PISTOLSMITHING AT IT'S FINEST TRAPPER GUN INC. SEND YOUR COMPLETE $2.00 FOR FULL COLOR CATALOG CUSTOM HANDGUN CENTER ~iii BULLSEYE HANDGUN ACCESSORIES NOW AVAILABLE - THE SAME TOOLING WE USE IN OUR SHOP BULLSEYE WHITE OUTLINE REAR SIGHT BLADES for KIT #7 Fits all Colt Python & Older Style Troopers @KIT #16 Fits Virginia Dragoon. Complete Colt or Ruger (will not blur out) Rev. Reduces DA & SA trigger pull up to tune-up kit reduces trigger pull up t045% 45% HORIZON, The newest in rear sights for Ruger handguns. Designed to get on target fast! KIT #B Browning Hi-Power. Reduces trigger pull @KIT #R-l Fits all Ruger Mini 14. Inc"reases up t045% & increases slide power 15% cycle rate by 20% ... reduces trigger pull by 20% SPRING KITS ... increases hammer strike by 20% ... an aid to KIT #1 Fits all new model Ruger Single Action extraction by 15% Revolvers: Complete tune up kit with new style KIT #9 Fits all Colt Government Models/70 Series Hammber shock. Included: Your choice of either Hardballer & Crown City Arms. Reduces trigger pull up to 45% & increases slide power 15% Hunting or T.rget Trigger Springs. Hunting Model @KIT #R-2 Fits all Colt AR 15 and M-16 rifles. reduces trigger pull up to 45%. Target Model Increase cycle rate by 20% ... increase hammer reduces trigger pull up to 60% KIT #9-A Fits all Colt Government Models/70 strike by 20% ... an aid to extraction by KIT #2 Fits all center/ire Colt Mark III Troopers & Series Hardballer & Crown City Arms - Target 15% Lawman Rev. Reduces DA & SA trigger pull up to Kit. Reduces trigger pull up to 45% & reduces 45% slide power for target loads @KIT #R-3 Fits Armalite 180 model. Increase KIT #3-C Fits all center/ire Smith & Wesson J­ cycle rate by 20% ... increase hammer strike by frame revolvers. Reduces DA & SA trigger pull up KIT #10 Fits all Colt Commanders Models. 20% ... an aid to extraction by 15% to 45% Reduces trigger pull up to 45% & increases slide power 15% @KIT #3-R Fits Smith & Wesson J-frame 22 BULLSEYE STONE KITS: Stones so different you cal. rimfire Reduces DA & SA trigger pull up to KIT #11 Fits all S&W Model 39 & 59. Reduces DA have to use them to believe it. Completely stone out 30% & SA trigger pull up to 45% & increases slide a handgun in less than V3 the time of a regular type KIT #4 Fits all Ruger Security-Six & Speed Six power 15% stone. Rev. Reduces DA & SA trigger pull up to TRIAL SIZE 45% KIT #12 Fits all Dan Wesson center/ire revolvers. MASTER GUNSMITH SIZE Reduces trigger pull up to 45% KIT #5 Fits all Smith & Wesson K& NFrame Rev. Reduces DA & SA trigger pull up to @ KIT # 14 Fits Ruger Redhawk. Three different @BULLSEYE HEADSPACE WASHERS for Dan 45% weight main springs lets you adjust trigger pull Wesson 10 piece set KIT #6-A Fits Thompson Center Contender ­ up to 50% reduction Complete Tune Up Kit Heavy duty Hammer & Safety spring, plus 40% Lighter Trigger @ KIT #15 Fits Star 9mm and P.~. Reduce @BULLSEYE HEADSPACE WASHERS for Smith & spring trigger pull up to 40% Wesson J- frame 10 piece set FROM CUSTOM WORK TO TUNE UP KITS ... W'E SUPPLY THE VERY BEST TRAPPER GUN INC. FOR MORE INFORMATION, WRITE 18717 East Fourteen Mile Road Fraser, MI 48026 NAME _ Hours 9 till 5 Monday thru Friday ADDRESS _ Phone: (313) 792-0133 CITY__ STATE.......__ ZIP _ VISA AND MASTER CARD WELCOME AMERICAN HANDGUNNER· MARCH/APRIL 1982 3 AMER.CAII MARCHIAPRI L, 1982, Vol. 7, No. 33 RELOADING TIPS BONUS· JUNKYARD DOGS, Joe lambone . .44 Some Really Bad News for Night Intruders THE USAF SUPERBULLET, Patrick F. Rogers .48 How Does It Compare With the .45 ACP? COVER, The new Hammerli 232 shoots for the Olympic gold. Photo by Neil Nissing. SHAPING·UP 'SHORTY', Don lutz . 50· Functional Reliability for the .380 ACP PUT 'EM TO THE SAECO TEST, Mike Barach 51 STAFF Roll Your Own Cast Bullets to Specific Hardness HS·5 ACCURACY AND THE .45 ACP, Don lutz 53 GEORGE E. VON ROSEN, Publisher Hodgdon Powder Puts Hustle On the Heavyweights JEROME RAKUSAN, Editorial Director DAVE EPPERSON, Editor SYDNEY BARKER, Art Director JOE ROSS, Art Assistant RICHARD DOWDY, Art Assistant FEATURES TOM HOLLANDER, Circulation Director JON HEMP, Advertising Sales Manager REMEMBER THE WHITNEY?, Charles E. Petty .30 The Wolverine's Time Came a Bit Too Soon NATIONAL ADV. OFFICE: Bob Cusick, Adver­ THE SILHOUETTE FAMILY, Jim Costilow .32 tising Sales Manager, 591 Camino de la Reina, Dad, Mom, Kids, Chickens, Turkeys, Pigs, Rams Suite 200, San Diego, CA 92108 (714) 297-8520 BASIC PISTOL, Rick Miller . .34 WEST COAST REPS,: Media sales Associates, 'Simple Is Best' for the Practical Shooter Bill Hague, Rick Ayer, 26944 Camino de Estrella, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624 (714) THE PISTOL THAT WINS THE GOLD, James D. Mason .36 661-2423 The Latest Hammerli Makes the Best Even Better EAST COAST ADV. REPS.: Buchmayr Associ­ ates, 19 Birch Rd., Darien, CT 06820 (203) CUSTOM GUN OF THE MONTH . .40 655-1639. Win This Spilborghs Super-Tuned .45 Auto AMERICAN HANDGUNNER (ISN 0145-4250) is published WHEELGUNS OF THE PRACTICAL CIRCUIT, Rick Miller .42 bi-monthly by Publishers Development Corp" 591 Camino de Don't Underestimate the Value of a Good Revolver la Reina, San Diego, CA 92108. Second class postage paid at San Diego, CA 92108, and at additional mailing offices. Sub­ scriptions: One year (6 issues) $9.95. Single monthly copies GET A GRIP ON YOUR SCOPE.MOUNTED .45, Albert C. Neeley .. 54 $2,00. Change Of Address: Four weeks' notice required on Plastic Surgery on Pachmayr 'Skin' all changes. Send old address as well as new. Contributors submitting manuscripts, photographs or drawings do so at their own risk. Material cannot be returned unless accom· panied by sufficient postage. Payment will be made at rates current at time ot publication and will cover reproduction in any or all AMERICAN HANDGUNNER Magazine editions. Advertising rates furnished on request. Reproduction or use DEPARTMENTS of any portion of this magazine in any manner, without written permission, is prohibited. All rights reserved. Title to this pub~ lieation passes to subscriber only on delivery to his address. SUBSCRIPTION PROBLEMS: For immediate action write to AMERICAN HANDGUNNER, Anention Donna Maass-591 INDUSTRY INSIDER, J. Rakusan 8 Camino de la Reina, Suite 200, San Diego. CA 92108 or ell (714) 297-8524. Ask for Donna Maass or Tom Hollander SILUETAS, Philip Briggs ... 10 COP TALK, Massad Ayoob 12 HANDGUN HUNTING, J.D. Jones 14 HANDGUN LEATHER, Bob Arganbright 16 SIGHT SETTING, Lucy Chambliss .. 19 PISTOLSMITHING, John G. Lawson .20 SPEAKOUT .. ,27 WHAT'S NEW 56 HANDGUN MARKET 77 4 AMERICAN HANDGUNNER· MARCH/APRIL 1982 CONTENDER THE HANDGUN THAT ALTER THE GAM When it comes to past history, Contender wasn't there. Built for "sport" not "argument", Contender didn't partic­ ipate in the "Indian Wars" nor the "fight at the OK Corral". Unconcerned with the esthetics of yesterday, COl')tender has about as much in common with a frontier revolver as a jet liner has with a covered wagon. What Contender does offer is downrange capability. Its superb accuracy and strong break open design - coupled with a unique interchangeable barrel system affords the kind of performance that was hitherto unheard of in the handgun world. Think about it! Before there was a Contender did you ever hear of a handgun firing varmint loa9s such as .222 and .223 Remington? Did you ever hear of a handgun that handled .30/30 Winchester, .35 Remington and a trio of fiesty wildcats (.30 & .357 Herrett plus the new 7 M/M T.C.U.)? Of course you didn't because a true hunting handgun did not exist before there was a Contender. By increasing the effective range of the handgun - offering workable terminal ballistics (heavy bullet weights accurately placed with sufficient remaining energy to do the job properly), Contender has made history In t"'e hunting handgun field. The first "out of the. box" production pistol to shoot a perfect score In Metallic Silhouette, Contender is racking up additional merits at every match. If you're serious about long range handgunning, shouldn't you be thinking in terms of performance? Wli'e Today! FOR OUR NEW ~o. 8 1981 CATALOG See how one single shot pistol with a full range of interchangeable barrels can handle the hottest of wildcats or the tamest of pussycats. A rugged handgun that is superbly accurate. A handgun that will smash out a varmint load such as the .222 Remington at 2,512 F.P.S. A handgun that can down a Whitetail buck in the morning and win a Silhouette match before suppertime. P.S. All Thompson/Center firearms are American Made and backed by a Lifetime Warrant.y. THOMPSON/CENTER ARMS Farmington Road, P.O. Box 2426, Dept. TAH 3. Rochester, New Hampshire 03867 AMERICAN HANDGUNNER . MARCH/APRIL 1982 5 Buy One IfJ81lBook, Get One Free! . Buy OBI Books Locally - Or Order By Mall GUN DIGEST ~~~' BLACK POWDER ~~~, BO OK 0FKNIVES 2nd Edition GUN DIGEST. ~ By JackLewis and Roger Combs 3rd Edition Covers the complete spectrum of the fascinating world of knives, examining Edited by Jack Lewis their history from early European stone Get a load of the all-new articles in ~ and flint knives thru those of the 20th this great 3rd edition! Causes and century; the handmade knife move­ cures of round ball deformity. Compari- ' ment and the knifemakers guild; new son of the Whitworth rifle with its and old factory manufacturers/im­ replica, part by part, and shooting porters; engravers/scrimshanders.