doc38

TGO, you are right. I shouldn't have posted here. This thread obviously isn't the place for a new shooter's perspective. Where's the door around here, anyway? I will try not to let it hit me in the rear on my way out.

Here is one new guy's perspective. I like revolvers. I daily carry revolvers or single stack 1911s. I am going to buy an 8 shot revolver, a 627. I will shoot wherever I can. USPSA, IDPA, whatever. Right now I will shoot my 625 JM and be happy. I sincerely wish I had known enough about the game end of USPSA to buy a 627 to start with, but, hey, I have made mistakes before. A 4" 625 is still the boss IDPA ESR revolver until they change something.. There are a lot of things I do not like about USPSA and IDPA as well. I know nothing about the other revolver games. I just know that for me, a revolver makes the most sense and I will compete anywhere I can with mine. It would be nice to win a trophy or advance in the rankings to master or GM one day, but I am basically using the whole sport as a problem solving exercise anyway. At my age and in my physical condition I don't see too many trophies in the future. The harder the odds are stacked in favor of a semi auto the more I benefit. If you are ever going to learn anything, your reach has to exceed your grasp. I shoot weekly fun stuff with a USPSA revo master. I can't beat him if I am shooting my Cz. I really don't think 6 shots, 8 shots is going to be a factor in my performance until I learn a lot. I guess to sum it up, three things I just don't care much about. One, what someone with beu coup money is shooting. I don't have millions, and wouldn't spend it on revolvers or any other guns I can't carry daily, anyway. Two, what someone with forty years and several trips to the nationals is scoring. I CAN'T beat them until I invest the time to get the skill. (Or until they get decrepit ) 3 I don't give a rat turd about some kind of gun I wouldn't carry daily. I see the other divisions as being as different as a shotgun or a rifle. I just don't care if folks can shoot clay pigeons with their shotgun. I flat don't care if folks can shoot 30 rounds with out a reload. What I do care about is My ability to make A zone hits rapidly, repeatedly, and not fumble reloads or make bad decisions under the stress of competition. I suppose all the rules and such make a difference if you are the competitive sort. I am pretty much here to learn. I like revolvers, I daily carry revolvers, I hunt with revolvers, so I will shoot revolver . I almost bought an 8 shot 357, anyway, and would have but for IDPA. A 5" N frame, 8 shot 357 is a mean piece of hardware on the deer blind, calling coyotes, and under my sports coat at church on Sunday. If I can load it with specials or short Colts on Saturday afternoon and get some trigger time, great. Until I get the money for one, I will shoot my 4" 625 and be happy.

I think I kind of answered my own question. You guys just re enforced it.

I want to get an 8 shooter. I guess my question is regarding the 38/.357. Is the 627 a dead letter with the new 929 on the market? I LIKE .357/38 special. I would also EDC a 627 with 357 loads and feel great about it. I LOVE 5" N frames. Would be crippled with a 627 shooting short Colts for competition? Is the 929 just easier for folks to feed, or are there some other real advantages to it? My life would be easier to stick with 38/.357 because I already load huge amounts of ammo for those calibers. I am 100% confident in .357 for deer and varmints ( two and 4 legged) and I have found 5" barrels to be about the best EDC in large revolvers.

I was worried about this for a while. From everything I have studied, dust and smoke from primers is the culprit. I am transitioning to wet media tumbling. The rest of it is just good hygene. I don't worry a second about casting lead bullets, other than just basic hygene.

I am just starting out, too. Unclassified as yet. I can easily shoot all Alphas. I can even get through stages that required no movement about as fast as the really good shooters. I just suck at moving. Being 45 yo, fat, and stiff from a lot of hard manual labor in years past works against me. The best encouragement I ever got came from a real old timer. He said " You can't miss fast enough to win" The way I look at it, Coming to this game already old, slow and fat just gives me the incentive to do two things. One, get technically perfect. No wasted movement. Nothing but Alphas. Second, get in better shape. I shoot revolver, too, which forces me to slow down and make good hits. I tend to " get excited" when I shoot 1911 or Cz. My plan is to just practice each element until I have it down cold. Get in better shape, and One day, of I live long enough, I will be a master or GM. This game is SIMPLE. it is not EASY. GO as fast as you can shoot well, and get faster all the time. That and magic diet pills!

I call those guys pocket knife collectors. There never was a gun that was made that doesn't have " a gold trigger", isn't " custom shop", doesn't have " All the papers with it".If you look at wally world early in the morning you will see the same fellows buying all the 22 ammo. I guess that is the down side of capitalism. I am sure it beats any other system. Being the end user type I just can't understand buying something on speculation.

Found some ClayDOt. Bought 8 lbs. I hope it isn't a mistake.

I stumbled on SR7625 by accident. It is " da bomb" in 9mm, lead loads. little smoke, soft recoil, low report. FAIRLY thrifty. I heard Hogdon is discontinuing the "SR" powders this year. Figures.

I have had more trouble with 9mm than any other round I have ever loaded for. Different bullet shapes, different chamber sizes, widely varying brass length and internal dimensions are some of the problems. Fast twist, shallow rifling, and varying bore sizes ( although the newer guns seem to be closer to .355 across the board) make 9mm a challenge. I have finally arrived at a load that works in my Cz75b with about any old range pick up brass and my home cast bullets. It just takes time, effort, and watching all the little stuff. There is a lot of good advice on this thread. All I would add is that the more consistent the brass is the easier your job is. For me, being a tightwad, buying 1k new brass and working with it is out of the question. My loads are good enough for what I do with them. If I were a competitive shooter, really trying to bring home trophies, I would certainly pay a lot more attention to the uniformity of my brass. Prolly wouldn't use home made, range scrap wheel weight spit wads for bullets, either. Don't drive yourself crazy trying to load match grade ammo with crap components. If you are willing to spend more on components you can make some pretty good ammo.

I loaded 100 rounds with Winchester Primers, and got 11 or 12 FTF. I just ordered 3K Federal Large Pistol Magnum. I hear back and forth ideas all the way from " Don't ever deviate from a published load" to stuff that will scare you. I think I will be O.K. if I reduce the powder charge and work back up. My loads are no where near max, anyway. I sure will be glad when the ammo companies ramp up production to meet some of the new demand. I was reading FRONT SIGHT the other day. It looks like USPSA is growing, and so is Sporting Clays. 3 Gun is more and more popular. We just had two local girls only shooting clubs open here; Well armed Woman and Girls with Guns, or some such. My Concealed carry classes are full, and over half the students are new shooters. If we get more trained, responsible shooters out there our right to keep and bear arms is more secure. On the other hand, if we can't get ammo or components, what is the point? I can understand the ammo companies make more on loaded ammo than on components, but volume shooters are here for the long run. Most all of us reload. I wonder if a thread on where the components are would be appropriate? Until things get regulated to the new normal it is going to be hard to find anything to shoot.

I finally got al the bugs worked out with my loads for the 625. I just requires more attention to detail. 1911s and 625s have different "deal breakers" and we should be using better practices anyway. I have found a lot of 1911 brass has a ding on the head from ejectors that will cause cylinder binding on a moon clip revolver. Revolver ammo needs a crimp to stop bullet pull. If you crimp a cast bullet too much you can "resize " it down. Bullets smaller than the throats will definitely lead the barrel, no matter what lube or alloy you use. Last, 45 acp revolver bullets need a harder alloy than semi autos because the bullet will "skid" when it hits the rifling. It has gotten up a lot more momentum and it will not engage the rifling well if the alloy is soft. What I have found to work is keep revolver brass separate, use a harder alloy for all my 45 acp bullets.I haven't tried water quenched wheel weight alloy, but I think it may be best of all. Simplest, too. I have heard a lot of comments about reaming the chambers on a 625. Mine hasn't had that done, and I am loading great ammo for it now with no real extra work, just being more careful to use good practice. We did POLISH the chambers and CHAMFER the chamber mouths. The plain fact is I was making crap ammo, and my 1911 would eat it, 625 won't.

700x is all I can find locally. Not a bad price from several different suppliers. I am going to pick up 8lbs. Monday or Tuesday. I can't find Federal primers anywhere. I am down to 3k for Large pistol, and 5 k for small pistol. Having to pay $40+ for 1k here.

I went to a local gun show today and found 3k Federal Match small pistol. All the other guys that were selling reloading supplies just laughed at me. This fellow had 3k, so I bought them. Also, there was 22 LR there! a fellow had a table full of 22 LR, and most of it was $12 a box ( of 50) and up. Bricks were only $70! Some stuff that comes in every week in Wal Mart and gets bought scalpers. It is still selling for twenty something a brick In Walmart.I told him I hoped he was able to buy a truck load! I am praying Walmart will put an end cap with a pallet of the for $18 a brick soon.

THat was the reason for the post. I bought 5k S&B. Not a darn one would go off in my K 38. Had a few FT in my stock Cz. no problems in my G17 even though I had a lighter mainspring. Pretty much useless to me. been sitting there for 2 years now.

I used a Wilson Combat mainspring and the lightest trigger spring in the bag. I guess I will have to try a couple of hundred CCI and see. K frame, no way, no how. It lights Federals every time, but I guess I will have to re spring it if I can't get Federal. I hate that. I am really getting into this revolver stuff. I do love it. But one thing is for sure, if you find something that works, you better stock up anymore. Are we going third world? I guess we are all spoiled rotten. It has been to easy to get what you want, when you want it, and at a competitive price. Now it looks like you better buy a truckload of whatever. Thanks alec

THis is kind of a reloading question, but It is revolver specific. Do any of you guys use CCI primers in 45acp, 38 special, 9mm, 38 Super REVOLVER loads? I started with Federal but they are hard to get locally and impossible on line unless you are sitting at the monitor when they come in stock. I hate to buy 10k primers if they aren't going to work in my 625 and my old trusty K frame. How do the new CCI primers rate as to sensitivity. Again, hate to cross this thread over to "Revolvers" but it is revolver specific.

I stumbled on to something about " Jerry's guns", Jerry being Jerry Miculek. One of his 625s is apparently set up with Bowen Rough Country rear and Hi Viz front. I get my 625 back Tuesday. I guess I better get the plastic out for Bowne rear and either an XS or High viz front. I kind of like the idea of the XS front.

Thanks, guys. The only reason I shoot USPSA is to "keep me honest". I am a Concealed carry instructor and a lot of my students shoot revolvers. I can't stand anyone who doesn't know what they are doing telling e anything, I don't imagine my students are any different. I tried the yellow paint and it worked! I did very well this Tuesday. I think I ma going to go with Dawson or XS and Rough country, though.

I practice at a weekly indoor USPSA TYPE shoot. Nothing official, sanctioned, etc. Just one stage and a timer, some good practice for the monthly outdoor match. Last night I bombed! My new 625 is in the shop, getting a trigger job, cylinders chamfered, etc. I wanted to keep up my revolver skills so I took my model 14. Black on black bullseye type sights. Narrow rear notch, light behind me, I couldn't ever really see the front sight. I got to thinking, hey, if I had to defend myself with this thing after dark, I would be in trouble. The one time I used the 625 I could see the gold bead pretty well, but it sure would have been better with some Tritium. Who makes night sights for a S&W revolver? Is their a better solution?

I guess I am a little weird, but I like to carry what I compete with.I have been shooting a Smith&Wesson 1911 ( 45 acp, of course), and EDC it, too. I am pretty happy with that set up, but to be really honest, I am quicker out of the holster and on target with my Cz75b than anything else.I have gotten over the big bore disease and really appreciate the economy of 9mm brass and components. I have no ambition to be the greatest shooter of all time. I do USPSA mainly to challenge myself and try to get a little better all the time. With that in mind, what mods would any of you fellows make? I actually like the factory sights, although I would like adjustable sights. The stock trigger is not a problem for me,but I would like a crisper, lighter single action. My hands are about average size, but meaty, so I thin some thinner grips might help .Then again, they might not. I get just about a perfect grip with some Houge Wrap Arounds. I do want to remove the magazine brake. If I understand correctly I have to change the spring there. Everything else is just about Heaven. Any suggestions, comments, etc.?

I have a Houge grip on the Cz75b in my holster right now. I like it, but it is hard to get used to a full fitting grip. Everything else is small and that is what I have gotten used to. Old habits are hard to break.

I started to make a long post, and it got really long and rambling. Long and short, it would be a lot to make a 9mm shoot well in a revolver. I maight pop for a 929 but I want to see how Smith gets a couple of isues handled. The main one is the throats. THay will just about have to be dead on as far as diameter or a little small. This will be even more critical with the short bearing surface of typical 9 luger bullet profiles.

I just joined USPSA, not even classified yet. I come from a revolver background. My first EDC was a 629 Smith& Wesson. I live rural and farm and also teach cch classes, reloading, etc. I think an 8 shot 357 is one of the best all around handguns extant. I saw an interview the Jerry Miculek and he said an 8 shot 357 would be his choice for ONE handgun. I would have to agree. PTL we don't have to have ONE. I bought 625 because it has all the power I have found necessary for deer, coyote, black bear. I carry a revolver just because. If the rule change had come down before I bought the 625, I would have bought a 627, 5" inch. I have taken all my deer, etc. with a 44 mag loaded to about 45 super levels, but I have the upmost confidence in a 158 grain bullet at real magnum velocities from the 357. My small game gun right now is a 6" model 14. I use it to shoot minor revolver. I am a little funny. IDPA would suit me better, I guess. I just don't have any use for a (hand)gun I can't carry. If I was a racer, I wouldn't race anything I couldn't drive to the track. Anyhow, to a practical kind of guy like me an 8 shot N frame revolver makes a lot of sense. Why not compete with it?

I apologize. My command of the English language isn't all that good. Reading back over my post I guess I didn't make it clear I goofed and got some primers high. Also, I have found the brass I have been using is pretty dinged up on the case head. My 1911 has no real ejector issues, but some of the brass I have has come from friends with other types of pistols and lower quality 1911s and there are some pretty serious dings on the case heads. not a problem with a 1911 because it headspaces on the case mouth and I seldom see max length brass. Plenty of slop in most auto chambers. The chambers on my revolver aren't tight. The loaded rounds drop right in, no problem. About half the case heads are beaten up so badly they won't clear between the moon clip and the frame. I got new brass and paid attention to make sure the primers were all fully seated, no more problems.