July/August 1978 - American Handgunner

INDUSTRY INSIDERBy MASSAD F. AYOOBÂ¥N BULLET JIGGLE - Cartridgesalign perfectly with revolvercylinder.*RELEASES CARTRIDGES 2 WAYS -Push loader straight into revolverand "WHAM-O!", you're loaded -in one easy motion - or turn theknob to release the cartridges!*NO SPILL ACTION - If dropped, ourreloader will NOT spill ammo asmany others do.DEPENDABLE.. . FAST.. .SAFEThis amazing reloader is an entirelynew concept in speed loading.Insert the cartridges into the reloaderand a simple turn of the knob on toplocks them in. It gives a secure grip,with fast out-of-case-and-into-revolveiaction. Trouble free operation, withNO JAMS. has made our reloadersLeather Cases available in Plain Basket or ClannoAVAILABLE FROM YOUR LOCAL GUN DEALEDEALERS ONLY PLEASE:Call TOLL FREE 1-800-354-981for DealershipIOrderingInformation.H.K.S.'FAILSAFE' PRODUCT!132 FIFTH ST. DAYTON. KY.41074HE big news for '78 in handgunning isT going to be ammo rather than firearms,it seems. There has been some evolutionarychange in hardware here andthere, but little really earth-shatteringwith the exception of a stainless 9 mmauto. Where change is really evident isin cartridges.This column has long been calling forRemington to introduce a .380 Auto load inthe same jacketed hollowpoint format thathas been so successful in their 115-grainweight with the 9 mm Parabellum and intheir 185-gr. with the .45 ACP. At longlast, our hopes and predictions have beenanswered. Remington has announced an88-gr. JHP .380 with a stated muzzle velocityof 990 feet per second and 191 ft-lbmuzzle energy.But mathematical figures tend to be irrelevantwhen you analyze high performancein this cartridge. Bullet design iseverything. What has made Remington'saforementioned 9 mm and .45 hollowpointsthe standard for comparison amongpolice is the tapered bullet shape coupledwith jacketing that goes over the tip of thehollow cavity. This does two things: itmakes the rounds feed as smooth ashardball even in most unaltered guns, andit gives fine expansion in anti-personnel orhunting applications without sacrificingthe ability to punch through car doors.Where lead-tipped hollowpoints expandprematurely, the Remington designpunches through sheet steel like a cookiecutter and opens up only when it hits thefleshy target-.Whether the .380 will perform as superblyas the 115-gr. 9 mm and the 185-gr..45 remains to be seen, but informedhandgunners consider it a round to watch.Just a few short years ago, the Plus-Pconcept of hot .38 Special loads electrifiedthe police community. Startled gunmakerswere cautious about endorsing the newloads. Colt, who make amply strong .38snubbies, chose not to recommend theirD-Frame guns for the hot loads; this inturn unnerved some of their good policecustomers, and the firm quickly turnedaround and endorsed the Plus-P for alltheir .38s, which were "endorsable" tobegin with anyway.Then came the much-discussed"Treasury Load" by Winchester, a 110-gr.JHP .38 Special loaded still closer to .357Magnum capability. Designated a "Q"load (or special limited-distribution product)by W-W, the Treasury load capturedthe imagination of police across the country,not to mention performance-orientedcivilian gun buffs. Federal recently put asimilar load on the special-order market.Rumbles in the industry are that a newdesignation may be in the offing. Winchestermay call their version the "Plus-P-Plus," and Federal's is likely to benamed "Super-Plus-P." We're talkingabout 24,000 psi pressure compared to20,000 for the "old" Plus-P round.In pressure test barrels, that works outto about 1235 foot-seconds for the oldPlus-P .38, and 1360 fps for the new one.That compares to roughly 1700 for the .357Magnum with the same weight bullet andthe same test barrel.Super-Plus-P pressures don't comenear what .357 Magnum revolvers arerated for, but they do worry some makersof .38 Specials. Blowups aren't anticipated;rather, their concern is acceleratedwear. At the most, you're probably talkingabout stretched frames that will affectreliability, as opposed to any real dangerof injury from a gun mishap, unless youhave an old, poor quality, or defectivegun.This is why such loads will be sold onlyon special order to governmental agencieswho understand exactly what they'regetting, and can balance increasedwear-and-tear on their weapons againstthe greater stopping power that will beafforded the officer carrying it. Theammo makers themselves are charyabout selling it to agencies that issuealuminum frame guns.The fact that this ultra .38 Specialammo won't be available to the public islittle cause for concern. If John Q. Citizenwants to upgrade his firepower, hecan simply buy a .357 or .45 and load itAMERICAN HANDGUNNER JULYIAUGUST 1978