.38 Special Loads?

[revchuck]

Folks - My S&W M14 is sitting in the safe, whining about never being shot. There is an NRA AP program not too far from here, so I was thinking about trying it. I'm not sure I can push 125 grain JHPs fast enough to make the PF with published data, even from a six inch barrel. I was thinking more along the lines of a 148 grain BBWC at about 825-850 fps, but I'm open to suggestions. What would y'all suggest?

[kimmbeckwith]

Revchuck: Just a suggestion from a shooter who has been there! Don't us JHP in a K frame revolver. I still remeber Frank Glenn telling me that I had probably crack my forcing cone in on of the revolvers built for me. He told me that the forcing cone is shave at the botton and will not take the constant banging of the jacketed bullett! Try 148 double ended wad cutters! They will work George Mowbraw went back to his revolver and thats what my team member is shooting now.

Kim M. Beckwith

Zero Ammuniton

[SRT Driver]

Revchuck:

I shot my first 'Cup using a K-Frame revo and Berry's 148gr DEWC. The charge was 3.7 of Red Dot with a Fed Primer. Gives around 880fps.

Red Dot filled up more of the case than 231, N320 etc and was more consistent velocity wise. Tried 4756 and it was OK too.

[revchuck]

Kim - George Mowbray is the reason I started using Zero bullets - I've gone through seven or eight thousand of y'alls 158 grain RNLs plus a few thousand more of y'alls 125 grain .355 JHPs and a few thousand more of your 158 grain JHPs, not to mention the couple thousand 230 grain .45 FMJs, all for my IDPA loads. He's earning his sponsorship. And you know where I'm going to get the DEWCs!

[Allgoodhits]

Ditto on the K frame S&W failing eventually with BC PF jacketed loads. Been there too. FWIW, the magnum K frames will last a tad longer, but they will fail too. The reason the magnum K's last a bit longer is: since the cylinder is a bit longer, the barrel protrusion through the frame is slightly less. This in essence gives a bit more strength to that "flat" cut at 6'oclock. Jacket bullets = L or N frame or Ruger.

Having said that, the 148gr WC work great. Mathematically you need about 811fps w/148s to meet the PF. I would suggest running around 840 - 880fps. I found that 3.4 - 3.5 grains of W231 would give me right at 850 regardless of the 148WC brand as long as they were lead. My findings were that if you run below 860fps HBWC were fine. Above that and DEWC worked better. I think the added ummph on the HBWC would cause the skirts (hollow part) to blow out, although I'm not sure.

IMO, ZERO doesn't know how to make a bad bullet. They all fly straight, if loaded right!

MJ

[Dirty Steve]

MJ, You can not go wrong with Bullseye or W-231. 2.8grs of Bullseye and a 148 HBWC is a standard accuracy load that Bullseye shooters used for years. I have used it and printed too many one hole groups to count. (I am from West Virgina and can not count to good) I have never crono'd them, but if you want to see what the gun is capable of this would be where to start. Both powders can produce great groups with 231 being cleaner.

Dirty Steve, Out.

[gm iprod]

Welcome aboard Kim, and I should see you again in May 2005.

All the guys here have gone back to lead for the K Frame (the few that still shoot revolvers). They shoot better with JHP but will not last, as Kim and pthers suggest.

[kimmbeckwith]

Hey thanks for the Kudo's on Zero's bulletts. I will be sure and tell Margaret & Fred Stallings they are doing it right as their staff always has.

Yea, George Mowbray is a great sponsored shooter and we are glad his is doing a fatastic job promoting Zero!

Not to sure about this years Cup and my attendance? Still having a little problems with how we were treated in the Competitors Meeting Last Year! Maybe I just need a break, since 1985 only missed one and that was due to a car radiator blow up.

Haven't made my mind up yet, but it is still cold here in Kansas.

Thanks Again!

Kim M. Beckwith

Zero Ammunition

[Action Pistolero]

Kim,

I expect to see you there. I noticed you were missing at the Kansas City match last Oct so get with it, suck it up and get practicing! If I have anything to do with it the shooters meeting will be the most shooter friendly meeting that they've ever had. I want to be able to make A/P pistol better and get more participation instead of heading off rule changes that we don't like. I have a few ideas on my own and I'd like to get more input from the shooters.

Hope to see you there.

Kevin Angstadt

[kimmbeckwith]

OK,OK,OK, Kevin!

I really do appreciate all you have done for the shooters this last year!! And I am leaning your way, just have some personal stuff to work out before the Cup. I have a good friend that lost his wife this last year and is planning a fishing trip, (I hope not in May). I have been through this as most of you know (losing my wife in 2001). So, it is not all to do with the Cup situations. Keep your fingers crossed.

Thanks again Kevin!!!!!

Kim

[Greg in VA]

Hey Chuck, I've shot the cup for the last 3 years, the first year I shot a 6" model 66 I was using Zero 158 SWC with around 3.5-3.6 grs of Clays. The last 2 years I switched to a 8 3/8" 586 and I'm using the same load but with the longer barrel I could tone down the powder charge just a little, I think I chrony something like 780 fps in the long barrel. This shoots very nice I finished 5th in the Metallic sight class shooting a true Production gun with this load.

Greg

[Alan550]

Greg,

Welcome to the forum! It's about time we heard from some of the top metallic shooters! And from that score last year, you obviously know your stuff (as if I didn't already know that) .

Hope to see you at some of our matches. We start on April 9th this year, so we'll have 2 before the Cup. May 14th is the 2nd one.

See ya'

Alan~^~

[Greg in VA]

Hey Alan, I plan to shoot all the matches I can before the Cup. I got the match notices pinned up on my board, and if I can make them you will see me their with both metallic and my new open revolver.........

Greg