Erasmo Giordano and the 9x21mm

Last Sunday, September, 25th, at the Portuguese Shooting Federation 9mm Pistol 2011 Nationals, and shooting within the same Club team (a 3 persons team - along with another fellow Club member, Mário Dias), I was along Erasmo R. Giordano, the Italian inventor of the 9x21mm caliber - retired and living in Portugal. I took his time - always in a good mood - to get hold of an extended autograph on the book "Cartridges of the World", 11th Edition, rigth on "his own" 9x21mm page.

Chating with Erasmo R. Giordano, on the left,
about "Cartridges of The World"

Original, in Italian: "All'amico Pedro Mateus, da parte del "Papá"
e inventori del 9x21, con stima e simpatia. Erasmo R. Giordano. "

"To my friend Pedro Mateus, from the "Dad" and inventor of the 9x21,
with high regards and sympathy, Erasmo R. Giordano"

Me, holding the "Cartridges of the World" 11th Ed. , on the right,
and Erasmo R. Giordano, on the left

Original leather sling on my Vergueiro - Portuguese Mauser

With the help of Brian from Bryburn Trading Co Pty Ltd, an Australian (St. Peters, New South Wales) vintage "militaria collectable" dealer,  I managed to get hold of one original Portuguese Mauser Vergueiro leather sling (originated from the units that Portugal sold to Brazil) - complete with all the original brass elements (buckle and button) and the leather loop holder. Now my +100 years old piece of working history is complete - and all original.

Left side

Right side

Detail on the back section - with leather loop holder and brass buckle

Detail on the front loop brass button

Weight sorting .22 LR ammo for Benchrest 50 extreme precision

Sharing the results of weight sorting .22 LR ammo for Benchrest 50 (BR50) - sorting two 100 samples from the same production batches: one from Lapua CenterX and another from Akah X-Trainer.  Both are Made in Germany by Lapua - Center-X is a top of the line ammo costing approximatly twice as much as the low end Akah X-Trainer.

Test results for the Center X
 - the all 100 units batch is within a tight 0,2 grains precision interval  (!)

Test results for the Akah X-Trainer show a high spread in weight
Approx. 66% can be fitted in the 0,1 grains interval of 51,5 to 51,4

A "matrix sorter" helps to keep track of groups within different weights

A 0,1 grains precision digital scale

Next steps, since the 0,2 grains precision interval as "factory default" from Lapua Center-X is considered to be "match grade", and no further sorting should be required there, will be focused on measuring rim thickness. For that I'll be using a thickness gauge by Hornady , http://www.hornady.com/store/Rimfire-Thickness-Gauges . I'll report about that measuring process and data on a forthcoming post.

The Hornady thickness gauge applied to a calliper
(diagram from Hornady product manual)

The Portuguese Mauser Vergueiro - training prone at 100 meters

Very happy with today's, September 11th, 2011, training with my +100 years old DWM 1904 "Vergueiro" rifle (also known as the "Portuguese Mauser") at the Carregueira 100 meters shooting range.

With FNM 8x57mm IS 198 grains full metal jackets, shooting prone, simulating the 20 shot at 100 meters for the "Prova Combinada de Armas de Ordenança" ("Combined Match for Standard Issue Military Weapons") promoted by the Portuguese Shooting Federation, I managed to score an average of 7,85 shooting at the official ISSF 50 meter precision rifle target.

The DWM 1904 - Vergueiro "Portuguese Mauser" in 8x57mm IS
along a Leupold "Gold Ring" 30x spotting scope on a Jobby Gorillapod flexible tripod.
A rubber Pachmayr Decelator slip-on pad is fitted - and allowed by the match rules

The training match series (scores list in chronological order) were:

9, 8, 8, 10, 5 , sub total of 40 / 50 points

7, 9, 9, 8, 7, sub total of 40 / 50 points

5, 6, 7, 7, 9, sub total of  34 / 50 points

8, 7, 9, 9, 10, sub total of  43 / 50 points

An overall 157 / 200 points, average of 7,85 / 10 points - very interesting evolution versus, last July, the first training score of  140 / 200 points, average of 7 / 10 points.

A HD video of the last shots on today's training session:

Luger P-08 "Parabellum" - 110 shots training session

September, 10th 2011, under light rain, just got back from the Carregueira (Belas, Sintra, Portugal) shooting range where I made a 110 precision shots training session with my beloved 70 years old Luger P-08 BYF 41 "Parabellum" - using PMP Denel 9x19mm ammo, FMJ, 115 grains ammo (made in South Africa).

87 / 100 points, ISSF 25 meter, single handed
Luger P-08 "Parabellum" 9x19mm, PMP 115 grains, FMJ ammo 

The results were very inspiring, in particular since I'm a newcomer to this military pistol, with a overall average around 8 / 10 points - and with some very nice consecutive groups around the X mark that made me smile (and proud). The use of an adjustable shooting iris, part of the Knobloch shooting glasses I regularly use for ISSF disciplines, proved very determining on keeping the front sight (tiny, old school military design) under crispy and permanent focus.

3 x 10 points  ISSF 25 meter target

Knobloch shooting glasses - with blinder and adjustable iris

Cant't wait for the coming regionals and nationals of "Armas de Ordenança" (using ISSF precision target at 25 meters, single handed, 30 shots precision - 5 minutes x 5 shot series - and 30 shots "velocity" 1 minute x 5 shot series - overall 600 points) - where only Portuguse vintage (pre-1960) military standard issued weapons are allowed.

A true classic - Luger P-08 BYF 41 "Parabellum"

Promotional Posters for the Portuguese Shooting Federation Regionals and Nationals

Just finished and got published at the Portuguese Shooting Federation 3 promotional posters for the forthcoming National and Regional shooting competitions comprehending .45 ACP pistol and vintage (pre-1960) Portuguese military standard issue pistol and rifle (called "Armas de Ordenança" in Portuguese). All the posters were delivered pro bono.

"Armas de Ordenança"- Photo and composition (c) P. Mateus, 2011

"Pistola de Ordenança" - Photo and composition (c) P. Mateus, 2011

"Pistola Sport .45 ACP"
Photo by Stephen Z (Creative Commons). Composition by P. Mateus

Open sights at 300 meter with "Vergueiro" 8x57 rifle

Last Sunday, September 4th, 2011, at the Carregueira military shooting range, I made my first trial shoots for the Portuguese Shooting Federation rifle discipline of  "Ordenança", where only "vintage" (pre-1960) military rifles, with open sights / iron sights, that were used as standard issue by the Portuguese Armed Forces, are allowed to compete.

The target used is the standard precision rifle ISSF 300 meter target (the 10 points circle is 10 centimeters / approx. 4 inches width, and all folllowing score rings add the same distance - up to the final 1 point ring score). Current match rules are set for 40 shoots prone at 300 meter distance (approx. 328 yards).

ISSF Rifle Precision Target for 300 meters

My rifle is a true portuguese "vintage" classic - a DWM - Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken - "Vergueiro" 1904 model, with the official royal signs of King D. Carlos I, originally chambered for 6 x 58 and  military re-chambered for the 8 x 57 around World War II. This particular rifle is more then 100 years old and all original (stock included). Ammo used was 8 x 57 198 grains FMJ by FNM / INDEP, by the now extinct "Fábrica Nacional de Munições" (National Ammunition Factory, Portugal). Manufacturer’s declared velocity (at 15 meters) is 735 mps (approximately 2411 fps).

FNM 8x57mm IS , 7,92 Mauser, 198 Grains, FMJ,  - Made In Portugal
"Fábrica Nacional de Munições" (INDEP)

FNM 8x57mm IS cases - please note the "TARGET" marking 

The Vergueiro m/1904 in 8x57 - right side view

The Vergueiro m/1904 in 8x57 - left side view

Detail on the distinctive "straight" bold handle of the Vergueiro"
and, on the chamber top, the King D. Carlos I royal sign

Detail on the adjustable "ruler" for elevation
- with FNM 198 grains 8x57, position 4 for 300 meters

On 5 consecutive shoots I scored an average of 6,4 / 10 ... with a 4 point "flyer" to be blamed on a trigger "jerk" by the shooter. The series were: 9, 7, 6, 6 and 4 (total of 32 / 50). Not bad for a first trial - specially if compared with the last National, held 2008, were scores averaged around 6 to 7 points.

5 consecutive impacts - 300 meter  target, average 6,4 / 10

Scores from the 2008 Nationals
 - individual series of 10 shoots, average around 6 to 7 points