I always thought the .22LR to be a weak cartridge, and believe the 22 magnum to be just about right for that bullet.

But maybe because manufacturers know it’s not going to be used for long range shooting, the quality is subpar compared to centerfire ammunition.

He’s taken on a tough one.  And good grief – he’s got a Night Force scope on that gun.

Via reader Ned.

I say more in the post title because there’s already been a lot of that testing.  Watch Andrew’s testing and listen to his points all the way to the end, and then I have some remarks.

We’ve discussed this many times before, and linked various articles on this: Small Caliber Lethality: 5.56mm Performance in Close Quarters Battle (note that links to this paper in previous posts are broken but this one works), 5.56X45mm Versus 7.62X39mm, AR-15 Ammunition and Barrel Twist Rate, and a CFD analysis entitled Prediction of Projectile Performance, Stability, and Free-Flight Motion Using Computational Fluid Dynamics.

I had never even once believed that the reason for a change of barrel twist had to do with yaw inside tissue.  The real reason is found elsewhere.

Accuracy cannot be assessed without addressing the rifle barrels’ twist-rates. In the early 1980s the M855’s 62-grain bullet was developed for the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW). For purposes of interoperability, the same load was adopted as the M16A2 rifle’s standard ball as well. A February 1986 U.S. Army study noted that the M855’s bullet required a “1:9 twist [which] would be more appropriate for the M16A2 rifle, improving accuracy and reliability.” Multiple studies confirmed the 1:9-inch twist requirement.

But then a problem arose. The U.S. military’s standard M856 5.56 mm tracer round was longer, heavier (63.7 grains) and slower than the M855 ball, and simply would not stabilize with a 1:9-inch twist barrel. Thus, despite it doubling M855 group sizes, the M16A2 (and later, the M4) specified a 1:7-inch rate-of-twist barrel to stabilize the tracer round. It remains so to this day. Therefore, M855A1 was test-fired with both 1:7- and 1:9-inch twist barrels, and it was verified that this new cartridge is consistently more accurate in the latter barrels-as was its predecessor.

Note that in these articles I’ve also cited contacts in the industry who claim that this concern is a bit overblown, and that a barrel twist of 1:9 is perfectly sufficient to stabilize bullets up to and including 62 and 65 grains, and even 77 and 80 grains. Some of this has to do with barrel manufacturing procedures and quality.

I think Andrew just confirms what we already knew.

Dark Storm Industries moves South.

Dark Storm is a federally licensed firearms manufacturer currently located in New York. The project is expected to create 50 new jobs with an average annual salary of $50,000 and a capital investment of approximately $3.2 million. Products manufactured by the company are shipped across the United States.

“The Space Coast’s diversified manufacturing base is a major reason why we weathered the pandemic and continue to build on our strengths,” said Lynda Weatherman, EDC president and CEO.

“The EDC welcomes Dark Storm and their contributions to our economy, and I want to say how proud I am of the team we were able to put together to attract this growth-oriented company to the Space Coast.”

Founded in 2013, Dark Storm Industries developed the DS-15 line of rifles to meet the changing regulatory environment in states like New York and California.  Dark Storm products are available from leading firearms retailers and distributors nationwide.

“The combination of economics and a friendlier political environment made the decision to build our new headquarters and manufacturing plant in Florida an easy one,” said Edward Newman, Dark Storms co-owner.

“We are excited to join a growing number of gun manufacturers on the Space Coast and look forward to our new facility allowing us to both increase our production capacity as well as develop new and exciting products.”

The facility is expected to create an additional 20 indirect jobs and 17 induced jobs. The combined net new annual wages from all jobs are estimated to be more than $ 4.4 million with a contribution to GDP greater than $9.6 million and a 10-year economic impact in excess of $95 million.

Okay then.  Welcome.  You’ll have to compete with PSA, Daniel Defense, and a host of other manufacturers in the South, so focus on quality and price point.

Prior:

Gun Valley Moves South

Gun Valley Moves South Part 2

Dean Weingarten writing at Ammoland.

It was a major piece of legislation, arguably the first time the Federal Government had significantly infringed on the right to keep and bear arms, protected by the Second Amendment.

Attorney General Cummings was asked to testify before the powerful Ways and Means Committee in the House, which was considering the bill.

In the original bill, the focus was on pistols and revolvers, short-barreled shotguns, concealable firearms, silencers, and machine guns. Short barreled rifles were not included.

[ … ]

Representative Harold Knutson, of Minnesota, asks Attorney General Homer Cummings if he may add “rifles” to the bill and raise the barrel length to 18 inches, to protect deer hunting rifles in his home state. Cummings is bewildered by the request. It does not make any sense.  Eventually, Cummings says it is acceptable to him, to gain the approval of Representative Knutson. Cummings needs the votes on the committee to pass the bill. From the hearing:

Mr.KNUTSON. General, would there be any objection, on page 1, line 4, after the word” shotgun” to add the words” or rifle” having a barrel less than 18 inches? The reason I ask that is I happen to come from a section of the State where deer hunting is a very popular pastime in the fall of the year and, of course, I would not like to pass any legislation to forbid or make it impossible for our people to keep arms that would permit them to hunt deer. 

Attorney General CUMMINGS. Well, as long as it is not mentioned at all, it would not interfere at all.

Mr. KNUTSON. It seems to me that an 18 -inch barrel would make this provision stronger than 16 inches, knowing what I do about firearms.

Attorney General CUMMINGS. Well, there is no objection as far as we are concerned to including rifles after the word” shotguns” if you desire.

After this exchange, Representative Knutson fades from the picture. He has a few questions later. On page 87, he makes sure that rifles with barrels over 18 inches are exempted from the bill.

Quinn Otto-Moudry makes the same observation in an article in The Cornell Review examining the NFA hearings, in September of 2020 …

[ … ]

In the remaining transcripts, the focus is on pistols, machine guns, and sawed-off shotguns. Rifles are barely mentioned. Sawed-off shotguns are referred to repeatedly.

The record is clear. Today, we deal with the bizarre regulatory world where short-barreled rifles are tightly regulated and taxed, while pistols with virtually the same capability, only more concealable, are honored and recognized by the Supreme Court as protected by the Second Amendment to the Constitution.

I knew that from reading the transcript (yes, I actually spent the time to read the entire transcript of the awful, ignorant proceeding).  But thanks to Dean for bringing this back up again.

In the main, idiotic prohibition laws created gangsters.  Stupid movies demonized suppressors (which is badly needed today for hearing protection, something OSHA would tell you too).

So in order to respond to the problem they created from prohibition, and in order to be out in front of scary Hollywood movies, they doubled down on stupid and created the NFA.

Handguns are much more devastating than SBRs, suppressors or anything regulated by the NFA, so look for increased attention to pistols to address inner city crime, a problem that Congress created themselves by the evisceration of the inner city family by rendering it fatherless.

Here is the paradigm.  Congress creates problems by doing something stupid, Congress tries to address the problems they create by doing more stupid things, and then Congress doubles down and makes matters worse by compounding their “solutions” (which is a description of the GCA, a compounded problem that exacerbates the stupidity of the NFA).  It’s stupid (the GCA) on top of stupid (the NFA) on top of stupid (prohibition and Hollywood).

At some point we need a year of Jubilee where all laws become null and void so we can throw the bums out and start over.

I repeat myself.  If you hired every gun mechanic working for FN from its Columbia, S.C. factory and put them in office and in the bureaucracy, we’d be much better off than with the elected politicians.  Or if you want to keep your good pistols, then just hire dogs from the local dog park.  We’d still be better off.

ADN.

Officials don’t know yet why the bear attacked or what kind of bear was involved, said Leah Eskelin, a public information officer for the wildlife refuge.

In remote locations I like to carry a satellite phone or phone with texting capabilities via satellite.  And yes, a medical kit with Quikclot and bandages, tourniquets, Tylenol, etc.

In the tent I sleep with a gun next to myself, although in this case it may not have made a difference.

Those are mean beasts who attack without remorse.

BLUF: The 77 grain bullets did more damage in the meat targets.  But as always, check the ammunition you’re using for zero, accuracy and precision.

News about Nevada.

Here are some interesting articles on the 6.8 SPC: [1] (in which our own Georgiaboy61 figures prominently in the comments), [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], and [7].

Points.  Some discussions focus on the 6.8 SPC and 6.8 SPC II, stating that most rifles released today chambered for this round are for the 6.8 SPC II, even though that’s not the SAAMI spec round.

Next, it’s my understanding that a 6.8 SPC upper receiver can be coupled with any milspec AR-15 lower receiver.

Finally, within 100 – 200 yards, it appears to be fairly well established that this is a fine round for whitetail deer (perhaps not mule deer).

Comments and observations on this round, and/or any of the points above?  It seems that this would be a fine option for deer hunting without purchase of a new complete rifle.

News.

In written testimony this week, President Biden’s top pick to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), David Chipman, told the Senate Judiciary Committee he had never lost possession of a personal firearm or service weapon, but some lawmakers are unconvinced.

Four GOP senators — Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Ted Cruz of Texas, Mike Lee of Utah, and Judiciary ranking member Chuck Grassley of Iowa all had the same question for the retired ATF agent — did he ever misplace or have his firearm stolen?

Chipman wrote back to each senator with a definite “No,” according to testimony obtained by Fox News.

But a Senate staffer said their office has received information suggesting that Chipman’s answer may not be true, and they are still looking into the matter.

A separate source familiar with the allegations told Fox News that “Senate staff continue their inquiries about Chipman’s mishandling of service weapons.”

The White House defending the president’s nominee “David Chipman served honorably in law enforcement for 25 years – promoted into positions of trust and management at the ATF, participating in complex investigations, and putting himself in harm’s way as a member of the Bureau’s SWAT team,” White House spokesperson Michael Gwin told Fox News.

“Chipman stated to Congress these allegations are flat-out false, and leading law enforcement organizations are supporting his nomination to lead ATF,” he added.

Hmm …

I’m not sure where they’re getting this information from, but if this is true, that means perjury.

For the record, I’ve never misplaced or lost any weapons.  I may forget my name or leave the house without being fully dressed, but this is so important, so ingrained in me, so practiced, so second-nature, that it wouldn’t happen.

I would lose my truck keys before I lost a weapon, and I don’t lose my truck keys.

NYT.

ALBANY, N.Y. — New York State lawmakers passed legislation on Tuesday intended to allow civil lawsuits to be brought against firearm manufacturers and dealers, an attempt to circumvent the broad immunity gun companies currently enjoy under federal law.

There’s a relatively easy way to handle this.  If this gets signed into law in NY, all firearms manufacturers who care about liberty should stop selling firearms to all law enforcement in the state of New York, including federal (FBI, Marshals Service, etc.) and all state, county and city law enforcement.

No Glocks, no S&W M&Ps, no Sigs, no FNs, no patrol rifles of any kind, including ARs, no long range bolt action rifles, and no replacement parts, build kits, or cleaning supplies (e.g., from Brownells, Midway, or anywhere).  No ammunition sent to law enforcement in NY, not from individual suppliers or wholesalers, and no mail order (Ammoseek could quite easily exclude suppliers who send ammunition to New York state at all).

Do it and see how they like playing hard ball.  But then, all firearms manufacturers and suppliers won’t make such a decision and follow through, will they?

Will they?  Because $$$$.

Until they get sued themselves under the new law.  There are ways to beat gun control – those ways just require a new paradigm and true commitment to something other than $$$$.