Americans and the DA revolver

[fiver]

pretty much backwards to a meter from the yard.

the russians done the arshin measurement because the peasants pretty much knew how many steps it was to the mail box, neighbors field or how many they took tramping back and forth plowing the bottom 40 behind their mule.

i'd bet american dollars plenty of kids joining the army during WW-2 could have picked up one of those Moisins and been right at home with their step count sight measurements.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

The history is unavoidable.

The British conquer a big chunk of the world and imperial measurements take hold.

The metric system takes over but there are imperial holdouts like the U.S.A., Canada and the UK.

The maritime stuff is in Nautical Miles, knots, and fathoms.

The firearms stuff is even worse. Metric designations in millimeters, English bore diameter designations in decimals of an inch, American groove diameter designations in decimals of an inch, Bore diameter by gauge based on lead balls to the pound, grams verses grains, Feet per second and meters per second……..The gun stuff is an encyclopedia all to its own.





And somehow we make it all work!

 

[todd]

you look at the moon? you see one flag there. how did it get there? by using fractions, inches, feet, yards....'Merica, fudge ya!!!

 

[JWinAZ]

Avoirdupois, troy, apothecary (grains, scruples, drams), carats (two different uses), links, chains, rods, furlongs, bushels, pecks, gills, imperial (UK) gallon and pint, fluid ounce, and so on. You have to love the unit of mass: slugs.

Metric, or rather System International now, has its own peculiarities. Units are named after people, such as the unit for force - newton and pressure - pascal. Degrees are much more intuitive than radians: 360 vs 2 pi. Gradians were originally part of the metric construct, not now. Thanks to Napolean we are not using the French decimal time: 10 hours per day and 10 day weeks for instance.

Keeping all of this straight keeps the mind supple, or crowded, take your pick.

 

[Snakeoil]

Since thread drift is a feature of this site, I'd add to this tangent. The metric invasion of the auto industry created some bizarre compromises. I owned an El Camino and there were bolts that had Imperial threads and metric hex heads. Not sure what genius came up with that solution.

 

[JWinAZ]

Since thread drift is a feature of this site, I'd add to this tangent. The metric invasion of the auto industry created some bizarre compromises. I owned an El Camino and there were bolts that had Imperial threads and metric hex heads. Not sure what genius came up with that solution.

Collusion between cutting tool, hand tool, and knuckle bandage manufacturers?

 

[Petrol & Powder]

Since thread drift is a feature of this site, I'd add to this tangent. The metric invasion of the auto industry created some bizarre compromises. I owned an El Camino and there were bolts that had Imperial threads and metric hex heads. Not sure what genius came up with that solution.

I can remember when metric tools were known in the U.S.A. but not commonly encountered. And YES, the auto industry took that change on the chin. Auto mechanics took it on the knuckles and in thier wallets.

 

[CZ93X62]

I can remember when metric tools were known in the U.S.A. but not commonly encountered. And YES, the auto industry took that change on the chin. Auto mechanics took it on the knuckles and in thier wallets.

True--but Snap-On and Proto just loved it.

 

[L Ross]

The history is unavoidable.

The British conquer a big chunk of the world and imperial measurements take hold.

The metric system takes over but there are imperial holdouts like the U.S.A., Canada and the UK.

The maritime stuff is in Nautical Miles, knots, and fathoms.

The firearms stuff is even worse. Metric designations in millimeters, English bore diameter designations in decimals of an inch, American groove diameter designations in decimals of an inch, Bore diameter by gauge based on lead balls to the pound, grams verses grains, Feet per second and meters per second……..The gun stuff is an encyclopedia all to its own.





And somehow we make it all work!

Because our brains can handle all such complexity and illogic and not even break a sweat.

 

[RBHarter]

Butts and Butt loads are an actual thing also .

Temperature scales F , C , and K ..... fortunately Kelvin uses the same or very nearly so the same graduations as F . (Because I can't spell it)
C the dizzy guineas can't even agree on a name .

Yeah imperial gallons are why minding your P&Qs are so difficult. That gallon is 5 quarts, 1 for the king you know , so the ale is served in tankards that are scaled to hold a quarter of a 5 qt gallon or 1/8 of a 5 qt gallon. Further complications include our once common half pint , pint , fifth, quart , and half graduated by 4 qt because bugger the king a quarter is 1/4 not 1/5 and we're stealing your quart but you can keep your gallon . Oh and we're having 1/5 but only for hard liquor and it's only 4/5 of a quart for the same price as a quart for when you can't drink a whole qt .

Drams are part of the liquid gill thing but also used as the more familiar powder measure for shotshells . It's like 2 tablespoons by volume........ though it's been a long time since I referenced it ....

The DA revolvers have a very useful feature not found in any other action. Nobody ever talks about the painfully obvious point and click . There's no cocking , racking, shucking, or push/pull , you literally point and pull the trigger and if it doesn't go bang you do it again. Very useful when something is trying to eat , dismember , or just plain old cause fear , panic , or injury.

The choices of cartridges far exceeds any autos capabilities..... except maybe the Broom handle or is it the Nambo . Even then can you imagine it in 460 or 500 S&W ? The X frame is only a little more handy than a Dragoon. The DA revolver is scaled up and down from 22 LR to 500 S&W a feat only surpassed by the SA sister which takes it down to C/BB caps and I'd bet there's at least one BFR in something like 50-70 or 12 ga .....the LeMat although a C&B came as a 20 shooter plus a 20 ga .

Anyway point and pull is why we love DAs .

 

[CZ93X62]

True that, RB.

I went into the autopistol addition sequence at my shop with the idea that the 45 ACP self-loader was a significant improvement in all elements of the carry sidearm venue and mindset--more powerful round, more of those rounds before things ran dry, and much easier refills under stressful circumstances if/when a refill was needed. These beliefs remain valid; we do need to ask ourselves--whether law officer or citizen--just how likely are we to require a refill?

Statistically speaking, not likely at all. Most exchanges of finality involving police or citizens involve 2 to 4 shots--fired within 2 to 4 yards--within 2 to 4 seconds. Of course, you or I might be that statistical anomaly where 2 to 4 recalcitrants elect to go to war with us at the same time.......so the Glock 23 features highly in my night time accessorizing. Better to have and not need than the reverse of that scenario.

Still, for 90% of our social engineering projects conducted ballistically a 5 or 6 shot wheelgun remains a viable and appropriate option. Many officers in my part of the state carried N-frame S&Ws in 45 Colt well into the 21st Century. In retrospect, my conclusions remain that the most significant improvement brought to bear by the adoption of the self-loaders was the addition of 45 ACP in 1987 and 40 S&W in 1994. Against the pre-anaesthetized target media that both citizens and cops are confronted by in exchanges of finality, the 38 Special is marginal--the 357 is not. I am biased as hell, that's a given. We aren't shooting these goblins as they are running away anymore--they are in our faces at bad-breath distances. They require abrupt, decisive power to enable an abrupt, decisive stop. The 35 calibers require about 1100-1200 FPS to make that happen right f---ing now, the 40-45 calibers do not. Size matters--Hatcher nailed it.

 

[RBHarter]

I grew up with the 45 ACP and 1911 being king of the world. As a numbers type of guy I just can't see the suggested gapping void between the 38 and 9mm , what is there 50 fps between the 158 38 and 147 9mm .

The 40 while only offering the capacity advantage of the High Power/P35 at 12-14 , does offer , at least the XD40 2.5" I had did , 980 fps with a 175 . It 55 gr less than the favorite 230 900 fps 45 ACP but 35+ more than the FBI 147 of the 9mm . Yep just an in-between cartridge in all respects.

 

[beagle]

Well, I'll add my $.02 to this age old argument. I like DA revolvers too. Simple to use, safe to handle and teach others to use. Never had one to let me down. After 23 years in the military, I've carried a variety of handguns. Model 15 .38 Special, old model Colt DAs, M1911A1s and Browning high powers. Only once was I under fire and had to depend on a handgun. Was carrying a Model 15 and I knew darn well it would function as intended and I had confidence. Same with the DA Colts. Now, the M1911A1 was a little different. Had I remembered to chamber a round? Same with the High Power and we were carrying surplus milsurp Italian ammo and I wasn't 100% sure of it but that's all I had. Sure the M1911A1 had 8 rounds and the High Power 13 but when it came down to cut and shoot time, I knew when I pulled that S&W, I'd get results and 6 times for sure. Under those circumstances, I'll take a sure thing every time./beagle

 

[dannyd]

Took a new picture of the kids the other day, who knows someday I my owned a semiautomatic too.