[Ant]

Here is my opinion and I am not trying to criticise any of the well balanced posts.

1. Without getting into a discussion of firearms, a Model 29 S&W loaded right will put all its lead into a less than 2" group at 25metres, its got nothing to do with calibre where a grouping it, this speaking from a regular pistol shooter in NZ. I can wave my H&K USP Expert .45auto past the bianci plates at 25-50 and blow every one, it shoots less than 2" group at 50metres! Also using a Model 41 .22 same thing, but they dont go over sometimes due to less grunt, maybe from a newcomers angle it would be better to start out smaller! SW.44 Magnums are very very accurate!!!

2. Big blocks V Small blocks, I have raced two big blocks one with 650+ bhp BB Chev LS7 Injected and if I could I would fit a BB 427 Chev to my present car far cheaper power more revs (availability in NZ that is) but it would not be correct for my application. The first car had a FE406, and a very good engine, but heavy. Now....Handling around corners, I would forget the BB unless its all alloy, if you are talking run of the mill alloy headed 392/408 and 427/460 I would go for the small block, and from what I can gather going down to all alloy for a 351 block only saves 60LBS. If you want to have grunt/tire smoke on the street/strip the big block would be great, and only marginally over a similar small block, build an angry small block and I doubt there is any different.

This can go on for ages discussions on engine size, but if you want handling LIGHT WEIGHT -period!!! How you achieve this is a compromise.

Can-am cars still go well with 850bhp BB Chevs in them. On shorter tracks here the small block is more pleasant to drive, sounds nicer in my opinion, of course then you could get carried away and do a full house 347 all alloy 700bhp race engine and your big block aint going to see it off on a tight track or maybe even on a bigger track!?!?!?

Just a novices opinion