Author: wizardpc

I got an email a couple of weeks ago from the fine folks at LuckyGunner.com asking me to review some ammo for them. Since one of my goals in life is to shoot as much free ammo as possible, I accepted. 😀

They sent me two boxes of 130gr Solid Copper Hollowpoints from Magtech.

My initial thoughts were “Solid copper? Seriously? And only 130gr?”

Then I remembered the perennial lead ammo bans that come up as bills in California or as EPA proposals. The small weight (.40 S&W is usually about 180gr) is still heavier than your typical 9mm round, so that is less of an issue than I originally thought.
Robb did a fantastic review of this same ammo last year, and you should go over there to see the pretty flowers this stuff makes when it expands.

So the only thing left to know is: How well does it shoot?

In a word: Awesomely

I went down to the local range and tested it out. My method was to “warm up” with some target ammo, then alternate between the test ammo, target ammo, and my current carry ammo–180gr Winchester Ranger SXT.

The four shot group from the Magtech ammo was well within “acceptable” levels.

I also filled a magazine with 3 rounds of each ammo and fired that in one relay, just to get a sense for how each round felt with regards to recoil. The Ranger SXT definitely had more felt recoil than the other two, but the Magtech ammo and the target ammo were very close in feel. This is important, as most people shoot lower-recoil target ammo, but carry hotter self defense loads. I have absolutely no evidence to back this up, but I suspect the higher recoil might affect accuracy. These rounds might be a good way to mitigate that.

I’m pretty sure I’ll be using these to fill up my new M&P. Plus, hippies will like the fact that I’m being green, right?

This was published last month, but I only recently discovered it via Bruce Schneier.

The operation’s intent, secondary to the threats on paper at least, was to broadly collect intelligence on the Patriot movement’s members and activities, according to records of the investigation and former FBI agents who worked on the case.

Three Patriot groups were directly targeted by PATCON — [Texas Light Infantry], an Alabama organization called Civilian Material Assistance, and the Tennessee-based American Pistol and Rifle Association.

My favorite part of the article is where the FBI reported that two groups got together, and each accused the other of being infiltrated and under surveillance. They were both right.

You know how to tell which one is the FBI informant, right? He’s the one advocating violence.