The Remington 44 Magnum has been my favorite handgun caliber since I was a youngster. As a matter of fact when I became of age with enough cash saved my first handgun purchase was a Colt Anaconda with an 8in barrel. My first reloading setup was a RCBS Rock Chucker and a set of 44 Magnum carbide dies given to me by my father, this was over 24 years ago. Throughout those years I have put many 44 magnum rounds downrange and have destroyed many bowling pins, coke cans, paper targets and put down one hog. Though I must admit it was only to dispatch a hog in north Florida to prevent it from dragging itself into a thicket on my grandpa’s land after my dad got off a bad shot with his Winchester 270 hitting it in it’s rear quarters. To this day the old man tells the story of the hog turning to run right as he pulled the trigger, I don’t quite remember it like that, but I digress, and in the end we brought home some fresh bacon on my very first hunt for something other than rabbit. Reminiscing of all the great times I have had with the venerable 44 Magnum, I began to clearly see that it is possibly the most versatile handgun cartridge known to man. Reloading makes the 44 Magnum even more flexible, as a reloader you are capable of choosing different weights of bullets and different charges of powder ranging from mild to wild. The .44 magnum can be an easy-recoiling plinking and target round used in bowling pin matches, a hard hitting one stop dropper for any big game on the North American Continent and in the right hands like Robert Peterson’s the 44 Magnum is even capable of dropping a large polar bear. The 200 grain flying ashtray in 44 special or loaded to 900fps is serious repellant for 2 legged predators intending to cause harm to you or your family members. Is it possible Elmer Keith knew he was creating the most versatile handgun cartridge known to man when he started experimenting with the 44 special? One thing is for sure without Mr. Keith’s creativity, experience and relentless attitude the 44 Magnum wouldn’t be 57 years old this year, it wouldn’t be in existence.

Having recalled so many fond experiences of the 44 Magnum I knew it was time for me to blog about this great cartridge. Placing a few calls to friends promising free lunches or dinners, pristinely cleaned handguns returned upon completion of the study I manage to amass a variety of 44 Magnum handguns.

Short and long barrels, ported and non-ported barrels. I then proceeded to dig out my ammo, 44 Special +p in 44 Magnum cases 240gr Remington loaded on top 8.5gr of Hodgdon Universal, 44 Magnum 240gr Remington loaded on top of 18.5gr of Alliant 2400 and Factory Ultramax Match 240gr LSWC. With 7 handguns and one lever action rifle in tow I placed a fresh 9volt battery in my Competition Electronics ProChrono Digital Chronograph and headed to the range.

Though not scientific the data from this test surprised me on many levels. This data will bring to question many heated forum debates, for example — a ported barrel turned in the highest velocity, a 3inch ported revolver managed a higher velocity than an 8inch non-ported barrel revolver. One thing is for sure with so many ammunition choices and variety of 44 Magnum handguns and carbines this data will represent the versatility and ability of the Remington 44 Magnum to take on any task presented to it.

The Test

Weather: 78 degrees, sunny, minimal winds — Chronograph 7 feet away from the muzzle/firing line.

I cleaned the bore of each handgun prior to heading to the range by running 5 patches wet with CLP down the bore of each handgun. Once on the range I fired each variety of ammunition across the chronograph 5 times capturing the velocity of each shot along with the high, low and average velocity. I then fired 5 shots (without chrono) for accuracy from sandbags at 25 yards. This process allowed for each handgun to cool before moving along to the next brand of ammunition. After cleaning each handgun I measured the barrel cylinder gap with feeler gauges.

Ammunition: Factory loaded Ultramax Match 240gr LSWC. Hand-loaded 44 Magnum Case, 240gr Remington Bullet, 8.5grains of Hodgdon Universal. Hand-loaded 44 Magnum Case, 240gr Remington Bullet, 18.5grains of Alliant 2400. All hand-loaded ammunition was ignited by a Winchester Large Pistol Primer.

Plinking, Target Practice

The Remington 44 Magnum is not often a round one thinks of when headed to the range for a fun day of plinking, most often than not most are thinking of the 22LR. My handloaded 44 Special +P 240gr jacket bullet loaded with 8.5 grains of Hodgdon Universal has become one of my most favorite rounds for plinking and poking holes in paper. I would even trust them to the self defense role against the 2 legged predator especially in the right handgun. During this test this round proved to be very consistent and accurate. It even proved to be soft recoiling in the S&W 629 Performance Center 7.5in barrel revolver, yet everyone else on the range knew I was firing off something with substantial power, but not causing pain to the palm of my hands. Of all the handguns which accompanied me on this trip the S&W 629 Light Magnum Hunter Performance Center revolver proved to be the most accurate and the one I would prefer for any range use, it managed a 1 1/4 inch group at 25 yards.

Self Defense

There is no doubt the 44 Magnum is a capable self defense round in the right handgun. In a self defense situation against 2 legged predators or 4 legged predators on the trail the 44 Magnum has many pro’s as well as a few con’s. Many feel the 44 Magnum for self defense is an over penetrator, recoil heavy, loud and tough to shoot fast and accurate. Again leveraging the 44 Magnums versatility choosing the right load with the right firearm can greatly reduce the risk of all the con’s. Firing a Corbon 320grain cartridge in a S&W 329PD light weight revolver is going to be a painful experience and difficult to get quick follow shots. But pair the Buffalo Bore Reduced Recoil 255grain load with the 3in S&W Performance Center Power Ported Barrel revolver I had with me on the range today and this suddenly becomes a deadly pair. The 3 loads I tested made me claim the S&W 629 3in Performance Center Power Ported barreled revolver the most versatile revolver of the bunch and the most fun. My 44 Special +P loads are great for target, plinking clay pigeons on the berm and personal protection. The 44 Magnum loads were actually a pleasure to fire in this revolver, I would be very confident with this setup on the hiking trails of North America. I was able to put 6 shots of my stoutest loads for the day all on a pie plate at 25 yards within 6 to 8 seconds. This is certainly not Jerry Miculek speed but at 25 yards on the trail my first attempt would be to avoid any dangerous encounter and to fire my weapon as a last resort.

All Around General Purpose

For best results out of the 44 Magnum I believe the best firearm is one with a 5 to 6in barrel. The barrel length provides for great sight radius which improves accuracy, complete burn of powder for greater velocity and there are many accessories on the market to fit many situations. But the one thing I learned from the chronograph today is that you have to chose the right handgun with the right ammunition. There are a few general rules I have always believed in before conducting this test, long barrels will increase velocity, ported barrels will reduce velocity but this proved not to be true in my test. I am not saying this “myth is busted” because there is simply to many variables to take into consideration before “busting this myth”. Even the same guns of the same manufacturer will often provide different results. One barrel could be a cut a little wide, reducing friction, the depth and geometry of the rifling affects restriction as well, different barrel alloys could even have marginally different coefficients of friction. And that’s just a few barrel variables that come to mind, and lets not forget constriction of chamber throats. So though these are good general rules of thumb “It Depends” but most important you have to chose the right cartridge with the right firearm train and practice with your firearm for those situations. Of all the handguns I tested I chose two as the most pleasant to shoot and best for general overall shooting. The S&W 629 Classic 6in barrel soaked up the 44 Magnums recoil and provided a 5 shot group accuracy of 1 3/4in. I must admit since I am the owner of this 44 I cheated a bit as I purchased a set of S&W 500 Magnum grips for this firearm to fully cover the backstrap.

The other all around general purpose 44 chosen was the Taurus M44. This handgun actually had the largest barrel cylinder gap and 8 ports at the end of barrel. Both known factors to reduce velocity but to my surprise this handgun turned in the highest velocity of the day. Unlike the S&W 629 Classic the Taurus M44 sports a factory grip which covers the back strap and helps absorb recoil. Choosing the Taurus M44 to share the title of best overall shooter I knew immediately would prove to be a controversial topic. Though Taurus makes great handguns they are often criticized in the public more so than any other firearms manufacturer for their unsatisfactory customer service and support and lack of QA. The often criticized QA process of Taurus allows sub par firearms to leave their manufacturing plants and make it in the hands of customers. I believe every manufacturer is capable of producing a lemon, but if you really inspect your firearm before making the final purchase such grief and pain are most often avoided.

Hunting

Before I move to my choice of hunting 44mag platforms let’s set some ground rules. For me hunting with a handgun or the 44 Magnum means keeping all of my shots at 75 yards or less no matter the game. To be successful in hunting with handguns and handgun calibers I believe one must know their limits. Of course there are records of much longer shots with the 44 Magnum but in my hands 75 yards is my limit that I am comfortable with in making a clean kill. For me the secret to extending past the 75 yard range is with the 44 caliber carbine and for this task there are none better than the lever action Winchester 94AE. It’s 16in barrel provides a better sight radius for greater accuracy at greater distances, it is also very manueverable in the bush. But one thing to keep in mind is that at velocities above 1500fps out of a carbine some pistol bullets will break up on impact and fail to penetrate sufficiently.

There is something to be said about pairing a carbine with a handgun of the same caliber and many of the early settlers of the wild west did exactly this for simplicity. My choice of handgun hunting rig would be the Ruger Redhawk. The Redhawk is known for it’s stout built like a tank characteristics and with this platform it allows you to push the 44 Magnum to the extreme with those Ruger only loads publicized in all of the reloading manuals. Compared to the S&W 629 you can clearly see the top strap and cylinder is beefier, but this also means more weight to pack.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder – Attention Grabbers

Though I find the great sport of shooting very fun there is nothing more attention grabbing than a 44 Magnum barking every time you pull the trigger, but it is often the firearm in itself that brings about the conversation. We all know without Elmer Keith there would be no 44 Magnum, without Clint Eastwood it may not be as popular. While the 44 Magnum was popular amongst the purest of shooters who knew of its capability it wasn’t until 1971 where it co-starred next to Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry paired with a S&W model 29 when it gathered the attention of the general public. For the purist it just doesn’t get any better than a deep blued S&W model 29.

For those with a more modern taste S&W has produced a 629 Competitor heavy barrel adjustable weighted system.

This design though it looks more modern is actually taken from the early PPC days. The S&W 629 Competitor sports a rail for mounting optics, LPA rear adjustable serrated sight for knocking down glare and extreme precision.

The weighted barrel helps control recoil, yet allowing the shooter to adjust the weights to his or her liking. That forward weighted system allows me to just hang the revolver out there on target without a lot of movement. This revolver being produced by the S&W Performance Center means it has a tuned action with a trigger break at a little over 5lbs double action. This revolver was very close to being chosen as the best all around 44 Magnum but with an  MSRP of $1509 this prevented me from choosing it for that category.

Conclusion

Again the data presented as part of my testing is far from a real scientific study, it is only meant to serve to show the capabilities and variety of the 44 Magnum. With 3 loads of your choice for your 44 carbine/handgun I believe you will be well prepared for any situation you were to incur on the great North American Continent. A heavy large cast 300grain bullet for Elk, 240grain bullet for general purpose and plinking and a 200grain GoldDot or Sierra 180grain bullet for self defense covers a large majority of situations you may find yourself in. Train and practice and know your limitations and you will soon recognize the 44 Magnum as a great companion day or night.

So I conclude whether on the range or in the bush,  from target, general purpose to hunting the Remington 44 Magnum is up for the task and the most versatile cartridge known to man especially when paired with the right firearm for the job.

Thank you Mr. Elmer Keith for bringing us such a versatile cartridge and one I was able to have another great fun day on the range with!

Supporting data for those that wish to compare the numbers side by side.

Over the years there have been many arguments and questions surrounding the 45 Colt. Is the proper name 45 Long Colt? What’s the purpose of 45Colt since 45ACP can do everything it can do? Today I am not here to review the 45 Colt; nether am I here to try and answer any of the above questions or try and clear up any of the debates surrounding this magnificent cartridge. Today I just want to share my experience with you of shooting 140 year old 45 Colt cartridge over a brand new chronograph for the first time.

Though I have been reloading for 20 years I have not shot across a chronograph since I left home as a young lad. My dad has always utilized a chronograph and is of the mindset you can’t reload without one. I have never been one to hot rod any of my reloads, I subscribe to if I need more, go up in cartridge size or grab your rifle. I have always played it very safe when reloading, never going over the max in reloading handbooks and only reloading for best accuracy. I have always known if used correctly a chronograph could be a great tool in helping you achieve the best accuracy. The chronograph provides you the exact stats you need to determine how consistent your reloads are from shot to shot and this is how I plan on utilizing the chronograph I now have access to thanks to Darrell.

This range day was not meant to review or test anything; today was just a matter of going out and having fun since I had not been out in a while, as you have probably noticed by the lack of new articles.

Range Equipment/Materials

S&W 625 45 Colt Performance Center – Previously Reviewed

Ruger 454 Alaskan — Previously Reviewed

Competition Electronics ProChrono Digital CEI-3800

Reloaded Ammunition

Bullet — 255gr Lead .452, Brass — Starline, Winchester LPP, 5.9gr of Alliant Powder Red Dot from Lyman 49th Reloading Manual, COAL 1.602

This loading proved to be very mild in recoil, pleasant to shoot and plenty accurate from sandbag rest out to 25 yards.

The first 18 rounds were fired from the S&W 625 45 Colt from the sitting position while only rest my elbows on the bench.

6 shots

12 Shots

6 Head shots

Chronograph Read Outs: S&W 625 45 Colt Performance Center 6in barrel, Target B34 25 yards, Chronograph 8Feet from the muzzle.

There was very little powder reside on the cases after firing, but the rounds were smoky but this is normal because of the lube used in the groove of the bullet.

The second round of firing were 18 rounds fired from the Ruger Alaskan 454/45Colt from the sitting position while only rest my elbows on the bench.

6 Shots

12 Shots

6 Head shots

Chronograph Read Outs: Ruger Alaskan 454/45 Colt 2in barrel, Target B34 25 yards, Chronograph 8Feet from the muzzle.

Tale of the Tape:Summary

The 45 Colt cartridge is very versatile and can be loaded from mild to wild. Cowboy action shooters love this round loaded to 750fps. Hunters also find the 45 Colt to be very useful at 1000fps when fired from lever action rifles or Ruger BlackHawk revolvers. Don’t under estimate the 45 Colt as a great self defense cartridge as well. The key to the 45 Colt is pairing it’s capability and flexibility when hand loaded with the right firearm. Firing hot rodded hand loads or buffalo bore +P rounds in a Colt SAA is sure to cause damage to your firearm. I love the 45 Colt for it’s old western history, having been carried on the hips of Wyatt Earp, Doc Holiday, Scott Cooley and Johnny Ringo. I think it is only fitting that I now find a nice Single Action 45 Colt to add to my collection.

If your looking for a fun relaxing day on the range reload a number of rounds of your favorite cartridge, grab multiple firearms and a chronograph and be awed by the variability between the combinations. If your looking for the best accuracy out of your favorite cartridge experiment with different powders and amounts of powder, over all lengths, crimps shot over a chronograph to reduce your extreme spread and standard deviation to as low as numbers as possible to achieve the best consistency.

This single stack striker fired pistol has been of high demand and flying off shelves according to my local shops I often visit. I have shot, held and reviewed the Glock 30 and there is no comparison between the two in its slimness. The XD-S should be compared to the single stack Glock 36 even then it sports a slimmer frame.

This slim compact grip also makes concealed carry much easier than the Glock; the shorter frame is less likely to print under your shirt or jacket. However IMHO the XD-S is not a pocket pistol. I found it difficult to quickly draw it from my pocket on many sets of trousers I tried it in. The compact size of the grip does, however, cut down on capacity. The magazine holds five rounds, the chamber one more. In the capacity category the XDs could essentially be compared to that of a bigbore revolver. I preferred to carry the XD-S inside the waistband in a leather holster. Though Springfield provides you with a nice action pack inside of a very nice carrying case.

I like the sights on the XDs, the front sight is a red fiber optic one, and it really stands out even under low-light. The rear sight is a combat-style, with two white dots –

The front and rear sights are very fast to acquire the target as you raise the gun to eye level. The slide is forged stainless steel with serrations deeply cut in the rear of the slide, which wraps over the top edge slide providing a firm grip easing the racking of the slide. The Finish is Melonite-coated an extremely tough treatment being used throughout the industry by just about every firearms manufacturer. Slotted into the top of the slide is the loaded chamber indicator, which lifts up at an angle, which provides great tactical and visual cues.

The loaded chamber indicator is a very nice feature. I like the loaded indicator feature for low light tactical situations. This feature is NOT a reason to forget your safe gun handling rules. Always treat the firearm as if it were loaded with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.

The barrel is also Melonite coated sporting a fully supported ramp, to assist in the feeding of rounds from the magazine. The Springfield XD-S comes with two, 5 round mags, but there is an optional 7 round mag you can purchase. The 7 round magazine comes with the extra grip panel, which matches the back strap you have installed on the XD-S. I can’t brag enough about the carrying case, not only is it very rugged but also Springfield left an additional space for the 7 round magazine inside the case.

As you can see the 7 rounder is a perfect fit. For concealed carry, my preference would be the 5 round magazine, and use the 7 round magazine as a spare. The 5 round magazine produces less print under summer type clothing while in the winter under heavy clothing the 7 rounder would be my

preferred magazine for concealed carry.

The frame of the XD-S is polymer with aggressive style like

chequering, which Springfield Armory refers to as grenade-style. It reminds me of knobby tires on big trucks used for mudding. However your visualization the

texture provides a “grippy” feel without the worry of shredding your fabric while

carrying or ripping up your hands while shooting. There is one thing that’s for sure you will need a firm grip when firing this pocket rocket. But don’t let that scare you the grip and low bore axis aides in minimizing recoil in such a small package. The only negative I found with this package is really due to the fact that I have really large meaty hands. The grip safety the XD line is known for requires a very high grip. After my range testing I noticed 2 black railroad like marks on the back of my hand, where the slide made minimal contact every time I pulled the trigger. For those with extremely large meat hooks like mine the XD-S would benefit from an extended beavertail thus preventing the slide from coming in contact with your hand. The front of the frame sports a rail which for testing I mounted a Streamlight TLR-2. It was easy on and off with a tight fit as expected.

Range Visit:

During this range visit I fired 100 rounds through this loaner.

Left to Right the ammunition used was: Speer Lawman Clean Fire, Speer LE Gold Dot, Federal LE Tactical HST, Reloaded 230gr ball 5grains of W231, Reloaded Hornady 185gr XTP HP 6.5grains of W231. All ammunition proved to be reliable, no malfunctions were had during this range visit.

Fond of the loaded chamber indicator while at the range I took another picture of this feature which shows how easy it would be to determine if the weapon was loaded or not in a low light tactical situation just by feel. This picture also shows how deep the grooved serrations are.

The XD-S for such a small platform with a short barrel proved to be plenty accurate. The accuracy actually surprised me with point of aim and impact being right on.

The target on the left was shot at 10 yards, first was 10 shots to the head utilizing both 5 shot magazines. The second and middle grouping was 7 shots out of the 7 round magazine. The third and lowest grouping was achieved at 15 yards with a 5 round magazine. All of these groups were achieved standing with a two hand grip. The bullseye target on the right was shot at 20 yards with the 7 round magazine with reloaded Hornady 185gr load. A major contributor to the accuracy achieved I believe is due to the 5 pound trigger pull. Though this seems heavy I believe it is perfect compromise for safe carry, defensive use and range fun. I ended the range session firing 12 rounds at a silouhette  target positioned at the 25 yard line. I started out with the XD-S holstered loaded with a 5 round magazine, drew the pistol, racked the slide, acquired the target and fired 5 rounds. I reloaded with the 7 round magazine and emptied it on target as fast as I could.

After my range session I proceeded home to disassemble and clean the XD-S. The take down lever on the XD-S is very similar to the Sig Sauer line of pistols but on the XD-S the take down lever flips up.

Wrapping Up:

The XD-S is pure power (45acp) in a very compact shootable package. My impressions of the XD-S were so positive it has totally changed my mind and perception on this pistol series. With its Glock like similarities I had no burning desire to test or own one. Until today I had never held or desired to hold or shoot the XD line. But I must say the XD-S is a comfortable design, and the quote Springfield “The XD-S feels so natural; it’s like an extension of your own body. The unique combination of an ultra-slim profile paired with enhanced performance point-and-shoot features allows you to shoot accurately without having to adjust your wrist giving you greater control. At only 1” wide, the XD-S fits as perfectly into your concealed-carry strategy as it does in the palm of your hand. And with it, you get the power of a .45 with superior control and comfort without sacrificing important safety features”. Don’t follow in my footsteps in having a preconceived thought about the XD-S without first giving it a try.

My Browning Buckmark goes Kaboom, I guess it doesn’t only happen to Glocks.

Update! Chris is documenting this experience thoroughly with pictures. 
Update #2 Ammunition Lot Number=2FT508 —– The extractor is missing in one of the pictures.

Update #3 Picture of the same gun taken 3 months.

Update #4 Unfired and Kaboom Case display from the same box

The 10/22-TD is a take-down version of the basic synthetic-stocked 10/22 Stainless Carbine. The Take-Down splits the barrel away from the receiver, allowing the owner to remove the barrel and receiver for easy transportation. The 22 caliber is often the center of many debates around it’s capability as a survival caliber but it is evident to me Ruger believes in its ability, by packaging it in a nice padded soft nylon case.

According to Ruger this nylon Bug-Out bag will float for a some period of time with the gun safely housed inside depending on what other materials you may have packed inside. I wasn’t willing to test this theory with such a nice 22 and case, I will take Ruger’s word for it this time. The Bug-Out bag has many compartments for housing additional Ruger BX25 magazines, first aid kits, a lot of ammo and any other accessories you may need for the average plinking day on the range or for a bug-out survival type of scenario.

The 10/22TD case will support a receiver with a scope attached but it will have to be one that’s relatively short in length or perhaps one with detachable scope rings. I found a 4x Leupold FX-1 fits nice an snug, on the factory provided scope base. I believe there was a packaging mistake with this particular one I received as there were two factory scope bases provided in the bag.

Though I mounted a scope on this rifle right away it comes with a very nice set of iron sights. The rear sight is adjustable for both windage and elevation.

The front sight is a very nice gold bead, which makes for quick sight alignment and sight picture as well as target acquisition.

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The 10/22 Takedown is a bit more than just another variation of an existing rifle. It’s a 10/22 sure enough, but it’s altogether different from but much of the same as the millions of 10/22s that have preceded it. Standing in the rifle rack next to all of the other 10/22′s one might walk past this model not giving it much of a second look. Looking closely you will find the forend gap, which separates the receiver and barrel. The obvious difference is the recessed lever in the bottom of the fore-end, just forward of the gap.

This lever is the critical component in disassembly and reassembly of the 10/22 Takedown. The take down procedure consist of making sure the gun is safe, removing the magazine, racking the bolt to the rear and pulling the take down lever while twisting the barrel and puling it away from the receiver. On assembly loosen the takedown adjustment ring by turning it clockwise as far as possible, insert the barrel assembly and turn it clockwise until it locks (approximately a quarter-turn), tighten the adjustment ring by turning it counterclockwise as far as possible with finger pressure. The system is similar to but not exactly like that of the Browning takedown who are the originators of this design. In the manual Ruger recommends cycling the bolt two to three times to ensure everything is properly seated. Though I did not have any problems with this one after about 600 rounds of firing I feel it is worth mentioning that Rugers QA process seemed to allow some barrels to leave the factory without the proper heat treating. You can tell if this will be a problem through visual inspection. The end of the barrel should carry a blue like color ring around the barrel.

Those without the heat treatment will not have this color pattern and will eventually lead to peening of the end of the barrel. Though there have been few cases reported Rugers customer service has been top notch in taking care of the customer and replacing the barrel. The takedown concept has been a topic of many debates mainly around the long term accuracy of repeated assembly and disassembly. I have seen many Brownings with thousands of rounds through them still providing a lot of fun while maintaining their accuracy throughout the years. I know believe the Ruger 10/22 Takedown will provide the same. I have enjoyed testing this rifle over the past couple of months with many different brands of ammunition and the function has been flawless.

Range Time

My first time on the range my son and I put 200 rounds of Remington 22LR ammo through it for break in. This took a little longer than expected due to Ruger only providing one 10 round rotary magazine.

At the end of the session I fired 5 shots of each brand of ammunition I had on hand, Remington, Wolf Match Target, CCI-SV and Federal Blue Box.

The rifle loved the Wolf Match Target the center group represents the 5 shots fired. The bottom left group on the target represents CCI-SV, the top left group represent Remington all three groups provided decent accuracy at 50 yards. What amazed me most was the horrible performance of the Federal Blue Box (510). The top right group was the first shot with the Federal ammunition, amazed at the shotgun like pattern. I fired a second group, bottom right of the same ammo, which yielded the same results. Bottom line the Ruger 10/22 Takedown does not like Federal Blue Box (510) for some reason.

My son and I really enjoyed the time on the range together but knew right away there were many more trips in our future with this gem of a rifle. The 10/22 Takedown exhibited better accuracy for me than many standard versions I have shot and this may have been due to the trigger when measured came right in at 4 pounds on the RCBS trigger gauge. This test was performed with 22LR snap gaps, though some manufacturers manuals do state it is ok to dry fire I come from the old school of never dry firing a rimfire.

On my last outing with the Ruger 10/22 Takedown due to 30 degree weather I visited an    indoor range with many different brands of ammunition and fired groupings from my sandbags at 50 yards. Between each 5 shot group I disassembled and reassembled the rifle, I also fired 10 fouling shots of each brand of ammo before firing for accuracy groupings. The 10/22 Takedown performed very well, I believe this is a good indication of how repeatable the 10/22 Takedown will be.

The takedown concept has been around for quite sometime, so this is nothing new though it is Ruger first venture into the takedown concept and IMHO Ruger has done an outstanding job. Releasing a takedown version of the 10/22 during a time when just about everyone is talking about survival, bug-out and SHTF type situations will surely please many. Especially those like myself whom have never owned a 10/22 before and is looking for an easy back packable rifle. If utilized in duress type of situation the backpack is a turn off for me with the large Ruger logo embossed on it, as I would not want anyone to know there was a rifle in my backpack. This can be easily resolved with one of Mr. Skinners Scabbards http://www.skinnersights.com/scabbards_20.html which may not be as roomy as the Ruger case but provides a different level of concealment, just another option.

The Ruger 10/22 Takedown is about half the price of the Browning and with a little help from the you the user base making a request — Darrel just may loan me his for a head to head comparison.

Chrono Data (average):

1443 fps, 716 ft/lbs energy

155gr retained weight

.812 average expansion

13.5” penetration

As you’ll see in the video, the bullet holds up pretty well with only minor deformation.

Many devout fans of the 10mm love their Glock 20, myself included. So when I heard the Generation 4 version was released, I jumped at the chance to pick one up. I really like the Gen 4 grip on my other Glocks and I thought it would be especially helpful with the recoil of some hot 10mm rounds. Turns out I was right.

I ordered the gun the day it came out and had it in my paws the next day. I cleaned it, lubricated it to specs, turned the rear sight around (I don’t like the Glock sight picture), and patiently waited for the weekend to put some rounds through the beast.

Pros:
-Glock grip angle helps absorb the 10mm recoil (one man’s opinion)
-Cost: many other 10mm pistols sell for double what the G20 sells for
-Accuracy: the gun is more accurate than I am
-Positive ejection with both hot and weak loads
-Easy to maintain
-Gen 4 grip surface helps keep a firm grip on the gun, even when your hands are sweating
-Low bore axis helps tame the recoil
-Lots of aftermarket support (holsters, sights, ect….)
-100% reliable so far

Cons:
-new to the market so heavy recoil springs aren’t yet available
-the finish isn’t the old glossy Glock finish of a few years ago so finish durability is unknown

Heres a video I did to show the firearm in action. I do some shooting, demonstrate the ejection pattern with hot ammo, a 15m group, table top review (with part numbers), and some chronograph testing.

Chronograph data:

Temp–90 degrees with 80% humidity

Prvi 180gr JHP: 976fps, 381ft/lbs energy
Underwood Ammo 165gr Gold Dot JHP: 1372fps, 689ft/lbs energy
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Certified Glock Armorer

Today I had the pleasure of having on the range both — the worlds most powerful and the world fastest production revolvers, which I often refer to as “Smith and Wesson’s Behemoth Magnums”. The “Kings” are capable of launching .50 caliber bunker busting projectiles and .45 caliber projectiles at missile like speed capable of taking the biggest wild life game on God’s green earth.

To fire such high-pressure cartridges Smith and Wesson had to develop a totally new platform capable of withstanding massive pressures. Smith and Wesson’s largest double action revolver frame at the time was the N frame. Capable of only withstanding pressures of the 44 Magnum 36000PSI, these behemoths would easily produce pressures in the 65000PSI range according to SAAMI specs. Thus Smith and Wesson produced its X-Frame, which is substantially larger, thicker, and heavier than any other S&W frame in all dimensions save one. The grip frame portion is the same specification as a K/L and post 1996 production round-butt N-frame. The grip designed by Hogue for the Model 500 and 460 is a full-wraparound type with recoil-cushioning internal Absorbathane inserts within the upper web portion to fully cover the backstrap on these massive revolvers. Other Hogue monogrips developed for Smith and Wesson leaves the backstrap exposed, utilizing the smaller grip allows for the backstrap to be fully covered while not increasing the reach to trigger. Smith and Wesson recognized the fact this would have to be an extremely large revolver that would have to fit in average sized hands. Covering the backstrap also prevents the steel from being in direct contact with the palm of your hands thus cushioning felt recoil.

What I soon realized — if these grips were capable of taming these behemoths it would surely make a pussycat out of a N-Frame 629 44 Magnum. After this range session I soon ordered a set of these grips to go on my S&W 629 and what a difference it would make. It is now very easy to have an all day range session enjoying full load 44 Magnums without palm and wrist fatigue. As seen in the pictures above the X-Frame 460 Magnum dwarfs the 629 44magnum but the Hogue grips are a perfect fit.

S&W also had to develop a stronger lockup mechanism than their traditional center pin to hollow ejector rod, nor is there any barrel-lug latch. The solid, small-diameter ejector rod is unsupported at the front, but the frame latches the yoke directly with a spring-loaded ball detent. Until now ball-detent yoke latch designs were often thought of as inferior on the grounds that any spring-loaded device will be subject to disengagement under recoil. The genius of S&W developed the rifling of the 500 to torgue more firmly against the ball detent and yoke thus working with recoil, pressing the latch more firmly into its notch, rather than opening it. This redesign actually strengthens the yoke-frame engagement rather than stressing it. The rifling of the 460XVR acts in much the same way though S&W had to use a little creativity in this department as well. The 460XVR rifling begins with a subtle, 1:100″-rate of twist; however, it rapidly progresses to 1:20″—sufficient to stabilize even the heaviest .451″-.452″-projectiles—just shy of the compensator. The breech end of the barrel—behind the forcing cone—is highly polished to enhance longevity as well.

With an all-new frame and lockup mechanism S&W also had to develop a cylinder capable of withstanding the 60,000PSI Cor-Bon developed 500 Magnum ammunition, and the 65,000PSI Hornady developed 460 Magnum ammunition. This newly developed ammunition would require the cylinder to be over 2inches in length. It would sport a 5 shot design allowing the cylinder latch cuts to be offset adding to the strength of this new revolver. Most who own and regularly shoot the S&W 500 reload for it and for this session I would be no different. Early on S&W 500 Magnum cases were developed for Large Pistol Magnum Primers. Per Starlines website On July 28, 2003, Smith & Wesson and Cor-bon changed specification of primer pocket to fit Large Rifle Primers. Rifle primers are same diameter as pistol except they are approximately .006″ taller. This was done to prevent the primer from being pierced by the firing pin when loaded with max loads and heavy bullets (bullets over 400 grains). It was determined that a hole in a primer allowed pressure to damage the firing pin and bushing, kind of like a cutting torch and the harder cup of a rifle primer will prevent this from occurring. All cases sold by Starline, Inc. after July 28, 2003, will contain a large rifle primer pocket to accept a large rifle primer. Hodgdon Powder has generated load data, which recommends using Win. Large Rifle Primers. Cor-bon has also tested and recommends CCI 250 primers (Magnum Large Rifle). Starline cases will have an “R” after the “Mag” on head stamp to signify rifle pocket. If you have previously purchased 500 cases without “R” on head stamp and wish to modify, you can use a large rifle pocket uniformer to deepen the primer pocket by .006″ to accept large rifle primers. This will not affect integrity of case.

 Thank you Starline for this information, it is important, early on I did purchase 500 brass without the R indication. Notice in this picture all the brass has the “R” indication. I worked up loads utilizing the CCI250 Primers of silver color and Winchester Large Rifle Primers of gold color represented in the picture. The difference in primers seems not to matter all loads burned clean and accuracy was about the same.

Having gained experience from the 500 Magnum, the 460XVR cases were developed with Large Rifle Primers from the onset of the project. With the 460VXR having increased pressure over the 500 Magnum S&W had to heat-treat the entire frame and cylinder to withstand the 65,000PSI pressures.
S&W discovered early in the process extraction with minimal effort with the 460XVR required for the cylinders to be highly polished. Though when examining and comparing the inside of the chambers of both platforms I did not detect any difference and on the range both exhibited smooth extraction

For the best performance and IMHO shoot-ability Smith and Wesson mated a 7 1/2 barrel with the X-Frame to finish out the build of both platforms. Shoot-ability you say — yes the weight of the total package comes in over 72 ounces and the weight forward feel of the longer barrels assist with recoil.

The advertised barrel length for both is 8.38″ but this includes the compensator. Interesting enough on the early S&W 500 Magnums there is a permanently fixed three-vent muzzle brake which fits over the protruding rim of the internal barrel tube. Later version of the S&W 500 Magnum would have shorter barrels and removable muzzle breaks following in the footsteps of the 460VXR which comes with two muzzle breaks. One for jacketed bullets and one for lead hardcast bullets.

The S&W 460XVR also sports 6 venting ports out of the top of the barrel, as well as a highly visible green front sight. Venting gases also helps tame recoil and reduces muzzle rise. The downside is muzzle blast and concussion –  a 200grain Hornady load leaving the muzzle at 2300fps out of the 460XVR and the 350grain Cor-bon load at 1600fps will create rifle like concussion. While on the outdoor covered 50yard range the range officer mentioned that every time I fired one of these behemoths he would notice the shingles on the edge of the roof raise up.

Because of such blast I strongly recommend doubling up on hearing protection with earplugs and muffs, which is a practice, I use every range session no matter which firearm I may be using. To keep piece on the range I would also recommend giving a calm friendly “fire in hole” warning to the shooters on either side of you. Luckily on this day I had no one on either side though there were some 22 benchrest shooters a couple of lanes down. After the first shot of the S&W500 magnum I noticed their shooting came to an abrupt halt and they were standing next to me wondering what hand cannon was making all that noise.

Range Session
All shooting was done without rest with a two handed standing hold with iron sights.

At the 50yard line shooting at a 16″ x 24″ B-34 target the front sight seems to cover the entire target. My loads on this day averaged 4 inches, for the 460XVR my loads were with a 200grain bullet and the 500S&W rounds were loaded with a 350grain bullet. The 350gr 500S&W bullet can often be hard to find here locally for me. Luckily I have a friend in the business of supplying reloading supplies at good prices with great customer service, so I dropped him an email and though he didn’t have them at the time he found me a good supply. If you are ever in the need of reloading supplies drop Jeff and email at jrs.reloading at yahoo.com

I started out shooting 45Colts out of the massive 460XVR X-Frame and it was the equivalent of shooting 38special wad cutters out of S&W model 27. I then proceeded to fire 454 Casull’s and though it was not harsh the X-Frame doesn’t turn the 454Casull into a daily plinker, this was most like shooting hot 125gr 357 Magnum loads in a medium frame 686.I then proceeded to fire two cylinders, 10 rounds of 460Magnum. The 460Magnum is flat shooting out to 200 yards and is highly capable of taking think skin game like dear at this distance, for me this would take a lot of practice though you could increase your chances at a humane shot at this distance by mounting a scope and utilizing shooting sticks.

With the S&W 500 I fired 3 (5) shot groups, again the X-Frame and Hogue grips tamed the recoil but this experience was of one, which quickly reminded me of hand grenade training in the Marine Corps. It seemed every-time I pulled the trigger the concussion was like a hand grenade going off 10 feet in front you. On my first 5 shots this is when I noticed there was something different about the triggers on the 460XVR and S&W500. I then stopped to examine both and noticed the 460XVR uses the typical thin smooth trigger while the S&W500 was outfitted with the wide smooth target trigger.

S&W 460XVR Trigger

S&W 500 Trigger

Both triggers weighed in at 11pound double action and 4 pound single action trigger pulls with my RCBS trigger gauge.
S&W 500 First 5 shots

S&W 500 Second round of 5 shots

As you can see the gun is way more accurate than I can be with it by the cloverleaf pattern of 3 rounds in the second firing. To ring out this sort of accuracy I found myself concentrating more than I ever have in any other range review and I believe that to be because of the rifle like concussive blast going off such a short distance away. With a rifle this blast is usually 20 inches or more away depending upon the barrel length, with a handgun it is literally going off in your hand with each firing.
S&W 500 Third round of only 3 shots this time. I stopped short because I noticed a lot of people on the range standing around watching me or as my daughter would say giving me the stink eye waiting for me to be done. I intended to try and ring out every bit of accuracy as possibly knowing it would be my last 3 rounds by taking silhouette head shots.

I am sure you all noticed that all groups were left on the target. I left the rear sight as it was adjusted and only adjusted my point of aim up or down. I am sure with a couple of clicks on the adjustable rear sight I could move these groups to the center of the target.

Having spent another great day at the range relaxing and ridding myself of stress I noticed my heart was really pumping and mentally I was drained from the additional focus it took of me to work through the blast from these behemoths. Though very enjoying and having spent my entire life around firearms hunting or while serving in the United States Marine Corps I had never experienced blast fatigue before. And I have spent many hours behind a Mk19 grenade launcher capable of sending 60 40mm grenades down range in a hurry when needed.

Smith and Wesson clearly now reigns supreme with the introduction of the X-Frame. I doubt we have seen the last of S&W innovation and creativity based on this platform. One thing I immediately noticed is that my 223 Remington rounds would fit in the cylinder length wise, let your imagination run wild.

Though I rarely shoot at 100 yard distances with 22LR, I believed this would be a way to kick up the fun meter a notch on the range. Having accomplished what I had sat out to achieve, finding target ammunition for both the Kidd Customized 10/22 and the CZ452 Varmint. At 50 yards for the Kidd 10/22 Customized this proved to be Lapua X-Act for serious target work and CCI-SV for everyday range plinking. Eley Tenex turned in the second best group on the 10/22 but I elected to chose CCI-SV for my plinking ammo because of price. Eley Tenex can usually be had for about $190 for 500 and CCI-SV for approximately $36 per 500. The CZ on the other hand shot most all brands of ammunition I had on hand very well with Lapua X-Act for serious target work with CCI-SV turning in the best groups for every day plinking ammo.

A few days later I showed up to the range with so much gear it quickly reminded me of my beloved alice pack stuffed with 70lbs of gear I once lugged all over God’s green creation as a young lad while serving this country in the US Marine Corps but I digress.

This time I would show up with 3 rifles. The first out of the rifle case on the bench would be the Kidd 10/22 Customized Build.

Rifle Build:
Tactical Solutions Vantage Forest Laminate 10/22 Stock
Tactical Solutions Tru-Tac 1″ Med Rings
Mueller 4.5-14x40mm Black APV Scope with Sunshade
Bultler Crek Scope Cap COvers #16 & #34
20″ Fluted .920 Bead Blasted Barrel
Trigger Unit two stage red curved 1Lb
Long Magazine Release
Silver Ruger Take Down Screw
V-Block and Screws
Bolt Buffer

The second on the bench would be the CZ452 back again from the 50 yard test.

Rifle Build: CZ452 Varmint All Stock except for work done on the trigger to reduce the trigger pull to 1lb. Weaver Classic 3-9x32AO Scope.

Last but not least and one I am very fond of to be tested  for accuracy would be my all stock tactical Savage MarkII TR. Topped with a Nikon 3-9x40AO Target EFR.

Testing Conditions:
Range: Outdoors
Distance: 100 Yards
Weather: 62 Degrees 2MPH winds from the east
Bench: Sand Bang Rest Front and Rear
Ammunition 22LR:Lapua Center-X, Fiocchi M320 Match, RWS R50, Fiocchi SM320 Supper Match, Lapua X-Act, CCI-SV, Wolf Match Target, Eley Tenex Ultimate EPS — As you can see I really didn’t test any bulk box ammunition American Eagle Red Box, Federal Champion Blue Box and Blazer as I did in the 50 yard test.
Scopes: All scopes were set to 8x power with AO set to 100 yards.
5 shots measured for accuracy
I received many emails from the Day1 testing about the cleaning procedure and fouling shots between brands of ammunition. This time between each groupings of shots a bore snake lubricated with frog lube was pulled through the bore twice. Then 10 fouling shots were fired with the exact same ammunition before firing the official 5 shot grouping.

Kidd 10/22 Customized Build Averge Group:0557

Considering I have spent very little time at the 100 yard line with 22LR I was fairly impressed with how the rifles performed. Again the Kidd Ultimate proved with the right ammunition it was capable of accuracy I once thought impossible by a semi-auto rifle. The Fiocchi M320 Match proved to be extremely superior over the other brands at 100 yards. Take notice of Fiocchi SM320 Super Match which is supposed to be a tier above Fiocchi M320. I ended up shooting two groups with this ammunition because 2 of the 5 rounds fired during the initial grouping had a noticeably louder report than the other 3 rounds. I believed this to be a QA issue with the  ammunition causing the larger group size.

CZ452 Varmint Stock with alb trigger work Average Group 0.663

The CZ452 performed flawlessly with the best groups going to Lapua Center-X

Up last would be the Tacticool Savage Mark II TR which I had previously reviewed. This all Stock Rifle has been back to the factory for work as I mentioned in my previous article linked to above. The bottom metal has also been swapped out with a DIP Thick Plate and a 1 piece DIP scope mount. Impressed with the Savage TR groupings the best group I could muster was 0.595 with Eley Tenex Ultimate EPS. I truly believe if had I made some adjustments to the accu-trigger of the Savage I could have turned in better groups. After shooting so many rounds in one session with two rifles with trigger pull weights of 1lb the Savage felt extremely heavy at 3 1/2 lbs, measured by the RCBS trigger gage. The accu-trigger is an amazing asset for Savage yet I let it stand in my way on this day at the range by not having adjusted it before leaving home. Of course I did not have the special tool required to make any adjustments to the accu-trigger.

Tacticool Savage MarkII TR Average Group 0.962

Again the mission here was to first have a nice fun relaxing day on the range and second find out which ammunition these 22LR rifles preferred at 100 yards.

For those wishing to compare how the rifles performed, the Kidd 10/22 Build really shined at 100yards producing the smallest average group therefore obviously turning in the highest number of best group sizes overall with 5 to the CZ452′s 3 while the Savage on this day wasn’t able to best any of the other two. The CZ452 again proved to be the most consistent turning in all group sizes below 1″ while both the Kidd 10/22 Build and the Savage MarkII TR both showed groups over 1″ and wide ranges between manufacturers. The quality build of the Savage MarkII is exceptional and I believe with a little trigger tuning it is capable of being a bit more competitive with this group represented here today.

Yet another fun relaxing great day at the range!