David Bradshaw Photos - Vol. XLV

[Lee Martin]

100 yards is a good distance when we talk revolver accuracy for hunting or competition. July, 1979: 10-shots from a first production Ruger SBH S410N .44 Mag 10-1/2", with Leupold 4x28mm scope, at 132 yards. Short-lived S&W load of 240 JHP. Sandbag rest



S&W nickel M-29 8-3/8" with Leupold 4x28mm, 5x5=2.0" at 100 yards. Silhouette accuracy to be sure, although bullet too light to really play the steel game. Proves the good manufacturers have understood for years.



Blue M-29 8-3/8" with factory partridge sight. Classic Creedmoor position.



Interarms Siilhouette Dragoon 10" .44 Mag at 100 meters.



Jim Whitcomb loads Interams Virginian silhouette Dragoon at IHMSA match in Goliad, Texas



Misprint: Daw Wesson Arms Model 15 .357 Mag----erroneously labeled a .44----with five Federal 125 JHP's in 2.5" 2 100 meters. Handmade beaver chewed grip. Dan Wesson quickly adopted grip spike design originated on T/C Contender. Second generation Aimpoint sight on Weaver-type rail. Six-inch full underlug barrel. Worst 5-shot group with Fed 125 JHP printed 4.1" @ 100 m.



.38 Special brass was trimmed to seat Hornady .358 200 grain Round Nose and Spire Point bullets. These 200 grain bullets couldn't safely be driven fast enough from Colt and S&W revolvers to utilize weight. Anyone trying this today might as well crimp on ogive, not trim case.



Hard to deny accuracy of .357 Maximum in Dan Wesson Model 40 Vent 8-inch. Five shots at 100 meters with Hornady .358 200 RN. Original barrels with 1:14 twist, like this one, stabilize 200 Hornady Spire Point. Against alleged quallity complaints, David never experienced a poor 1:14 barrel. Barrels with 1:16" twist came next, followed by a pedestrian 1:18-3/4" in last stage of Maximum production, including stainless M740.



Coming on the heels of the .357 Maximum, Ruger introduced the Super Blackhawk KS411N. Improvements over S410N "Silhouette Super" include bull barrel screw-on target front sight, and long Maximum ejector assembly. The "Silver Hornpipe" set a record on its first outing.



Freedom Arms M83 .44 mag with Shilen 10"x1:16 barrel. Leupold 2.5-8x33mm LER with target turrets and dot reticle, Leupold rings on SSK T'SOB base.

Nosler 300 JHP over 20.2/H110, Fed 155 Gold Match, Federal case, 1,400 fps. Superb accuracy, perhaps more than required. Nevertheless, contagious performance. Point of impact (POI) of Nosler 300 JHP about 3" low, as revolver is zeroed for Sierra 240 JHC at 1,600 fps.



Redding Competition seater die presents deluxe alignment of bullet as it glides into case. Seater plug resembles a very smooth forcing cone. Micrometer adjustment facilitates instant return to respective depth for various bullets.



-Lee
www.singleactions.com
"Building carpal tunnel one round at a time"

[sixer]

Mr Bradswaw always has interesting pictures and history of the sport. I always look forward to his next posts.

[cmillard]

love these types of write ups. love that FA 83. I want the silhouette version in .41 mag and shoot way out there

[bradshaw]

cmillard.... high intrinsic accuracy remains a hallmark of the .41 Magnum. The Dick Casull designed M83 just about guarantees superb accuracy, with top velocity. Certainly a fine cartridge to keep in the pipeline.
David Bradshaw

[oregon45]

Any difference in using jacketed versus hard cast bullets in those Redding Competition seating dies?

[cmillard]

bradshaw--any idea what twist rate FA is using in their .41 mag? it looks like (in their pics anyhow) that the .41 mag FA 83 silhouette model uses the whole cylinder window which would make room for shooting long heavy bullets--like lee did in his article on heavy .41 magnums. that coupled with the 5 shot cylinder, long barrel, and precision fitting, would make for great long range work.

[hoover]

Great stuff! Love how Ray Lones used plain base cast, no "goofy gas check" for him to go 38X40. David, what percentage of silhouetters used cast for competition off the top of your head. I know jacketed are more consistent over the long haul but love hard headed guys like myself who have a lead fetish.

[Ken O'Neill]

Jeff,
In my observation, way less than 10% used cast across the Big Bore course. A few more, but I'd guess still less than 10%, used cast across the Field Pistol course.
Nice walk down Memory Lane, David.

[Ken O'Neill]

CMillard,
FA 41's have a 1:14 twist.

[hoover]

Thanks, Ken! Of those less than 10%'s, anyone ever place?

[cmillard]

thanks ken

[paul105]

I know Ken already answered the question but the FA Spec Sheet has a ton of good info:

freedomarms.com/spec.pdf#page=1&zoom=auto,0,-27

Paul

[Ken O'Neill]

Nov 13, 2014 11:51:11 GMT -5 hoover said:

Thanks, Ken! Of those less than 10%'s, anyone ever place?

Jeff, I'm sure some matches were won by cast bullet shooters

[bradshaw]

Ken O'Neill has FA M83 .41 Mag twist correct at 1:14". Same 1:14 for M83 (M353) .357 Mag. The .44 Mag with Shilen barrel by Jim Stroh pictured in these reports is, to my knowledge, the first non-.454 Casull produced by Freedom Arms. It came with 1:24 twist ten-inch barrel. Specified a Shilen 1:16 when Stroh performed the rebarrel.

Twist rate isn't critical when shooting bullet which have the ballistic coefficient of a barn door. Usable twist range narrows as bullet grows in length and ballistic coefficient. Twist becomes critical with boat tails, especially a long boat tail Also, a boat tail is more sensitive to bore irregularities. Whereas it is commonly argued that bullet length alone determines correct twist, my experience suggests ballistic coefficient or profile must be factored.
David Bradshaw

[bradshaw]

Cast bullet shooters never made a big deal of making their own, but fine performances were turned, and those men and women would not have shot cast without accuracy.
David Bradshaw