10-Gauge

Wednesday, December 26

Lee Pistol Crimp Dies

Lee Pistol Crimp Dies make it impossible to buckle the case as with regular roll crimp dies. Even bullets which have no cannelure will shoot more accurately if crimped with this die. Makes powder selection less critical. The carbide sizer, which was made to fit most popular pistol calibers, sizes the cartridge while it's being crimped, so every round will positively chamber freely with factory-like dependability. Adjusting screw easily sets the desired amount of crimp. Crimper cannot be misadjusted to make a case mouth too small for proper head-space.

The Lee Case Trimmer makes quick work of case length trimming. After a case has been loaded a few times, it will stretch beyond maximum length and must be trimmed. The Case Trimmer consists of shell holder and case length gauge and must be used with cutter and lock stud (sold separately). Available in many popular calibers.

All of the LEE products are sold at very affordable prices. Visit them by going to our favorits list and clicking on LEE Precision.

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The .410: What Good Is It?

By Randy Wakeman

That's a tough one to answer. My first shotgun was a .410 bore, a bolt action Mossberg given to me at the age of five years. I shot a .410 shotgun before I had a BB gun, and it was bigger than I was. I carried it to the dove field, but my Dad ended up carrying it back to the car most of the time. Actually, make that all of the time.

I have no idea who originally developed the .410, which is a caliber, not a gauge. If it were a "gauge, it would be something approximating a 67 gauge. It is used to introduce younger shooters to the sport with its low recoil and by expert skeet shooters, but it really doesn't belong in the game fields at all.
Originally available as a 2" shell, then 2-1/2", and later 3", it patterns so dismally that it is best left in the venue that keeps it alive: the skeet field. There it serves as a method of increasing the challenge of the game. Early on, the .410 was considered a "taxidermist's shotgun," as the pellet count was so low the possibility of severely damaging a mount was decreased.

The .410 makes limited sense in certain states where rabbit and squirrel cannot be hunted with rimfire rifles and handguns, but with its dismal pattern and high cost per shot it is neither practical nor particularly effective. In comparing the National Skeet Shooting Association scores, you might be surprised how close the top shooters do in 20 gauge class vs. 12 gauge, with 28 gauge not all that far back. Only when you examine the .410 bore scores do you see a rift developing across the classes. It is the worst performing commonly available shotgun gauge/caliber that can be had, and a horrible crippler of game if not used within its severe limitations.

If it goes bang and is fun to shoot, I generally like it. For clay games, if a .410 is your choice, then so be it. What is bad is when it is promoted as "ideal" for the new shooter or hunter. It can be a needless source of cost and frustration, particularly when low recoil 20 gauge loads, and soft-shooting 20 gauge shotguns are so readily available. Breaking clays and bagging birds builds confidence, is enjoyable, and breeds enthusiasm. Missing is just no fun, and there is certainly no glory--only shame--in wounding game.

A fairly common trivia question is "What has the biggest pattern at 30 yards, a 12 gauge or a .410 bore?" Actually, the .410 does, because its pattern is spread by a much higher percentage of deformed shot diverging from the main pattern. But, it does not have the larger effective pattern. The 1/2 or 11/16 ounce shot mass of the .410 cannot possibly populate a pattern with as effective a density as a standard 1-1/8 ounce 12 gauge field load.

For clays games, or trying to spend the most money per ounce on lead as possible, the .410 has its place. As a pleasant introduction to shotgunning, it fails miserably compared to 28 gauge or light 20 gauge loads. The .410 can be a nasty prank to play on your son or daughter. On the other hand, if you have to buy the shells, the last laugh may be on you!

Is the SA80 Rifle Worthless?

By Harold C. Hutchison

Is the British SA80 rifle (officially designated the L85) a piece of junk? This is a question of no small importance to the grunts in the British Army. The rifle has been plagued with numerous complaints, much as the M16 was in Vietnam 40 years ago. Part of the problem is the fact that the SA80s predecessor, the L1A1 SLR (a variant of the FN FAL) had performed well in combat in numerous climates (including the Falklands War in 1982).

The SA80 is a bullpup design, an effort to get a good rifle in a small package. The bullpup design allowed the designers to get a 20.4-inch barrel on a 30.7-inch rifle. Contrast this with the M16A2, which has a 20-inch barrel, but is 39.6-inches long. Both rifles fire the 5.56mm NATO round, and use 30-round clips. Nine inches might not sound like much, but for a grunt, nine inches can be as important as nine miles. A smaller rifle is lighter. It is also more compact ? in vehicles like the Warrior (or Bradley), space is at a premium. Austria?s Steyr AUG and France?s FAMAS have also seen some service as well, with the former being adopted by a number of countries (including Austria, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Oman, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia) and the US Coast Guard. The FAMAS has served with the French, UAE, and Senegal.

The M16 had its teething troubles in Vietnam, including severe jamming. Rumors flew that one Marine unit that had been overrun featured a number of casualties, each trying to clear a jam. These were solved by the use of a new gun powder and instructions for the troops on how to maintain them. The rifles stopped jamming by 1967. The SA80 has also had some serious jamming issues. The first upgrade, to the L85A1 standard, however, was not started until 1997 ? after thirteen years (and Desert Storm). This still had not solved the problem, and a second upgrade, to the L85A2 standard, was started in 2000. The L85A2 has performed well in Afghanistan and Iraq (including with its new 40mm grenade launcher attachment), and seems to be on the way to recovering from twenty years of teething problems.

Will the SA80 recover from this? It?s not known. Current British plans are to keep it in service until 2015. A possible replacement for this rifle is the Heckler and Koch G36, which was the basis for the recently cancelled XM8 rifle. The SA80, though, has become a solid rifle, and when it is replaced, the veterans at the time will complain about its replacement. This is no real surprise, grunts tend to develop a close relationship with their rifles.

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Wednesday, December 26

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