American Handgunner May/June 1977

tion in improving accuracy over the older1911 Government Models. I feel the accuracyof the Hardballers I've used is on apar with that of the MK-IV. They are bothdamn good. I feel the Hardballer gives mejust about all of the accuracy potential Ican handle.Sat down one windy day, rested againstthe front wheel of the truck and fired sixfive shot groups with various ammo. Thegun had been fired approximately 800times without being cleaned. Where I obviouslyblew a shot or two, more than onefigure will be shown. 200 grain Speer"Match" 1.503 inches. 200 grain H.P.Speer "Inspector" 3-1.039, 5-2.102 inches.7.5 grains Unique-185 SierraH.P.-4-2.338, 5-3.853 inches. 6.5Unique-230 Norma H.P.-4-,780, 5-1.338inches. 9.5-4756-185 Sierra, 4-1.200,5-1.535 inches. 9.5-4756- 190 Supervel-4-1.123.5-2.031 inches.The last two loads listed are my own. Idon't recall seeing anything approachingthat charge of 9.64756-185 in any loadingmanual. I will not recommend it. I useit only for abusive testing and occasionallyhunting. Four other .45s I shoot handle itOK but yours may not. For ordinary purposesof plinking or self defense, handloadsfrom any reliable loading manualare adequate as are factory loads. Both theSpeer and Remington hollow point loadsare good but I favor the performance ofthe Speer to the Remington bullet. Nothingthat I know of will beat the KTW factoryload for penetration.The Hardballer and Colt Gold Cupshare more than a passing resemblance.In comparing the two in actual shootingunder varied conditions including the"Combat" type shooting on informalcourses. The Hardballer safety is superiorto the Colt's and the Colt's trigger pull islighter than the Hardballers. Feel andsight picture of both guns is very similar.Running the various informal "Combat"courses combining scores and times, Iconsistently perform just a little bit betterwith the Hardballer than I do with theGold Cup. I really don't know why.I've visited the AMT (Arcadia MachineTool) plant twice. It, and the equipment init are new. Literally thousands of gunswere in various stages of manufacture.The plant and production flow seemedwell set up and obvious care was beingtaken in manufacture and assembly. Theplant is small and production is necessarilylimited by the availability of skilled employees.Quality definitely came beforeproduction from what I saw in two visits. Isuspect the Hardballers will be somewhatdifficult to obtain for awhile. B&B Sales(1 1100 Cumpston Street, No. Hollywood,CA 91601) has purchased the first 1500guns. Sanford and his employees are makinga high quality gun and obviously-methodsof manufacture will be improved inthe future; resulting in increased productionwithout a loss in quality of the prod-AMERICAN HANDGUNNER MAY/JUNE 1977uct. Sanford is an innovative guy, he has replica of the 1874 .50-3'14 Sharps thatideas, the people and equipment to trans- isn't far from production.form them into shootable metal for re- The Hardballer is an example of Sansearchand development. For example, a ford's innovative ideas-a superior .45few Hardballer frames will be made from crafted of superiortitanium and there just happens to be a materials.THE HANDGUN COURSEAT API'S GUNSITESCHOOL(Continued from page 61)and comes around the end of the southwestcomer of the building. Here he mayface two or three targets at any distance eitherwithin the building-sprung out byback into the building and work his waythrough the various halls, doors and openingsuntil he finally reaches the exit door.Those students who believe they havedone well and come through with theirlives abruptly realize that a man is hidingon the left side of the tree about 30 yardsfrom the exit door. If the student does notnail him instantly, the student is considereddead.Upon bolstering his handgun, JeffCooper takes over and walks the studentback through the Fun House, explainingerrors in body handling, foot handling anderrors in judgment. Each student is givena complete evaluation of his actions duringhis progress through the Fun House.Each of us went through a course twice.The first time we knew where the targetswere located. We had walked throughonce before to size up the operation. Thenwe .:ent in against a stop watch. Not a singleman cleaned the Fun House. Jeff thensent us all outside and, going back into theFun House with his staff and a couple ofcarpenters, the entire set up was altered inabout 20 minutes.The Fun House was cleared, checkedhidden springs while he was on the rooforunder the edge of the building alongthe open west side. He may then moveonce again, noses counted and Jeff calledup the first man. Instructions were simple."Go in, clean it out. You will go up thestairway to the roof. Off the roof andaround the comer and back in. You willwork against time and still try to comethrough alive. We will assume that anyfelon not solidly hit will kill you."With these cheerful admonitions, thefirst man went in. Shooting was sporadicand we on the outside knew what thatmeant Every angle, every comer, everyroom had to be checked carefully. Therewas no walking into a room and lookingaround. Then the student appeared on theroof. He did not get the falling target Hefired too hurriedly at a target way down atthe other end of the roof. Jeff stopped himon his third shot. "If you cannot hit in twoshots, you are dead. Now get going!" Hetook off on a fast run along the roof,jammed to a stop, fired once, bolsteredand jumped to the ground. We thenwaited and lived through quite a fewshots. By this time everyone was borrowingspare clips and loading existing clipswith seven cartridges.Not a single man came through the FunHouse alive. It was an entirely differentlayout from the first time through. By theend of the afternoon we were a very quiet,thoughtful group. We had learned whatno amount of range firing could havetaught us. We had learned how to enter adoor, how to size up what we could beforegoing through an opening and how to listenand catch movements out of the cornersof our eyes. I have never livedthrough anything as educational as theFun House. It will make a real defensive63