Caveat Shooter

Since I feature a link to and praise Double-Tap ammunition, it's only fair that the hazards should see cyber-ink as well.

I don't get this with looser revolvers, but my 3" GP-100 is so bloody tight that fullhouse loads tend to make case extraction something of a sticky wicket. The incredibly minute cylinder gap accounts for this gun cranking along at 4" velocity levels, and a chronographed 1430 fps from 158 grain Gold Dots means one or two of the spent shells will require a smart smack on the ejector.

I'd include photographs, but the swelling is so small as to be invisible to the naked eye. Under magnification, and to the touch, however, the diameter of the brass...down by the primer... shows some swelling, hence the reluctance of the little bastards to give up the ghost.

Not to say that virtually all hot rounds do not return similar stickyness, but other rounds I do not advertise. Crazy Jay whipped up some barn burners that measured over 1500 fps with 158's, close to 1700 from 125's...this from a 3" barrel, mind you...and while the gun itself remains an indestructible champ, ejecting the brass isn't a snap.

So the alert goes out should one use such ammo in so tight a revolver. Particularly for self defense purposes, where a quick reload might become necessary. I shoot, spin open the cylinder and have the speed loader ready to go, but Lisa must take the time to fiddle somewhat, and fiddling somewhat is a no-no if and when the shit has hit the fan.

And while I'm at it, this is where an isosceles shooting stance can be the wrong way to go. Fully extended, a hard kicking handgun can elevate the business end far too high for followup fire, and this is why I use a modified Weaver. Holding the gun as high on the backstrap as possible, I exert slightly more pressure with the weak hand in the push-me/pull-you firing sequence and find the barrel comning back to target far more quickly than can be managed with isosceles.

Your mileage may of course vary, but it should be noted that the grip and stance used to control a hot ass .44 magnum should be different than the one used to plink cans with a .22. And this is where inexperienced shooters can become frustrated. Holding a pistol the same way as a revolver, and a mild round versus a hot one, are different birds of a feather.

However, with sufficient practice, as soon as your hands come in contact with the weapon you'll bring it to the ready befitting it's particular ergonomics, so don't fall for the old line that shooting anything but your self-defense gun ruins your accuracy if matters take a turn for the worse.

That sells books and lures folken to training seminars.

But is, and will remain, abject nonsense.