo 65203 800 243-3220 www.midwayusa.com ar-15 8-sided forends put any accessory exactly where you want it shoot comfortably with or without rails rails install at 45° increments around forend ati s new ar-15 8-sided forends give you the ability to place rails at 45° increments so your options for adding accessories and customizing is virtually infinite · rail locations at 45° increments around forend · position rails to exact location along length of forend · military-grade anodized t6 aluminum · very tough extremely lightweight advanced technology international milwaukee wisconsin · 800.925.2522 www.gunsmagazine.com 15

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