shooting the short barrel 60

[bigted]

took my little 44 out today with four different loads to shake it out a bit.

1st load = 6 grains unique - 140 grain .454 round ball - cci pistol mag primer - R P 45 colt case == around 1 FOOT pattern @ 20 yards

2nd load = 5 grains unique - 260 grain accurate .454 bullet lubed w/ SPG - cci pistol mag primer - R P 45 colt case == 2.5 inch group @ 20 yds

3rd load = 35 grains GOEX 2F - 140grain .454  round ball - cci mag primer - R P 45 colt case == 1.5 inch group @ 20 yds

4th load = 26 grains GOEX cartridge - 260 grain accurate .454 bullet lubed w/SPG - cci mag - starline 45 schofield case = 1 inch @ 20 yds

going to do more intelligence work with this little dude. really wants to shoot if I can hold it steady. blackpowder has won out the day yet again. I do not know why I even fool with the smokeless loads ... I have proven this to myself time after time.

I also tweaked my Vaquero in to hit point of aim but that be with another post on the '73 area I think ???

[Tom-ADC]

Ted, why use magmum primers?
Always fun to try out new loads you've hand loaded yourself.

[Captainkirk]

took my little 44 out today with four different loads to shake it out a bit.

1st load = 6 grains unique - 140 grain .454 round ball - cci pistol mag primer - R P 45 colt case == around 1 FOOT pattern @ 20 yards

2nd load = 5 grains unique - 260 grain accurate .454 bullet lubed w/ SPG - cci pistol mag primer - R P 45 colt case == 2.5 inch group @ 20 yds

3rd load = 35 grains GOEX 2F - 140grain .454  round ball - cci mag primer - R P 45 colt case == 1.5 inch group @ 20 yds

4th load = 26 grains GOEX cartridge - 260 grain accurate .454 bullet lubed w/SPG - cci mag - starline 45 schofield case = 1 inch @ 20 yds

going to do more intelligence work with this little dude. really wants to shoot if I can hold it steady. blackpowder has won out the day yet again. I do not know why I even fool with the smokeless loads ... I have proven this to myself time after time.

I also tweaked my Vaquero in to hit point of aim but that be with another post on the '73 area I think ???

Ted, ya oughta know by now.....no pix, never happened!

[bigted]

hey Tom, tis what I got lots of and so im savin up my regular primers for till I get a load pretty well bucked out.

I also just loaded and shot 10 loads of Trail Boss powder ... 5.5 grains in a Schofield case with the same primers except I used some 230 grain round noses in it and MAN ... they seem to wanna shoot to aim and group very well. gonna have to load 20 or 30 of em and do some real careful shootin to see if they will deliver.

got the blackpowder loads pretty close but you know ... think I need around 5 or 6 hundred more to just be sure. 

[Tom-ADC]

Ted, that's what I thought on the primers I do the same thing. I use a 230 RN cast hard in the 45 Colt and have found Trail Boss to be a really good powder, I use a lot of Unique also. Haven't loaded any pistol with BP yet but do in my 45-70's Swiss 1.5 Fg.

[brazosdave]

that's cool!  It's interesting to see how accurate the round ball really is!

[bigted]

Cap ... LOL ... gonna do some mo shootin today I hope and will accompany the report with photo's so "really happened"

it really is astounding when those round balls do so well on target. don't think they would be so great in the oomph dept. tho after traveling 30 or 40 yards but up close ... id hate to be pasted with either a 36 or a 44 cal round ball. they would ruin the day im sure.

im havin too much fun with these revolvers here in the yard. just settin round and holding and fondling them is a giant hoot and one I never tire of. it is nice to be in company with others that feel the same.

[bigted]

here we go. so as can be seen ... the bottom target which i started out with did poorly. as i continued to shoot tho i could see that the lite unique loads kinda wanted to begin shooting.



here is the second target ... top right. i needed to get it to shoot to point of aim before getting purposeful with an accuracy test. finding the 5 grain Trail Boss load to be about the perfect difference between lite enough for my taste and heavy enough to do some good with hunting or just rock busting. ...



and here is a final shoot after running a few round balls to see if they would hit close to point of aim. the 5.5 is a little heavy with the 230 grain bullets but i think the 5 grain loads will be the purrr fect load. here on the last target ... top left ... the 5.5 grain TB with the 230 grain bullet in a schofield case just about hits the bell with the precision i like. this last group has 15 rounds thru it ... just rite i say! 



so there we have what could be called ... 'really happened' ... kind of thing. this revolver is about the funnest pistol to shoot. i swear between it and the 36 cal sparker ... i am a very happy camper.

[mazo kid]

Ted, you have made a believer of me! I may just have to load up some round balls in my conversion cylinders. Also have four tins of Trail Boss powder, will go back next week (or maybe in a little bit if the snow stops!) to pick up more if there is some left. The guys and gals who own the reloading place are super nice, didn't jack up prices like the big stores did, even during the primer shortage. They had a limit of one brick per visit, but I was able to add to my stash. Limit is now four bricks and four pounds of powder.

[bigted]

the shortage ... being locally encouraged ... is still going strong here. the hoarding is unbelievable here and unless you get there when the shelves are stocked ... you lose. bunch of idiots i think. cant beat stupid. lucky i have supply's to last till i get stateside and maybe a bit after. i am hoping that conditions are a bit better in America anyway.

[brazosdave]

that is one of the coolest pistols I have seen in a long time, man!

[dc7x64]

Ditto on the coolness factor. Excellent work!

[bigted]

thankyou very much fellers. all it takes is a bit of work and go slow. im certainly not a gunsmith but a fella picks up lil tricks along the way.

as for the load and bullet ... I do have the load pretty well zeroed but the bullet diameter is still getting some review from me. the group seen there is a 230 grain round nose design for a 45 auto and is of a .4515 inch diameter on the drivers ... my .454's don't group near as well AND as my revolver has the 7 groove rifling it is harder to measure the bore and grooves to discover the diameter it will settle down with. may be I just stumbled onto the .451 to .452 inch diameter by accident instead of the surmised .454 inch I thought it would like.

the fun still wonders along and I sure do enjoy the trip. tis what makes these so much fun ... the "tinker effect" they allow.

[Captainkirk]

I am in love with that little firecracker! Top left target......got 'er dialed in and everyone ducking for cover, Ted! That, boys, is shooting! You are hereby exonerated; it DID happen, as evidenced by the pix.....
(In my best Yul Brynner) So let it be written; so let it be done.

[bigted]

think I may get her out again for some more shooting. think the .452's and maybe the .451's will be the diameter this little "firecracker" is going to be on a diet with.

next program is going to be with my Pietta '61 with the 5.5 inch barrel. may have to try a conversion with it as well ... but that would be reported on the NAVY section.    ...