®

The American Rifleman has used the phrase “DopeBag” at least since 1921, when Col.Townsend Whelenfirst titled his column with it. Even then, it had been inuse for years, referring to a sack used by target shoot-ers to hold ammunition and accessories on the firingline.“Sight dope”also was a traditional marksman’s termfor sight adjustment information, while judging windspeed and direction was called “doping the wind.”

CAUTION: Technical data and information con-tained herein are intended to provide information basedon the limited experience of individuals under specificconditions and circumstances. They do not detail thecomprehensive training procedures, techniques andsafety precautions absolutely necessary to properlycarry on similar activity. Read the notice and disclaimeron the contents page. Always consult comprehensivereference manuals and bulletins for details of propertraining requirements, procedures, techniques andsafety precautions before attempting any similar activity.

44 AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • January 1997

THE venerable .32 ACP cartridge, onceking of the pocket pistol rounds, hasin recent years been dethroned by the

.380 ACP, as many “authorities” scorn the

.32’s inferior paper ballistics—only 125-130 ft.-lbs. of energy, compared to 170-200 ft.-lbs. of energy for the various stan-dard .380 loadings. Nonetheless, the .32ACP seems to be having a bit of a resur-gence. The spread of “shall issue” carrylaws has sparked renewed interest in thediminutive guns chambered for the .32, andrecoil-sensitive novices find the roundmore pleasant to shoot than the .380 ACP.

In late 1994 Beretta U.S.A. Corp.decided to take advantage of this trendand began development of the .32 pock-et semi-automatic that was to becomethe Model 3032 Tomcat. Introduced in1996 and made in Beretta’s factory inAccokeek, Maryland, the Tomcat is a blow-back-operated pistol with an external ham-mer, tip-up barrel, manual sear-blockingsafety and a single-stack seven-round mag-azine. Stocks are of black plastic, and bothmatte blue and polished blue finishes areavailable on the exposed metal parts. Inlooks and operation it is similar to Beretta’sother tip-up double-action self-loaders, theModel 86 Cheetah and Model 21 Bobcat.

The Tomcat’s slide is machined from barstock cold-drawn to shape, while the barrelis made from a steel forging and buttonrifled in a six-groove, 1:9.8"-twist pattern.An aircraft-grade 7075 aluminum forging

is used for the frame, andblack anodized to enhancesurface hardness and corro-sion resistance. All internalparts are of steel.

The trigger mechanism ofthe 3032 utilizes an externalright-sided trigger bar thatacts directly on the hammer inthe double-action mode.During single-action func-tioning, the trigger bar pullsthe sear out from under thehammer notch to effect firing.There is no separate discon-

nector. Instead, a tab onthe trigger bar engagesa cutout in the slide.Slide motion cams thebar down out of contactwith the sear and allowsthe hammer and sear toreset.

The Tomcat featuresa manual safety on theleft side of the frame.

When the safety is in the upward “safe”position, an arm extending from the leverintercepts the sear, preventing both sear andtrigger movement in both the double-actionand single-action modes. Flicking the safe-ty off clears the arm from the sear, allow-ing firing. In the “safe” position, the safetyalso locks into a recess in the slide. A redspot on the frame shows when the safety isoff. Other safety features include a half-cock notch on the hammer and an inertialfiring pin.

Lacking a firing pin block, it is theoret-ically possible for the pistol to discharge ifdropped on its muzzle. For this reason,

BERETTA .32 ACP TOMCATThe new .32 ACP BerettaTomcat offers seven-roundmagazine capacity, double-action operation and anexternal hammer. It is simi-lar in design and function toBeretta’s other tip-up guns.

.32 ACP Vel. @15' Smallest Largest AverageCartridge (f.p.s.) (ins.) (ins.) (ins.)

Federal No. 32AP 700 Avg. 2.09 3.51 2.8271-gr. FMC 10 Sd

Hdy. No. 9006C 706 Avg. 2.02 2.71 2.3860-gr. XTP JHP 36 Sd

Speer No. 23604 708 Avg. 3.66 4.88 4.1860-gr. GDHP 38 Sd

Average Extreme Spread 3.13

Five consecutive 5-shot groups from 50 ft., fired from sand-bags. Abbreviations: Sd (standard deviation), FMC (fullmetal case), Hdy. (Hornady), XTP (Extreme TerminalPerformance), JHP (jacketed hollow point), GDHP (GoldDot Hollow Point)

ACCURACY RESULTS

The Tomcat’s 15-oz. weight andhand-filling grip helped facilitatecontrollable rapid-fire shooting.

AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • January 1997 45

Beretta cautions against carrying the pistolwith a round in the chamber, even with thehammer down and the pistol in double-action mode. Under no circumstancesshould the tiny Beretta be carried in the“cocked and locked” condition (roundchambered, hammer cocked and safety on),as it lacks the extra safety features of thosepistols (such as the Colt M1911 Series 80guns) designed to be carried in that fashion.

The Tomcat’s recoil mechanism mirrorsthat of other Beretta tip-up pistols. A con-ventional in-line recoil spring is replaced bytwo spring-loaded recoil spring leverswhose upper arms engage cutouts in theslide. Rearward slide motion causes thelevers to rotate around their pivot points inthe frame, compressing dual coil springs instamped-steel, frame-mounted tunnels.

A serrated lever on the left-hand side ofthe frame is rotated forward to cause thebarrel to pop up; pushing the barrel downuntil a click is heard re-locks the barrel inthe firing position. With the barrel tippedup, not only is the bore easily accessible forcleaning from the chamber end, but even tothe inexperienced it is clear that the pistolis in a safe, non-firing condition. Moreimportantly, many will find it easier to load

the first round in the chamber by simply tip-ping the barrel up than by racking the slide.

No extractor is used with the tip-up bar-rel design. Upon firing, an empty .32 ACPcase is blown rearward out of the chamberuntil it contacts the ejector and spins out ofthe gun. The absence of an extractor, how-ever, requires that a round in the chamberbe unloaded by tipping the barrel up ratherthan by retracting the slide.

In the left-side grip panel is a round mag-azine release button, which is positionedand recessed to prevent inadvertent maga-zine release by either hand. There is no mag-azine disconnect; a round in the chambermay be fired with the magazine removedfrom the pistol.

The Tomcat’s front sight is a short .080"-wide post integral with the barrel; the drift-adjustable rear sight has an .088" notch andis dovetailed into the slide. Both sights areblack with no dots or colored inserts.

To disassemble the Tomcat, first ensurethat the pistol is unloaded. Remove the

magazine, push the barrel lever forwardand rotate the barrel all the way up andover its hinge until it stops. Cock thehammer, retract the slide about 1/8", andlift the front end of the slide above thebarrel hinge to disengage the recoillevers from the slide. Pull the slide forwardto clear the guide lugs in the frame. Thegrips may be removed if necessary forcleaning; further disassembly is not rec-ommended. Reassembly is in the reverseorder.

The matte blue Tomcat we received fortesting impressed us as being small and con-cealable, but its 1.1"-wide grip—requiredto cover the recoil spring tunnels on bothsides of the frame—was perhaps a bit bulki-er than we’d prefer. We fired the Tomcat foraccuracy with the results listed in theaccompanying table, and function-fired itwith more than 125 rounds of Federal, Win-chester and Remington ball ammunition,

and the new Hornady XTP and Speer GoldDot loads. Ball ammunition functionedflawlessly, but there were several jams with

the hollowpoint rounds. Occasionally,firing the next-to-last round in a maga-zine would cause ejection of both anempty case and the last live round in themagazine. Our pistol shot slightly low andabout 3" left of the point of aim at 50 ft.

We found the Tomcat’s double actiontrigger pull smooth but long, and the for-ward position of the trigger initially feltawkward. Both characteristics are aresult of the pistol’s trigger bar and ham-mer geometry. The single-action pull wassurprisingly light, breaking at just slight-ly over three pounds, but creepy.

The Tomcat’s short grip accommo-

dated only the middle and third fingers,leaving the little finger free to rest beneaththe magazine base pad. A forward lip in thebase pad provided a finger rest for the thirdfinger. In spite of the short grip, the Tomcatfelt substantial in the hand, thanks to its gripwidth and its 15-oz. weight. These two fac-tors also made the Tomcat pleasant to shoot,with minimal recoil and quick second shots.

Many gunmakers try to stake a claim tohaving the smallest, lightest or most pow-erful pocket pistol available. In designingthe Tomcat, Beretta engineers instead choseto balance its attributes to provide a con-cealable, low-recoiling defensive handgunat an affordable price.

MANUFACTURER: Beretta U.S.A. Corp.,Dept. AR, 17601 Beretta Dr.,Accokeek, MD 20607

MECHANISM TYPE: blowback-operatedsemi-automatic pistol

CALIBER: .32 ACPOVERALL LENGTH: 5"BARREL LENGTH: 2.4"WEIGHT: 15 ozs.WIDTH: 1.14"HEIGHT: 4"MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 7TRIGGER: double-action pull, 11 lbs.;

single-action pull, 31⁄4 lbs.SIGHTS: fixed, matte black, rear drift

adjustable for windageSTOCK: checkered black plasticACCESSORIES: hard casePRICE: $270 matte blue; $320 polished

blue

BERETTA TOMCAT

Anticipating the Tomcat’s popularity,manyaftermarket manufacturers have producedaccessories for the pistol, including thetwo-piece rubber stocks by Pearce Gripand the belt slide holster by Don Hume.

To disassemble, first ensure the Tomcatis unloaded, then press the barrel leverforward to tip up the barrel (above).Rotate the barrel forward over its hinge,cock the hammer, retract the slide 1/8"and lift its front end clear of the recoillevers (right). The Tomcat’s slide maythen be removed forward off the frame.

The right side of the Tomcat with

stocks removed,shows the trigger

bar and its cammingrecess in the slide

(upper arrow). Slide recoil is absorbedby spring-loaded levers (lower arrow).

46 AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • January 1997

IT would be difficult to argue against theproposition that the Ruger 10/22 is cur-rently the most accessorized rifle on the

planet, with dozens of firms offering a daz-zling variety of aftermarket parts and cus-tom modifications (July 1996, p. 34).

By far the most popular modificationsare a lightened trigger pull, a heavy match-grade barrel and a replacement stock bettersuited for scope use. Ruger’s 10/22T, newin late 1996, offers these custom modifica-tions and more in a factory package.

The design, function and disassembly ofthe 10/22T are the same as for the standard

10/22 (September 1964, p. 64). In fact, allaction parts are identical (with the excep-tion of the modified hammer, sear and trig-ger spring, described below). Immediatelynoticeable is the new autoloader’s heavy20" long, .920" diameter straight-tube bar-rel, which sports the spiral hammer-forgingmarks so familiar to owners of Steyr rifles.The 10/22T barrel is unusual in that it is oneof only a very few barrels made for thissemi-auto rifle that are hammer-forgedrather than cut- or button-rifled.

Since about 1994, Ruger has been ham-mer-forging all its rifle barrels in-house at

its Newport, New Hampshire, facility, withthe exception of those for the standard10/22, the Mini-14 and the Ranch Rifle,which are button rifled. The forging spiralsvisible on the 10/22T barrel are machinedoff the company’s other hammer-forgedtubes. Hammer forging is believed to giveboth better accuracy and longer barrel lifethan other rifling methods.

Bore dimensions are fairly tight at .217"land and .222" minimum groove diameter.Accuracy is also augmented by the barrel’smatch chamber and throat, designed to givereliable functioning with any .22 LR ammu-

nition, and its recessed target-style crown.Although the 10/22T barrel can easily

be installed on any 10/22 receiver, Rugerhas decided not to market this heavy barrelas an aftermarket upgrade for owners ofstandard 10/22s. We suspect that the com-pany may rethink this, as virtually all the10/22 owners we spoke with showed con-siderable enthusiasm for an aftermarket,Ruger-made accessory heavy barrel—

especially if it was priced competitivelywith similar tubes from other makers. Bothstainless steel and fluted barrels may beoffered on 10/22Ts in the future.

The 10/22T’s laminated birch stock hasabout a 3/8" longer pull for better handlingand eye relief with a telescopic sight. Alsonotable are the stock’s flatter fore-end (formore stability on sandbags), front and rearsling swivels, 1/2"-thick rubber recoil pad,and 1"-long “bump pad” at the fore-end tipthat supports the rifle’s heavy bull barrel.

MANUFACTURER: Sturm, Ruger & Co.,Dept. AR, 200 Ruger Rd, Prescott, AZ86301-6181

MECHANISM TYPE: blowback-operatedsemi-automatic rifle

CALIBER: .22 Long RifleOVERALL LENGTH: 383⁄8"BARREL LENGTH: 20"RIFLING: 6 groove, 1:16" RH twistWEIGHT: 7 lbs. 81⁄2 ozs.MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 10TRIGGER: two-stage, 33⁄4 lbs.

SIGHTS: none supplied; receiver drilledand tapped for scope mounts

STOCK: laminated birch; length of pull,137⁄8"; drop at heel, 17⁄8"; drop atcomb, 11⁄4"

ACCESSORIES: scope mount base for“tip-off” rings

PRICE: $392.50

RUGER 10/22T

RUGER MODEL 10/22T RIFLE

Ruger’s new 10/22T offers many features common to 10/22s customized forsmallbore silhouette or Sportsman’s Team Challenge competition, such as aheavy barrel, match chamber, lightened trigger pull and longer-length stock.

The 10/22T’s action is identical to that ofthe standard model, with the exception ofa modified trigger and sear. The 10/22’sbarrel attachment system is also retained.

A recessed target-style crown protects therifling and preserves accuracy. Note thespiral hammer-forging marks on the barrel.

AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • January 1997 47

The rifle also lacks the standard 10/22’s bar-rel band.

While the basic 10/22 trigger pull maybe as high as five to six lbs., the 10/22T’strigger is specified to break at under fourlbs., thanks to a hammer and sear havingredesigned geometry and hand polishedengagement surfaces, and alighter trigger spring.

The 10/22T we receiveddisplayed a polished bluedbarrel, satin finished black-anodized receiver, and lami-nated birch stock. Also includ-ed were a 3/8" scope rail andfour mounting screws. The10/22T was fired for accuracywith the results reported in theaccompanying table, andfunction-fired with Eley,Federal, Remington andWinchester ammunition.While high-velocity ammuni-

tion shot flawlessly, sever-al standard-velocity roundsfailed to extract.

Although the Model10/22T showed a tendencyto throw the first round outof a magazine high, accura-cy was good with an overall

average extreme spread of .75" for all the10-shot groups fired. Dividing this figureby the conversion factor of 1.3 to give theapproximate expected five-shot group aver-age yields .57", or about 1.14 m.o.a.

The 10/22T’s greater weight andimproved stock appeared to offer greater

offhand steadiness. Shootability was alsoenhanced by its lighter trigger, which evi-denced only a slight degree of creep.

Complaints about the 10/22T were fewand of relatively minor consequence.Several shooters felt that the stock’s combcould have been higher—an issue thatRuger will likely address in the future—andall would have preferred a somewhatlighter, totally creep-free trigger.

Custom 10/22s modified for STC orother competition offering m.o.a. accuracyand modified stocks and triggers typicallycost $700 to $1,000 and more. Ruger’s10/22T offers comparable performance andfeatures at considerably less cost.

The Model 10/22T rifle’slighter trigger, higher comband flatter fore-end helpedimprove accuracy resultsfrom the bench. The scopeis a 6-18X from Redfield andthe tripod rest is by Wagner.

The 10/22T’s laminated birch stock offersgreater resistance to warpage than thestandard 10/22’s solid birch stock, andterminates in a 1/2" soft rubber recoil pad.

SMITH & WESSON’S K-frame 617 .22LR revolver, introduced in 1989, fol-lowed in the tradition of the compa-

ny’s past full-size rimfire wheelguns, suchas the K-22 Masterpiece. But while the K-22 was modeled on the Model K-38, the 617was intended as a companion gun to S&W’sother full-lug revolvers, such as the L-frame.357 Magnum Models 586 and 686 or theK-frame Model 14.

In the early 1990s, Smith & Wesssonengineers, perhaps eyeing all the metalbetween the six chambers of the 617’s1.45"-diameter cylinder, realized therewas space for a few more rounds. Theproduction methods used to make cylin-ders at the time, however, made such achange economically unfeasible. Itwasn’t until 1992, when the companybegan a $40 million changeover tomodern CNC (computer numeric con-trolled) machining stations that productiontechnology allowed a modification in therevolver’s design. A ten-shot cylinder wasfinally settled upon, and S&W’s new “high

SMITH&WESSON 617 PLUS .22

S&W’s new 10-shot Model 617Plus, a companion gun for thecompany’s full-lug centerfirewheelguns such as the Model 14,is, except for the aluminum 10-shot cylinder, virtually indistin-guishable from the six-shot 617.

.22 LR Vel. @15' Smallest Largest AverageCartridge (f.p.s.) (ins.) (ins.) (ins.)

Eley No. LM271 1063 Avg. 0.42 1.00 0.69Club 17 Sd

Federal No. CR113 1164 Avg. 0.64 1.08 0.82Gold Medal Target 17 Sd

Win. No. XS22LR1 1214 Avg. 0.51 1.14 0.75Super Silhouette 17 Sd

Average Extreme Spread 0.75

Five consecutive 10-shot groups from 50 yds., fired fromsandbags. Abbreviations: Sd (standard deviation), Win.(Winchester)

ACCURACY RESULTS

48 AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • January 1997

capacity” 617 Plus was released in Spring1996. A blued version, the Model 17, wasalso brought out in early 1996, filling thegap left by the discontinuation of the six-shot Model 17 some years earlier.

While the original six-shot 617 wasoffered in three barrel lengths (4", 6" and83⁄8") and a variety of trigger and hammeroptions, the new Plus is available onlywith a 6" barrel, .312"-wide smooth trig-ger and .375" semi-target hammer. It fea-tures the original 617’s fully underluggedbarrel, black undercut Patridge frontsight and adjustable rear sight, as well asS&W’s redesigned cylinder latch.Introduced in 1996, the new latch givesa more ergonomic contact surface as wellas greater speed-loader clearance.

By far the most salient external fea-ture of the new 617, however, is its 10-shot cylinder. Not only does it seem tohave too many flutes and cylinder stopnotches; it is also a different color fromthe rest of the revolver. As well it shouldbe, for the cylinder is not made fromstainless steel, but from aluminum.

We initially questioned the suitability ofaluminum for the 10-shooter’s cylinder.The cylinder, after all, must withstand notonly the 20,000+ p.s.i. chamber pressure ofthe .22 LR cartridge, but also the batteringof its notches against the cylinder stop.S&W engineers stated that an aluminumcylinder was chosen because it is easier tomachine than a steel one—and with tenchambers, cylinder stop notches and flutes,any saving in machining time or cutter lifeis significant. They also assured us that any

fears about the strength or durability of thealuminum cylinder are unfounded. The par-ticular grade of aluminum chosen—7075-T6—has an ultimate tensile strength of over80,000 pounds per square inch, which rivalsthat of some steels. Furthermore, the 10-shot 617 passes all SAAMI (Sporting Armsand Ammunition Manufacturer’s Institute)proofs, and meets all SAAMI specifica-

tions, for .22 LR ammunition, includinghigh-velocity and hyper-velocity loads.

Prototypes of the 617 Plus were putthrough a 5,000-round torture test, withcleaning every 100 rounds. At the conclu-sion of testing, the cylinders showed noappreciable wear either from the firing testor from the 50 cleanings given each gun.

The 10-shot aluminum cylinder alsoallows a substantial weight reduction. Thesix-shot, steel-cylindered 617 (still avail-able) weighs six ounces more than its 10-round aluminum-cylindered sibling, withthe same barrel lengths. The internals of thePlus offer no strong surprises for thosefamiliar with S&W lockwork, but somechanges were made to accommodate the10-shot cylinder. Unlike a six-shot wheel-gun, in which the cylinder rotates 60o foreach shot, the new 617’s chambers arespaced only 36o apart. Proper cylinder rota-tion was accomplished simply by shorten-ing the hand and redesigning the steel cylin-der ratchet so that the normal motion of thehand would produce less rotation.

Since no revamping of the hammer, trig-ger or other internal parts was required, thisbit of engineering not only simplified man-ufacturing and parts inventory, but alsoretained the K-frame trigger feel.

Our test 617 10-shot revolver had a 6"barrel, smooth trigger, semi-target hammerand pebble-grained rubber Hogue-style

combat grips with an S&W monogram. Wefired the revolver for accuracy with theresults shown in the accompanying table,and function-fired it with CCI, Federal,PMC, Remington and Winchester ammu-nition. Accuracy, though not outstanding,was generally good, except with some

hyper-velocity, light-bullet loads whichshowed signs of keyholing.

The barrel/cylinder gap ofour test revolver measured.005", which was within the.004"-.006" range generallyconsidered acceptable for astock revolver.

Though there were no mal-functions and firing pin inden-tations were healthy, there wassome initial roughness whenunlatching and latching thecylinder, and, early in our testfire session, the trigger failedto fully return two or threetimes. These phenomena van-ished as the gun wore in.

MANUFACTURER: Smith & Wesson,Dept. AR, 2100 Roosevelt Ave., P.O.Box 2208, Springfield, MA 01102-2208

MECHANISM TYPE: double-actionrevolver

CALIBER: .22 Long Rifle OVERALL LENGTH: 115⁄16"BARREL LENGTH: 55⁄16"RIFLING: 6 groove, RH twistWEIGHT: 2 lbs., 8 ozs.WIDTH: 17⁄16"HEIGHT: 513⁄16"CYLINDER CAPACITY: 10TRIGGER: single-action pull, 33⁄4 lbs.;

double-action pull, 111⁄4 lbs.SIGHTS: black Patridge front, black rear

adjustable for windage and elevation;drilled and tapped for scope mount

STOCK: one-piece black rubber with fin-ger grooves

ACCESSORIES: hard plastic casePRICE: $514

S&W 617 PLUS

.22 LR Vel. @15’ Smallest LargestAverageCartridge (f.p.s.) (ins.) (ins.) (ins.)

CCI No. 00051 915 Avg. 2.12 2.23 2.18Pistol Match 23 Sd

Federal No. 711 982 Avg. 1.07 1.95 1.43Gold Medal Target 17 Sd

Winchester 900 Avg. 2.05 2.63 2.37Super Silhouette 47 Sd

Average Extreme Spread 1.99

Five consecutive 5-shot groups from 25 yds., fired fromRansom Rest. Abbreviations: Sd (standard deviation)

ACCURACY RESULTSThe 10-shot cylinder is made of tough7075-T6 aluminum. The steel ejector starfeatures a ratchet that rotates the cylinder36o with each trigger pull, rather than the60o rotation needed by the six-shot cylinder.

The Model 617 Plus features the samelockwork as its six-shot brother, with theexception of a modified hand and ratchet.

The 617 Plus showed good accuracy, par-ticularly with the target loads we tested.

We also noted that, with some ammuni-tion, the cylinder seemed to bind duringrotation. Inspection revealed that the firingpin bushing in the frame projected forwardfrom the recoil plate some .006", leaving agap of only .002" to the cylinder. The cylin-der is counterbored .042" for the cartridgerims; thus, on our test gun, any .22 LR roundwith a rim greater than .044"—or one thatdid not seat fully into its chamber, due todirt or an out-of-round condition—had thepotential to drag against the bushing.

Our sample, it should be stressed, wasan anomaly. Guns with the normal flush-

mounted firing pin bushing would doubt-less not show this behavior.

Firing many .22 Short cartridges inthe revolver could also cause incompletecartridge insertion in the chamber, aspowder residues that accumulate just for-ward of the mouth of this shorter casemay interfere with the seating of thelonger .22 LR cartridge.

The aluminum cylinder of the 617Plus is claimed to be as impervious tonormal gun cleaning solvents and lubri-cants as any steel cylinder. Nylon brush-

es are recommended for the bores and cham-bers of all S&W guns.

After our accuracy firing and field test-ing, during which we expended a total ofmore than 200 rounds, we observed someminor peening around the cylinder stopnotches. This occurred only on the side ofthe notch that slaps against the cylinder stopwhen the revolver is fired rapidly in the dou-ble-action mode. In fairness, similar peen-ing is also frequently observed on steelcylinders. It should also be remembered thatsteel, though stronger than aluminum, isalso much heavier, causing its notches to hitthe cylinder stop with more force.

Though our Plus was reliable and pleas-

ant to shoot, we still found it difficult towarm to its aluminum cylinder (although itsaccuracy did thaw us about the edges a bit).Our feelings, however, we based more ontradition and esthetics than on any concernabout durability or functionality. For thosenot sharing our biases, the 617 Plus com-bines the economy of .22 LR ammunitionwith the feel, looks and accuracy of its big-ger-bore brothers.

Adjustable sights, a grooved backstrapand Smith & Wesson’s new cylinder latchare standard features of the new gun. Notethe semi-target style rimfire-only hammer.

IN its 35 years Cabela’s has grown intoone of the world’s foremost suppliers ofhunting, shooting and outdoor gear.

Though it is perhaps best-known for itsmail-order clothing, Cabela’s also providesconsulting services to sportsmen andwomen on worldwide big game, wing-shooting and fishing expeditions. Most-recently, Cabela’s is sponsoring the outdoorshow Cabela’s Under Wild Skies hosted byTony Makris and aired Saturday morningson ESPN.

Also available from Cabela’s is a line ofblackpowder arms and accessories. Manyare from well-known major U.S. manufac-turers, while others, like the Cabela’sBlackpowder Shotgun reviewed here, aremade primarily overseas and private-brand-ed with the Cabela’s name.

Davide Pedersoli is making these shot-

guns exclusively for Cabela’s, which areavailable in 10-, 12- and 20-ga. The 10- and12-ga. come with X-full, modified andimproved cylinder choke tubes, and 12-ga.full and 10-ga. cylinder tubes are available.The 20-ga. has improved cylinder and mod-ified choke tubes. Barrels are made to han-dle lead or steel shot.

All come with a one-piece Americanwalnut stock with cut checkering at 20 linesper inch on the wrist (the 10-ga. has a check-ered pistol grip stock). Our 12-ga. samplehad a few minor overruns and flat points butwas otherwise well-executed.

The barrels are deep blue with a lightrope pattern stamped around each just for-ward of the nipples effecting attractive con-cealment of the barrel-to-breechplug seam.The side-by-side barrels are solderedtogether with a bottom rib on which three

CABELA’S PERCUSSION SHOTGUN

Davide Pedersoli is making these black-powder shotguns exclusively for Cabela’s.The guns are available in 10-, 12- and 20-ga.

MANUFACTURER: Davide Pedersoli &C, Via Artigiani 57, Gardone V.T.,Brescia, Italy 25063

IMPORTER: Cabela’s, Dept. AR, 81213th Ave., Sidney, NE 69160

MECHANISM TYPE: muzzleloading per-cussion side-by-side shotgun

GAUGE: 10, 12 (tested), 20OVERALL LENGTH: 443⁄4"BARREL LENGTH: 27"WEIGHT: 7 lbs., 1 oz.TRIGGER: single stage double, 81⁄4 lbs.

pull front, 73⁄4 lbs. pull rearSTOCK: American walnut: length of pull,

141⁄8"; drop at heel, 21⁄2"; drop at comb, 11⁄4"

ACCESSORIES: choke tubes, spannerPRICE: $429.99 ($479.99 10-ga.,

$399.99 20-ga.)

CABELA’S SHOTGUN

AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • January 1997 49

The 617 Plus was exceptionally steady inoffhand shooting, making possible off-hand hits on a gallon milk jug at 100 yds.

50 AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • January 1997

blued steel thimbles are solderedto retain the ramrod, and a plaintop rib sporting a single goldbead.

Barrels are connected to thestock with a captive steel wedgepin and hooked breech plugs thatengage recesses in the tang.

All stock furniture, hammers,locks and buttplate are colorcase-hardened steel. A scroll pat-tern is stamped on the locks, top

tang, trigger plate and hammers, and thehammer spurs are checkered.

A half-cock position is provided for cap-ping or uncapping the nipples. The fronttrigger fires the right barrel while the rearfires the left.

We found the easiest method for disas-sembly was to begin by first ensuring thegun was unloaded and no percussion cap orpriming residue was on the nipples. Pullboth hammers back to full-cock, drive outthe wedge pin and lift the barrels from thestock. Turn out the rear-most machine

screw from the right lock, followed by theforward-most wood screw from each lock.The locks can now be lifted straight off forthorough cleaning in hot soapy water andlubrication. Nipples are turned out using astandard No. 11 nipple wrench.

Reassembly is in the reverse order,though when returning the locks to thestock, push their respective triggers all theway forward so they clear the sear as thatpiece re-enters its cut-out inthe stock. Nipples should belightly greased and hand-tightened only.

Loading data that comeswith the 12-ga. Cabela’sblackpowder shotgun in-cludes 11⁄8 oz. and 11⁄4 oz. leadshot loads and a 11⁄8 oz. steelload.

Reasoning that this gunwill most likely see huntinguse on spring gobblers, wepatterned it using 11⁄4 ozs. ofNo. 4 nickel plated lead shotfrom Ballistic Products, Inc.,90.0 grs. by volume of GoexFFg, and a combination ofcardboard and felt overpowder cards and a.022" cardboard overshot card.

Before loading, we used the conversion

factor of (X ozs.)(437.5) = grainsfound in the NRA Firearms FactBook and measured out the shotcharge of 547 grs. on our powderscale. And since weighing outeach charge would be impracti-cal, we used a .458 Win. Mag.case as a volumetric measure asit was found to hold exactly theamount of shot needed.

At first we underestimated theability of the Cabela’s blackpow-der shotgun by setting up the pat-terning board at only 25 yds.Patterns were pretty much 100%

in only a 24" circle, so we moved the pat-terning board back to 35 yds., the distancefor which this double barrel was regulated,with the results shown in the accompany-ing chart. Loads were chronographed usingan Oehler Model 71 and were found to havea muzzle velocity of 1047 f.p.s. The open-ing of Virginia’s dove season correspondedwith the testing of the Cabela’s blackpow-der shotgun so function firing was per-

Reasoning that this gun willmost likely see hunting use onspring gobblers, we patterned itat 35 yds. using No. 4 nickel-plated lead shot from BallisticProducts, Inc. Pellet hits areindicated with a black marker.

AVERAGE OF 10 PATTERNS AT 35 YDS.

5 5 7 7

28 37 28 31

32 34 27 35

5 6 7 9

X Full Barrel Modified Barrel

=Point of Hold11⁄4 ozs. No. 4 shot, 90.0 gr. Goex FFg by volume

Pellet count—182

Total Hits 154 (85%) Total Hits 151 (83%)21.2" Inner Circle 131 (72%) 21.2" Inner Circle 121 (66%)30" Outer Ring 23 (13%) 30" Outer Ring 30 (17%)

CABELA’S SHOTGUN

Extra-full, modified and improved cylindertubes are included with the 12-ga. smooth-bore. Tubes are easily changed using thechoke tube wrench supplied with the gun.

The 27" blued barrels are connected to thestock by way of a captive steel wedge pinand hooked breech plugs that engagerecesses in the color case-hardened tang.

The velocity of our load (90.0-grs. by volume of Goex FFg and11⁄4 ozs. of No. 4 nickel-platedlead shot) in the Cabela’s shot-gun was measured with an Oeh-ler Model 71 inductance sensorand a Model 35 chronograph.

AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • January 1997 51

formed in the dove field with 11⁄4 ozs. of No.71⁄2 shot and 90.0 grs. by volume of GoexFFg. There were no malfunctions of anykind, and though the birds weren’t flying asmuch as we would have liked, the hunt wassuccessful and the muzzleloader proved afun gun to take afield.

We did have some complaints, though.At first the front and rear trigger pulls were121⁄2 lbs. and 123⁄4 lbs., respectively. A dropof Tetra Gun Grease on the sears and somefunction firing almost halved the pullweight, stabilizing it at the poundage stat-ed in the accompanying specification box.

The ramrod is typical of imported muz-zleloaders in that it is light and flimsy andshould be replaced with a synthetic one.Additionally the choke tubes are very sharpat the muzzle so loading the .135" card-board overpowder wad was difficult as thetube tended to cut into and grab the wad.This problem was even more pronouncedwhen loading the X-full tube. Had the choketubes been slightly chamfered, loadingwould have been easier without affectingpatterns. Also, our modified tube had a con-

striction of .025", making it closer toimproved modified and thus yielded atighter pattern.

At first the external hammers were a dis-traction, but after a firing a few shots, theyeasily faded out of conscious vision andtended to help center the shooter’s eye.

So do you need a muzzleloading doublebarrel shotgun? Probably not. But for shoot-

ers who like something a little different, andwho are looking for a gun that is fun toshoot, the Cabela’s blackpowder shotgunmay be the ticket.

A drop of Tetra Gun Grease on the sears ofeach lock cut the trigger pull in half afterfiring a few shots to work in the grease.

MAXIMUM accuracy from the benchdemands a rock-steady front rest,preferably with a top adjustable for

windage and bag tension. A new rest fromAMT Custom Shop offers these featuresand more.

The heart of the Wagner rest (named forits designer, master machinist and AMTproduction manager Joe Wagner) is a 7 lb.,13 oz. cast-iron black-painted base havingthree 71⁄2" legs, all with threaded, pointedleveling screws. The base’s hub isbored .729" to accept the threadedcenter post, threaded 10 T.P.I.,attached to the rest top. A T-handledlocking screw in the hub engages avertical cut in the post, preventingturning and eliminating play betweenthe base and post. Elevation is by a six-spoke star which threads onto the postand sits atop the hub.

Depending upon the top chosen,bag tension is regulated by either slid-ing aluminum angle plates secured byset screws, or by hinged, thumbscrew-adjusted steel side plates. Both ver-sions are available with or withoutwindage adjustment, for a total of fourdifferent tops.

The windage top comprises a steelupper assembly supporting the bag,attached to an aluminum block ridingon steel rods inside a U-shaped alu-minum base screwed onto the centerpost. Springs push the inner blockagainst the finely-threaded windageadjustment screw.

All Wagner Rest tops feature a for-

ward stop, which consists of a plastic-topped threaded rod running inside a slot-ted steel bar welded to the top. Opposedlocking nuts secure the stop at the desiredposition within the slot.

In use, the 14 lb., 2 oz. Wagner rest wassolid and stable, with smooth windageadjustments. Bag pressure was also easilyregulated. Approximately 3/4" of horizon-tal (windage) and 31⁄4" of vertical (height)adjustment was available—a range amply

broad without compromising stability.The Wagner Rest is a well-made, no-

nonsense unit offering the features desiredby accuracy shooters at a competitive price.

Available from: AMT Custom Shop,Dept. AR, 6125 Enterprise Dr., #8,Diamond Springs, CA 95619. Price: stan-dard top, $165; windage adjustable top,$225. Specify bag size: #1 (sporter fore-end), #2 (Anschutz-style target fore-end), or#3 (bench-rest fore-end).

WAGNER RIFLE REST

To remove the locks, fully cock the ham-mers,turn out the rear machine screw,thenthe front wood screw. The lock may thenbe lifted off for cleaning or maintenance.

At 14 lbs., 2 ozs. the Wagner Rest isstable enough for precision shoot-ing. Note the bag tension screws (1),windage adjustment screw (2) andfully adjustable fore-end stop (3).

2.1.

3.