Thread: Interesting...
View Single Post
Unread 10-15-2002, 06:01 PM   #2
Doubs
User
 
Doubs's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Byron, Georgia
Posts: 1,736
Thanks: 819
Thanked 1,767 Times in 584 Posts
Post

RK, the picture you posted showing the UMC softnose cartridge reminds me of a Luger story that my father told me several times over the years.

My grandfather owned a feed mill that sold feed for cows, pigs, chickens etc. They also ground flour, shelled corn, treated wheat and custom mixed feed for livestock. The grain, of course, meant rats and mice so granddaddy liked to keep a few cats around. Every now and again a stray cat would wander in and cause trouble. One, in particular, was a large tom cat that caused more trouble than usual and granddaddy wanted him taken care of. This was sometime in the late 1920's.

My father had recently bought a 4 3/4" pencil barrel Luger in .30 caliber so my grandfather mentioned that it should make short work of the tom cat. At the first opportunity my father put a shot into the cat broadside. The full metal jacket bullet passed right through. The cat yowled, jumped in the air and took off in afterburner. My grandfather howled too... with laughter! He kidded my father about the Luger pretty badly and Pop was burned over it. In a week or 10 days the tom cat was back, seemingly no worse off for the experience.

Not long after the car returned my father went to town and was in the store where he'd bought the Luger and cartridges. He told the salesman - a shooter in his own right - about the cat. The salesman suggested that he try softnose cartridges so Pop bought a box.

When granddaddy saw Pop with the Luger, he began chuckling again but that stopped when Pop shot the cat. The cat was dead before it hit the ground and Pop said that the softnose cartridge was really "wicked". Granddaddy couldn't believe that a small bullet could do that much damage... but it did. Pop shot various small animals with the .30 Luger and softnose bullets. They always performed as expected and he was never disappointed again.
Doubs is offline   Reply With Quote