44 Mag bullet Testing

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
My revolver has the "old style" rubber with wood insert SRH grips, same style as what was found on the GP100. I really like them.
Some people like the rubber finger groove grips, I don't. The grooves never seem to be in a comfortable place for my hands.

Rick, would you comment on grip more. Is it getting the hands in a specific place on the grip or just getting them in the same place each and every shot? I am working on consistency of location and tension. The harder I hold the more I wiggle.
 
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freebullet

Guest
I'm not Rick but this is worth a try.

Don't death grip it. As you said it magnifies the wobbles. Put your grip pressure on the front and back of the stock. Like a vise. Its the side pressure on the stock that induces the wobbles.
Then push forward with your right hand and pull back with the left forming an isometric triangle. Don't lock your elbows straight they should remain bent slightly.
I have not heard this mentioned but it's critical with handguns is the trigger press. Follow through with the trigger, don't release the trigger until the gun has gone through its entire range of recoil motion.
From a completely rested position try a light -almost limp wrist grip utilizing the same hold technique. The wrist will also induce the wobbles if held too stiff.
I learned these tips from the best magnum revolver shooter I've ever met, and it really helped me.
 

Hawk

North Central Texas
Brad,
I rest the front frame of my pistol on a rifle rest covered with an old leather glove to protect it.
I rest my hands on sand bags or the rear bag of the rifle rest with my elbows on a hand towel or something that will cushion my elbows.
I've found if you rest the pistol on the frame, you get better accuracy than if you rest it on the barrel.
I'm pretty stretched out and low with this method, but it works for me.
I load 20.0 or 21.6 gr. of 296 (same as 110) behind a GC LBT 280 gr. WFN (from one of Veral's molds) with CCI mag. primers in a S&W 629 Classic Hunter, 6" barrel. Both charges give equal accuracy, which is excellent. The bullets are heat treated at 465 degrees for an hour, water quenched and sized to .432.
Hand gun shooting at long range is a blast.
 
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Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Shot some more today. These bullets were all heat treated at 400 F for an hour then quenched. After a week they are testing 20 BHn or so.
Loads were 21, 21.5, and 22 gr H110. Primers were CCI 300, next time I will try some Fed LP and see if they make any difference.

21grh110_zpszrm3vjii.jpg

This is 21.5 gr H110. Avg velocity of 1212 fps, SD of 10.

22grh110_zps5lligesf.jpg

This is 22 gr H110. Avg velocity of 1236, SD of 11.


21.5grh110_zpsaeaejoh2.jpg

This is 21.5 gr H110. Avg velocity of 1212, SD of 10.

I personally think the 21.5 gr load is the best so far. More testing will be done soon. I also need to keep working on grip consistency.
I can say that with any of these loads a clay target isn't safe at 100 yards. I went 3 for 3 with the 21 gr load on those targets.
 
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freebullet

Guest
Nice work!

21.5 shows some good promise.

With the low groups on the others it makes me wonder if your trigger has a bit too much over travel. I was getting a lot of that with the gp100. I shaved a little piece of leather and glued it behind as a trigger stop test. It helped considerably, so I had an over travel screw stop threaded in to the trigger housing. It helped a good bit with the diving on firing.
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
I think some of that is caused by my off hand. I catch myself letting my trigger finger tip touch part of my offhand at times. That can't be good.
First group I had nothing under my elbows, the high shot I had the point of my right arm, I am right handed, on the bench and it bounced way different. After that I got a stocking hat from the truck and let my elbow rest on it. Much more comfortable.

I really need to work on the rest and grip most of all. The flyers are the killers in the groups. The 21.5 has much horizontal, that is pretty much all me.
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
Looking at the 21.5 gr target . . . When gripping the revolver are you gripping tight enough with your right hand that you are applying pressure to the right grip panel? Hhmmm . . . . It looks like possibly pushing shots to the left.

What is the trigger pull on this revolver? Is the trigger pull pulling shots?

Looks like follow through is good or you would be vertical stringing.
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
That is what I think is happening, sideways pressure. I am not so sure it isn't my left hand causing the issues.
Trigger pull has never been measured but it has little creep and I would estimate it at 3 pounds or so.
Follow thru isn't an issue, I can generally tell you where the cross hairs are at the shot. I don't jerk the trigger or flinch.

I need to focus on grip consistency. Not just how firm but where me hands are at the time.
 

Hawk

North Central Texas
Here are the targets I had previously posted. These are my own creations, so no copyright issues.
Let me know if you have trouble downloading them.
You'll need Adobe Reader to view and print these.
 

Attachments

  • Letter target Model 1 medium red dot (2).pdf
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  • Letter target Model 5 red dots-2.pdf
    40.8 KB · Views: 8
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Hawk

North Central Texas
When I shoot long range from a rest, I try to keep cross hairs on the target and apply slow pressure on the trigger until the hammer falls and it's a surprise when the gun goes off. If I intentionally pull the trigger to make the hammer fall, I've probably pulled or pushed the shot, especially with a hand gun.

Not so much a problem with short range handgunning, but long range, it seems to make a big difference.

Your mileage may vary!
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Thanks for the targets Hawk.

I agree, the trigger break needs to be somewhat a surprise bit not too much. Jerk the trigger and it just never turns out well.

I'm finding that I need to think back to my HP shooting days. Things like NPA have some value here.