What is the effective range on say small rodents or clay (trap) targets for 38/357 (6") ?
What is the effective range on say small rodents or clay (trap) targets for 38/357 (6") ?
15ft +\- depending on what shot size and how you are loading them.
Handguns just don't have room for excess shot and powder. The FPS is low and distance is short.
My experience is like jmorris, anything beyond 15' is iffy.
Information not shared. is wasted.
Using .308 brass cut down for the 45 acp loads in S&W Brazilian revolvers using .410 wads and 7.5 or 8 shot 15 ft for snakes and pidgeons in a hay barn 10-15 ft. Cut some the full length of the cylinder and shot crows at 30 ft while bushhogging pastures, would only wound them. These 45 acp loads feed and operate my 1911's very well. Would like to experiment using .357 max brass in security six, if had a shot wad that was available and easily obtained.
That's what I thought it would be. I'll give it a try with some 357's
thanks
Slow twist .44-40 rifle using 1/3 oz. of No.8 shot and 5 grains of Bullseye in Federal 410SC shot cup, cut off flush to case mouth if Starline 5 in 1 Blank case, with Walters .36 card wad in end, roll crimped in RCBS .44 Game Getter Long Shot die kills rabbits at 25 ft. from Winchester '92, 15 ft. from Colt New Service and 50 feet from H&R cylinder bore .44/11mm (pre-.410) shotgun.
Attachment 212381
D1C repair center is 11 inches square. Inner circle is 4" diameter, outer circle is 8 inches.
Last edited by Outpost75; 01-21-2018 at 08:34 PM.
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I would like to tell you about that water buffalo I killed with a squirt gun but I'll need a few more drinks.That's what I thought it would be. I'll give it a try with some 357's
thanks
"I would like to tell you about that water buffalo I killed with a squirt gun but I'll need a few more drinks." jmorris
Don't you mean I (the listener) will need a few more drinks?
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All I can say about my personal real world experience, is that 357/38 ain't enough for Rats...[squirrels either]
The 44/45 [not acp] is what I needed to Plant those larger Critters!!! I don't want to "roll em over" I want 'em "Tits Up"!!
Gave up on 38/357 pistol shot cartridges about 1975. Did manage to drag down a coupla starlings but everything else just laughed.
These new Judge type revolvers in .410 might be worth a try?
Outpost75 group is exceptional at 25 feet but that is with custom made ammunition using all available space including cylinder.chamber space. You can maybe get that at 15 feet with CCI shot cups in a 44 or 45. With a 38/357 AND using 9 shot, it might look that good, might. Remember we are talking feet, not yards. Putting it another way, you get a close a possible or comfortable to a snake before you shoot it with a 38 shot load.
My 45colt will get them rolling at 12-15yds, but they don't always stay down but there's 5 more!
Here are typical patterns from .38 Special with home-made shotloads of No.8, at realistic "snake range"
Attachment 198224Attachment 198225Attachment 198226
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There's nothing they can do you can't do with a dedicated .45 Colt revolver, because the rifling will mess the pattern. IMHO, since I have a smoothbore Judge (not in America), it's realistic to shoot up to 15-18yds. Hatcher's notebook deals with a smoothbore revolver too and he says it's good for about 20 yds. (check this section, I posted a pdf sometime ago).
Also, there's a video of a guy shooting a turkey with a Judge on YT. I'm bad at measuring video distances, but it's about 2 or 3yds max. For snakes, I go with the guys, you're good to about 15 FT. Only advantage to a rifled Judge over a regular .45 is the payload (it takes regular 1/2oz loads and the 3" version can go up to 11/16oz I think), when you would get about 1/3oz or so (I measured about 170gr of shot in a modified .44-40 case) from a cut .410 shell or .45 Colt case.
a month ago I downed a large rat (norwegian) at about 10-15 ft with a commercial shot load for a .38 spl
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Shot shells work at long distances in my 12 gauge. Still can't hit a flyin' bird with them though.
Last edited by ichthyo; 07-03-2017 at 08:40 AM.
I made up a load for my 44mag, Some green dot, 3 paper cards,
plastic wrapper around #8 shot and topped off with one card, crimped shut.
Dispatched a opossum from 3 feet looking at my chickens, flashlight in his eyes keep him still.
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Got another opossum the other night, used my (corn) load, not shot. Was able to get real close to him.
Je suis Charlie
ΔΕΞΑΙ
Rednecks run the Brits out of this country years ago,
I will defend this country from anyone or thing that tries to take it from me or mine
I AM A REDNECK!!!
"If ever a time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in Government,our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin." Samuel Adams, 1776
I've shot both 2-1/2" & 3" .410 in three Judges and the patterns were terrible compared to a cut down .410 no choke Rossi single shot. A BIG difference. I like #12 shot in my handgun shot loads and yes, about 15' sounds right. I'm loading some .38s now because we have a Copperhead plague this year for some reason. Our 12 yr old Walmart dog survived a bite a couple of weeks ago and my wife is telling me to wear boots outside at night but 56 yr habits are hard to break.
Here are typical patterns fired from a cut-down, cylinder bore, .410 single-shot:
.425 round balls loaded in 5 in 1 blank cases, 5 grains of Bullseye ala Game Getter, aiming with bead sight at 25 yards
.44-40 Cowboy black powder lead cowboy loads fired similarly from the smoothbore barrel
.410, 2-1/2", 3-pellet 00 buck in cylinder bore barrel at 50 ft.
.44 Game Getter No.8 Shot (1/3 oz.) with .425 ball on top, loaded in 5 in 1 blank case, fired from .410 cylinder bore at 25 feet.
Attachment 200300Attachment 200301Attachment 200302Attachment 200303
Last edited by Outpost75; 07-24-2017 at 10:53 AM.
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BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |