Montado .357 range trip results

[steveinaz]

Finally got the Montado out. I am NO crackshot, so keep that in mind. At 20yds, shooting from a crude rest (my arms laying on the bench), I was getting 2 1/2 to 3" groups with WWB 125gr SJHP. The sights were regulated dead-on at this distance, windage perfectly centered, with no rounds creeping outside of the edges of the 3" shoot 'n see target. I'm positive the gun will shoot better than I, but I was very pleased with the spot-on shots producing nice well-rounded groups. No stringing, no strays.

What a fun gun.

 

[americal]

Sounds good to me I do like the looks of that model 8) 8)

 

[JimMarch1]

>>At 20yds, shooting from a crude rest (my arms laying on the bench), I was getting 2 1/2 to 3" groups with WWB 125gr SJHP.<<

That's not bad at all. That load isn't known as a major tackdriver. I would expect a good 158gr jacketed (Gold Dot or XTP based in particular) to do better and hardcasts out past 158 to do even better. Some guns also like the 140gr Barnes X slug, either handloaded or Federal's factory load.

Speer Gold Dot, Barnes all-copper hollowpoints and Hornady XTP slugs tend to have better "spin balancing" than most JHPs, and the heavier weights tend to be more accurate than the lighter. Done right, a hardcast will meet or exceed those.

I think your gun will turn out to be a superb specimen.

 

[steveinaz]

With a better rest setup and less blazing sunshine (the sights were tough to see) I'm sure I could have cut those groups to 1.5." It wasn't an ideal setup, but I could tell the Montado is capable of some excellent accuracy. A 3" shoot 'n see is pretty darn small at 20yds with these 47yr old eyes. I'd love to see how this pup would shoot in a Ransom rest.

For reference, I shot a total of 18rds, 3 times around the cylinder. The first 2 shots of the first cylinder went thru the same hole!

 

[KWYJIBO]

Dang you! Now you're making me want one of those even more. I think I have enough (3) .45 Colt single actions to satisfy my appetite. I still need a .357 to go with my double actions in that chambering, and the Montado seems perfect for my intended uses.

Nice work at the range! It's good to see someone enjoying a Ruger and to hear reports that they can still make 'em to a high standard of quality.

 

[JimMarch1]

The mid-frames like the Montado, NewVaq, 44Spl and 50th 357 have been some of the best guns Ruger ever made.

That said though, if it was me I'd get a NewVaq and swap hammers to the SuperBlackhawk. The SBH hammer is basically the same as the Montado hammer, but the checkering pattern is in my opinion better on the SBH thumbpad. You also get a longer ejector rod stroke that way. The guns are otherwise the same thing, built to the same quality standards.

My NewVaq357 can shoot - I've not run hardcasts through it yet, but Speer's factory 135gr 357 "short barrel special" pulled 2" groups at 25yds. That's a better load than the WWB 125 Steve was playing with and I think mine could do even better.

As far as practical accuracy goes, mine now wears absolutely gonzo sights, and while I haven't cleaned up the cosmetics yet functionally they rock hard:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1jimmarch/ ... otostream/

Way bigtime not SASS legal . You'll note I solved the "sight glinting" problem for damnsure .