American Handgunner May/June 1978

For quick andeasy referenceAMERICANHANDGUNNERMAGAZINEBINDERSProtect your AmericanHandgunner Magazines foryears to come with thishandy "MAGAZINE COL-LECTOR." The attractiveleather-like vinyl binder willhold up to two full years ofThe American Handgunnerand can stand either horizontallyor vertically on yourshelves. Available in eitherred or black with gold trim,the binder is 8Y2" deep,11V2" high, and 4" wide. Itshandy label holder makesidentification easy. For quickand easy American Handgunnerreference, ordervours today!2 for $5.954 for $1 0.956 for. $1 4.95Min. order two. Be sure and specify color.Mail to: AMERICAN HANDGUNNERMAGAZINE BINDERS,591 Camino de la ReinaSan Diego, CA 92108Ithe thorax (lung cage). When other typesof shots were tried, these bullets gave erraticperformance.Based on reported performances as wellas ~ersonal experience, there is little questionthat the H&G number 43 and the Ly-, man number 358429 are the bulletswhich produce the best all around results.These bullets almost always give completepenetration regardless of the angle for theshot, and as a result game generally travelsless distance than when similarly hit byother types of bullets that do not normallygive complete penetration.Interestingly enough, when only broadsidethorax shots are considered, the castLyman-Keith 358439 SWC HP gave thebest reported bullet performance on biggame. This bullet generally penetratessomewhat deeper and also causes greatertissue destruction than that of jacketedhollow point bullets of similar weight.Mention is made that there are two versionsof this bullet. One has the hollow extendingdown to the crimp groove,whereas the other has the hollow extendingdown to the lubrication groove. It isthe latter version which has proven to bethe more effective on big game.Despite rumor and gossip to the contrary,Hercules 2400 is and continues tobe the most popular powder for full power.357 Magnum loads. Most handgun huntersreport using from 14.0 to 15.5 grainswith either cast or jacketed bullets. Acheck on two of the more popular reportedloads gives the following: Using theSierra 150 gr. JHC over 15.5 grs. of 2400in R-P .357 Magnum cases and theCCI 550 primers gave an average instrumentalvelocity of 1288 fps from a sixinch Ruger Security-Six revolver. Theother load uses the Lyman-Keith 358439SWC HP over 15.0 grs. of 2400 in W-W357 Magnum cases and the CCI 550primers to give an average instrumentalvelocity of 1376 fps from a four inchS&W Model 19 revolver. Both of theabove loads give under four inch groupsat 50 yards, and under 10 inches at 100yards-factory iron sights and field shootingpositions.At this point it is appropriate to mentionthe fact that not all .357 Magnum revolverscan use the H&G number 43 orthe Lyman numbers 358429 and 358439bullets. When loaded in .357 Magnumcases so as to be crimped in the crimpinggroove, the overall length is too long topermit cylinder rotation; e.g., the ColtPython or the S&W Model 27. If thehandgunner decides he will use one ormore of these very fine cast bullet designsin his, for example, Colt Trooper MK 111,he has three options. First, he may use,357 Magnum cases and seat the bullet soas to be crimped just over the front drivingband. While this will result in a loadedcartridge having an acceptable overalllength; pressure will be higher and thesharp corners will be rounded so as to reducethe terminal efficiency of the bullet.Second, he may trim cases that amountwhich will permit the bullet to be seatedand then crihiped in the crimping groove,yet still not exceed cylinder length. Sinceloads that are a safe maximum using regular.357 Magnum cases are or can be inthe shortened cases, if not dangerous, atleast unnecessarily abusive to the handgun;it would be prudent to make an ap- -propriate reduction in the powder chargeused. Third, he may seat and crimp thesebullets in .38 Special cases using powdercharges that are safe to shoot only in .357Magnum revolvers. This also requirescareful load development and one needsto remember that the .38 Special case wasNOT designed to be used with loads thatdevelop the working pressure of the .357Magnum. Furthermore, a very dangeroussituation exists if someone would inadvertentlyattempt to use such loads in a .38Special revolver.For the handgunner who wants to usemore effective cartridges, any of the followingwith the proper ammunition canbe used. If only commercial ammunitionis to be used, two of the better choices arethe .41 Magnum and the .45 ACP. Bothgive excellent accuracy and have amplepower for this type of big game. Whenhandloaded ammunition is to be used, the.44-40, .44 Special and .45 Colt are allfirst rate choices. Some may wonder whythe .44-40 is included, because until fairlyrecent it was a moribund cartridge. However,there now appears to be an increasfnginterest in this cartridge among handgunhunters, and the "Dakota" Single Actionis one revolver currently available in.44-40 chambering. Other cartridges suchas the .357 Herrett, the .357 Auto Mag,the .44 Auto Mag, the .44 Magnum andthe .45 Berserker are also quite suitablefor such game. Yet when one considersthe comparative accuracy, power and performanceof various cartridges togetherwith the size and weight of different handguns,it would be difficult to select a significantlybetter choice than the .44 Special.(Continued on page 16)NameAddressCity State ZipAMOUNTQUANTITY- COLOR__ ENCLOSED-14 AMERICAN HANDGUNNER 6 MAY/JUNE 1978