A new cartridge

Ready for yet another new handgun cartridge, as if one is needed? If not, look elsewhere, but if you have the guts, read on.

I've been toying with this idea for some time, and I'll be the first to admit it's all pure conjecture based solely on my very limited knowledge of ballistics, but since when has ignorance been a bar to pontification? If knowledge of what one is speaking about was required, the Internet would be a lot smaller.

Without further ado, here's the new round: the .380 Manstopper. It's a bottleneck cartridge made from the .45 GAP necked down to accept .380 bullets in the 80-90 grain range that scoot out of the barrel at (here's where my ballistic ignorance really starts to show) around 1500-1600 fps. With a Barnes 80-grain bullet and that velocity, I suspect it might be a good fight stopper. (Of course, I might be on another planet with this idea, but who knows?) The round could be chambered in a 9mm-framed gun and it probably would be relatively pleasant/easy to shoot. Sure, this round will probably over penetrate like crazy, but...

I'll be anxiously checking my e-mail for all of the manufacturer's interest this new idea is sure to generate. Yup, after this idea gets picked up it looks like it's Easy Street for me, what with all the royalties and stuff. Yee-haa!!!

Take care.
DAL357

P.S. The photo above shows the .357 Sig cartridge, not the .380 Manstopper, since the .380 Manstopper exists only in my mind, but it would look somewhat similar.

Bands That Blew

While I no longer listen much to pop/rock music, and I haven’t for a good many years, my mind occasionally goes back to the days when rock, especially AOR (album oriented rock) ruled my roost. When that happens, invariably it will come to those bands that were just plain God-awful. In other words, they were formulaic, contrived monstrosities designed to rake in cash and chicks (I can’t blame ‘em for that last one) with as little originality as possible.

Probably my all time winner in the Bands That Blew category is Foreigner. Even after all of these years, I still cringe when I hear “Cold as Ice,” or “Hot Blooded,” or "Head Games," or "Juke Box Hero," or "Feels Like the First Time," or "Double Vision," or "Waiting for a Girl Like You." What complete and utter schlock. If you liked power chords played with precise monotony, not to mention lyrics of intense asininity, then Foreigner was probably your cup of tea. No doubt you also thrilled to the sounds of the band Whitesnake, another sorry excuse for a musical group, or even--GASP!--Journey.

Of course, these aren’t the only bands that would fit into the BTB realm. They are just the ones that that I recall most vividly. Perhaps the rest have been, mercifully, forgotten. Do you have a few bands in mind that you believe were/are worthy only of scorn? If so, do tell.

Take care.
DAL357