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I am looking for some ideas with loading for a Smith Model 27.
I want to push the Saeco # 353, 180gr Flat Point boolit as fast as possible. I want to reach out and touch something at 200 yards - that is touch it with some authroity.
I have used max loads with 296 @ 1400fps and 2400 @ 1350fps and some slightly reduced ones also. My problem is these loads open up the grouping some. I would like to have a tighter group while going FAST.
If you are even HITTING THE PAPER @ 200yds with a revolver, you're doing better than 99% of the revolver shooters out there, me included. ;)
I'm going to assume that the revolver likes that bullet. It must if you can shoot it at that range. As you know, each powder will (hopefully) tighten up groups at a particular charge level, but where on the table that occurs is different for every gun. All I can suggest of a practical nature is to continue trying appropriate powders to see if you can find one that tightens up in the velocity range you're looking for. You may or may not find what you want, but will likely still come up with something you can use. I have had very good luck with BDOT in .357mag loads with heavy bullets, but I shoot them in a 10" Contender, so that may not help you much in your search as the loads I use are way overpowered for your revolver, even if it is a m27. (And BDOT is NOT a very consistant powder in varying temperatures, but it's fine in warm weather.)
357 S&W 686 6"
I load 12 gr. 2400 1125 fps 180gr. Xtp 150yrds. anything after that is not consistence. no need in taking the risk of getting hurt or damaging the pistol for something they are not designed for.[smilie=b:
be careful
speed and accuracy is not alway on the same page.
300winmag
Thanks for your help. I will try some of the shotgun powders, i have some bdot.
I do shoot well at distance, always have with a handgun. 50% of the time i can hit a 3 foot square steel plate with s&w model 39 9mm with 148gr flat point - standing with both hands holding the pistol. i want to shot the 357 at that distance becase it shoots flatter than the 9mm and besides the 9mm is not as much fun as the 357 plus i think i can improve my hit percentage to 90% with a 2 foot square.
It's easy when you want to do what everyone else is doing. All the experiments and related data are readily available for shooting at 25 & 50yds. But when you want to do something DIFFERENT, then you have to get creative.
I would put in a call to Sierra's tech dept and ask for opinions from them. The whole topic of 200yd revolver shooting ought to get some interesting responses from them. I have discussed some fairly off-the-wall ideas with them several times and they have either brought me back down to earth or pointed me in the right direction with ideas that had not occurred to me.
800-223-8799 or email sierra@sierrabullets.com
Where are you located?
Also bear in mind that the twist rate for your revolver is optimized for 125 to 158 grain bullets. Those 180's will spread more because they are not fully stabilized in that barrel.
I also shoot the 180's but in a RNFP cast. They shoot well in all my guns from a 2 inch Smith 38 spl to my 4 and 6 inch 686's and my 10 inch Encore. I sit them all over the appropriate dose of Unique. Just ordered 500 more of them.
Thanks to all in responding all of this is great information. I will contact Sierra - i wonder if they are interested in cast boolits or just their jacketed - i would shoot jacketed but just cannot afford them. I do admit i found the last dealer with a supply of Nosler 180gr partition jacket boolits and bought a box, may get another because Nosler says they do not intend on bringing them back to market. I have a good supply of wheelweights and like to cast, it is theraputic for my mind (cheaper than a shrink).
Hope everyone has a great New Years and properous new year, i will, i finally got a job again in October.
You guys need friends like mine. I was given over 200 of the 175 gr. flat points another 150 of 180 gr. round point bullets. I has debating on what I was going to do with these, but now I have a plan. I have a Rossi 6" stainless revolver that I will start working some loads up for. I have a good supply of Blue Dot and for safety sake I will start light and work my way up to some lethal hunting loads. I have harvested deer with a Contender pistol and it is challenging, but a revolver should make it even more fun
Just keep in mind that BDOT gets erratic when the temperture drops below 50*, so unless you have a holster that keeps the gun next to your body and nice and warm, it can be a problem for deer hunting loads. Velocities can be all over the place and accuracy can go from nice tight groups to shotgun patterns without warning. For me, it's not worth the chance of wounding an animal. I think 2400 would be a much better choice for deer hunting.
2400 is a favorite for colder temps here too.
blue dot is affected by the cold as is h-110, and 4227 is inconsistent in the heat.
another powder to consider is 800-x it needs to be weighed individually but does well in temp swings.
also sr-4756 is a good powder ,i use it for deer hunting in my 45 colt with horn xtp's and 250 rnfp cast.
it meters very good and is pretty consistent in velocity.
i used to shoot my 357's quite a bit at distance, and i had cut out some steel silhouette's.
i was able to consistently hit these with 38 cases 4 grs of 231 and 158 swc's at a blazing velocity of @800 fps.
oh yeah the distances were from 20 feet to over 300 yds.
kinda like, bang.............................................. .........................tinggggk.
keep things over or under sonic the whole way, and look at the design for stability.
that will help more than pure velocity,and the things [problems] you need to make velocity work.
In mikeb82301's above post he makes this comment. Where do you find this information (twist rate optimized for 125 to 158 grain bullets)?Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeb82301
I'm picking up my 45-70 tomorrow and would like to get into reloading for it. The twist rate factor is new to me.
Can someone give an explanation?
search for the greenhill formula it is based on the length of the bullet.
you can get a heavier bullet to stabilize by speeding it up.
it takes more pressure to do this
or by using a faster twist in the bbl.
this will affect lighter bullets, by over spinning them at high velocity.
thats why some rifles like heavy and some like light bullets.
for instance most of your 308 and 30-06 rifles use a 1-10 twist.
just because someone might want to shoot a 200 or 220 gr bullet in them.
most of your 30-30, and some 308/30-06 rifles use a 1-12 twist.
and most often a 150 or 170 gr bullet is used.
for your 45-70 just go with 405 gr and you can't go wrong.
The 405's work great in my 45-70 too.
Thanks for the info. Helped answer some other questions I've had.