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View Full Version : Went to the Range again today



jdgabbard
10-13-2012, 08:26 PM
And as always, learned a couple of things. Firstly, that no matter what I try to feed it, my S&W likes everything. From wadcutters loaded from 2.7-3.5gr of Bullseye, to any SWC with 4-4.5g of Unique. Heck it even likes commercial cast in magnum brass over 6.5gr of Unique.

Another thing I've learned, that no matter what it is, my Taurus 85UL doesn't like anything. I've shot commercial J-word bullets in it before, it didn't like them. I've shot a plethora of various SWCs in it, it didn't like them. Heck, it doesn't even like the 358495 over 3.0gr of bullseye that every other wheel gun I've ever shot it in likes. Which surprises me, because I have a SP-101 in .38spl that loves most of the stuff I feed it. I guess they call them a belly gun for a reason....[smilie=b:

I also learned that my bersa 380 likes to throw my reloads for it to the front instead of to the right and rear. Which is kinda an inconvenient. But luckily the guy next to me was shooting 380 as well, and decided that he didn't want to sweep up his brass when he left, so I took care of it for him.

And while I was there I ended up taking two to the chest. Both were FMJs that had splashed back off of a rock or another round. One a .45, the other a 9mm. No bruising or anything but it was kinda an eye opener. Never had it happen before, let alone twice in one sitting. I jokingly told the girlfriend that I was like superman and that bullets bounce off of my chest. She didn't find it funny.

And as a plus I ended up with a bunch of 9mm, 40S&W (that I don't load for), and 45acp brass (don't load for it either). I'll probably end up trading off most of the 40 and 45 to someone for something. Used to give it to the guy at the gun store I used to frequent. He would in turn give me good deals on stuff. But that store shutdown a while back. So who knows, when I get enough of it, maybe it'll find itself in the classifieds.

canyon-ghost
10-13-2012, 09:32 PM
Your Taurus doesn't much speak english? Good range report though. I had lead fragments bounce off my jacket at some cowboy matches. It does let you know that something bad could happen.

Good Luck,
Ron

runfiverun
10-13-2012, 10:34 PM
time to really measure that taurus...

jdgabbard
10-13-2012, 10:46 PM
I've measured it. It comes out in the area of .3555 So I've been calling it .356 and sizing to .357-.358. Still no luck. It wont even shoot factory ammo with a darn. I think its just going to find itself another home if I can't get the bugs worked out.

bruce drake
10-13-2012, 11:02 PM
Before you send that pistol back to a gunstore, remeasure again with a softer lead slug.

I once owned a Taurus 92AF that miked out at .3565 once I finally got a decent measurement on the barrel. It finally liked .358 as-cast lead boolits but shot just fine with jacketed 115gr FMJs as well since the FMJs hollow-base upset enough to grip the rifling.

Bruce

I'll Make Mine
10-14-2012, 12:55 PM
I've measured it. It comes out in the area of .3555 So I've been calling it .356 and sizing to .357-.358. Still no luck.

Might want to check the throats in that Taurus as well as the barrel, and try to get a measurement of the barrel ahead of the frame as well as one within the frame.

If the throats are smaller than the groove diameter, the only thing that's likely to shoot well is hollow base wadcutters (and that's a maybe); if the bore is restricted through the frame (not uncommon in modern machine-assembled revolvers), nothing you can load is likely to help (though HBWC are worth trying). Undersize throats are (relatively) easy to correct -- someone who's competent to do so just needs to hone the throats to at least as large as groove diameter, if not .001 to .002 over groove, and get them all the same within .0005 or better.

A bore restricted by frame compression is harder; you'd need to either dismount the barrel and take a few thousandths off the diameter of the threads, then get it back in exactly the same rotation (lest the gun throw to right or left due to the front sight being displaced) or get special equipment to bring bore and groove through the frame to match the dimensions beyond (or up to .002 larger, starting from the forcing cone -- compressing the boolit as you go along is fine, within reason, but getting loose after a choke point is bad).

When everything is right in terms of chambers, throats, forcing cone, and bore/groove, you get a gun that shoots well with nearly everything, like your S&W -- when something is badly wrong, like undersize throats or a frame-restricted bore, you get a gun that doesn't shoot well with anything (but can probably be repaired).

cbrick
10-14-2012, 04:23 PM
I'll Make Mine is correct.

If your going to measure a revolver and measure only the groove diameter you may as well save yourself the time and not measure anything.

Revolver throats are the worlds very best bullet sizers. If your throats are smaller than groove diameter it doesn't matter a lick how big you size bullets, when they exit the throats they will be throat diameter. The single reason for slugging a revolver barrel is simply to know that it is "AT" or a tick 'UNDER" throat diameter.

Rick

runfiverun
10-15-2012, 12:20 AM
i'm thnking the 355 is from a tight spot and that's causing your accuracy issues.

jdgabbard
10-15-2012, 04:16 AM
Yeah, better check the cylinder... That very well may be the issue. Can't believe I hadn't thought of it before now.