[Clark]

The bottom of the chamber to the bottom of the barrel is .300".

The bottom of the barrel is milled out to .240" deep.

That makes the chamber wall thickness .060" thick.

Every pistol chamber I put my calipers on is thicker, much thicker.

Should I infer from this that the CZ52 is the weakest pistol there is?

[owen]

I can't answer your question Clark, but I have one for you. In the course of your experiments, have you grenaded a CZ-52? Where did it fail?

owen

[Steve Smith]

Further, I would like to ask Clark if he could do some destructive testing with the .223 Timms from the CZ52.

A fellow THR member and I have pushed .223s over 2100 fps form a CZ52. Just wondering how much farther we can go.

[Black Snowman]

The "Medusa" (http://www.kitsune.addr.com/Firearms/Revolvers/Medusa_Model_47.htm) revolver has an extremely thin wall which is further thinned by the indexing cut-outs. They say they get away with it by using excelent metalurgy techniuqes to get the required strength. Not sure how good the chamber metal on a CZ-52 is but it apears to be sufficiant since I've never heard of a catasrophic failure in one.

[Mike Irwin]

:rolleyes:

Capable of firing a 100 gr. bullet at nearly 1,700 fps.

Sounds like it's a candidate for FIE Titan of the month award.

:rolleyes:

[MrPhil]

. . . is the firing pin tends to be brittle. Never heard anything at all about 'splodin' chambers.

[Clark]

Steve,
I have corresponded with Peter Cardona of Quality Cartridge, and he has tested the .223 Timbs in a way to convince himself that it is safe in CZ52s.

The "CZ52s only" warning on that ammo does not come from any Tokarev testing.

Years ago I put a 224/30 sabot in a CZ52 and shot it.
The sabots I have don't leave enough room for allot of powder and still have the cartridges feed from the magazine.

I gave up on the concept.
I went the other way.
I believe that the 9x23mm in a Tokarev is THE interesting variant of the 7.62x25mm guns.
I can't say that I get 2100 fps with a 158 gr. in the 9x23 [you will have to buy my book to find out], but I can say that it is more useful for long range shooting.

--
A society that teaches evolution as fact will breed a generation of atheists that will destroy the society. It is Darwinian.

[Standing Wolf]

Black Snowman:

Thanks for the link, eh? I'd never heard of the Medusa.

[444]

"[you will have to buy my book to find out]"

What book ? I want one. I wouldn't miss a book about your experiences Clark.

[Clark]

444,
That is a virtual book [does not exist yet].
I have all these hot loads, and an idea of how to write a book.
http://www.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&selm=boghkj%24eh1%241%40grapevine.wam.umd.edu
Someone goaded me into fixing my chrono.
Now I am compiling velocities to go with my hot loads.
Don't expect allot.
I have been watching jackass videos.
I would rather see people try my loads than skate board off buildings, but it is a tough choice.

--
A society that teaches evolution as fact will breed a generation of atheists that will destroy the society. It is Darwinian.

[Gewehr98]

My .44 Special S&W Model 696 mikes at .050" chamber to outside of cylinder, and .130", chamber-to-chamber. Suppose S&W relied on their metallurgy to offset the thin chamber walls?

[Clark]

The chamber to outside thickness of a revolver is an interesting situation.
They would withstand quite a bit of pressure is the cylinder it turned until the thickness is zero, and yet that is where they fail when I test them.

So we can't say it is a standard hoop stress problem, and we can't say it doesn't matter.

Everytime I cause a revolver cylinder to split, the failure goes through more than one chamber. About half the time the top strap breaks as a secondary failure.

The CZ52, likewise, has heavier structure all around the thin bottom of the chamber, so it is not a pure hoop stress problem either.

[Clark]

OK, I have been measuring for 6 months and I finally found something thinner:
1) Kel-Tec P-3AT .380...... .029" chamber wall
2) CZ52 7.62x25mm .... .058" chamber wall
x) Glock 20 10mm ...... .104"
y) Star Super B 9mm ... .140"

I just threw the Glock and the Star in a typical. The CZ52 and P-3AT are atypical.

[grendelbane]

Did I read that right? Clark is going to write a book, and Hollywood is going to make a movie from it?

The part of Clark should be played by either Hugh Jackman, Mel Gibson, or Russell Crowe. (Those 3 are the only actors we can trust not to sound Australian).

The part of his beautiful assistant should be played by either Halle Berrie, or Rebecca Romijiin.

Coming to a theater near you!!!:)

Seriously, Clark should write a book, I would buy a copy.

[Clark]

I know you are right.
As my father used to say, "Paper will lie still for you to write anything on it you want."

I have been kicked off forums.
I have been told by a number of moderators to get my own website.
I have been flamed out 10 to 1 against me by CZ52 owners and load book fundamentalists.

There is no dialog with a book.
Of course there is not much money in gun books.
The web site option IS the way of the future.
I could just go on buying guns, testing them and posting on the High Road.
That would be the easiest.

I was testing P-3AT overloads all day. I kept wondering if that .029" chamber wall was going to blow my hand off. No need to worry, the lousy feed ramp will rupture the case and release the pressure down my sleeve first.

Still it is that fear that keeps me going.
I have never been hurt, because before I pull the trigger, I go through the fear, worry, and self doubt. I ask myself if the risk is worth it. Then the adrenilene makes me do it.