Handguns
What is the modern handgun? Why is this piece of crafted metal and
(recently) hard plastics still in great demand not only in military forces
and police departments ALL around the world? The answers are: They are
small, lightweight (well, most of them 
and provide good firepower;
suitable, not only for defensive situations, but for offensive ones, and
even for medium game hunting. Of course, for each situation, careful choice
of the proper handgun AND ammunition must be made. Handguns are divided
into a few classes: semi-autos (or pistols), revolvers, and non-autos
(single or multibarreled, single-shot or magazine fed).
One of the latest semi-auto handguns – SigSauer SIG-Pro Semi-autos use part
of the energy produced by burning cartridge
powder to remove the used cartridge from the chamber, cock the hammer (or
striker) and load a new cartridge in the chamber,
so the pistol will be ready for the next shot. Cartridges are usually fed
from a box magazine, located in the pistol’s handle.
Box magazines may contain up to 15 cartridges (or more) in single or double
columns, depending on the pistol model, and
are easy (and very quick) to reload.
Customized revolver with heavy barrel. Cylinder in open position Revolvers
got their name from the rotating (or Revolving)
cylinder, which contains cartridges. Usually the cylinder holds from 5 to 7
loads, although some .22 caliber revolvers may
contain up to 8-10 cartridges. Loads in the cylinder may be reloaded in 2
ways (depending on revolver design) – one by one,
as, for example, the Colt PeaceKeeper does (and almost all old-timers), or
all simulateounosly – when the cylinder is switched
to the side or when the is frame “broke open.”
Both revolvers and semi-autos have two main “action styles”: Single action
and Double action.
Single Action means, that the Revolver must be manually cocked (and, thus,
the cylinder is rotated to the next cartridge)
for each shot. This mode was the only one available in all old-time
revolvers (such as the Peacekeeper), and is still
available in most double-action revolvers. This mode improves accuracy but
slows the fire rate. For Semi-autos,
Single Action means that the pistol must be manually cocked for the first
shot (usually, this is done by pulling the
slide – this action cocks the hammer and feeds a cartridge into the
chamber). For the second, and all consecutive shots,
cocking is done automatically, when recoil force pulls back the slide.
Double Action for the Revolver means that the hammer for each (including
the f irst) shot is cocked by trigger pull
(this action also rotates the cylinder to the next position). This mode
speeds up the firing rate and simplifies shooting
actions, but greatly increases trigger pull (from 2.2-4.4 lbs usually found
in single-actions, to 8.8-12.2 lbs in double-actions).
For the Semi-autos, the hammer is usually cocked by trigger pull for the
first shot only; the second and the rest are done in
single-action mode. However, first load must be fed in the chamber by the
slide pull. Some (most of them – compact) semi-autos
and revolvers employ Double-action-only mode, which cocks the trigger for
each shot, thus excluding single-action.
One of the biggest questions about handguns is: Why the Six-guns (a slang
TERM for Revolvers) are stil alive when there’s
a big lot of the very reliable and larger capacity semi-auto handguns? The
oldest answer is – reliability. Usually, given the
same price (in low- or mid-range of prices), the revolvers were more
reliable, primarily, because of the simplicity of the design.
Today there’s a lot of inexpensive semi-autos, that can hold twice or even
triple as much loads ready to fire, than the
common sixguns. But revolvers still alive. One of the main reasons to keep
the revolver is that they’re almost insencetive
to ammunition. If your cartridge is capable of pushing a bullet thru the
barrel of the sixgun – you got the working gun. No jams,
no stoppages. Even in the case of the misfire you just got to pull the
trigger again – and next round will go. In semi-auto, you
need sufficient power to cycle the slide, thus rendering underpowered loads
almost inoperable in semi-autos. Also, in case
of the misfire, or j
am, you should manually cycle the slide to fire the next round. In
defensive scenario, this may cos you another second, and
may be – your life. So, in general, sixguns are far less sensetive to ammo
quality, and, due to simplicity and inherent design
features, could withstand far more abuse. Also, when you go to the other,
high-end of the loads (speaking in the terms of power),
no semi-autos could withstand the power of loads such as .454casull or
.475Linebaugh. Sixguns could.
Main drawbacks of the sixguns are small ammo capacity, slower reloading and
bulkier size. While 6 rounds may be sufficien
for self-defence scenarios, it may be really insufficient for the police or
SpecOps actions. Also, replacing the magazine in
semi-auto ususlly is much faster process than reloading a revolvers’ drum.
And, due to significant cylinder diameter, even
the 5-shot revolvers are harder to carry concealed, than the modern compact
handguns, while the latter could hold tvice
as much cartridges.
Final selection of the guns is, undoubtfully, the owners’ responcebility,
but, in my opinion, revolvers are more suitable
for civilians’ self-defence and for hunting, while semi-autos are better
combat and police guns.
Thank You and Best Regards
Ivan Virnanda
Business Import Section
PT.EVERGREEN SHIPPING AGENCY INDONESIA
TEL : (62) (21) – 5205595 (Hunting)
FAX : (62) (21) – 5212501
e-mail : ivanvirnanda@evergreen-shipping.co.id
Website: www.evergreen-marine.com
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