Although I have previously shot one, I have never owned one and consequently never loaded for one. I recall reading in years gone by that these are finicky when it comes to OAL. Since I was recently able to scratch an itch and buy one (pick-up date is the 27th) can anyone give me pointers on loading for this fine gun. (The trigger is so good it scares me)
_________________________________________________It's not that I can't spell: it is that I can't type.
Flush seated max. OAL 1.160", max charge 3.1 Bullseye.
The ENEMY is listening.
HE wants to know what YOU know.
Keep it to yourself.
Follow Outpost 75’s advice. I never found mine to be finicky about reloads. Flush seat, very light crimp. 3.1 grains Win 231 shot better in mine than the “standard” 2.7 or 2.8 grain Bullseye loads.
It's the magazines that can be finicky, binding if col is longer than it likes. Pay attention to the noses of your wadcutters and the angle of the followers. Agree with very light crimp as in at least remove any belling. Who else has that many extra mags for their S&W 52? Can't say I've had a problem with long .38 Special brass but guess it could happen.
Just because change doesn't make a difference doesn't mean that change is bad.
Kinda related.......I loaded wadcutters for a Walther GSP-C in 32 S&W Long for a time. Flush-seated, light crimp, and 725 FPS to the Hornady HBWC ran very well.
I don't paint bullets. I like Black Rifle Coffee. Sacred cows are always fair game. California is to the United States what Syria is to Russia and North Korea is to China/South Korea/Japan--a Hermit Kingdom detached from the real world and led by delusional maniacs, an economic and social basket case sustained by "foreign" aid so as to not lose military bases.
Thanks guys, fortunately I have a 358-63 4 cavity somewhere in the man cave that I shall dig up and put to work. Most of my WC molds are button nosed, and probably won't work well.
_________________________________________________It's not that I can't spell: it is that I can't type.
Button nosed will "probably work," but you will need to test feeding to ensure the button doesn't drag on the front of the magazine body. In guns having a gradual forcing cone angle similar to the .38 AMU, the H&G #50 works even with a bit of the wadcutter shoulder outside the case, but later guns are short-throated with SAAMI chamber for factory wadcutters, which is why I stated the 1.16" OAL.Originally Posted by rintinglen
The ENEMY is listening.
HE wants to know what YOU know.
Keep it to yourself.
I haven't shot wadcutters in years. Still, a S&W Model 52 or a Walther GSP variant remain "Dream Guns" for me. I have shot examples of both extensively enough to lust in my heart for either machine.
I don't paint bullets. I like Black Rifle Coffee. Sacred cows are always fair game. California is to the United States what Syria is to Russia and North Korea is to China/South Korea/Japan--a Hermit Kingdom detached from the real world and led by delusional maniacs, an economic and social basket case sustained by "foreign" aid so as to not lose military bases.
Shot a lot of button nosed WC in a 52. I turned them around....
How well did that work for you? I have a bunch 0f H&G 50's that I'd like to use, if that can work out.
_________________________________________________It's not that I can't spell: it is that I can't type.
I shot a test batch like that through my revolver and they worked fine if that helps any.
Button bullets work fine in the 52. Just seat the button even with the case mouth. Although I never tried it, it had been suggested, to shorten the cases enough to have the button and front bullet shoulder exposed, staying within max OAL. Both loads of 2.8 gr of Bullseye and 3.1 gr of 231 work fine in my 52-1. My 52 bore slugs at .355. I tried several bullet diameters, but .358 shoots the best.
IIRC the 35863 is a double end wc. It was designed for the 52.
[The Montana Gianni] Front sight and squeeze
If you pm me with an address I can send you a copy of Gil Hebards test and loads form way back when. He did a lot of work with these. 1963 Gun Digest The 38 Master", loads and test results. 2.31 inch groups at 50 yards! The most accurate gun I ever shot. Even better than my K38.
I have no trouble with Double ended WCs in 52. What is giving me fits is a FN Hi Power 9mm
Competition model. Gun shoots like a dream with FMJ, but I can't get it to shoot any cast
boolit, let alone a WC. I've never had a 38super target gun but had a 1911 70series that shot
cast fine.
I have that Gil Hebard book also. Great info on the S&W 52. Good info on the Hi-Standard .22 auto's also.
Drm50, Brownings tend to have oversized barrels. At least mine do. Both my barrels run just under .358. Jacketed bullets were ok. .356 cast shot awful with leading, until I tried .358 bullets, then it all cane together. Slug your barrel, and see what you got. I don't think the 9mm Browning Hi-powers were designed to shoot WC bullets. It would be a miracle if you could get them to feed with the WC bullets.
HBWC swaged lead 148 gr. will give you the best accuracy. Must be seated flush with the case mouth and crimped. 2.7 gr. WST is considered "the load" by most bullseye shooters, including myself. I've also had good results with 2.5 gr. Titegroup.
I haven't had any feed issues at 1.160" COL in my 52-2. Loading 148 gr plated HBWC's (bought several thousand for 3 cents each at a tag sale) over 2.9 Tite Group.
That gun can make anyone look good.
Picked mine up yesterday. 1.160 works fine in the mag, hope to get to shoot it this weekend. I will post a pic this evening . Thanks for the help and encouragement. Now I just need to find and fill-dump-repeat a few hundred times my 4 cavity 358-63!
_________________________________________________It's not that I can't spell: it is that I can't type.
Not to redirect the thread but on the subject of S & W 52's, I was talking to another owner; apparently Clark made a run (300) of replacement barrels with a 1:10 twist (as opposed to the factory 1:16 twist). They sold out overnight at $300.00 each, barrel bushing not included. Wish someone would make a run of model 52 magazines.
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| PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
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