Category: Weapons

The purpose of this article is not to make the case for the single action (“cowboy”) revolver as the ultimate survival handgun. Nor do I suggest that the prepper select one as a defensive handgun for long-term survival. Realistically, a Glock or other modern semi-auto handgun is a better defensive tool for the vast majority of people. Instead, I am arguing that the single action revolver not be disregarded by someone who already owns one, is new to prepping, and is probably on a budget. Huge numbers of single action revolvers are out there– many of them in the hands …

Hugh: I was a little surprised at your comment “It is tough to reload cheaper than bulk ammo for pistol though” in your reply to CR’s letter. As an example, I reload .45ACP under 15 cents a round using 200 grain lead bullets from Missouri Bullet Company. The bullets are under 10 cents each, add a primer for 3 cents and 2 cents of powder, and there you are. I crank these out at 300-400 per hour on my progressive, at a leisurely pace. I checked on ammo prices at the local farm store this afternoon and .45ACP is running …

Gentlemen; I have a question about storage of reloading supplies in relationship to total ammo storage. On page 236 of “How to Survive The End of World As We Know It”, JWR recommends certain inventories for each weapon category. He goes on in the next paragraph that three times those level makes some folks more comfortable. In trying to reach those levels, do you gents recommend a ratio of ready ammo to an amount of reloading supplies to achieve the three times amount? Given the current ammo shortages and the expense associated and the fact that reloading supplies are still …

Regarding the “Odds ‘n Sods” column from March 22: This is an “old husband’s” tale. Tumbling loaded ammo will not make it prone to detonation. Geoff Beneze, formerly of Dillon Precision, tumbled loaded rifle rounds (ball, flake, and extruded powders) in a vibratory tumbler for six months continuously and had zero issues with any of it. His emails are archived on the Yahoo handloading group. Unfortunately, you have to be a member of the group to read the archives, but here are a couple of the relevant emails I’ve saved: “First off, I would strongly urge that are so inclined …

I am 74 years old and have always been a little bit of a prepper. I was not into firearms and especially not hand guns, which I had never owned. I had rifles and shotguns from my youth, but never used them much after I got married. I had barely purchased a box of ammo for each. I even give them all away to my son a number of years ago. Then in the middle of 2009, I felt that everything was starting to fall apart and I needed to balance out my preparations by getting some firearms for protection …

The article on ammunition, shortages, and government purchases was very informative and well written. Here is a very simple way to look at the shortages that occur from a mathematical perspective. Assume that 20 million rounds of .22 are available every single day. That would be 40,000 boxes of 500 rounds each. Fifty states get 800 boxes each. Fifty retailers per state get 16 boxes each. I cannot tell you how much ammo the U.S. can manufacture or import, but I do not think it is anywhere near the level of demand created by our current government’s stance on the …

Dear Editor, This email is in response to the R.I.P. bullet paragraph seen on your blog. It is, as you suspected, limited in performance due to the nature of its design. I imagine the developers of the RIP theorized they could take the principles of bullet fragmentation (effectively demonstrated from 5.56mm ball ammo within certain distances) and apply them to a pistol caliber. The lethal effectiveness of bullet fragmentation relies heavily on its velocity upon impact. Since pistol rounds don’t travel nearly as fast as a rifle round, they depend on the summation of bullet mass, rather than speed, to …

Dear Mister Rawles, To your knowledge, does 308 soft point ammunition function in a PTR-91? JWR Replies: Just like the HK91 from which it is cloned, the PTR91 is not specifically designed to shoot .308 Winchester softnose hunting ammo. The SAAMI specifications for commercially-loaded (Remington, Winchester, Federal, et cetera) .308 Winchester are different from the military specifications for 7.62mm NATO. Although the two cartridges have quite similar exterior dimensions, the military brass is thicker (this creating slightly smaller interior dimensions) and the pressure specification is lower. (Yet, I still hear people talk about “hot military ammo.” The reality is just …

Sir: In regards to the shotgun safety letter, I would like to suggest the use of a shot shell “dummy” to keep loaded in the action of the shotgun. A dummy serves both to add another level of safety, in lieu of keeping a round chambered, and also allows the weapon to be quickly cycled without having to find and push the small button or release located at the rear of the receiver on most shotguns. These can be found at most gun stores. (I bought mine from Midway USA.) Thanks for all you do. Keep up the good work, …

HJL, Regarding Two Letters Re: Gock 27 .40 S&W Pistol, dropping a 9mm conversion barrel into a 40 caliber Glock pistol does NOT make it the same as a factory 9mm Glock. The extractors and ejectors are not the same (anyone can verify this by looking at the Glock parts list), and that makes it a FrankenGlock. This is fine, if you just want to save money shooting 9mm for practice out of your 40. However, if you’re going to stake your life on the gun, please be aware of the differences and make the decision that’s right for you. …

Dear Sir; Regarding the news article linked in the January 23rd blog relating to the massive non-compliance with Connecticut’s “Assault Weapon” and “Large Capacity Magazine” registration mandate, I know from first hand experience that many of the firearms are being removed from the state in lieu of registration. They are being removed to friends homes, BOL’s, and other places of refuge. I expect that when the thaw comes even more will be buried (the merits of such action notwithstanding). The primary reason that I was given by people resorting to such action was for their families safety- they feel that …