Letters To Guns

I'll admit it: I knew nothing about hunting clothes. I've bought a lot of parkas, overalls and boots for hunting over the years, but I'd always just assumed that Cordura, Polartec, Saddlecloth and whatever were all just fancy names for "warm clothes."

So, when I read your article ("High-Tech Hunting Clothes," GUNS, Dec. '00) I was surprised to learn that all of those various fabrics and insulations have a specific purpose and place in a hunter's wardrobe. Your article was far more informative than the average clerk in the Wal-Mart hunting section -- in fact, you made me aware of a few new items that I didn't even know existed. (Scent-absorbing fabric? What a great idea for bowhunting. I'm going to look into expanding my wardrobe before the next season.)

Thanks for a great, informative article that all hunters should be required to read before they open up their checkbook at their local sporting goods store. I bet you saved a lot of hunters from buying clothes that don't really do what they want them to do -- and made a few embarrassed to know that they'd bought some stuff they didn't really need.

Tim Brown

Minneapolis, Minn.

The Myth Of The Mouth

In "Common Myths Of Headspace" ("Crossfire," Dec. '00), James White claims that the idea of a rimless pistol cartridge headspacing on the case mouth is a "myth," and that such cartridges headspace on the extractor. Headspacing and support of such cartridges as the .45 ACP and the 9mm is, in fact, on the case mouth, and reloads for these cartridges must not be crimped so deeply as to eliminate the headspace area. A cartridge with a deep crimp may fire even without proper support, but accuracy will be erratic and pressures may be excessive as the case mouth intrudes into the barrel leade, which is sized only for the diameter of the bullet.

A quick look at any Model 1911-type .45 pistol will show that the extractor does not, and is not intended to, hold the case back against the breech face and provide proper headspace. That function is, the role of the chamber shoulder in the barrel. I know of no pistol chambered for a rimless case in which the extractor is intended to provide case support and headspace control. The "myth" is correct and White's concept is wrong.

James E. Keenan

Middletown, Md.

The Post Office Delivers

Regarding "The .450 Marlin" by Jon Sundra (GUNS, Dec. '00), while your knowledge of the .450 Marlin may be right on the money, your knowledge of postal workers is sadly lacking, as seen in the comment: "A scoped levergun may be as much of an oxymoron as a postal worker." I find this very offensive!

My husband and myself are both postal workers. I can assure you our jobs are a lot more strenuous and mentally exhausting than you would ever consider. When was the last time you did physical work non-stop for 12 to 16 hours? Most days are spent without even a lunch break. I doubt you have ever done any of this. While I'm aware the general public doesn't think we really do anything but drive around all day, you as a writer should be more careful in choosing your words.

To print such a derogatory remark about something you obviously know nothing about shows a severe lack of judgement on your part, and very little, if any, research. I'm sure that we are not the only postal workers who are avid hunters and lawful gun owners. I feel you owe all postal workers an apology.

Maria M. Sudduth

Bumen, Ga.

A Plague Of Hornets

Thanks to Dan Johnson for his informative introduction of two new components for all of us Hornet fans ("Handloading The .22 Hornet," Dec. '00). As he mentioned, inconsistent accuracy had also plagued me in the past despite two fine Hornet rifles: a Kimber Cascade and a Ruger 77.

The Hornet is perhaps the smallest round regularly reloaded with expectations of fine accuracy. A 1 gr. change in powder charge that might be negligible in a larger cartridge, like the 30-'06, could represent an 8 percent variation in the diminutive Hornet.

I have finally achieved consistent results by thinking of my Hornets as wildcat/benchrest rounds -- the .22 Hornet Benchrest. All cases are carefully prepped, and powder charges weighed to within 1/10 grain. Like Johnson, I have found that partial sizing and the use of the Lee Factory Crimp die are critical steps. Small pistol primers also add to round-to-round uniformity and seem perfectly adequate to ignite such small charges.

Robert Cleveland

Rcrosby825@aol.com

Not As New As You Think

As concerns the "Gun of the Month" inGUNS, November 2000, perhaps the Casull CA 2000 should be called a diminutive gun re-created for discreet concealed carry.

I am in possession of a five-shot revolver, manufacturer unknown, chambered in 6mm. Cartridge brass is Berdan primed center fire, and head-stamped Velo-Dog. The similarity between the two revolvers is noteworthy, particularly the fold-up trigger.

This relic was retired when ammunition became obsolete on the modern market. Legend has it that the revolver was used by European bicyclists to ward off attacks by unfriendly watchdogs and their ilk.