<XMP><BODY></xmp> Ideas for .25 pistols


Close combat 25s

        One day my merry little mind turned to what were once called vest pocket guns- usually 25s but also found in 22 and 32. These are definately concealable- they can fit in a jeans pocket, handcuff case, behind a tie etc.
        They're often carried as backups or even backups to backups and sometimes as primary weapons in deep undercover or situations were a larger weapon would be a burden and the threat potential is low. Now I know these are hardly manstoppers and I know there are lots of stories of people being shot with them and it just making them angry.
        Bear with me.
        These guns are most effective with high penetration ammo, are usually used at close range and need good shot placement to be effective. Now for some reason that reminds me of a rapier. Suppose we stop comparing these to their bigger stablemates for a second and instead consider them as a melee weapon?
        In this context they have the advantage of good reach, being hard to parry and having power independent of the users' strength or posture. On the down side you only have half a dozen or so "stabs".
        For a while I considered incorporating them into various empty hand and knife katas, then it occured to me that some modifications may be needed for such close range work:-
        Firstly there was a high probability that the gun may be fired in physical contact with an attacker. With many automatics this just opens the breech and the gun won't fire. One solution is to extend the muzzle a little forward of the slide face. A better idea is a sort of bumper that extends forward from the frame and prevents the barrel or slide face touching.
        Second modification is to beef up the trigger guard so an empty gun can still serve as a close range weapon.
        Similar modifications could be made to mini revolvers, though I think a double action mechanism would be an advantage for these.
Mini-revolver Diagram

        There are now 25 pistols that have integral laser projectors, which is a good idea on a gun that usually has minimal sights and a very short sight radius.
        Some of thse models are now available in 32 calibre too. I don't know about the Berreta, but the Seecamp is very expensive.

5.45 ammo for 25s

Another idea to enhance these weapons:-
        The Russian PSM round has been proven to penetrate 55 layers of kevlar and may also tumble. This seems to be due to the shape(flatnose Spritzer), construction (steel core in point, lead in base) and length (2.58 calibres instead of the usual 1.5). Compared to a .25ACP:-

.25Acp 50gr 5.45mm PSM 40gr
820fps 1033fps
74ftlb 95.5ftlb
23.11mm loa 24.9mm loa

        Consider the russian round in a 25. Easy way to do this is to fit russian bullets in a 25ACP case with a brass sabot like the french PPI round. This may increase veloctiy even more.

By the Author of the Scrapboard :

Blog of the Books.

Attack, Avoid, Survive: Essential Principles of Self Defence

Available in Handy A5 and US Trade Formats.

Survival Weapons: Optimizing Your Arsenal
Crash Combat Second Edition with additional content.
Epub edition Second Edition with additional content.

Crash Combat Third Edition
Epub edition Third Edition.
Anatopismo: An Underrealm Novella
Hell-Ay: Angel Town
Back to the Scrapboard