hammerli 208s steyr system sbs rifle kahr …nramuseum.org/media/364080/jul 97.pdfweight, both of...

HAMMERLI, LTD., of Lenzburg, Switz-erland, is one of only a handfulof gunmakers producing exclu-

sively target arms. One of the mostenduring staples in the Hammerli line isthe 208 series, which has been garneringmedals since its introduction in 1963.The original 208 was a modification of thefirm’s 206 pistol to enable it to conform tocompetition rules in the U.S., and it (alongwith the most recent variant, the 208s) hasbecome one of the winningest compe-tition pistol designs of recentdecades, earning many national andinternational records and medals.

The 208s is a blowback-oper-ated, single-action semi-auto-matic pistol having a fixed bar-rel, adjustable target-typesights and an ergonomicwrap-around walnut grip. All208s pistols have blued steel frames andbarrels, with polished flats on the barreland frame and a matte black finish on theother surfaces. The barrel and frame arepermanently threaded together to form asingle rigid unit. The frame has rear railson which the slide rides. The slide extendsforward around and under the barrel, andis tensioned by a single captive coil spring.

Pulling the trigger pivots the triggerseesaw, which draws the trigger bar for-ward to rotate the sear out of the hammernotch, allowing the hammer to fall forwardunder spring tension to strike the firing pin.During recoil, an angled cut on the under-side of the slide cams downward the trig-ger bar, disconnecting it from the sear andallowing that part to reset. Near the end ofits stroke the slide also cocks the hammer,which is retained by the sear.

Inside the slide is a dou-ble-pinned block bored out to accept the pis-tol’s inertia firing pin. On the right side ofthe breechface is the claw of a long, spring-tensioned extractor. A thick ejector pinnedto the left side of the frame rides in a recessin the slide and kicks the empty brass outafter the slide has recoiled about 1".

As expected on a target pistol of the208s’ quality and price, the gun’s triggeris almost infinitely adjustable. The triggerpiece can be moved longitudinally morethan 1/2" by loosening and then retighten-ing a set screw that clamps the pistol’s splittrigger around the trigger seesaw (a pivot-

ing dovetail track connected to the triggerbar). Overall trigger weight is the sum oftrigger slack weight and trigger pullweight, both of which are user-adjustable.Trigger pull travel and coupling creepbetween the trigger bar and sear are alsoadjustable using the supplied Allenwrenches. From the factory, the trigger isset at 1,000 grams (2.2 lbs.) in accordancewith international rules. It is worth notingthat changing factory trigger settings ispotentially hazardous, and many usersshould refer adjustments to a gunsmith.

The safety consists of a serrated cylin-drical piece located at the end of the slide.When the safety piece is rotated so that thewhite mark faces upward, an internal blockprevents the hammer from falling and the

®

Dope Bag is compiled by Staff andContribu-ting Editors: David Andrews, HughC. Birnbaum, Bruce N. Canfield, RussCarpenter, O. Reid Coffield, William C. Davis,Jr., Pete Dickey, Charles Fagg, Robert W.Hunnicutt, Mark A. Keefe, IV, AngusLaidlaw, Scott E. Mayer, Charles E. Petty,Robert B. Pomeranz, O.D., Jim Supica,Charles R. Suydam, A.W.F. Taylerson andStanton L. Wormley, Jr.

CAUTION: Technical data and informa-tion contained herein are intended to pro-vide information based on the limited expe-rience of individuals under specific condi-tions and circumstances. They do not detailthe comprehensive training procedures,techniques and safety precautionsabsolutely necessary to properly carry on

Disassembly begins by turning out therear sight screw (left) and pulling the sightrearward off the frame. Loosen the clampscrew on the barrel weight and remove itforward (above). Retract the slide, pull itsrear up and back and remove it forward.

The 208s is the latest version ofHammerli’s venerable 208 seriesof target .22 LR pistols, whichhave set records and won match-es at the highest levels of nation-al and international competition.

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.

42 AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • July 1997

HAMMERLI 208sSTEYR SYSTEM SBS RIFLE

KAHR ARMS K40 PISTOL

H&R 928 ULTRA SHOTGUN

CONVERT-A-PELL

HAMMERLI 208s

pistol is in the “safe” condition. Rotatingthe safety so that the red mark is visibleunblocks the hammer, and the pistol maybe fired. Note that when the slide is lockedback, the safety must be in the “fire” posi-tion for the slide to go into battery.

Sights are an undercut post in front anda notched rear blade adjustable forwindage and elevation. The rear sight islocated on a mounting plate that straddlesthe slide and attaches directly to the frame.The owner’s manual lists several frontsight elements varying in width and heightthat are retained by a spring-loaded detentball. Also interchangeable are the threeavailable rear sight blades having notches3.2, 3.6 and 4.0 mm wide. Elevation isadjustable through a screw in the sightbody; windage through a screw on the rightside of the rear sight blade support. Eachclick of windage or elevation adjustmentmoves bullet impact 10 mm (.4") at 25meters, or 20 mm at 50 meters. Adjustingelevation and windage, as well as chang-ing rear sight blades, can be done using thesupplied combination tool.

Since optimum balance varies fromshooter to shooter, the 208s is able toaccept three different barrel weights: an80-gram standard weight, and optional200- and 270-gram weights.

Grip shape and size also contribute tothe overall ergonomics of the pistol. The208s pistols imported here come with UIT-style target stocks with stippling and ahand support, in right-hand and left-handversions and in small and regular sizes, aswell as an extra large right-hand set. Thehand support is attached to the appropri-ate stock panel by way of a slot that allowsa 1/2" range of vertical adjustment.

The pistol’s eight-round magazine hasa steel body, a viewing slot that reveals theremaining rounds, a serrated button allow-ing retraction of the follower to ease load-ing and a polymer extension to facilitateseating with the extended stocks. Themagazine is released by pushing its catchrearward. After the last round in the mag-azine is fired, the follower lifts the breechcatch to hold the slide back.

Basic disassembly, detailed in theaccompanying photo sequence, reducesthe pistol to slide and barrel/frame sub-assemblies; further disassembly is notrequired for normal maintenance, whichHammerli advises be done every 1,000rounds. Interestingly, unlike most con-temporary owner’s manuals, the manualfor the 208s gives complete instructionsfor stripping the pistol down to the last pin.

We received a 208s with right-handUIT-style stocks. Hefting the pistol exper-imentally, we found the stocks to be com-

fortable, though angular, but with plentyof meat for the custom-contouring thatmost shooters will do.

The 208s was fired for accuracy withthe results in the accompanying table, andwas function-fired with varied targetammunition, including CCI,Eley, Federal, RWS andWinchester. There were nomalfunctions. No high-veloci-ty ammunition was tried, as themanufacturer warns that suchfodder may damage the pistol.

At first glance, our accura-cy results with the 208s mightseem somewhat disappoint-ing, given its reputation andthe one-hole, 25-meter testtarget that was enclosed withthe pistol. That target, howev-er, was shot with the barrelclamped in a special fixture.

While a few pistols we have tested hererecently grouped better than the 208s,those guns were either fitted with tele-scopic sights or fired from our RansomRest, or both. Given that the Hammerli wasfired off sandbags using iron sights, itsaccuracy was very good indeed, and itwould be difficult to name another pistolwe have tested under the same conditionsthat shot better.

The Hammerli’s handling andergonomics were fully up to what onewould expect from an Olympic-qualitytarget pistol. Balance, grip comfort andtrigger quality were all judged to be verygood. The standard 80-gram barrel weightseemed to give the ideal degree of muzzle-heaviness, and the supplied 3.2 mm (.125")front sight post filled the 3.2 mm rear notchwell, leaving the right amount of daylightvisible on each side of the post.

A subtle but significant advantage ofthe 208s is its slender profile compared

with many more “modern” designs. Thisprofile reduces the amount of arm swaycaused by crosswinds at the firing line, andhelps to explain why the 208s is favoredby many individuals and teams at CampPerry and other outdoor venues.

Judging by its ergonomics, accuracy,reliability and overall high level of quali-ty, as well as its reputation among world-class shooters, the Hammerli 208s wouldseem to be an excellent choice for thoseseeking an arm capable of taking them tothe highest levels of competition.

AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • July 1997 43

MANUFACTURER: Hammerli, Ltd.,Target Arms, Dept. AR, CH-5600Lenzburg, Switzerland

IMPORTER: Sigarms, Inc., Dept. AR,Corporate Park, Industrial Drive,Exeter, NH 03833

MECHANISM TYPE: blowback-operatedsemi-automatic pistol

CALIBER: .22 LR (standard velocity only) OVERALL LENGTH: 10"BARREL LENGTH: 6"WEIGHT: 38 ozs.WIDTH: 2"HEIGHT: 6"MAGAZINE CAPACITY: eightTRIGGER: two-stage, 21⁄2 lbs.SIGHTS: undercut post front; rear notch

adjustable for windage and elevationSTOCK: walnut, oversize with adjustable

hand supportACCESSORIES: cleaning kit, four Allen

wrenches, combination tool, dry fireplug

PRICE: $1925

HAMMERLI 208s

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

Fed. Ultra Match 1056 Avg. 0.56 1.25 1.008 Sd

Lapua Match Grade 1030 Avg. 0.63 1.16 0.9218 Sd

RWS Pistol Match 949 Avg. 1.25 1.61 1.4619 Sd

Average Extreme Spread 1.12

Five consecutive 5-shot groups from 25 yds., fired fromsandbags.Abbreviations: Sd (standard deviation), Fed. (Federal)

ACCURACY RESULTS

This view of the rear of the 208s (below)shows the adjustable rear sight (notewindage and elevation screws), clawextractor (left arrow) and frame-mountedejector (right arrow).The Hammerli’s trig-ger position can be adjusted more than1/2" fore and aft. Screw in trigger seesaw(arrow) adjusts trigger slack; pull weightand overtravel are set by way of the smallscrews accessed inside the magazine well.




CONVERT-A-PELL

STEYR SYSTEM SBS RIFLE


LONG a name well-known to aficiona-dos of European-style sporting arms,Steyr Mannlicher AG has, in recent

years, tended to produce guns having a pricetag out of reach of the average Americanhunter. About six years ago, Steyr begandeveloping a new rifle that, by employingadvanced engineering and manufacturingconcepts, would have the quality, featuresand cost to compete in the American mar-ket. The result is the Steyr SBS (Safe BoltSystem) rifle.

The SBS is available in several variants:a wood-stocked Forester model, a synthet-ic-stocked Pro Hunter and a Mannlichermodel with a polished blue finish and sev-eral barrel and stock options, including a tra-ditional Bavarian stock with rosewoodSchnabel fore-end tip. Two action lengthsare available, for .308- and .30-’06-lengthcartridges. All current SBS versions are ofblued chrome-moly steel only. Americanchamberings include the .243 Win., .25-’06Rem., .270 Win., 7 mm-08 Rem., .308 Win.and .30-’06, with magnum chamberings in7 mm Rem. Mag. and .300 Win. Mag. Alsoavailable are the European 6.5x55 mm,6.5x57 mm, 7x64 mm and 9.5x62 mm, andthe 6.5x68 mm and 8x68S magnums.Barrels are 23.6" long (600 mm), except onmagnum rifles, which sport 25.6" tubes.

The receiver of the System SBS is a1.372"-diameter tube about 81⁄2" long, witha section of its top ground to a flatter con-tour to accommodate Browning A-Bolt-pat-tern scope mounts, which attach by way offour drilled and tapped mounting holes. TheSBS rifle’s minimum-dimension ejectionport, a Steyr trademark, impedes entry ofdirt, twigs and so forth while enhancingreceiver rigidity (though it may make sin-gle-loading with heavy gloves much moredifficult).

The Steyr uses a full-diameter boltwhose body and lug circle have the same.825" diameter. The .636"-diameter bolthead has a .135" recessed face and featuresa plunger ejector opposite a spring-loaded

claw extractor about .19" wide, as well asfour lugs arranged in two 180o-opposedrows in the bolt head, giving a 90o bolt lift.The two rear lugs are smaller than the frontlugs; all are surprisingly beefy for a multi-lug full-diameter bolt, measuring some.367" wide and about .1" high, giving a the-oretical bearing area close to .15 sq. in.—more than that of almost all American bolt

guns. However, due to the substantial camscut into the lug corners, which reduce thearea of the lug face available for seating, theactual bearing area is actually only about .1sq. in. This figure, as well as the Steyr’s cal-culated lug shear area, is more in line withthat of popular commercial bolt-actiondesigns.

Rather than engaging seats containedwithin the receiver ring, the bolt lugs lockinto a barrel extension. This bolt-to-barrellockup simplifies manufacture and permitsfaster, easier headspacing.

Inside the barrel extension is part of theSafe Bolt System, a rotating safety bushingthat fits snugly around the bolt head to con-tain the extractor in the event of a cata-strophic case failure. This, in turn, preventsthe release of a large volume of gas thatcould be injurious to the shooter. Additionalgas control is provided by two holes in thebolt body that face out of the ejection port

to vent gases from a case rup-ture or primer leak.

An oval groove in the boltbody .120" wide and .050" deepsurrounds the ejection port andserves to keep ice and dirt frombuilding up between the boltand receiver and impedingoperation. A straight track

.160" wide by .085" deep along the bolt’sunderside is engaged by the bolt stop to helpguide bolt movement.

The rear section of the bolt, which formsthe rifle’s familiar butter-knife bolt handle,is separate from the forward portion, and thetwo parts are keyed together and joined bythree hex-head set screws. At the rear of thebolt shroud, which blends sleekly with thereceiver contour, is an indicator pin that pro-trudes when the firing pin is cocked.

Inside the bolt body are dual opposedcocking cams, a feature considered by some

This right-side action view shows thedistinctive Steyr bolt shroud profileand handle pattern, as well as theroller safety (left arrow) and the link-age arm (right arrow) that cams downthe bolt stop when the safety is in the“safe” position, allowing boltremoval. The left-side view (below)shows (1) the recoil lug attached bya machine screw (2) having a thread-ed hole for the forward stock screw;(3) the polymer magazine well withslots for the magazine lug detents;and(4) the sear-blocking safety linkage.

The Steyr SBS (Safe Bolt System) rifle is the Austrian firm’s entry into the competitive Americanmarket and features a multi-lug bolt, three-position safety and a number of novel safety features.

1

2

34


to better balance cocking forces and to givesmoother bolt lift.

Bolt disassembly, though not requiredfor routine cleaning and maintenance, isaccomplished by simply depressing the dis-assembly button on the left side of the shroudand then turning the shroud about 1/4" clock-wise. The shroud, firing pin and firing pinspring, as well as the cocking cam ring, canthen be easily slid rearward out of the boltbody. Reassembly is in the reverse order.

A large L-shaped recoil lug is locatedbeneath the receiver ring and is attached tothe receiver by both a large machine screw

and two crossribs on the lug that engagecross-slots cut into the underside of thereceiver. The head of the machine screw isitself drilled and tapped for the forwardstock screw.

The polymer magazine well has twoelongated slots on each side that are engagedby laterally-protruding lugs on the maga-zine body. Pinching in the bilateral maga-

zine catches retracts the lugs and releasesthe magazine. Each lug has two detent posi-tions. When in the first detent position, themagazine protrudes about 1/4" from thestock, and cartridges are prevented fromfeeding from the magazine when the bolt iscycled. Seating the magazine flush with thestock engages the upper detent position andallows normal feeding.

Behind the magazine well is the poly-mer trigger housing that extends rearwardto form the rifle’s tang. Although there seemto be trigger adjustment screws in the trig-ger piece, both pull weight and pre-travelare set at the factory and are not to bechanged by the end user. Curiously, whilethe trigger face is smooth, the back of thetrigger serrated.

Also attached to the trigger housing isthe Steyr’s safety mechanism, which formsan integral part of the Safe Bolt System.Rotating the safety roller all the way for-ward exposes a red dot, indicating that therifle is ready to fire. When the safety is rotat-ed rearward to the “ready” position, expos-ing a white dot, a left-side linkage blocksthe sear from releasing the cocking piece,while still allowing the bolt to be worked.

Further rearward rotation of the safety

piece to the “safe” position exposes a grayplastic button that pops up to block the safe-ty piece from being rotated forward. Whenthe tang safety is in this position and the boltis closed, pushing down on the bolt handleabout 1/2" locks both the handle and the fir-ing pin. They are released only when the graybutton is pressed and the safe-ty is rotated back to the“ready” or “fire” positions.

If the roller safety ismoved to the “safe” positionwhile the bolt is open, a right-side linkage cams downwardthe rifle’s bolt stop, allowingbolt removal. The gray but-ton must be depressed beforethe safety can be rotated for-ward, a feature preventingthe safety piece from beinginadvertently moved toeither the “ready” or “fire”positions with the boltremoved; in either of thosepositions, the bolt stop is

raised, making bolt reinsertion impossible.We received a System SBS rifle cham-

bered in .30-’06. Our gun was furnishedwith a plain but functional walnut stock hav-ing a raised cheekpiece, integral slingswivels and 22 LPI checkering in an unbor-dered point pattern. The execution of thecheckering was generally competent, withno runovers, though there were several flat-tened diamonds. Clear bedding materialwas present inside the stock in the areasaround both stock screws, and the barrel wasfree-floating forward of the receiver ring.

The rifle was fired for accuracy with theresults in the accompanying table, and func-tion-fired with mixed Federal, Hornady,PMC, Remington and Winchester ammuni-tion. There were no functional failures.

Overall, we were impressed with theSystem SBS. Our test rifle’s trigger wasideal for a hunting rifle, breaking at a crispand creep-free 31⁄2 lbs. Though bolt lift wassomewhat stiff (possibly the result of thegun’s newness), the rifle’s bolt guide sys-tem gave slick, bind-free operation. Thestock was also given high marks for prop-erly positioning the head for scope use.

The Steyr System SBS combines tradi-tional and modern elements of gun designwith good performance, and constitutes astrong, accurate and competitively-pricedEuropean alternative to American arms.

.30-’06 Vel. @15’ Smallest Largest AverageCartridge (f.p.s.) (ins.) (ins.) (ins.)

Fed. No. 2769 Avg. 1.23 2.49 1.94165-gr. TB 12 Sd

PMC No. ELD3006XA 2749 Avg. 2.15 2.88 2.56150-gr. X-Bullet 21 Sd

Win. No. S3006X 2695 Avg. 0.99 2.04 1.64180-gr. FS 38 Sd


Five consecutive 5-shot groups from 100 yds., fired fromsandbagsAbbreviations: Sd (standard deviation), Fed. (Federal), TB(Trophy Bonded), Win. (Winchester), FS (Fail Safe)

ACCURACY RESULTS

MANUFACTURER: Steyr MannlicherGes. m.b.H., Shoenauer Strasse5,4400 Steyr, Austria

IMPORTER: GSI, Dept. AR, 108 MorrowAve., Trussville, AL 37173

MECHANISM TYPE: bolt-action rifle CALIBER: .30-'06 (tested), .243 Win., .25-

'06 Rem., 6.5x55 mm, 6.5x57 mm, .270Win., 7 mm-08 Rem., 7x64 mm, .308Win., 9.5x62 mm, 6.5x68 mm, 8x68S,7 mm Rem. Mag. and .300 Win. Mag.

OVERALL LENGTH: 441⁄2"BARREL LENGTH: 233⁄4"WEIGHT: 7 lbs., 6 ozs.MAGAZINE CAPACITY: fourRIFLING: four-groove, RH twistTRIGGER: two-stage, 31⁄4-lb. pullSIGHTS: none; receiver drilled and

tapped for scope mountsSTOCK: walnut; length of pull, 135⁄8"; drop

at heel, 11⁄2"; drop at comb, 11⁄8"ACCESSORIES: sling swivels PRICE: Forester, $929 (standard cal-

ibers), $1045 (magnum calibers); ProHunter, $799 (standard calibers), $899(magnum calibers); Mannlicher from$2795 (standard calibers), $2995(magnum calibers)

STEYR SBS

Bolt removal is accomplished by lifting thebolt handle, rotating the roller safety untilthe gray button (arrow) appears,and pullingthe bolt rearward and out of the receiver.

The SBS bolt head has four locking lugsin two opposed rows, a claw extractor andplunger ejector,and a machined groove onthe bolt body for ice and dirt build-up (arrow).

Depressing the bilateral magazine catch-es on both sides of the magazine causesthe spring-loaded lugs (arrow) to retract,allowing magazine withdrawal. Note thetwo detents on each lug,allowing two mag-azine positions as explained in the text.




CONVERT-A-PELL


AS we reported two years ago (July1995, p. 36), the increasingdemand for a backup or

carry semi-automatic with the sim-plicity of operation of a double-action revolver has produced a newbreed of “slick slide” compacts, socalled because such pistols neitherhave nor need the protruding safety ordecocker levers common to otherautoloaders. The Kahr Arms K9 9x19mm, introduced in 1995, has becomea popular choice for those prefer-ring such handguns, and, perhapsinspired by its success, the firmhas now introduced a .40 S&Wversion of that gun called theK40.

The K40 is an all-steel,striker-fired semi-automaticpistol having a six-round singlecolumn magazine and Hogue peb-bled rubber wrap-around stocks. Bothstainless-steel and chrome-moly steel ver-sions are available; the latter may be had inboth matte black oxide and electroless-nickel-plated finishes. According to KahrArms, the K40 utilizes the same frame asthe K9 as well as many internal parts, allow-ing about 90% parts interchangeabilitybetween the two. The primary differenceslie in the barrels and slides; the slide of theK40 is .040" thicker and .1" longer, givingit about two ounces additional weight tohelp absorb the .40 S&W’s increased recoil.

Mechanically, the new Kahr retains thesame operating mechanism. Positioned inthe rear of the slide is a spring-loaded strik-er with a downward-projecting lug that isengaged by the cocking cam, which has two

offset lobes and rotates around a pinin the frame. A right-side trigger barconnects the cocking cam to the

trigger. Pulling the trigger draws the trig-ger bar forward, causing the lobes of thecocking cam to rotate rearward. The left-hand lobe draws the striker rearwardagainst its spring; the other lobe pushes upthe safety block in the slide. The safetyblock, in its downward position, blocks fullstriker travel.

At the end of the trigger stroke, the safe-ty block is raised fully out of the striker’spath, and the striker lobe of the cocking camslips off the striker lug, allowing the strik-er to fly forward and hit the primer.

Disconnection is by the familiarupward-projecting tab on the trigger bar,which rests in a recess in the underside ofthe slide when that part is in battery. Slidemotion upon firing cams the tab and trig-ger bar downward, disconnecting the trig-ger and the cocking cam and allowing thelatter part to rotate forward to retain thestriker, which is retracted by the recoilingslide. Reconnection occurs when the slidereturns forward and the trigger is released.

Barrel locking and unlocking areaccomplished by a kidney-shaped camtrack in the barrel underlug that engages theslide stop pin. In battery, the blocky cham-ber portion of the K40’s barrel engages thefront edge of the ejection port in the pistol’sslide, locking those two parts together.When the K40 is fired, the slide and barrelrecoil together for 1/4" or so, at which pointthe engagement of the angled portion of thecam track with the slide stop pin has causedthe barrel to drop about .040" down,unlocking it from the slide, which contin-ues rearward to eject the spent case. On theforward stroke, the angled cam surfacerides up the slide stop pin, lifting the barreluntil it engages the slide. The barrel lug is

cut away somewhat on its right sideto allow clearance for a thickenedarea of the frame that overhangs thehead of the trigger bar.

Extraction in the K40 is by a massiveclaw at the rear of the ejection port that istensioned by a spring-loaded plunger. Theequally stout ejector is actually a forwardextension of a part called the frame block,which is pinned in place in a cut at the topof the frame backstrap.

Sights on the K40 are of the dovetailed,fixed variety, with a white dot on the rampedfront post and a vertical white bar under thenotch on the rear. The rear may be driftedlaterally for windage adjustment, and bothits front and rear faces are angled to preventsnagging on the draw. Factory-installedTrijicon night sights are available, addingabout $87 to the cost of all K40 versions.

The K40 features an M1911-style mag-azine catch and there is no magazine dis-connect safety. A plastic finger-rest base-plate is standard on Kahr magazines.

As on the K9, the upward tension of themagazine follower makes it very hard todepress the slide stop to drop the slide onan empty magazine—a feature intended by

MANUFACTURER: Kahr Arms, Dept. AR,184 Prescott St., Worcester, MA 01605

MECHANISM TYPE: short-recoil-operat-ed semi-automatic pistol

CALIBER: .40 S&WOVERALL LENGTH: 61⁄4"BARREL LENGTH: 31⁄2"WEIGHT: 28 ozs.WIDTH: 13⁄16"HEIGHT: 47⁄8"MAGAZINE CAPACITY: sixTRIGGER: 81⁄4 lbs. pullSIGHTS: fixed, white dot on ramped

front post, white bar under rear notch;drift-adjustable for windage

STOCKS: soft rubber wraparound, peb-ble-grain texture

ACCESSORIES: plastic carrying case,extra magazine

PRICE: matte black, $552; stainless steel,$602; electroless-nickel plated, $626

KAHR K40 Disassembly of the Kahr Arms K40 beginsin an M1911-like fashion, with removal ofthe slide stop after aligning that part witha disassembly notch for it on the slide.

The new Kahr Arms .40 S&W K40 retains boththe looks and features of its 9 mm predeces-sor, including its passive firing pin block anddouble-action-only striker-fire mechanism.





CONVERT-A-PELL


WHEN we reviewed the 12-ga. H&R980 Ultra (Jan. 1996, p. 54), oneof our first comments to the man-

ufacturer was, “How about a 20-ga.?” H&Rresponded that one was in development atthat time, and it was announced earlier thisyear and dubbed the Model 920 Ultra. Avariant of the 920, the Model 928 Ultra, was

received for testing, and is reviewed here.Like with the 980, H&R approached

designing the 928 as if they were workingon a rifle. The firm reasoned that sincemost accurate target rifles utilize a heavybarrel, that feature could be adapted to anaccurate slug gun. To that end, the 928Ultra is made using a low-luster blue 12-

ga. barrel blank, bored out to 20-ga., andits entire length has eight-groove 1:38"right-hand twist rifling. The matte black12-ga. action is made from the same high-tensile-strength investment-cast steel usedin the company’s center-fire rifle models.The 928 uses a transfer-bar system thatgreatly reduces the chance of an acciden-

Kahr Arms to alert shooters to an emptymagazine. Disassembly of the K40 is iden-tical to that of its 9 mm predecessor,detailed previously.

We received a K40 finished in electro-less nickel, giving the gun an attractive gold-en-silver appearance that was even and freeof blemishes. According to Kahr, the pistolsare plated by Westfield Electroplating,which also does work for several otherfirearms manufacturers.

We fired the K40 for accuracy with theresults in the accompanying table, andfunction-fired the pistol with more than 300rounds of mixed Black Hills, CCI, Federal,Hornady, PMC and Winchester ammuni-tion. Overall average accuracy, at a hairunder four inches at 25 yds., was equal tothat of the K9, and more than adequate forits intended self-defense purpose. Therewas only a single failure to feed, with aHornady XTP load.

Our first impression of the K40 was pret-ty much the same as for the K9: the littlepistol felt surprisingly substantial for itssize, the result of its all-steel construction.Machining quality was quite good, and therobustness of its parts gave one the impres-sion that the pistol had perhaps been over-engineered—a desirable and comfortingtrait in a personal protection gun. Kahr Armsreports that in its own torture tests, the K40withstood more than 10,000 rounds with nodisabling failures and only regularly-sched-uled cleaning and spring replacement.

The K40’s recoil was sharp, as was to beexpected from the .40 S&W, but notunpleasant nor uncontrollable. The pistol’s81⁄4-lb. trigger pull weight was smooth, withno grittiness and very little stacking, andreminded us of a good revolver trigger. Forsome, it will take a little mental adjustmentto get used to a semi-automatic pistol hav-ing no safety, decockeror hammer, nor indica-tors showing a loadedchamber or cockedstriker. The Kahr K40 isthus similar to a typicaldouble-action revolver,and requires the samelevel of care in its useand operation.

Few criticisms canbe leveled at the K40.Chief among themwould probably be its28-oz. weight, whichwill tend to causetrousers to sag and purs-

es to bulge a bit more than would a lightergun. The extra weight, however, is a boonwhen shooting the compact pistol, and givesthe gun a gratifyingly solid feel. This feel,combined with the K40’s reliability, sim-plicity and strength, will undoubtedly makethe new pistol appealing to many.


.40 S&W Vel. @15' Smallest Largest AverageCartridge (f.p.s.) (ins.) (ins.) (ins.)

Fed. No. P40HS2 1055 Avg. 2.32 3.86 3.05155-gr. HS 7 Sd

Hdy. No. 9132 1137 Avg. 2.48 5.53 4.22155-gr. XTP 14 Sd

PMC No. C40SFB 1078 Avg. 3.53 5.07 4.48155-gr. SF 22 Sd


Five consecutive 5-shot groups from 25 yds., fired from sandbags.Abbreviations: Sd (standard deviation), Fed. (Federal), HS (Hydra-Shok), Hdy. (Hornady), XTP (Extreme Terminal Performance), SF(Starfire)

ACCURACY RESULTS

The K40 has a beefier slide to handle thegreater recoil of the .40 S&W cartridge.The K40 has a large claw extractor (leftarrow) and a stout ejector (right arrow).

Barrel lockup in the K40 is accomplished byway of a kidney-shaped cut in the lower bar-rel lug that engages the slide stop pin,caus-ing the barrel to be cammed down as theslide retracts and up as it goes into battery.

The Model 928 Ultra from H&R 1871, Inc., is a 20-ga. slug shotgun whosebarrel starts as a 12-ga. blank. The action is of the same high-tensile-strength investment-cast steel used in the company’s center-fire rifle offerings.


tal discharge from a blow to the hammeror from a dropped hammer during thecocking process.

The sample we received for testingcame with a camouflage-laminate hard-wood Monte Carlo stock with hand-cutcheckering on the pistol grip and fore-end. The stock comes equipped withsling swivels and a generous ventilatedrecoil pad.

A reversible extension is attached tothe hammer to permit easy cocking witha scope attached. The pushbutton break-open latch is to the right of the hammer.

No sights are provided with the 928Ultra, though it does come with a facto-ry-mounted Weaver-style scope base.

The 928 Ultra is essentially a scaled-down version of the 980 Ultra, though“scaled-down” could be misinterpreted,as the weight is only six ounces less,thanks to the additional weight of the lam-inated stock. The 920 is a lighter version,and uses a solid birch stock and weighs inat 81⁄2 lbs.—about a pound less than the 12-ga. model.

Like with the 980, an 8" piece of steelround stock weighing 11⁄2 lbs. is retainedin the buttstock to counterbalance theweight of the barrel.

Ta k e - d o w nfollows that ofother H&R andNew EnglandFirearms single-barrel break-openshotguns. Beginby ensuring thegun is unloaded,and all ammuni-tion is removedfrom the area.Next, turn out thesingle Phillips-head screw fromthe gun’s fore-end, allowing it tobe lifted off, and tip the barrel from theaction. No further disassembly is requiredfor routine cleaning or maintenance.Reassembly is in the reverse order.

We fired the H&R 928 for accuracywith the results shown in the accompany-ing table, and function-fired it withBrenneke, Federal, Lightfield,Remington and Winchester ammunition.There were no failures of any kind. Inhindsight, we had underestimated theability of the Model 980 Ultra by testingit for accuracy at only 50 yds. That beingthe case, we mounted a Tasco rubber-armored 3-9X scope on the 928 Ultra andattempted to test the gun at 100 yds. Gustyspring winds blew the 20-ga. slugs aroundto the point that we had to return to theNRA Technical Staff’s 50-yd. indoorrange for testing with the results shown inthe accompanying table.

The H&R 928 can safely fire any sabot-ed or non-saboted 23⁄4" or 3" slug, though

accuracy will be best realized with the useof saboted slugs. Foster and Brenneke-type rifled slugs were tried in the course

of test firing, with theWinchester Foster-typeload shown in theaccompanying table. Itsinclusion is only for thesake of showing thesuperiority of the sabot-ed slugs in the H&R 928,so the accuracy of thisload is not included inthe average.

Recoil was consid-ered minimal, andjudged tolerable, even tothe recoil sensitive, afterfiring nearly 100 slugsduring a single testingsession. Further aiding

the gun’s accuracy was the crisp triggerthat broke clean at four lbs.

We found the H&R 928 Ultra to beno less of a gun than the larger 980, andwere pleased to see it too deliver accu-racy above and beyond what one wouldexpect from a gun in its economicalprice range.

MANUFACTURER: H&R 1871, Dept. AR,60 Industrial Rowe, Gardner, MA 01440

MECHANISM TYPE: break-open, single-shot shotgun

GAUGE: 20, 3"OVERALL LENGTH: 393⁄8"BARREL LENGTH: 24"WEIGHT: 9 lbs., 2 ozs.RIFLING: eight-groove, 1:35" RH twistTRIGGER: single-stage, 4 lbs. pullSIGHTS: none, equipped with Weaver-

style scope baseSTOCK: camouflage laminated hard-

wood: length of pull, 141⁄8"; drop atcomb, 1"; drop at heel, 11⁄2"

ACCESSORIES: black nylon sling,reversible hammer extension

PRICE: $239.95

H&R 928 ULTRA

20-ga. Vel. @15' Smallest Largest AverageCartridge (f.p.s.) (ins.) (ins.) (ins.)

Lightfield Hybred LFEN12S 1477 Avg. 1.87 2.80 2.2323⁄4" 7/8 oz. HPS 13 Sd

Federal Premium P203 SS 1421 Avg. 1.23 1.72 1.4423⁄4" 5/8 oz. H-SHPS 11 Sd

Remington PR20RS 1456 Avg. 2.49 3.14 2.7523⁄4" 3/4 oz. CSHP 18 Sd

Winchester Super-X SX20RS5PK 1523 Avg. 2.67 4.13 3.6323⁄4" 5/8 oz. FRS 12 Sd


Five consecutive 5-shot groups from 50 yds., fired from sandbagsAbbreviations: Sd (standard deviation), CSHP (Copper Solid hollow-point), FRS(Foster-type rifled slug), HPS (hollow-point sabot), H-SHPS (Hydra-Shok hollow-point sabot)

ACCURACY RESULTS

A reversible extended ham-mer spur helps make cock-ing easier when a scope ismounted on the Model 928Ultra’s factory-instal ledWeaver-style base. A trans-fer-bar safety system helpsto prevent accidental firing.

An 8" piece of steel round stock weighing 11⁄2lbs. is secured in the buttstock with a woodscrew to offset the weight of the bull barrel.

hammerli 208s steyr system sbs rifle kahr …nramuseum.org/media/364080/jul 97.pdfweight, both of...

Documents