David Bradshaw Photos - Vol. 103. Aerial Shooting 357Max vid

[seancass]

[cmillard]

a little fun in the snow

[bradshaw]

My appreciation to seancass for posting these videos. Despite its stretched Super Blackhawk frame and 10-1/2” barrel, the Ruger .357 Maximum points beautifully. A wand loaded with Tank’s cast Powder Coat 187 grain WFN GC bullets seated over 22/H110, ignited by Remington rifle primers in Remington 1.605-inch Maximum brass.

Got sprayed by exploding water laced with fabric dye, thrown back at the shooter by a headwind. Shooting is done wearing gloves, 20-degrees fahrenheit.
David Bradshaw

[sbhg44]

From Minn. here, we're sending you some 10's below zero in a couple of days. That should level the field a lil. LOL.

Good shooting, been reading about you, Ruger and shooting since Metallic Silhouette Shooting by Elgin Gates (second edition).

Been lovin all of it. It's good to see someone teaching aerial shooting besides Keith in Sixguns (i believe thats correct). I limit mine to my shot loads and pop cans.

[paulg]

Talk about a cold shower! Fun to watch from Florida. :-)

[bradshaw]

sbhg44.... 2-below ZERO this morning close to a river this morning in the Northeast Kingdom. It’ll be colder up on the mountain when we take the kids sledding this afternoon. Every aspect of aerial shooting ratchets up the challenge when it’s freezing. Just to hold on to the jug and to release it retards the shift to mounting a rifle or to bring the pistol to the dotted line between eye and target. There is no time for a comfortable sight picture, yet the mind wants to see the sights in that fraction of a second when it is safe to squeeze the trigger.

“Squeeze?”

Yes, squeeze the trigger. Squeeze faster. Why encourage someone who hasn’t mastered SQUEEZE to just pull the trigger? Unless one is like the slob who says, ”I'd rather be lucky than good.”

Go at it like you’re going into a tournament. Go at it like you mean business.
David Bradshaw

[contender]

Now we have video. Excellent. It's a bit funny that the wind got ya with spray. I was taught to not face the wind when any form of "liquids" were to be "dispensed."

This video shows technique, if you look at it & study it.
Thanks for sharing!

[bradshaw]

millard and paul.... thanks. To be continued.

Tyrone.... didn’t have no selection facing into the wind. That was the better direction for grounding my bullets. And you’re right; dyed water is better than some things that get sprayed.
David Bradshaw

[seancass]

Cast 187 WFN GC Powder Coat. Seated over 22/H110 in Remington 1.605" .357 Maximum brass with Remington small rifle primer. Loaded in Redding dies with roll crimp. Load vaporizes thrown water jugs. Cast & powder coat bullets by Tank Hoover.



Firm fit of Tank’s cast 187 WFN GC in .357 Maximum chamber.



Cast Powder Coat 187 WFN GC snugs short 11-degree forcing cone on Bradshaw's Blackhawk .357 Maximum.



S&W M-640 .357 Mag may be a candidate for packing Powder Coat 187 WFN GC. Revolver has taken on aerial water jugs with various JHP. Uncle Mike’s birdhead grip for J-frames is a perfect match.

[gman50]

Any information on the alloy tank used for those pills? I'm using the NOE 180-RF powder coated. Weight coated and checked is 185 grains.

[bradshaw]

seancass.... my appreciation for posting these photos and video. Shall try Tank’s POWDER COAT 187 WFN GC @ 100 yards once the spray settles from flying water jugs. This bullet should be top shelf deer medicine form the .357 Maximum (and to perform well from a .357 Magnum). Seating the 187 WFN GC over 22/H110 in the Ruger Maximum, the load feels like it just moseys along, yet impact on aerial targets leaves little doubt it speaks with authority.
David Bradshaw

[hoover]

gman50, my alloy was basically WW.

David, if memory serves, that load goes about 1615 fps from my gun.

[paulg]

Mr. Bradshaw, after watching the video several times I noticed that you seem to fire at the top of the arc. Hard to see on the second target. Is that by design or is that just how those particular shots panned out?
Thanks,
Paul

[bradshaw]

Tank.... thanks. I was thinking the 1600 fps zone. There is a lot to be learned from your Powder Coat WFN GC. 22/H110 about takes the airspace in Remington Maximum 1.605” brass. Feels to have a very smooth acceleration in the Ruger 10-1/2” barrel.

Paul.... this aerial shooting is governed by firing only when there is ground behind the target----not sky! Thus, few if any shots are taken at the height or "soft spot" in the target’s trajectory. The shot is governed by the background, a non-negotiable discipline. It is much easier to nail an overhead target against the sky, there is more time and you have a blank background. Try it, toss a small box, crumpled paper, chunk of firewood, a ball. Bring the sights to your eye----eye on target----and dry fire only when the target crosses the horizon line, or drops below the crest of a berm. This defines your shot. The second it takes to ACQUIRE, TRACK, SQUEEZE, FOLLOW THROUGH provides time to assure a safe background for the shot.

gman50.... while Tank calls alloy wheel weight, remember that the oven which fuses the powder coating drops hardness to around 11 Brinell. Believe Dick Thompson suggests that alloys of various hardness end up around 11-12 Brinell. Dick may step in to correct me, and throw in an anecdote on the effectiveness of a Wide Flat Nose in the Maximum.
David Bradshaw.

[paulg]

Ok Mr. Bradshaw I will keep this thread and your directions herein handy for when I'm ready to try this. One more question and it's probably stupid and has no relevance but that's never stopped me before. After the shot do you allow the trigger to reset or do you keep it "pulled", for lack of better terminology, until your follow through is complete? Hope that makes sense.