How fast is fast? Gentleman Jerry Miculek tackles McGivern's record

American Handgunner, July-August, 2004 by Charles E. Petty

Jerry talked to the crowd awhile and answered a few questions while everything was tidied-up and the ammo put away and then the spectators were invited to examine the guns. The only notable modification was that all wore grips Jerry had designed. Otherwise the Model 64s were just as they had come from the factory. It's fairly common practice for shooters to cut a coil or two off the rebound spring to lighten the trigger pull, but that's the last thing he wants because his type of shooting depends on the spring pushing the trigger forward so he can do the next fast shot. No mods are permitted. The gun he used for the 5-shot effort came from the S&W Performance Center in 1994 and is basically a Model 66 with a special "V"-shaped, ported barrel. The action is stock, although Jim Rae, the Performance Center's revolver magician, who was there, said that it had been "smoothed up" a bit but everything was stock. The ammo he used as a standard target .38 Special handload of 2.7 gr. Bullseye with a 148 gr. cast wadcutter bullet, similar to what McGivern shot.

When you talk to him it's easy to see Jerry isn't just some guy who can shoot fast. He's a serious student who can talk about the mechanics of both firearm and human, and who is continually thinking about how to do better.

I can't begin to count the number of instances where the statement, "timing is everything" would apply. Modern electronic timers such as the PACT Mk. IV that Jerry uses, break a second into four million parts (0.00000025). So what we have here are two thoroughly modern records that await breaking. Miculek wasn't completely happy with the 5-shot time and has done better in training, so we'll surely see future attempts. I sure hope to be there--this was a fun assignment.