.357 Accuracy Woes

H

Hylander

Blackhawk
Joined
May 1, 2008
Messages
516
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California
So my first couple trips to the range with my new GP100 was a bust.
All loads were with 158SWC GC and there was zero leading.
At 10yds. benched all loads looked accurate, about 1"
At 25yds. benched they range from 4" - 6"
Loads so far:
5.4 of 231
5.5 and 5.8 of Unique
I do have one load that shoots under 2.5" but that is a 125jsp under 9.8 of Power Pistol.

So just me, or keep working on the loads ?
I shoot under 3" @ 25yds. with my 1911
 
What boolit ???, usually the wider the front band on a swc the more accurate it is .

My NOE 358429 is more accurate than my 3 different Lyman 358429s.
 
8 grains Unique under a 158 grain lead swc shoots very well in my Blackhawk and Security-Six.
 
I went thru some notes & 231 load is on the upper end , I settled on 4.8gr for the most accurate & the unique is a bit low ,I settled on 7.3gr.

I was using a cast 358156 GC boolit at the time.
 
If the gun is 'brand new' I would shoot about 500 close to full power jacketed rounds through it before accuracy testing.
You gota break the barrel in and then switch to lead if that is what you want to shoot.
I know this from working with a Redhawk that took forever to start shooting right. :D
 
Thanks guys,
I did shoot some Jacketed though it first, but only about 20 - 30 rounds.
Then cleaned it well and started shooting cast.
 
Jimbo357mag said:
If the gun is 'brand new' I would shoot about 500 close to full power jacketed rounds through it before accuracy testing.
You gota break the barrel in and then switch to lead if that is what you want to shoot.
I know this from working with a Redhawk that took forever to start shooting right. :D
Click to expand...

Be MUCH cheaper to do a simple lap job with cast bullets don'tcha think? :shock:
 
IT SEEMS TO ME, those are pretty puny loads to wasting GasCheck bullets upon. IF you want to test loads do it correctly by loading in series of per example 5.0, 5.2, 5.4. 5.6, 5.8 ETC and load twelve rounds a piece for two[2!!] sixshot groups [ average both for group size ] with simultaneous chronographing of all groups as they are shot. You will very soon learn where the BEST loads are and that cannot be deduced by quessing nor asking nor expecting our loads to shoot as well in YOUR guns.
 
You will very soon learn where the BEST loads are and that cannot be deduced by quessing nor asking nor expecting our loads to shoot as well in YOUR guns.
Click to expand...

Not expecting your loads to shoot the same in my gun, just looking for a good starting point instead of shooting hundreds of rounds to find a good load
 
My standard Jacketed bullet load is 158 gr. bullet over 14 gr. 2400. It shoots well in all of my .357`s I shoot these first and if the gun shoots them accurately I know the gun is good and start working on a cast bullet load. Not all guns will like the same cast bullet loads and experimentation will tell you what it does like.
First six shots at 25 yards after mounting the red dot using above load and Hornady XTP`s.
 
With Unique (or Universal or 20/28), I like 6.0g under 158g SWC for about 1080fps. The two .357s I have seem to like this load. My current goto load is 5.0g of Red Dot under 158g SWC for around 1019fps out of 6 1/2" barrel. Not gas checked off course, ... no need for that extra expense.

Oh I did shoot up to 7.0g of Unique and 20/28 under 158g SWC. I marked the 20/28 load as accurate (liked very much). So you may want to work up to 7.0g of Unique at least before you 'move on'....

As for W-231, I never marked any load as accurate from 5.0g to 6.0g. Far as I tested for .357 loads as I like velocities between 1000fps to 1100fps.

My testing was all done CCI-500 primers.
 
Nice group Chuck... 8)

I don't hotrod with my .357 much as it is a S&W M-19 and I treat it somewhat gently. Full tilt 125 gr jacketed are on board in the nightstand of course, but 90% of my target/plinking is done with 150-160 grain cast bullets at around 1100-1200 fps. Even so, I get good results with W-296...

Two centavos... :wink:
 
For accuracy check on any new gun for me, I *must* do a 'bench rested' comparison at such as 7-15-25- yard ranges, as I am one who has learned I am particularly sensitive to the nuances of 'weight forward' balance. If I find my 7-15-25 routine (using same loads of course) between free-standing and bench=rested correlate well, all is good.

If I find way better and more consistent 'bench supported' vs 'free' (ie standing 2-hand) then the issue is *me* not the new gun.

Oddly enough, it does take me around 500 rounds to finally decide whether I've got a keeper or a 'trade it now' item.

Comparative groups or lack thereof, are more dependent on my own daily precision than the typical recipes I use.

While I admire the GP100 4" I've just never been able to reliably get good free standing groups from it, as they don't quite fit my own proprioceptive needs. The 6" has been slightly better but I've never owned one.

Good luck in solving the problem.
 
Hi,

My experience with pretty much the same loads of Unique the OP's working with shows some experimenting with crimp can make positive changes. In MY guns, of course!

Rick C
 
I have great accuracy with 158 grain SWC (no Gas Check), and 5.5 to 6 grains of win 231 in all of my GP100's, Redhawk, SP101 and Security Six. I think you should bump up the charge a bit.
 
My Ruger OMBH and S&W's shoot great with 7.5 grains of Unique and a plain based 150 grain LSWC sized to 0.358". I know a lot of folks don't like Unique because it is "dirty". But, I grew up shooting Goex FFFG -- so Unique looks pretty clean to me. Ha! Seriously, I have tried most of the typical powders in my revolvers and Unique shoots as good (or better) than any for me. Maybe just me.
 
When I get a new gun I don't shoot lead bullets; I shoot jacketed bullets.
Only.
I shoot a few thou to 'polish' the bore.

Then I clean clean clean the bore, until a clean patch squeaks on its way through.
Then I cut a few wee patches from my KLEEN-BORE Lead-Away cloth, and drive them through the bore using a sized wooden dowel and a big hammer.
I run about three through.
Then I again clean the bore until it squeaks.
Then I saturate a clean patch with stinky Tetragun Oil and swab the bore until dripping.
Then I set it aside for a few days until it dries completely.
Then I run a clean patch through and commence shootin' lead!

No leading in any of my personal guns.......none.
 
WESHOOT2 said:
When I get a new gun I don't shoot lead bullets; I shoot jacketed bullets.
Only.
I shoot a few thou to 'polish' the bore.

Then I clean clean clean the bore, until a clean patch squeaks on its way through.
Then I cut a few wee patches from my KLEEN-BORE Lead-Away cloth, and drive them through the bore using a sized wooden dowel and a big hammer.
I run about three through.
Then I again clean the bore until it squeaks.
Then I saturate a clean patch with stinky Tetragun Oil and swab the bore until dripping.
Then I set it aside for a few days until it dries completely.
Then I run a clean patch through and commence shootin' lead!

No leading in any of my personal guns.......none.
Click to expand...
I have never done that. No leading in mine either!
gramps
 
In my S&W 66 I use 6.4 grains of unique and a Lee 158grain RNFP bullet(actual weight is 162gr) and it's very accurate.
 
Last match my GP launched 110g R-P JHPs over Universal, ignited by Federal 200s.

Yes I made Major.
Yes the squad admired my fireballs.


Match before I used 158g LRN over AA9, but they gummed up the chambers.


Both my KGP-141s exhibit uncanny accuracy, as long as the ammo is good :wink:
 
I never had good luck with Unique with any of my .357's when using #358156 in either the hollowpoint of SWC version. My Smith & Wesson Outdoorsman, my Model 27, my Blackhawk, and my SP-101 all prefer 2400. I think a really good load is around 12.5 to 13.0 grains of 2400 and accuracy was excellent out of every gun with those loads.
 
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