Todays adventure at the range

[frkelly74]

Today I wanted to shoot the new Charter arms Chameleon 38 that I got yesterday. It is very light and this shows itself to be a disadvantage in firing heavier loads. First I had some Blazer wad cutters which I remember as being mild in a Ruger Blackhawk 10 years ago. They did not seem mild in the new gun. I stepped down in loading and I knew I was getting close to being too slow and sure enough after about 100 rounds I stuck a 125 gr powder coated flat point in the bore. Stuck tight! So I shot the 45 for a while and had fun with that. I think I will stick to tumble lubed boolits for that gun. I think that powder coating has a little less lubricity than alox. More like a jacketed bullet. I did get the slug out, I put kroil down the muzzle and left it sit for a couple of hours. It was oozing out the barrel at the breech end by then. I used an aluminum rod and a 2 lb hammer to drive the slug out , the gun was braced on a piece of oak and it took about a dozen swings to get it moving. I have a real nice pounded slug of the breech end of the barrel now so I can measure the bore diameter. I do not have much experience firing double action and had some trouble hitting a 2'X2' square of card board at 25 yards. Single action was not a problem. I shot enough to raise a blister on my trigger finger which I wrapped with electricians tape which my wife noticed and asked me what i had done. I told her I got a blister from shooting and she almost fell on the floor laughing. That was a really good thing to see, she has not been laughing much for quite a while. So right there it was well worth the discomfort.

[metricmonkeywrench]

That's the disadvantage of the small "carry" guns, they are not an effective "range" gun like a S&W model 10 and similar since there is no weight to the pistol and you get every bit of the firing impulse and the triggers generally lean towards the heavy side. You fire enough to be comfortable with your muscle memory and reliability but that about it.

My son picked up on of the carry .40s, even in semi auto it is not a pleasant gun for a day out on the range.

[gbrown]

Yeah, light pistols and heavy loads don't mix too well. My buddy had a lightweight 9mm revolver about 20 years ago. We were out at the range and he said, "Give it try." Now I knew he likes to load to the upper end of load tables, so I was ready, I thought. After about 6 rounds, my wrist was aching and I gave it up. Wasn't any fun at all. Hate to think what it would feel like 20 years later.:roll::roll:

[marek313]

My first handgun was a Taurus PT111 G2 because it was cheap got decent reviews and because i didnt know any better lol. I dont know if I bring it out to the range once a year and thats usually just to show new potential buyers why you want full size handgun for home defense. Its not even that small or snappy as some other guns I shot but size does matter and bigger is better in the gun world unless its a CCW which I cant do here in NJ so it doesnt matter to me.

[firefly1957]

I have a old Charter Arms 44 Special I just do not shoot heavy loads from it at all as the recoil is bad.

[bakerjw]

A guy I knew had a Taurus titanium 38 special revolver. Light as heck. It kicked so hard that he sold it.
I have a Taurus 38 special snub nose and it kicks quite a bit too but nothing at all like that titanium one.

[MT Gianni]

I would suggest finding a medium heavy load it likes and carrying it often, while shooting it annually or when you need it. I would hate to think my defensive load is less powerful than a Blazer wc.

[Big Boomer]

Some of the problems old timers face has to do with back and hip problems due to age/arthritis so the lighter the carry item the better. My carry gun is a small Sig P938 (for anyone who may not know, that is a 9mm). That little pistol is no joy whatever to shoot with the short carry magazine in place ... in fact it is pure punishment to shoot for practice. The extra magazine makes it less punishing to shoot but makes the butt too long for really concealed carry. I have two airweight S&Ws, a M442 and a M37 but they are too heavy to carry and to carry extra .38 Spl. ammo will pull my pants down. I'm 80 years old and can walk fine if I'm not carrying, but can't walk any distance while carrying because my back and hips start giving me such pain. 20 years ago it was no problem - now its a major problem that most younger folk do not understand. Big Boomer

[fixit]

i finally got to shoot my new to me blackhawk .357, and am thrilled at how well it shoots, if i do my part! it seems to particularly like h.b. wadcutters, which should go well for small game and plinking. not bad for 400 dollars!

[Martin Luber]

Wonder if its the lube that helps it stick? My 45 bullets with nra lube can be driven out easily but a 9 with hot wax? Forget it!

[MrWolf]

Some of the problems old timers face has to do with back and hip problems due to age/arthritis so the lighter the carry item the better. My carry gun is a small Sig P938 (for anyone who may not know, that is a 9mm). That little pistol is no joy whatever to shoot with the short carry magazine in place ... in fact it is pure punishment to shoot for practice. The extra magazine makes it less punishing to shoot but makes the butt too long for really concealed carry. I have two airweight S&Ws, a M442 and a M37 but they are too heavy to carry and to carry extra .38 Spl. ammo will pull my pants down. I'm 80 years old and can walk fine if I'm not carrying, but can't walk any distance while carrying because my back and hips start giving me such pain. 20 years ago it was no problem - now its a major problem that most younger folk do not understand. Big Boomer

Have you looked into a nice concealed carry vest? Makes a big difference with a good one.

[country gent]

The small carry guns will shoot very well but it takes a lot more concentration and practice. Its not that they dont shoot but that they are hard to shoot. the short sight radius makes sight alignment more critical and a gun weighing a pound or under with a 6-10lb trigger pull is backwards the gun wants to move before the trigger. Coupled with small grips its real work to shoot one well.

My 360 air lite is a joy to carry but even light wad cutter loads of 2.6 grns of bullseye and a 148 HBWC are rough. Recoil is much sharper quicker with the light weight of the gun. Then the blast is much closer to you also. These guns arnt meant to shoot a lot but to be there when needed Several I know with these new ultra lights I know have the same version in steel or stainless to practice with. One of the best shooting handguns I owned was a j frame smith with a 4" barrel recoils was nt bad sight radius was better and trigger was still heavy. but it did shoot.

[Big Boomer]

"Have you looked into a nice concealed carry vest? Makes a big difference with a good one."

Yes I have, as well as shoulder holsters, of which I have a few. Had polio when I was 8 or 9 years old and it left me with arthritis beyond belief. Anything hanging from my shoulders or pulling at my side is a real problem. I possess and can handle a custom 5-shot .45 Colt Ruger Bisley built by Hamilton Bowen that shoots a 340 gr WLN boolit at 1400 fps better than I can handle my Sig P938 in 9mm. The Ruger Bisley just pushes back harder. The little Sig twists in my hand(s) viciously, factory or handloaded. Just the consequences of life and the passing of time. I'm still shooting, though, albeit painfully. Big Boomer

[Geezer in NH]

First ever here of Paragraphs, so one can read the post?

Small hand guns are for up close and help needed now! Wadcutters work well for that. Want to shoot heavy loads get a heavier gun. However you may not carry it with for 24/7 cause it is heavy.

You do not have to stop an elephant with every shot.

[GregLaROCHE]

Did you size your boolits after PCing them? PC is known to be pretty slippery. I doubt if that’s really what made the difference. If you want less recoil, have you considered a lighter boolit?

[robg]

remember the snub nosed 44mag smith & wesson brought out twenty odd years ago? hoot to shoot but 6 rounds were enough to draw blood .

[10-x]

FWIW, I shoot heavier loads in 4-6” length barreled revolvers at the range, indoors or out. Used to hunt with some. Semi autos seem much easier for me to shoot any load as recoil spring takes some of “ recoil” away. Carry light weight J frame with +P loads which is just for up close until I can get to .45 ACP pistol in vehicle. By chance I Know area I go to or through is “questionable” , carry .45 auto of some kind. “ Arthur” in most of my joints have created some problems but can deal with them. Always think of pistols, revolvers as tools, use which one that fits your need(s).

[BrutalAB]

Some of the problems old timers face has to do with back and hip problems due to age/arthritis so the lighter the carry item the better. My carry gun is a small Sig P938 (for anyone who may not know, that is a 9mm). That little pistol is no joy whatever to shoot with the short carry magazine in place ... in fact it is pure punishment to shoot for practice. The extra magazine makes it less punishing to shoot but makes the butt too long for really concealed carry. I have two airweight S&Ws, a M442 and a M37 but they are too heavy to carry and to carry extra .38 Spl. ammo will pull my pants down. I'm 80 years old and can walk fine if I'm not carrying, but can't walk any distance while carrying because my back and hips start giving me such pain. 20 years ago it was no problem - now its a major problem that most younger folk do not understand. Big Boomer

P938 is my carry as well.
However i have found the opposite to be true. The 6 round mag is the more comfortable for me. My hands are large enough that the groove for the 7 round mag digs into my pinky, and its too much of a stretch to place the pinky under the mag like i do in the 6 rounder.
I picked it because of it is relatively heavy for its size. I actually enjoy shooting it.
Im also less than half your age, can understand how that would make a difference as it also does not bother me to carry a full size 1911 iwb.

[Big Boomer]

BrutalAB:

My first real carry gun was a Ruger P90 in a shoulder holster. Really liked it and still shoot it but it stays in my desk drawer. The bedroom houses my "nighttime" carry - a 12 gauge shotgun with #5 shot. Big Boomer

[samari46]

have a m36 in 38spl and fired all sorts of both WWB and personal defense loads so well aquainted with its recoil.Still made of steel so that lessens the recoil impulse somewhat but at least I'm familiar with it. Also have a Sig P239 in 40 S&W which can be what I call snappy with the WWB 180 grain loads. Now only use the WWB 165 grain loads and while only a 15 grain difference between the two it does make a difference. S&W model 10 have fires boxes of the 130 grain FMJ's out of it and a lot of personal defense ammunition. Granted it's heavier than the 36 which does tend to soak up the recoil. Bought a S&W M&P 2.0 with 4.25" barrel. My first plastic fantastic in 9mm. I've shot others and recoil is a non issue. Local ranges closed due to the china virus. So I don't expect any recoil surprises. Frank