Recent content by CMcDermott

Colt changed it just before WWI when they started making the 1911 Government Model; and for the reason Old Fluff states, commonality of barrel making tooling. In any case very few guns were made by Colt using the smaller bore size - because nobody wanted to buy one. SAA production was rarely...

Possible - definitely. For how many shots I'm not certain, I wouldn't plan on needing a new magazine before I had to clean the gun. Black Powder leaves MUCH more ash & residue behind, which will eventually prevent the slide from cycling properly and the pistol will jam. Just don't know if it...

Did it perhaps have a fired cartridge case inside for those areas that require one to be sent to law enforcement before the gun is sold?

Not quite right, the FIFTH screw was on the sideplate, the FOURTH screw is at the front of the trigger guard. From the pictures I can't tell if the fourth screw is there or not, so it could be either a 3 or 4 screw revolver.

You did right with the 45 ACP, you started with the starting powder load, now you work up towards the maximum load which is identified as 5.3 grains for your bullet. So load up 10 cartridges with 4.4 grains of 231, and 10 cartridges with 4.6 grains of 231, 10 with 4.8 grains, and 10 with 5.0...

What it really comes down to is lead is cheap. You try to replace it with another metal and you have to pay more, whether copper or bismuth or one of the tungsten materials. You have to pay more for the basic material to make the bullets, and it takes more energy & effort to form bullets out of...

The APS strips do load much easier and faster than the tubes. When I bought my Pro-2000 it came with a selection of APS strips (different sizes and colors so you can have large pistol strips be easily different than large rifle) and the tool to load the APS strips. This tool is just a big square...

S&W has much weirdness in it's model number system, none as much as with the 45 Colt/45 ACP guns. Until after WWII, S&W only made 45 caliber guns as special order. After the war the Model of 1950 was available in three calibers, most were 44 Special, some were 45 ACP and a few were 45 Colt. The...

The "new" Vaquero uses a smaller cylinder frame and cylinder and cannot handle the "Ruger Only" 45 Colt loads listed in the reloading manuals. It is a throwback to the old 3-screw 357 sized guns, including using the old grip frame size (XR3, instead of the later XR3-RED). It is very similar in...

I've had my RCBS Pro-2000 for 5 years now, and it's still going strong. I haven't used another progressive as when I was looking I decided on the Pro-2000 for it's APS priming, 5 stations and manual indexing being the key features. Unlike spencerhut I like the spent primer catcher bottle, a...

Handloader magazine has had a long running column on individual powders, which cartridges each is best known for, structure, chemistry and history. So buying one of the Handloader DVD sets would be a good place to start. Many reloading manuals also contain articles on powders, and there have...

Here's a link to a shot size chart. Note that European and U.S. sizes aren't always the same. And steel shot is the same diameter as lead shot, but lighter in weight so that larger sizes are used when replacing lead shot. BB is a good size in lead for geese, but since we can't use lead anymore...

The military 6.5 cartridges, whether Italian, Swedish or Japanese, used 160 grain bullets which are very heavy for the caliber, and therefor long in length. Modern cartridges for hunting in these calibers are usually loaded with 120 and 140 grain bullets instead of the heavy 160 grain bullets.

From the patent dates it sounds like a pre-WWII M&P K-frame. A picture would be great, does it have adjustable target sights, or just a groove along the top and a half-circle front sight? Can't really tell age as there isn't yet a good breakdown of year vs serial number for these guns, S&W never...

I think your problem is with your crimp; inconsistent velocities like you are seeing are usually the result of inconsistent burning of the powder. With the light for caliber bullet you are using I think that you need a better crimp to hold onto the bullet to let the pressure rise faster and give...