From: callison@kittyhawk.ecn.uoknor.edu (James P. Callison)
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: Re: home protection concerns
Date: 22 Jan 93 14:08:23 GMT
Organization: Engineering Computer Network, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA

In article <JANECZKO.93Jan20222918@csd630a.erim.org> janeczko@csd630a.erim.org (Mike Janeczko) writes:
#I recently bought a S&W model 686 (i.e. Stainless steel 6" .357) for both 
#protection and hunting.  I was talking with my father about loads to keep 
#around the house for protection.  He said definetly use factory loads.  His 
#reason was that if by chance you end up killing a perp. with a handloaded
#cartridge, the prosecuting lawyer might portray you using excessive force.
#His reasoning might be that necessary force could have been carried out 
#with factory load (i.e. non-maximum loads).  This also got me thinking about 
#the caliber of the gun also being considered as excessive force?  Has there 
#been any cases involving this?

I seriously doubt this; if I remember, I'll check Westlaw and Lexis tomorrow
for possible cites.
Factory loads are, in point of fact, often more powerful than handloads.
Cor-bons are specifically designed to provide high velocities and energies;
the PMC factory 240gr. TCSP .44Magnum is by far the hottest pistol load
I've ever shot (it leaves the muzzle at 1300fps, 900ft-lbs of energy). (You
T/C Contender owners shut up. :-) Quite frequently, people actually load
ammo _down_ from maximum loads--it provides better accuracy and makes the
gun much more controllable. That's why target loads kick much less than
full-house loads; they're specifically downloaded.  I can't see the caliber 
making any difference at all; the .357Magnum, while a fair piece more 
powerful than most handgun cartridges, is nobbut a baby in the Wonderful 
World of Magnum Pistols(tm). Put it up against a .44Magnum, or a .41Magnum, 
or a .50AE, and you'll see just how undersized it really is in the world 
of Real Guns(tm).  If you're really worried about this, use 
Cor-bon +P .38Spl instead of .357Mag. You'll get acceptable performance, 
and the defense of factory ammo, if you want.

#Another point my father made that I guess makes sense is that when loading a 
#clip  (doesn't apply in my case, at least not yet :-)  you should 
#"fingerprint-proof" your bullets.  This can be done by loading the clip with a 
#glove on or use a towel when loading.  This gives one less piece of evidence 
#tieing you to the gun.  It may not help, but why give the prosecutor any kind 
#of edge.

Fingerprint proof your bullets? Why in God's name would you do that? You
can't recover fingerprints from a fired bullet, and, unless you just
shot someone illegally, there's no need to worry. Besides, forensics labs
don't need the fingerprints off the cases; the gun leaves its own
"fingerprint" on the case and bullet. The only thing you gain by loading
with gloves on is avoiding getting excess body oil on the bullets; 
excess oil is detrimental to primers, and, if ammo is handled enough, you'll
run a much higher risk of misfires due to primer contamination.

The only people who need to worry about fingerprint-proofing their guns
are people who use them to commit crimes. If you shoot someone in 
self-defense, you're still going to have the gun with you when the
police arrive (witholding evidence is a crime, too), and they'll get
all the answers they need from the boys down in forensics if you don't
give them to the investigators. (Which, as has been suggested, you
should do with counsel present.) I guess I just don't understand the
reasoning behind this...it seems like a monumental waste of time
and energy for no gain, and potential increased loss.

				James

James P. Callison       Microcomputer Coordinator        OU Law Library 
Callison@aardvark.ucs.uoknor.edu   /\    Callison@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu
	constellation!biglaw!callison@mailhost.ecn.uoknor.edu
DISCLAIMER: I'm not an engineer, but I play one at work...
	"God didn't make men and women equal. Colonel Colt did."
			--Maggie Zombro, "Reasonable Doubts"