24 Jan 02

Ammunition story from a friend at a state training academy:

"Today, a recruit charged up a magazine for his G21-C (45ACP). He didn't pay close enough attention to the task at hand! When this student subsequently attempted to fire, the pistol failed to discharge the second round. After a quick T-R-B procedure, the student heard a muffled report, and the pistol seized up. He was unable to fix it.

Sure enough, the first round in the magazine had been a 40S&W, not a 45ACP. My investigation revealed that the 40S&W round had chambered but was not picked up by the extractor. It therefore remained in the chamber during the T-R-B. A round of 45 ACP subsequently did chamber and pushed the 40S&W round past the chamber and up into the barrel. When the 45ACP then fired, the bullet struck the base of the 40S&W round and detonated it also.

The 40S&W bullet exited the muzzle, but the 40S&W case was pushed forward by the 45ACP bullet and lodged sideways just under the barrel ports. Semi-molten brass then extruded upwards into and through the barrel ports. The 45ACP bullet did not exit and was found squashed into what remained of the 40S&W case. The barrel did not rupture, but it did bulge. The front sight was also ruined. The pistol was wrecked and out of action.

The ammunition we use here is purchased by the State on a low-bid basis. Today, we were using a brand called HSM. A number of 40S&Ws have been found mixed in with 45ACPs in 45ACP boxes! State purchasing bureaucrats wonder if this is ‘really a problem.'"

Lessons: Ammunition mixing is a real issue in training, particularly between 9mm and 40S&W and between 40S&W and 45ACP. Of course, it doesn't help when the ammunition manufacturer himself mixes up calibers in the same box, but the ultimate victim is still the careless and inattentive shooter.

We all need to make the personal commitment to use only quality ammunition. Few foreign manufacturers are on the recommended list. MOST FOREIGN AMMUNITION IS TRASH. Much of the commercially reloaded ammunition is trash too. I've advised against using Wolf, S&B, and Norinco. You can add HSM to that list.

Finally, ported pistols are for the kiddies. Don't let anyone cut holes in your barrel!

/John

24 Jan 02

>From a friend in the Philippines:

"Our president managed to convince the leadership of Congress as to the validity of the presence of US troops here, under the ‘Visiting Forces Agreement' of 1999. The Justice Secretary presented the legal arguments. He made it clear that American troops would not engage in active combat on Philippine soil. They are supposedly limited to participating in training exercises with Philippine troops manning front lines against local Islamic extremist groups.

As usual, there are mixed reactions (including some rioting) coming from the public and the media. Most believe that American troops have no intention of limiting themselves to training and will be shortly involved in direct terrorist eradication. All of which is fine with me, but it would have been much better if it had been clearly stated in the beginning.

When it finally happens, they will first deny it, then, when all the lies unravel, the finger pointing will begin as local politicians scramble to hang onto power."

/John