tazman
02-28-2016, 09:11 PM
As mentioned in another thread, I recently put a reflex sight on my Ruger Blackhawk with 6.5 inch barrel. One of the cast loads I tested provided excellent results.
Since one of the indoor ranges I frequent doesn't allow magnum loads, I wanted to develop a load in 38 special that shot near the same impact point as the magnum load did.
I really wasn't expecting much in the way of getting close to the same point of impact without some serious work but apparently I got lucky.
The magnum load that shot so well was 14.2 grains of IMR 4227 under a Lyman 358429 boolit. It is probably running around 1200 fps. The gun is sighted at 25 yards(the length of the indoor range).
The 38 special load that ended up working was 5.0 grains of CFE pistol under the same 358429 boolit. It should run around 900 fps.
The group for the 38 special load was only slightly larger than the magnum load and impacted approximately 1 inch to the left at 25 yards. Easy enough to just aim off slightly.
Other boolit weights and designs didn't shoot anywhere near the original point of impact. For instance the 158 grain boolits shot several inches lower and to the right. The light wadcutter loads I tried shot very accurately but almost a foot low.
I certainly didn't expect the same boolit to shoot to point of impact with a much lighter charge.
I guess my question is, is this typical of this type of gun/ammo combination or is this just one of those "the gun makes it's own rules" things and I got lucky?
Since one of the indoor ranges I frequent doesn't allow magnum loads, I wanted to develop a load in 38 special that shot near the same impact point as the magnum load did.
I really wasn't expecting much in the way of getting close to the same point of impact without some serious work but apparently I got lucky.
The magnum load that shot so well was 14.2 grains of IMR 4227 under a Lyman 358429 boolit. It is probably running around 1200 fps. The gun is sighted at 25 yards(the length of the indoor range).
The 38 special load that ended up working was 5.0 grains of CFE pistol under the same 358429 boolit. It should run around 900 fps.
The group for the 38 special load was only slightly larger than the magnum load and impacted approximately 1 inch to the left at 25 yards. Easy enough to just aim off slightly.
Other boolit weights and designs didn't shoot anywhere near the original point of impact. For instance the 158 grain boolits shot several inches lower and to the right. The light wadcutter loads I tried shot very accurately but almost a foot low.
I certainly didn't expect the same boolit to shoot to point of impact with a much lighter charge.
I guess my question is, is this typical of this type of gun/ammo combination or is this just one of those "the gun makes it's own rules" things and I got lucky?