52 AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • May 1995

Dope Bag is compiled by Staff and ContributingEditors: David Andrews, Hugh C. Birnbaum, Bruce N.Canfield, Russ Carpenter, O. Reid Coffield, William C.Davis, Jr., Pete Dickey, Charles Fagg, Robert W.Hunnicutt, Mark A. Keefe, IV, Ron Keysor, AngusLaidlaw, Scott E. Mayer, Charles E. Petty, Robert B.Pomeranz, O.D., Charles R. Suydam and A.W.F.Taylerson.

CAUTION: Technical data and information containedherein are intended to provide information based on thelimited experience of individuals under specific condi-tions and circumstances. They do not detail the compre-hensive training procedures, techniques and safety pre-cautions absolutely necessary to properly carry on simi-lar activity. Read the notice and disclaimer on the con-tents page. Always consult comprehensive referencemanuals and bulletins for details of proper trainingrequirements, procedures, techniques and safety pre-cautions before attempting any similar activity.

®

THERE was a time, 20 years ago, when theSmith & Wesson Model 29 was about

the only .44 Mag. double-action revolverand, thanks to the publicity generated by theClint Eastwood classic “Dirty Harry,”Model 29s were scarce and expensive.

Now, although autoloaders are the cultguns, double-action .44 Mags. are availablefrom Colt, Llama, Ruger, Smith & Wessonand Wesson Firearms. It might seem aninauspicious time to add another to thelist, but Brazilian maker Taurus hasbecome successful by challenging theestablished brands on their own turf,and plans to carve a slice of the .44market for itself.

Taurus has for several yearsoffered .44 Spl. revolvers, but theseare five-shot versions made on .357Mag. frames, and hardly could beexpected to stand up to .44 Mag. pounding,even if their owners could.

So it has introduced a new and largerframe for its new Model 44 line.Interestingly, rather than simply scaling upthe .357 frame, Taurus has retained the grip-frame dimensions, allowing the use of after-

market grip panels (and the K-frame S&WRansom Rest adapter). Rubber panels padthe grip to a more hand-filling size.

The rest of the frame, however, is muchlarger. It is .30" higher in front of the cylin-der and the barrel is thicker than the .357Model 669’s by a similar figure.

We examined two of the three versionsin the Model 44 line: a 4"-barreled stain-less and a 61⁄2"-barreled blued gun.Barrels 83⁄8" long also are available. Bothhad Taurus’ new built-in compensatorsystem that is immediately recognizableby the eight upward-pointing holes thatflank the front sight. They exhaust gasfrom an expansion chamber about 1" deep.

While the 4" revolver has a solid ribthat reminded us of the Ruger GP100,the 61⁄2" gun had a Colt Python-type ven-tilated rib that will be an obvious mount-ing point for scopes.

The sighting system uses a Patridgefront blade with an orange insert. This ispinned to a heavy ramp, so replacementwith alternative styles should be fairlyeasy. The rear sight is click-adjustablefor setting windage and elevation, and its

notch is outlined in white.The general outline of

Taurus revolvers often promptsthe claim that they are no morethan copies of the Smith & Wesson design,but the internal lockwork of the guns is nowmuch different.

The hammer spring is coiled rather than

MANUFACTURER: Forjas Taurus, S.A.,511 Av. do Forte, Porto Alegre, Brazil

IMPORTER: Taurus Int’l Firearms, Dept.AR, 16175 N.W. 49th Ave., Miami, FL33014

MECHANISM TYPE: double-action revolverCALIBER: .44 Mag. (also .44 Spl.)OVERALL LENGTH: 91⁄2"BARREL LENGTH: 4", (tested) 61⁄2", 83⁄8"WEIGHT: 44 ozs.WIDTH: 13⁄4"HEIGHT: 6"CYLINDER CAPACITY: 6TRIGGER: single-action pull, 4 lbs.; double-

action, 15 lbs.SIGHTS: Patridge with white-outline click-

adjustable rear, serrated ramp front withorange plastic insert

PRICE: $500

TAURUS MODEL 44

TAURUS MODEL 44 REVOLVERTAURUS MODEL 44 REVOLVER

The rear sight is click-adjustable for windageand elevation and its square notch is outlinedin white. A wide target-type hammer is fitted.

The Taurus Model 44 can be had with a4" barrel with solid rib or with 61⁄2" and83⁄8" barrels with ventilated ribs. All mod-els are equipped with rubber grip panels.

flat, and the rebound slide is replaced by acoiled trigger return spring and strut.

Taurus revolvers also use a transfer barignition system with a frame-mounted fir-ing pin in place of the S&W hammer blocksafety. The Model 44 is equippedwith a wide, smooth combat trig-ger and target-style hammer.

Both Model 44s were fired foraccuracy from the Ransom Restand function-fired with a varietyof ammunition types. The onlymalfunction we suffered wasunlatching of the 4" gun’s cylin-der when firing from the RansomRest. The problem didn’t occurwhen firing from the hand.

We were interested to see howwell the compensator systemworked, and it seemed very effec-tive in the 61⁄2" gun, which provedto be one of the most comfortable.44s we’ve fired. The 4" gun wasa bit more of a handful, not sur-

prising given its lighter weight and thereduced leverage the shorter barrel providesthe compensator.

Flash and muzzle blast were not obtru-sive at all with the 61⁄2" gun. Flash was quitebright with the 4" gun, and blast was notice-able, though not as bad as the bark of somecompensated .38 Super pistols we’ve tried.

Taurus has considerably upgraded the fitand finish of its pistols in recent years, tothe point that they readily can bear com-parison with American brands. When this iscombined with aggressive pricing, it’s easyto predict success for the new Model 44.

AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • May 1995 53

44"" BBAARRRREELL.44 Mag. Vel. @15’ Smallest Largest AverageCartridge (f.p.s.) (ins.) (ins.) (ins.)

CCI No. 3972 1353 Avg. 1.87 3.46 2.76200-gr. JHP 31 Sd

Federal No. 44C 1241 Avg. 2.29 3.72 3.05220-gr. MCP 27 Sd

PMC No. 44B 1351 Avg. 2.51 5.48 4.10180-gr. JHP 45 Sd

PMC No. C44SFA 1055 Avg. 1.58 3.53 2.42240-gr. JHP 25 Sd

Samson No. 44-48B 1187 Avg. 2.45 3.78 3.40240-gr. JHP 17 Sd

Average Extreme Spread 3.14

Five consecutive 5-shot groups at 25 yds. fired fromRansom rest. Abbreviations: Sd (standard devia-tion), JHP (jacketed hollow-point), MCP (metalcase profile), SWC (semi-wadcutter)

ACCURACY RESULTS

6611⁄⁄22"" BBAARRRREELL.44 Mag. Vel. @15’ Smallest Largest AverageCartridge (f.p.s.) (ins.) (ins.) (ins.)

Rem. R44MG5 1638 Avg. 1.57 2.47 2.27180-gr. SJHP 21 Sd

Samson 1025-87 1321 Avg. 1.41 3.19 2.36240-gr. JSP 20 Sd

Win. X44MSTHP2 1238 Avg. 1.26 3.72 2.15210-gr. STHP 31 Sd

Average Extreme Spread 2.26

Five consecutive 5-shot groups at 25 yds. fired fromRansom Rest. Abbreviations: Sd (standard deviation),SJHP (semi-jacketed hollow-point), JSP (jacketed soft-point), STHP (Silvertip hollow-point), Rem. (Remington),Win. (Winchester)

ACCURACY RESULTS

Felt recoil is reduced by a built-in compen-sator whose eight holes are ranged in pairson either side of the Model 44’s front sight.

BENELLI MP 95E PISTOLBENELLI MP 95E PISTOLTHOUGH well received here, Benelli’s

MP 90S pistol (July 1993, p. 61),configured for UIT (Union Inter-nationale de Tir) or standard pistol com-petition,was,and still is,priced out of reachfor the average shooter. Most shooters don’trequire a six-way adjustable trigger and astippled, UIT-style stock with anadjustable heel shelf.

European American Armory is nowoffering a less expensive version, the MP95E, that keeps many of the earlier gun’sdesirable traits, like the central ejectionport and low line of sight, but does awaywith the bells and whistles considerednecessary for international competition.

The method of operation remainsunchanged from the MP 90’s and theframe, bolt, barrel, barrel weight andsights are unchanged save for the finish

The MP95E pistol is a ver-sion of the MP90S, modi-fied to please U.S. shoot-ers with a simpler triggerand built-in scope mounts.

continued on p. 56

56 AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • May 1995

and the top rib. Two finishes are offered inboth .22 LR and .32 S&W (available thissummer) calibers, matte blue and chrome.Benelli’s name and logo have also beenprominently added and outlined in red onthe frame below the front sight. The top ofthe frame is grooved along its length andslide rails have been added to accommodateWeaver-style rings.

The receiver has no grip frame in the tra-ditional sense; only the stock bolt protrudesfrom the bottom of the frame. The bolt hastwo guide lugs, with vertical grasping

grooves, that project into recesses on theframe. The right lug has a hold-open buttonactivated by pressing inward while the boltis open. Retract the slide and the spring-loaded button moves out of engagement,allowing the bolt to close. The extractor ison the right side of the bolt face, while a lipextending up from the left side of the mag-azine serves as the ejector.

Located at the left front of the triggerassembly is the magazine release button.Pressing it drops the magazine from its wellin front of the trigger guard. There is no pro-vision to reverse it for southpaws. Five- and10-round magazines are available, thoughthe 10-rounder is standard equipment.

A simplified but comfortable Europeanwalnut stock with an ambidextrous thumbshelf replaces the adjustable model. Thebottom is flat and bears a Benelli logo. Thetwo-piece stock of our sample had 24-line-per-inch checkering in a bordered point pat-tern with no overruns.

The trigger unit supplied is unadjustable,

though the fully adjustable unit is availablefrom EAA and would be simple to install.The MP 95E’s single-stage trigger broke at2 lbs., 2 ozs., with a slight amount of over-travel, but was still one of finest out-of-the-box units we have received in some time.

Another definite improvement is theambidextrous hammer-blocking safety.Instead of merely satisfying the BATFimport requirement, the new unit is func-tional and easy to use. Pulling the lever justahead of the trigger to the rear puts the flatof the safety’s shaft in the path of a projec-tion on the back of the hammer, preventingmovement. When in the “off” position, a reddot is visible through the viewing slot onboth sides of the safety. When engaged, thesafety lever is drawn rearward into the trig-ger guard and blocks trigger access.

The rear sight is click-adjustable forwindage and elevation, with a removableramp-mounted blade front sight. The sightradius is 8.56".

Disassembly follows that of the MP 90S.Depress the magazine release, remove the

magazine and retract the slide to check thatthe chamber is unloaded. With the actionclosed, grasp the locking head, pull it for-ward and lift it straight up and out. Removethe bolt by retracting it until the guide lugsare out of the rails on the frame and lift themup and draw the bolt assembly to the front.

To remove the trigger assembly, driveout the front retaining pin and pull the com-

plete assembly down and forward. Turn outthe stock screw and lift out the screw andits washer, allowing the stock to be pulleddown and off. No further disassembly isrequired for routine maintenance and clean-ing. Reassembly is in reverse order.

The MP 95E was fired for accuracy, withthe results shown in the accompanyingtable, and function-fired with CCI, Eley andRWS ammunition. There were no failuresof any kind. The MP 95E stacked up quitewell to its UIT-intended cousin tested herein 1993. Its average extreme spread withsimilar ammunition measured 1.42" vs. theMP 90’s 1.41".

The Benelli MP 95E, then, is an inter-esting and accurate adaptation ofits high-end pistol with practicaladded features and a price lowenough to interest plinkers as wellas serious competitors.

.22 Long Rifle Vel. @15’ Smallest Largest AverageCartridge (f.p.s.) (ins.) (ins.) (ins.)

CCI Pistol Match 952 Avg. 1.34 2.22 1.7913 Sd

Eley LR Pistol 932 Avg. 0.74 1.64 1.1417 Sd

RWS Pistol Match 909 Avg. 0.99 1.50 1.31#213244.2 14 Sd

Average Extreme Spread 1.42

Five consecutive 5-shot groups at 25 yds. fired from sand-bags.Abbreviations: Sd (standard deviation)

ACCURACY RESULTS

MANUFACTURER: Benelli Armi, S.p.A., Viadella Stazione, 50, 61029 Urbino, Italy

IMPORTER: European American ArmoryCorp., Dept. AR, P.O. Box 1299, Sharpes,FL 32959.

MECHANISM TYPE: blowback-operatedsemi-automatic pistol

CALIBER: .22 Long Rifle (tested), .32 S&WLong

OVERALL LENGTH: 117⁄16"BARREL LENGTH: 41⁄4"WEIGHT: 2 lbs. 2 oz.HEIGHT: 5"WIDTH: 111⁄16"MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 10 (5 available)TRIGGER: single-stage; 2 lb. 2 oz. pullRIFLING: 8 groove, 1:18" RH twistSIGHTS: elevation and windage adjustable

notch rear, blade frontACCESSORIES: carrying case PRICE: $ 549.95 (blue), $624.95 (chrome)

BENELLI MP 95E

The pistol’s design helps tominimize muzzle jump forfast repeat shots. Its disas-sembly begins (below) withthe removal forward and upof the locking head. Thenthe bolt assembly can belifted upward off the frame.

continued from p. 53

AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • May 1995 57

MAGNUM Research, Inc., is one of thenation’s up-and-coming importers.

The firm got its start with the Israel MilitaryIndustries Desert Eagle pistol, and since hasadded the IMI-assembled Baby Eagleautoloaders, the Mountain Eagle pistol pro-duced by Ram-Line, the Lone Eagle single-shot and most recently, the CZ line of riflesand pistols.

About the only misstep the firm hasmade was an attempt at importing Ber-nardelli shotguns, but that apparently hasn’tput MRI off pricy long guns, since it hasnow introduced a Mountain Eagle rifle.

The new gun is part of the growingbreed of semi-custom rifles that combineparts from several sources at a price that’swell above familiar guns, but below thecost of a special-ordered custom rifle. Inthis case, a Sako action is combined witha Krieger barrel and Bell & Carlson stock.

The action will be familiar to any Sako

owner, and even more so to those whohave owned Browning, Colt or H&R bolt-actions of the 1960s that used Sakoactions. That’s because the MountainEagle uses a round-topped receiver thatdeletes Sako’s tapered dovetail scopemounting system.

This will appeal both to buyers whodon’t care for Sako’s mounting systemand to dealers who now will have a muchwider range of mount possibilities, sincethe Mountain Eagle uses the Model 700screw spacing.

The Sako action needs little introduc-tion. Its particulars can be summed up bysaying it is based on 98 Mauser principles,though with a hook extractor in place ofthe Mauser claw. What looks like a clawextractor is a guide rib that helps preventbinding of the bolt as it is cycled. Theejector is an extension of the bolt stop that

passes through a slot in theleft bolt lug.

The two-position safety is at the rightrear of the action and blocks both sear andtrigger when moved rearward. It alsoextends a plunger upward through theaction floor to prevent bolt rotation.

The trigger is adjustable in a range of2-7 lbs. by turning a screw at the front ofthe trigger unit. Turning it counterclock-wise reduces pull weight.

The stock is made by Bell & Carlsonto a design by gunsmith Jim Tertin of apebble-grained gray fiberglass. Check-ering is molded in at 16 lines per inch.The buttstock is configured for scope use,and slopes down from heel to comb. Thisis appropriate, since it cannot be had withiron sights.

Bedding is by a pillar at the rear action

MOUNTAIN EAGLE RIFLEMOUNTAIN EAGLE RIFLE

MANUFACTURER: Magnum Research Inc.,Dept. AR, 7110 University Dr.,Minneapolis, MN 55432

MECHANISM TYPE: bolt-action rifleCALIBER: .300 Win. Mag. (tested), 7 mm

Rem. Mag., .338 Win. Mag., .270 Win.,.280 Rem., .30-’06

OVERALL LENGTH: 431⁄2"BARREL LENGTH: 24"WEIGHT: 8 lbs., 2 ozs.MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 4 (5 in standard

calibers) RIFLING: six-groove, 1:10" RH twistTRIGGER: single-stage, 31⁄2 lbs. pullSTOCK: fiberglass: length of pull, 131⁄4";

drop at heel, 7/8"; drop at comb, 11⁄4"PRICE: $1,650

MAGNUM RESEARCH

The Magnum Research Mountain Eagle is a premium-priced rifle thatcombines a Sako action with a Bell & Carlson stock and Krieger barrel.Sako’s integral scope mounts are deleted in favor of conventional bases.

In lieu of recoil lug integral with the receiv-er or trapped between receiver and barrel,the Mountain Eagle uses an aluminum plat-form glued into the stock (arrow) that con-tacts the flat receiver bottom around thestock bolt, much like the Tikka M658 rifle.

58 AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • May 1995

THE Valmet line of shotguns and combi-nations was first introduced to

American shooters in 1952 by theWashington, D.C.-based importer FirearmsInternational Corp. In 1969, Savage Armstook over distribution and sold the field-grade Valmet shotguns as the Savage Model330 (Oct. 1969, p. 87) until 1979, whenValmet USA, of Elmsford, New York,assumed marketing of the gun as the Model412 (see Sept. 1980, p. 56).

While the 412 line of shotguns andcombinations experienced some degree of

success, it was apparently too costly tomanufacture in Finland, so productionwas transferred to the Italian firmMarocchi di Stefano.

During the late 1980s, the Finnisharms makers Sako, Tikkakoski and Valmetwere combined, with respective thinningof overlapping product lines. During thistransition, the 412 next appeared with theTikka name as the Model 412S (July1991, p. 52) imported by StoegerIndustries of South Hackensack, NewJersey.

Now joining theTikka line is the Model 512S,mechanically identical to the 412S, buthaving some noteworthy cosmeticimprovements.

The lock design remains similar to thatof the Remington Model 32, having a slid-ing top latch that engages a shelf on eitherside of the monobloc. This system pro-vides a rather sleek profile. The receiver isfinished in a deep blue accented with acombination scroll and floral design rather

TIKKA MODEL 512S SHOTGUNTIKKA MODEL 512S SHOTGUN

screw and an aluminum platform at the frontthat contacts the flat bottom surface of thereceiver. This follows the design of theTikka M658 rifle (November 1989, p. 60),a rifle made by the same parent company.

The barrel is cut-rifled and hand-lapped by Krieger, a well-known targetrifle barrel maker, and a break-in proce-dure of cleaning after every few of the

first 40 shots is recommended.The Mountain Eagle was

fired for accuracy, with resultsshown in the accompanyingtable, and function-fired withFederal, Remington and Win-chester ammunition. We expe-rienced no failures of anykind.

We found that the stockdesign did an excellent job oftaming the recoil of the .300Win. Mag. cartridge, and the

Mountain Eagle was comfortable to shoot,whether offhand or from the bench.

Good accuracy results required verydeliberate shooting, as groups tended to

string horizontally whenthe barrel became hot. Itwas common to drive threeshots in one hole, then seethe group opened by thefourth and fifth bullets.

The Mountain Eagleoffers another choice forthe hunter who wants

something a bit more exclusive than themass-produced rifles, but doesn’t care tospend the thousands required for a truecustom gun.

.300 Win. Mag. Vel. @15’ Smallest Largest AverageCartridge (f.p.s.) (ins.) (ins.) (ins.)

Fed. No. P300WTI 2870 Avg. 1.32 2.10 1.73200-gr. Trophy Bonded 20 Sd

Rem. No. R300WA 2866 Avg. 1.35 2.45 2.01200-gr. Swift A-Frame 22 Sd

Win. S300WM190 2856 Avg. 1.12 1.85 1.45190-gr. STBT 21 Sd

Average Extreme Spread 1.73

Five Consecutive 5-Shot Groups at 100 Yds. Fired FromSandbags. Abbreviations: Sd (standard deviation), STBT(Silvertip Boat Tail), Fed. (Federal), Rem. (Remington), Win.(Winchester)

ACCURACY RESULTS

The stock design did an excellent job of tam-ing .300 Win. Mag. recoil, and we found theMountain Eagle comfortable to shoot,whether from offhand or from a bench rest.

The Tikka Model 512S has a heritage that stretches back to 1952 through twomanufacturers and several importers. It retains the Model 32 Remington-style-operating system of earlier Valmet guns, but is manufactured by Marocchi in Italy.

than the matte satin nickel and simple, no-frill decoration of the 412S.

The blued single selective triggerincorporates a selector button at the top,and arrows on each side of the triggerblade indicate which barrel has beenselected to fire first.

Two cocking indicator pins are imme-diately behind the automatic trigger-blocking safety. There are no provisionsfor easily converting the safety to manualoperation.

Cocking is by a single rod passingdown the bottom center of the actionbody. The ejector pins extend from thebottom edges of the standing breech. Onfiring, they set the ejector trips that holdthe ejectors back. When the barrels arelowered and the trips contact studs insidethe action body, the ejectors are releasedto throw spent cases from the chambers.

Ejectors are readily converted toextractors by removing the thin U-shapedmetal strip securing the ejector mecha-nism. Then depress each ejector in turnwhile gently prying up on its forward end.

While maintaining control, lift the

ejectors out of the shot-gun’s monobloc, allow-ing the removal of theejector springs andplungers, then return theejectors and reinstall theU-shaped metal strip.

The 24" barrels are chambered for 3"shells, and have ventilated top and sideribs. Large fluorescent pink plastic frontand center beads are affixed. Five inter-changeable choke tubes and a spanner are

included. A variety of rifle and rifle/shot-gun combination barrels are available,adding to the versatility of this practicalfield gun.

Our sample gun was stocked in well-figured chocolate brown European walnut,with borderless cut checkering at 18 linesper inch.

The Valmet-style buttplate remains,being adjustable for pitch and length ofpull by using straight or wedge-shapedspacers available from the importer. One 5mm spacer is supplied. The rounded

brown rubber pad allows snag-free mount-ing as the gun is brought into action.

The Model 512S was pattern-tested,with the results shown in the accompany-ing table, and function fired with a varietyof target and field loads at hand thrownclay pigeons. There were no malfunctionsof any kind.

Despite its light weight, the Tikka512S swung onto target smoothly andhandled recoil suprisingly well. It shouldprove to be a suitable choice as a moder-ately priced field gun.

MANUFACTURER: Armi Marocchi S.p.A.,Via Galilei 6, I-25068 Zanano di Sarezzo,Italy

IMPORTER: Stoeger Industries, Dept. AR,55 Ruta Ct., S. Hackensack, NJ 07606

MECHANISM TYPE: over-under shotgunCALIBER OR GAUGE: 12-ga., 3" (tested);

12-ga./.222 Rem.; 12-ga/.308 Win.; .308Win; .30-’06; 9.3x74R

OVERALL LENGTH: 441⁄2"BARREL LENGTH: 271⁄2"WEIGHT: 7 lbs., 9 ozs.TRIGGER: single selective mechanical, 51⁄2

lbs. pull bottom barrel, 51⁄2 lbs. top STOCK: European walnut: length of pull,

14" adjustable; drop at heel, 23⁄8"; drop atcomb,13⁄4"

ACCESSORIES: five choke tubes, spanner,butt spacer

PRICE: $1,225

TIKKA MODEL 512S

Barrels are selected by a button inthe top of the trigger. The trigger-blocking safety resets automatically.

AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • May 1995 59

16 16 15 17

31 28 39 37

29 25 36 33

18 18 17 15

Barrel Barrel=Point of Hold

Federal Classic Hi-Brass 33⁄4-11⁄4-6Pellet count—287

Average of 10 patterns at 40 yds.

Total Hits 181 (63%) Total Hits 209 (73%)21.2" Inner Circle 113 (39%) 21.2" Inner Circle 145 (50%)30" Outer Ring 68 (24%) 30" Outer Ring 64 (23%)

TIKKA MODEL 512S SHOTGUN

The ejectors are easily removed by pullingoff the U-shaped metal strip that surroundsthe monobloc. Removing the springs andplungers allows extraction-only operation.

The Valmet buttplate system allows easyadjustment of pull length or pitch by instal-lation of straight or wedge-shaped spacers.

60 AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • May 1995

AFTER Harrington & Richard-son announced its Model

949 Forty-Niner in 1960 at $41,it proved popular with manyplinkers and lasted in the line ofthe veteran Massachusetts manufactureruntil 1985 when the “old” H&R closed itsdoors.

Now the “new” H&R 1871 firm hasrevived the 949 with all the features that ithad accrued through its original quarter-century of manufacture.

The most important of these features is

probably the transfer-bar mechanism thatreplaced the rebounding hammer systemin the 1980s.

In addition, there are some new fea-tures such as the full profiled grip sectionof the frame, the webbed trigger guard,H&R medallions in the wooden gripplates and the color-casehardened frametreatment.

Lost somewhere in the transition (withno complaints on our part) were the widehammer spur and grooved trigger.

In the 1960s, the demand for the 949came from those who wanted an afford-able .22 plinking revolver that resembledthe Colt Single ActionArmy, then the star of muchof what television had tooffer in those days.

The 949 looked enoughlike this veteran to suit thatundemanding market andworked enough like it (withits solid frame and rod ejec-tion) to fill the bill. Many,in fact, opined that theH&R product was “better”than the SAA because of itsinexpensive .22 chamber-ing, its cylinder capacity ofnine vs. six rounds and,above all, its double-actionmechanism.

The domination by Westerns of televi-sion is no longer felt today but, apparent-ly, the demand for a “Western” revolvercontinues. The Model 949 was succesfullyintroduced at the 1994 SHOT Show inDallas, Texas, where it was said, to allintents and purposes, production for theyear had already been spoken for.

Our Model 949 sample was fired foraccuracy, with results shown in theaccompanying table, and function-firedwith Federal, PMC, Remington and RWS

ammunition. Therewere no failures of anykind.

We started our fir-ing from the RansomRest, and immediately were impressedwith accuracy that was excellent, not justfor a revolver in the price range, but incomparison with all pistols we receive.

While one wouldn’t want to take on ahunter’s pistol silhouette course with it,the 949 clearly is capable of performingmost informal target shooting or small-game hunting duties.

The relatively heavy single-action and

double-action trigger pulls made it a choreto convert all that precision to “practical”accuracy, but we were able to keep mostshots in the nine-ring of the 25-yd. timedand rapid-fire target. With a bit lightertrigger pull, even better results might beexpected.

The H&R 949, then, is an interestingalternative to the firm’s Model 999 (July1993, p. 52) for those who prefer a a tradi-tional Western-styled solid Single ActionArmy-type frame to the 999’s top-breakaction.

H&R MODEL 949 REVOLVERH&R MODEL 949 REVOLVER

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

MECHANISM TYPE: double-action revolverCALIBER: .22 Long RifleOVERALL LENGTH: 101⁄2"BARREL LENGTH: 51⁄2"WEIGHT: 33 ozs.WIDTH: 13⁄8"HEIGHT: 47⁄8"CYLINDER CAPACITY: 9TRIGGER: single-action pull, 9 lbs.; double-

action, 16 lbs.SIGHTS: Patridge with drift-adjustable rearPRICE: $175

H&R MODEL 949

.22 Long Rifle Vel. @15’ Smallest Largest AverageCartridge (f.p.s.) (ins.) (ins.) (ins.)

Fed. Hi-Power No. 812 995 Avg. 1.10 1.68 1.4726 Sd

PMC Zapper 832 Avg. 0.93 1.89 1.3536 Sd

RWS High Velocity 994 Avg. 1.23 1.61 1.4140 Sd

Average Extreme Spread 1.51

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

ACCURACY RESULTS

The H&R Model 949 combinesthe looks and the lines of Wes-tern-style single-action revol-vers with a double-action triggerand nine-round cylinder capacity.

Despite the double-action trigger, the Model949 otherwise functions like a single-action,with the expected base pin and rod ejector.