David Bradshaw Photos - Vol. XLV

[alukban]

I can honestly, definitively, truthfully and emphatically state that I am so much the wiser for reading Bradshaw's pictorials.

BTW - nice "guns" - HA HA!

[bradshaw]

Oregon45.... the Redding Competition Seater supports the bullet on the ogive, and should work for wide nose cast bullets. Write down meplat diameter of your widest bullet (for caliber) and give Redding Reloading a call.
David Bradshaw

[bradshaw]

Tank... heard, perhaps it was ten or fifteen years ago, the International Revolver Championship was won with cast bullets in a Freedom Arms M83 .454 Casull. Heard it was a six inch barrel, and that it was still when Production meant stock and iron sights were factory iron. Anyone reads this who can verify the dope on this, please chime in.

As a footnote on IHMSA silhouette, most Ruger Blackhawks in .45 Colt I saw in action were loaded with cast semi wadcutters.
David Bradshaw

[bradshaw]

Sean.... somewhere in oner of these photo essays there should be a photo of the S410N Super Blackhawk 10-1/2-inch, a.k.a. “Silhouette Super,” showing this revolver rested on homemade sandbags----a butt bag and a barrel bag. Note group thus fired, 10x10=4-1/4” @ 132 yards. The Smith & Wesson .44 Mag ammo with 240 JHP was loaded at a plant in Ohio, later bought by Federal. While accurate, the S&W bullet is not the accuracy equal of the Sierra 240 JHC. Nor for that matter quite the equal of the Hornady 240 JHP. (The Hornady 240 JHP was replaced by the XTP 240 JHP.)

Had the 10x10 group been fired from a wrist support or with only the revolver butt on the bag, it is unlikely all 10 shots would have stayed in the black. The hand gunner who tries bench rest with a revolver will quickly see the benefit of a two bag rest.

As fot a bench rest revolver target, the iron sight shooter should be free to select at mark which allows for a clear sight picture for an extended time. The scope shooter should have a fixed size, two point bull, similar to BR rifle, to prevent bullets eating the aim point.
David Bradshaw

[bradshaw]

Hughree.... your Virginian Silhouette Dragoon .41 Mag is a caliber I havent’t handled, let alone shot. My experience with the Silhouette Dragoon----10” barrel, target sights----includes .357 & .44 Mag, both excellent shooters. The .357 & .44 barrels were button rifled with a pull-through carbide button. I would expect your .41 is rifled with 1:18” twist, with a bullet-diameter freebore. Rod Sward oversaw manufacturing for Interterms in Midland, Virginia. It looked as though particular attention was paid to the silhouette guns. The 6-shot group pictured with the .44 Mag was fired Creedmoor @ 100 meters and is not exceptional. Point of Impact dovetails Point of Aim and needs to comes up 2-clicks. I use a 6 o’clock hold to visually swell the dot of fuzz a pig represents from a football field & end zone away. Do not hold air with a 6 o’clock hold, as your mind----inconjunction with changing light----will shift your elevation unpredictably.
David Bradshaw

[hughree]

David - thanks for the info and comments. I need to pull the cylinder on the .41 and check the barrel for freebore. I am very impressed with the workmanship on this revolver.

Best,

Hugh

[bradshaw]

alukban.... thank you for the kind words. The old cliche, “There are two kinds...” applies to competitive sharpshooters and information: some keep their load dope tucked into a vest pocket, refusing to share; the other class of sharpshooter thrives on performance, including the performance of others. It is this second group which strives to build marksmanship.
David Bradshaw

[bradshaw]

Photo----#7 from top----shows various .357 and .38 cases loaded with heavy bullets. Two loads on right in trimmed .38 Special case with .358 rifle bullets, Hornady 200 grain Round Nose and 200 Spire Point. In a brief, very brief, experiment, these rifle bullets reached 900 fps with accuracy in the 1:14-inch twist Colt Python. Trajectory is rather steep. Notwithstanding its .41 caliber frame, concern for the thin barrel stub of the Python prevented a long shooting session. The Python hit stride in IHMSA silhouette with the Sierra 170 FMJ. Jacketed bullets of 180 grains reach 1,000 fps in the Python, with 180 cast at 1,100. Attempts to boost velocity risk wear & tear on the Python, and many other .357s.

Note photo of DWA M-40 .357 Maximum loaded to 1340 fps with Hornady .358 200 Round Nose. By no means a rocks & dynamite load. This is a huge boost for a silhouette shooter over the loopy trajectory of a 200 grain from most .357 Mags. And 200 grain bullets easily reach 1,500 fps in the Ruger Maximum without doing anything to the gun.

The Speer .358 180 Flat Point rifle bullet (not pictured) achieved wide use across the firing line, starting with the rotating bolt, recoil operated Auto Mag pistol, and spreading to the S&W M-27 and Dan Wesson M-15. The .357 Auto Mag is a necked .44 Auto Mag, which case is formed from chopped and reamed .308 Winchester brass. Thanks to accuracy and velocity, along with a bit of promotion from silhouette instigator Lee Jurras, the Auto Mag trophied regularly. High initial cost and breakage of the expensive brick of a pistol, combined to limit its use. An amendment to the Production rule, which eliminated single-loading of a repeater, spelled curtains for the Auto Mag.

.357 Mag revolvers held up well in silhouette----for a while. The Cinderella S&W M-27 and its pumpkin sister M-26 held up well, providing you didn’t lean on it too hard. No better than a proper example of the Model 29, which continued battle against the trench-tough Super Blackhawk long after most Model 27s eased into retirement. It is worth noting that the forcing cone erodes faster from an M-27 than from a Model 29. The Ruger Blackhawk .357 Mag withstood all abuse, yet could not overall match accuracy with a Smith or a Dan Wesson. The Dan Wesson M-15 proved durable, with cast bullets favoring a prolonged service life. Even so, cast bullet silhouetter Ray Lones replaced a cracked M-15 side plate annually. I stood close by as Skip Hird, another hard corps silhouetter, watched barrel and shroud of his M-15 sail downrange. The barrel socket of his Dan Wesson split at 6 o’clock, round count between 8,000 and 9,000 Speer .358 180 Flat Point.

Heavy bullets came into silhouette at the beginning. Heavy bullets continue. Just as high pressure is tough on a thin barrel stub, so is a heavy bullet. Any chamber-to-bore misalignment magnifies strain on a thin or poorly supported barrel stub.
David Bradshaw

[rWt]

Great photos-great shooting-great history.

Thank you.

[jfs]

DB, Looks like you had a hell of a good time.... Your photos are fantastic.....................................................

[wildcatter]

Thanks fer the memories, I was never a threat on the big silhouette fields, but can remember a few of them photos from the times. I did travel around the Tri-State area with a couple buddies having a ball shooting silhouette on local ranges back in the 70's, and was always an admirer of David Bradshaw, I also was one of them guy's trying my hardest to compete with the 45 Colt, and cast bullet loads, in a Ruger 7 1/2" Blackhawk. I was always proud when I had a good day,, and finished in the top half of the pack. I knew I was no competition for the David Bradshaw's of the sport, but I always had a great time reading and hearing about them, and learned a lot participating in the sport.

[gascheck45]

*** Note photo of DWA M-40 .357 Maximum loaded to 1340 fps with Hornady .358 200 Round Nose. By no means a rocks & dynamite load. This is a huge boost for a silhouette shooter over the loopy trajectory of a 200 grain from most .357 Mags. And 200 grain bullets easily reach 1,500 fps in the Ruger Maximum without doing anything to the gun. ***

Mr. Bradshaw,

I have been having good results with the 180 XTP and 19 grains of IMR 4227 in my recently acquired 10.5" Ruger Maximum. This weekend, I picked up a box of the Hornady 200 grain .358 RN bullets. Seated deep with a light roll crimp on the bullet ogive to an OAL of 1.975" gives me just .025" from the nose of the bullet to the cylinder face (cylinder w/ cartridge = 1.990".) This also gives me the exact same case capacity as I have with the 180 XTP seated normally abd crimped in the cannelure. Not having any printed data for this bullet at that OAL, my plan was to back off and start at 17 grains of IMR 4227 and work my way back up to 19. Think I'm on the right track? I have some data for other 200 grain bullets at a similar OAL and the loads are right around this range. I do not yet have a chronograph, but that will be my Christmas present to myself this year . 19 grains with the 180 XTP doesn't seem to be making the gun sweat at all. Cases fall out and are clean. I'd love it if 19 grains would work well under both bullets, but we'll see.

I know the Ruger is tough as nails, and my intention is not to hurt or abuse it or myself, just asking for some guidance from you with more experience with this bullet/gun combination.

Thank you in advance. This is such a great forum!!


Tom

[bradshaw]

Mr. Bradshaw,

I have been having good results with the 180 XTP and 19 grains of IMR 4227 in my recently acquired 10.5" Ruger Maximum. This weekend, I picked up a box of the Hornady 200 grain .358 RN bullets. Seated deep with a light roll crimp on the bullet ogive to an OAL of 1.975" gives me just .025" from the nose of the bullet to the cylinder face (cylinder w/ cartridge = 1.990".) This also gives me the exact same case capacity as I have with the 180 XTP seated normally abd crimped in the cannelure. Not having any printed data for this bullet at that OAL, my plan was to back off and start at 17 grains of IMR 4227 and work my way back up to 19. Think I'm on the right track?
----Tom

*****

Tom.... you are on the right track. The short extruded, single base 4227 throws just about any good bullet straight in the .357 Maximum, a task at which some other pressure-appropriate powders either exhibit a narrower accuracy window, or can’t match accuracy of IMR 4227 or Hodgdon 4227. Note: I have interchanged Dupont and Hodgdon 4227 with the same sight dope----in competition. You might as well try 17 to 19 grains to compare accuracy out yonder. I suspect you’ll find little difference in accuracy. 19/4227 won’t do diddly to the Ruger, and probably win the accuracy race.
David Bradshaw

[bagdadjoe]

Good stuff...thanks!

[jfs]

Nov 11, 2014 19:55:51 GMT -5 bradshaw said:

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

I can attest to the accuracy of the M-83 in .41mag.....Not long after Freedom delivered the gun, I shot this three round 100 yard group from the bench with my scoped M-83 using 210gr XTP and #9 handload. I could never shoot that group again but wanted to show how accurate the .41 M-83 can be....