Black Talon

Last updated
Black Talon
Winchester Black Talon 10mm.jpg
10mm Black Talon ammunition

Black Talon is a brand of hollow-point pistol and rifle ammunition introduced in 1991 by Winchester, primarily intended for law enforcement and personal defense use. Black Talon rounds were known for the unique construction of the bullet and its sharp petal shape after expansion following impact with tissue or other wet media. [1] Black Talon ammunition was produced in the following calibers: 9mm Luger, 10mm Auto, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum, .300 Winchester Magnum, .308 Winchester, .338 Winchester Magnum, and .30-06 Springfield.

Contents

Black Talon was controversial, and Winchester discontinued sales to the general public in 1993 and ceased manufacture in 2000.

Overview

The Black Talon handgun bullet (from the resemblance of the opened segments to the talons or claws of a bird of prey) is a jacketed hollow-point bullet with perforations designed to expose sharp edges upon expansion. [2] The bullet included a Lubalox coating, a proprietary oxide process. [3] Though widely misreported to be Teflon, molybdenum disulfide, or wax, the ammo has an unusual black appearance compared to other copper-jacketed or lead bullets. The black appearance was due to the oxidized copper jacket. This Lubalox coating was to protect the barrel rifling, and did not give the bullet armor-piercing capabilities. This coating is still widely used on many of Winchester's rifle bullets today. [4]

The bullet was designed in 1991 under the supervision of Alan Corzine, who at that time was VP of research and development for Winchester. [5] The round quickly developed a reputation as a very effective expanding bullet. The alleged armor-piercing (AP) notion is urban legend, and was a result of media hyperbole (perhaps confusing "Talon" with the "Teflon" that coated KTW AP bullets[ citation needed ])—rather than test or field data from actual shootings considering the short time it was on the market. Col Leonard J. Supenski of the Baltimore County police department said "It has the stopping power that police officers need and it is less likely to ricochet or go through the bad guy," [2] something that could be said of any reliably expanding hollow-point. Despite its unique design, the Black Talon was found to be comparable in performance to conventional hollow-points.

The first shooting which brought critical media attention to Black Talon was by Gian Luigi Ferri, who used Black Talon and other ammunition to shoot 15 people at a San Francisco law office in 1993; nine of whom died (the 101 California Street shootings). Physician Boyd Stevens, the San Francisco Medical Examiner who performed the autopsies, later reported at the 1994 International Wound Ballistics Association's conference in Sacramento that the wound trauma caused by Black Talons was unremarkable and that all victims died due to penetration of a vital structure. [6]

The rifle version did not share the handgun bullet's barbed petal design and was basically a solid copper hollow-point with a hollowed out rear shank containing a lead core in a steel liner to prevent jacket rupture thus maintaining necessary penetration in tough game. This ammunition line was renamed Fail Safe.

Response

Critics alleged the ammunition caused unnecessary physical damage. [7] [8] [9] Some medical personnel were concerned that the sharp barb-like tips could potentially cause tears in the surgical gloves and hands of the medical workers, exposing them to greater risk of infection, [2] however there are no documented reports of this actually happening. [10]

Colin Ferguson used Black Talon ammunition for his Ruger P89 9×19mm pistol during the 1993 Long Island Rail Road shooting. In 1996 a lawsuit was subsequently filed by one of the victim's family members (McCarthy v. Sturm, Ruger and Co., Inc., 916 F.Supp. 366 (S.D.N.Y., 1996)) claiming that Olin Corp. should be liable for the shooting spree based on the design, manufacture, marketing, and sale of Black Talon ammunition. The claims against Olin were dismissed because it was held that the plaintiff could not prevail because there were no defects in manufacturing, design, or in warnings – the bullets "functioned exactly as designed". [11]

In 1993 Winchester removed the ammunition from public sale, [12] but at no time was Black Talon ammunition uniformly prohibited by US law.

Current status

Detail of 9mm Black Talon bullet Winchester Black Talon 9mm (detail).jpg
Detail of 9mm Black Talon bullet

Winchester discontinued the Black Talon line completely in 2000. The “Ranger SXT” ammunition sold later by Winchester is very similar to the Black Talon though without the black Lubalox coating on the bullet. On internet forums, gun enthusiasts frequently joke that that SXT stands for "Same eXact Thing", [13] though the official branding is “Supreme eXpansion Technology”. However, there are differences in the anatomy of the bullets which become apparent when carefully examined side by side. The hollow point cavity dimensions and angles of the meplat were altered to enhance reliability of expansion, though the basic "reverse taper" design pioneered by the Black Talon was retained. This "reverse taper" refers to the bullet's jacket being thicker at the tip than toward the base, enhancing rigidity which allows the sharp petals to remain largely perpendicular to the wound path, unlike traditional designs where the expanding jacket petals would peel back almost completely behind the expanded lead mushroom. This difference is obvious after firing into ballistic gelatin. [14] In 2007 Winchester updated their Ranger SXT line and renamed it Ranger T-Series. Besides further dimensional changes to the hollow point for reliable expansion, the distinctive perpendicular petals were made longer yet more rounded at the tips to retain stiffness.

PDX1

In 2009, Winchester-Olin released a new hollow point bullet in its Supreme Elite line of handgun ammunition called the Bonded PDX1. [15] It is similar to the Ranger SXT series and the older Black Talon design in its structure, and is available in several calibers and loadings. The most obvious difference from the SXT is that the bonded design, meant to maintain structural integrity through difficult intermediate barriers like auto-glass, largely prevents the sharp petals from peeling away from the lead core and fully protruding into the wound track. The .40 S&W PDX1 cartridge is available for purchase by civilian shooters and was the primary service ammunition of the FBI until 2017 when they switched to the Hornady Critical Duty line. [16] [17]

Use in Reeva Steenkamp shooting

In March 2014, The Guardian newspaper reported that South African paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius had shot to death his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day the previous year with four Black Talons fired from a 9mm pistol. Describing the round, South African police ballistics expert Captain Christian Mangena explained:

It hits the target, it opens up, it creates six talons, and these talons are sharp. It cuts through the organs of a human being. [18]

U.S. Army procurement

Following the United States Army's selection of the SIG Sauer P320-derived M17 pistol in the Modular Handgun System competition, the Army announced two new 9mm rounds would be adopted alongside the gun, the M1152 Ball, a 115 grain full metal jacket round "for use against enemy personnel, for training, and for force protection", and the M1153 Special Purpose, a 147 grain jacketed hollow point round "for use in situations where limited over-penetration of targets is necessary to reduce collateral damage." Many in the firearms community noted the latter hollow point round is conspicuously similar to the Ranger T/ Black Talon, in response Winchester largely avoided the question, saying that despite obvious similarities the round was designed to "maximize performance based on the government specification set out in the request for proposal." [19] [20] Both the round and the firearm have subsequently been adopted by all branches of the United States Armed Forces, except for the Coast Guard.

A fictionalized version of the Black Talon bullet called the "Black Death" is utilized by Hank Schrader to kill Marco Salamanca in the Breaking Bad episode "One Minute".

The Black Talon bullet is referenced in The Mountain Goats album Bleed Out , in the track "First Blood". [21]

Black Talons are mentioned in The Notorious B.I.G. album Ready to Die , in the track "Warning". [22]

Black Talon bullets are used by The Professor in the 1997 anime film, City Hunter: Goodbye My Sweetheart .

Black Talon bullets are referenced in episode 15 of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season 1 .

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hollow-point bullet</span> Empty tipped expanding bullet used for controlled penetration of solid objects

A hollow-point bullet is a type of expanding bullet which expands on impact with a soft target, transferring more or all of the projectile's energy into the target over a shorter distance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">.38 Special</span> Revolver cartridge designed by Smith & Wesson

The .38 Special, also commonly known as .38 S&W Special, .38 Smith & Wesson Special, .38 Spl, .38 Spc, or 9x29mmR is a rimmed, centerfire cartridge designed by Smith & Wesson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Table of handgun and rifle cartridges</span> Small arms cartridge data

This is a table of selected pistol/submachine gun and rifle/machine gun cartridges by common name. Data values are the highest found for the cartridge, and might not occur in the same load.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">.40 S&W</span> Pistol cartridge

The .40 S&W (10.2x22mm) is a rimless pistol cartridge developed jointly by American firearms manufacturers Smith & Wesson and Winchester in 1990. The .40 S&W was developed as a law enforcement cartridge designed to duplicate performance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) reduced-velocity 10mm Auto cartridge which could be retrofitted into medium-frame semi-automatic handguns. It uses 0.40-inch (10 mm) diameter bullets ranging in weight from 105 to 200 grains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">.45 ACP</span> Pistol cartridge designed by John Moses Browning

The .45 ACP, also known as .45 Auto, .45 Automatic, or 11.43×23mm is a rimless straight-walled handgun cartridge designed by John Moses Browning in 1904, for use in his prototype Colt semi-automatic pistol. After successful military trials, it was adopted as the standard chambering for Colt's M1911 pistol. The round was developed due to a lack of stopping power experienced in the Moro Rebellion in places like Sulu. The issued ammunition, .38 Long Colt, had proved inadequate, motivating the search for a better cartridge. This experience and the Thompson–LaGarde Tests of 1904 led the Army and the Cavalry to decide that a minimum of .45 caliber was required in a new handgun cartridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">.380 ACP</span> Pistol cartridge designed by John Moses Browning

The .380 ACP, is a rimless, straight-walled pistol cartridge developed by firearms designer John Moses Browning. The cartridge headspaces on the mouth of the case. It was introduced in 1908 by Colt, for use in its new Colt Model 1908 pocket hammerless semi-automatic, and has been a popular self-defense cartridge ever since, seeing wide use in numerous handguns. Other names for .380 ACP include .380 Auto, 9×17mm, 9mm Browning, 9mm Corto, 9mm Kurz, 9mm Short, and 9mm Browning Court. It should not be confused with .38 ACP. The .380 ACP does not strictly conform to cartridge naming conventions, named after the diameter of the bullet, as the actual bullet diameter of the .380 ACP is .355 inches.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">.357 SIG</span> Pistol cartridge designed by SIG Sauer and Federal Premium Ammunition

The .357 SIG is a bottlenecked rimless centerfire handgun cartridge developed by the Swiss-German firearms manufacturer SIG Sauer, in cooperation with ammunition manufacturer Federal Premium. The cartridge is used by a number of law enforcement agencies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">.357 Magnum</span> Revolver cartridge

The .357 Smith & Wesson Magnum, .357 S&W Magnum, .357 Magnum, or 9×33mmR is a smokeless powder cartridge with a 0.357 in (9.07 mm) bullet diameter. It was created by Elmer Keith, Phillip B. Sharpe, and Douglas B. Wesson of firearm manufacturers Smith & Wesson and Winchester. The .357 Magnum cartridge is notable for its highly effective terminal ballistics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wadcutter</span> Type of bullet

A wadcutter is a special-purpose flat-fronted bullet specifically designed for shooting paper targets, usually at close range and at subsonic velocities typically under approximately 270 metres per second (890 ft/s). Wadcutters have also found favor for use in self-defense guns, such as .38 caliber snubnosed revolvers, due to shorter barrel lengths, lower bullet velocities, and improved lethality. Wadcutters are often used in handgun and airgun competitions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">9×19mm Parabellum</span> Pistol cartridge designed by Georg Luger

The 9×19mm Parabellum is a rimless, centerfire, tapered firearms cartridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">.22 Long Rifle</span> Common ammunition cartridge

The .22 Long Rifle, also known as the .22LR or 5.6×15mmR, is a long-established variety of .22 caliber rimfire ammunition originating from the United States. It is used in a wide range of firearms including rifles, pistols, revolvers, and submachine guns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">.45 Colt</span> Revolver cartridge designed by the U.S. Army

The .45 Colt (11.43×33mmR), is a rimmed, straight-walled, handgun cartridge dating to 1872. It was originally a black-powder revolver round developed for the Colt Single Action Army revolver. This cartridge was adopted by the U.S. Army in 1873 and served as an official US military handgun cartridge for 19 years, before being replaced by the .38 Long Colt in 1892.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">.44 Magnum</span> Revolver cartridge designed by Elmer Keith and Smith & Wesson (S&W)

The .44 Remington Magnum, also known as .44 Magnum or 10.9x33mmR, is a rimmed, large-bore cartridge originally designed for revolvers and quickly adopted for carbines and rifles. Despite the ".44" designation, guns chambered for the .44 Magnum round, its parent case, the .44 Special, and its parent case, the .44 Russian all use 0.429 in (10.9 mm) diameter bullets. The .44 Magnum is based on the .44 Special case but lengthened and loaded to higher pressures for greater velocity and energy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">.44 Special</span> Revolver cartridge designed by Smith & Wesson (S&W)

The .44 Smith & Wesson Special, also commonly known as .44 S&W Special, .44 Special, .44 Spl, .44 Spc, or 10.9×29mmR, is a smokeless powder center fire metallic revolver cartridge developed by Smith & Wesson in 1907 as the standard chambering for their New Century revolver, introduced in 1908.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">.38 ACP</span> Pistol cartridge designed by John Moses Browning

The .38 ACP, also known as the .38 Auto, .38 Automatic, or 9x23mmSR, is a semi-rimmed pistol cartridge that was introduced at the turn of the 20th century for the John Browning-designed Colt M1900. It was first used in Colt's Model 1897 prototype, which he did not produce. The metric designation for the round is 9×23mm SR (semi-rimmed), which is not to be confused with other 9×23mm cartridges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Overpressure ammunition</span> Type of small arms ammunition

Overpressure ammunition, commonly designated as +P or +P+, is small arms ammunition that has been loaded to produce a higher internal pressure when fired than is standard for ammunition of its caliber, but less than the pressures generated by a proof round. This is done typically to produce ammunition with higher muzzle velocity, muzzle energy, and stopping power, such as ammunition used for security, defensive, or hunting purposes. Because of this, +P ammunition is typically found in handgun calibers which might be used for paramilitary forces, armed security, and defensive purposes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Federal Premium Ammunition</span> American ammunition manufacturer

Federal Premium Ammunition is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vista Outdoor, located in Anoka, Minnesota. With a workforce of nearly 1,500, Federal manufactures shotshell, centerfire, and rimfire ammunition and components.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plastic-tipped bullet</span>

A plastic-tipped bullet is a type of hollow-point bullet tipped with a nose cone made of synthetic polymer to give it a pointed spitzer-like shape.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">9×18mm Makarov</span> Soviet pistol and submachine gun cartridge

The 9×18mm Makarov is a Soviet pistol and submachine gun cartridge. During the latter half of the 20th century, it was a standard military pistol cartridge of the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc, analogous to the 9×19mm Parabellum in NATO and Western Bloc military use.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SIG Sauer M17</span> US military service pistol

The SIG Sauer M17 and M18 are service pistols derived from the SIG Sauer P320 in use with the United States Armed Forces. On January 19, 2017, the United States Army announced that a customized version of SIG Sauer's P320 had won the Army's XM17 Modular Handgun System competition. The full-sized model was designated the M17, and the shorter length carry model, the M18. The guns have subsequently been adopted by the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force. The Coast Guard is the only military branch that will not be receiving the M17 and M18, they will be replacing their SIG Sauer P229R DAK with the Glock 19 Gen5 MOS. The M17 and M18 will be replacing the Beretta M9, as well as several other handguns across five of the six service branches. There are two color variants, coyote brown and black, for both the M17 and M18, though almost all have been produced in coyote brown.

References

  1. ↑ Carter, Gregg Lee (2002). Guns In American Society: An Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. p. 64. ISBN   978-1-57607-268-4.
  2. 1 2 3 A Tax Debate Focuses on Destruction Science by Ronald Smothers, The New York Times, November 7, 1993
  3. ↑ "WINCHESTER LUBALOX COATED BULLETS FACT SHEET & FAQs]\". Archived from the original on 2008-02-05.
  4. ↑ "Biting the Bullets", Op/ED in The Washington Post'', January 14, 1995.
  5. ↑ Hex Bullet Hi-Jinx: Taurus' capable copper bullet by Charles E. Petty, American Handgunner, March 10, 2003.
  6. ↑ "The Gun Zone -- Black Talon Ammunition". Archived from the original on 2017-02-02. Retrieved 2017-01-26.
  7. ↑ "High-Tech Death From Winchester", The New York Times , November 13, 1993.
  8. ↑ "These are bullets that are strictly used to maim and kill", "In Person; On the Other Side of the Divide", by Debbie Galant, The New York Times , March 17, 1996.
  9. ↑ "Cleverness – and luck", Evan Thomas and Russell Watson, Newsweek , May 1, 1995.
  10. ↑ "[N]o injuries have been reported to medical professionals removing the bullets" in "Police use new brand of bullets Surgeon says removal may endanger doctors" by Dan R. Barber, The Dallas Morning News , July 6, 1993.
  11. ↑ McCarthy v. Sturm, Ruger and Co., Inc., 916 F.Supp. 366 (S.D.N.Y., 1996).
  12. ↑ "Winchester to Limit Sales of Controversial Bullet", by Pierre Thomas, The Washington Post , November 23, 1993.
  13. ↑ "Black Talons vs. SXT vs. T-Series etc..." Georgia Firearm Forums - Georgia Packing. Retrieved 2021-06-16.
  14. ↑ "Supreme Expansion Technology". Archived from the original on 2011-09-28.
  15. ↑ http://www.policeone.com/police-products/firearms/accessories/press-releases/1781067-New-Winchester-reg-Bonded-PDX1-trade-Superior-Personal-Protection-Ammunition/%5B%5D
  16. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-12-13. Retrieved 2014-11-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  17. ↑ "An Official Journal of the NRA | FBI Selects Hornady Critical Duty Ammo".
  18. ↑ "Reeva Steenkamp was standing when Pistorius fired first shot, court told". The Guardian. London. Associated Press. 19 March 2014. Retrieved 19 March 2014. Ballistic expert also tells court bullets fired from athlete's 9mm pistol were designed to 'cut through organs of a human being'.
  19. ↑ H, Hrachya (2021-03-31). "US Army's M1153 Special Purpose 9mm Hollow Point Ammo Tested -". The Firearm Blog. Retrieved 2021-11-09.
  20. ↑ Keefe, Mark (April 23, 2019). "An Official Journal Of The NRA | M1152 & M1153: The Army's New 9 mm Luger Loads". American Rifleman . Retrieved 2021-11-09.
  21. ↑ "First Blood". Genius.com. Genius. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
  22. ↑ "Warning". Genius.com. Genius. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.