26 Jan 02

Handgun ammo testing by a friend in OH:

"I have done some testing on the new Federal Expanding Full Metal Jacket rounds.

John Farnam gave me a handful for the .45ACP 185gr PlusP EFMJ rounds at an advanced class last year.

When I tested those rounds I got these results when compared against the Fed 230gr HydroShok:

Chronograph 185 gr EFMJ round 1040 f/s in my Colt Commander 230gr Federal HydroShok clocked at 955 f/s in the same gun

Both fired into seven plastic water jugs in tandem

Both rounds penetrated the first two jugs dented the back of the third (24 inches of water) and, in the process, expanded to .700+ in I then fired these same two rounds through a heavy, fleece-lined jacket placed in front of the water jugs: The EFMJ yielded the same penetration and expansion The HydraShok penetrated all seven jugs and was not recovered. I get an identical result with hardball, so I assumed the bullet's hollow point plugged when passing through the jacket.

I was impressed with these results and wanted to see what the 40S&W and 9mm EFMJ would do. I was not able to find them in OH or in any mail-order catalog. I did find a dealer in NJ who had some.

The 40S&W round is 165 gr, but wimpy. I tested it in comparison with my present defensive round, the Cor-Bon 165grHP. Chronograph results:

165gr Corbon (G23), 1150 f/s, (G 27), 1100 f/s

165gr EFMJ (G23), 940 f/s, (G27), 915 f/

155gr FMJ (G23), 1050 f/s, (G27), 985 f/s

I fired both rounds (EFMJ and Cor-Bon) into water jugs from the G27 in the same manner as the 45ACP test. Both rounds split the back of third jug and expanded to .675+ in Adding the fleece jacket:

Cor-Bon bullet entered the fourth jug (25+in) and expanded to .650+in EFMJ bullet hit back of fifth jug (40 in) and expanded to .420+ in.

I tested the 9mm EFMJ+P in comparison with Speer Gold Dot 124gr+P. Chronograph results:

124gr +P Gold Dot (G19), 1215 f/s, (Kahr P9 Covert), 1160 f/s 124gr +P EFMJ (G19), 1110 f/s, (Kahr P9 Covert), 1050 f/s

124gr hardball (G19), 1075 f/s, (Kahr P9 Covert), 1024 f/s

I fired both rounds into water jugs from the Kahr P9 Covert in the same manner as the 45ACP test.

Both rounds (Gold Dot and EFMJ) penetrated into the fourth jug (25+ in) and expanded to .475+ in.

Adding the fleece jacket:

Gold Dot penetrated into the fourth jug (25+ in) and expanded to .460+ in. EMF bullet split the back of the fifth jug (40 in.) and expanded to .370+ in.

I was not happy with EFMJ's terminal performance in 40S&W and 9mm. I was happy with it in 45ACP. However, EFMJ's feeding reliability is superior in all calibers, and I may carry it in my Kahr Covert for that reason.

All the EFMJ rounds expanded as advertised, but it is my opinion that the 9mm and particularly the 40S&W have inadequate velocity. I was impressed, as always, with the terminal performance of Cor-Bon and Gold Dot."

/John

26 Jan 02

Agincourt, France, 25 Oct 1415

The "Hundred Years' War," between England and France, starting in 1337 and ending in 1453 (actually covering 116 years), took place over the reigns of five English and five French kings. The war forever separated England and France, ending all English claims to French real estate and visa-versa, and it started England on the path to becoming world's premiere sea power.

When the Moors from North Africa, newly converted to violently evangelistic Islam, successfully invaded the Christian Iberian Peninsula (present-day Spain) in the early part of the 700s AD, nominally Christian warlords throughout Europe became nervous. In response, Charlemagne (Charles the Great) in present-day France, son of Pepin the Short, burst upon the world stage in 770AD, and began putting together an expansive empire. Western Europe had been without any kind of central government since the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the late 400s. Charlemagne's kingdom eventually included what is now Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and some of Germany. Charlemagne converted the Saxons (Germans) to Christianity, but was unsuccessful in absorbing them culturally. Like virtually every other European ruler ever since, Charlemagne clearly recognized the military significance of the British Isles, but he never attempted an invasion. That would have to wait until 1066.

As Charlemagne's grandsons quarreled and dithered, Rollo and his Norman band invaded western France (Normandy) from Scandinavia in 890AD. Rollo was his French name. His given name was Hrolf (Ralph), but the local French found that unpronounceable. He has been Rollo ever since. Rollo and his invasion force were absorbed culturally by the French. They readily adopted the French language, the Christian (Catholic) religion, and, it seems, quickly forgot where they had come from! It was Rollo's descendants who gradually became French noblemen, displacing Charlemagne's. Rollo's great-great-great grandson, Duke William of Normandy, successively invaded England in 1066, finishing the work started by Charlemagne. He became known as William the Conqueror.

Between 1066 and 1337, both England and France and any number of other territories were simultaneously claimed by numerous kings. Hopelessly entangled marriages, loyalties, and political intrigue held for a season, but it was not to be. The whole territory could not be held together. By the end of the Hundred Years' War, England and France would be permanently separated and thereafter function as autonomous, sovereign nations. Germany too would emerge as an independent nation. By 1400, European Spanish would finally drive the Moors out of the Iberian peninsula.

In 1337 both King Philip, VI of France and King Edward III of England claimed both France and England. Philip declared he would take over the traditionally English Provence of Guyenne, and the war was on! The English, with the help of their famous archers, won a clear victory at the Battle of Crecy in 1346. The English were also victorious at the Battle of Poitiers ten years later. The Treaty of Bretigny in 1360 brought hostilities to a temporary halt as the Peasants' Revolt in England briefly took center stage. But, Henry V of England renewed the fighting and, in a lopsided victory, emerged triumphant at the famous Battle of Agincourt in 1415. The English were still on a roll in 1428 and laid siege to the City of Orleans. An unlikely general, young Joan of Arc, led a French army and, in the face of all conventional wisdom, was successful in ending the siege and driving the English away in 1429. She was captured by the English, who burned her to death, but she had succeeded in turning the tide. The French continued to reclaim territory. By 1453, England had lost all its domain in France with the exception of the Port of Calais. The French finally retook Calais in 1558.

In the summer of 1415, twenty-seven-year-old King Henry V had been on the throne for only two years. He was determined to lead an invasion of France and reclaim territory that had already been won and lost numerous times during the previous century. He knew well the peril inherent to large, isolated armies that find themselves deep in enemy territory. More than one British legion had been thus wiped out when it was unable to sustain itself and unable to move to friendly territory. British soldiers and archers were feared, but the French had learned to avoid direct contact with them. All they had to do was shadow the British and wear them down as the invaders marched deeper and deeper into unfamiliar territory. Eventually, fatigue, disease, exposure, attrition, and lack of decisive contact would work in favor of the French.

Young Henry decided upon an amphibious invasion. His plan was for his small army to move fast and suddenly appear out of nowhere, forcing the unprepared French to fight on his terms. He could then march, unopposed, right into Paris! Landing on a beach west of the Port of Harfleur on 14 Aug 1415, Henry's plan seemed to be working. The landing was unexpected and unopposed. However, the French garrison at Harfleur put up a good fight, not surrendering until 22 September. Henry had lost too much time. The critical element of surprise was gone.

Henry's army was small in comparison to what the French were likely to put together to oppose him. He commanded six thousand men, mostly unmounted archers, and his position was weakening by the day. He could easily and safely turn around and return to England. That would keep his army in tact, but he would be accused of cowardice, and would likely find it impossible to hang on to his crown, or his head! So, on 8 October, with the weather turning cold, Henry led his army out of Harfleur in an attempt to at least march through, of not capture, disputed lands. If he could do that and then make it back to the British-held Port of Calais before the onset of winter, all without a major engagement, he would be safe and could return home, if not a conquering hero, at least with honor.

He marched up the coast and then inland, but French units were beginning to shadow him continuously. In a treacherous game of cat and mouse, Henry's army would make one move, only to be countered and blocked on their next. In sixteen days, Henry's well disciplined army marched 260 indecisive miles. On 24 October, Henry's luck ran out! With his army cold, malnourished, and exhausted, French units had figured out his route and, near the small village of Maisoncelles, deployed in front of him, blocking his path to Calais Henry had no choice but to fight, retreat, or surrender. Neither of these options offered much promise!

The essence of the art of tactics is to make the best of unpromising circumstances, to see order where others see just chaos, to be hopeful while others despair. Instead of looking for an excuse to lose, Henry looked for a way to win! Henry knew if he retreated, his army would just be all that much weaker when it was cornered once again, which it surely would be. If he surrendered, most of his men would eventually be killed anyway. Only the nobles would be spared and only because they could be held for ransom. He would be put on disgraceful display in Paris. But, Henry also knew that the French force opposing him had been hastily thrown together. It was large, nearly four time the size of his own, but ponderous, poorly organized, and overconfident. He knew that charging French cavalry horses would have poor footing in the plowed field turned into deep mud by the recent rains. If the French could be goaded into attacking too soon, their attack would be ill-planned and disorganized. Henry could then inflict heavy casualties quickly and stampede the remainder. That was his plan, and he executed it brilliantly!

On the rainy Wednesday morning of 25 Oct 1415, the two armies confronted each other in a rectangular field nine hundred meters wide and bounded by thick forest on either side. Henry hoped the French would attack, but they did not, so he pressed the issue. He ordered his archers forward to within several hundred meters of the French line, just within the furthest range of their arrows. The archers arrived and immediately planted sharp stakes in the ground as a deterrent to charging horses. The first volley of arrows struck the French, doing little damage, but provoking them into a hasty cavalry charge which was followed closely by a spontaneous infantry charge. It was just what Henry wanted!

The withering volleys of arrows that followed decimated the mounted soldiers who were forced to turn back. Horses stumbled and fell in the slippery mud. However, being constrained by the flanking forests, they ran right into their own advancing infantry! In the melee, a second line of French infantry surged forward. The disorganized French attack finally reached the English line, but the line gave way and absorbed the heavily armored French infantry. Lightly armored and agile English swordsmen and archers then attacked the tightly packed French from the flank. The French were slaughtered! Seeing what was happening to their comrades, the remainder of the French army lost its nerve and withdrew. No attempt was made thereafter to stop Henry's army on it way to Calais.

On 29 October, Henry and his army, along with two thousand prisoners, reached the Port of Calais. He returned to England at once and received a hero's welcome in London. The nearest fortified village to the actual battle site was Agincourt, and the battle has borne that name ever since. Henry won the battle, but, as noted above, the English eventually lost the war. King Henry's helmet, dented by a (nearly fatal) sword blow at Agincourt, in today on display at the Chapel of Edward the Confessor in Westminster Abbey.

Lessons: Combine a well trained, well equipped, and well disciplined army with inspired leadership, and they will predictably pull victory from the jaws of defeat! Henry provided visible leadership, always from the front. His men could all see him, and he spoke to them directly on the eve of battle, filling them with inspiration, reinforcing the righteousness of their cause. We don't even know the name of the opposing French general, but we do know that the French army was rife with squabbling nobleman who were far more concerned with their personal appearance and comfort than with their responsibilities as leaders. Their overconfidence had a shaky foundation, and it disintegrated shortly after the battle was joined.

Like lions, we live a short and glorious life. All fear death, but the wise fear irrelevance even more!

/John