Steel Challenge Load

[D.carden]

Picked up a C-more cert on the prize table at the Nats.

Thought it might be a good time to set-up my 627-.38spcl for steel and Open ICORE.

Any ideas for Steel?? Weight/Vel ( Heavy/Slow Light/fast ) taking in consideration to minimize recoil !!!

SC is just around the bend, and i cant shoot steel to save my life, anyone in my Nats squad can tell you that !!

Dan

[8shooter]

Picked up a C-more cert on the prize table at the Nats.

Thought it might be a good time to set-up my 627-.38spcl for steel and Open ICORE.

Any ideas for Steel??  Weight/Vel  ( Heavy/Slow  Light/fast ) taking in consideration to minimize recoil !!!

SC is just around the bend, and i cant shoot steel to save my life, anyone in my Nats squad can tell you that !!

Dan

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Dan,

I realise you guys have a few more powders available to you, but I only ever run 4.0 grains of Winchester Super Target behing a 145gr lead round nose for ICORE. I run 3.2 gr behind a 125gr lead for steel. I found the WST the cleanest burning and best $ value.

I have also tried solo 1000, very similar but a lot dirtier powder (dam black stuff everywhere).

[D.carden]

Any data on PF and Velocities??? On both

[Tom Mainus]

Dan,

I thought it was the RM who coldn't hit the steel to save his life.

Does the gun is question have any porting or comps? For Icore the power factor is so low, porting is really a non issue. For my 38spcl I am using vvn350 powder with an 158 grn Montana Gold. I don't remember how many grains of powder.

In my super I am using 130 grn Montanas with vvn320. @4 grns of powder. Just barely makes minor and shoots real nice. That is my ICORE limited load.

[D.carden]

Tom,

no ports, no comp. I use 158 grn Ldrn with 3.0 grn clays for ICORE.

Rudy Waldinger said to use the lightest bullet 110 +- at about 1000 ftps for steel, being that speed is the most important factor ??? Any thoughts ????

P.S.

Tom, the RM is as bad as me, but not worse. HA HA HA

[Airedale]

Dan,

I shoot a 627 V Comp w/irons and Mrs. Airedale shoots a 627 w/CMore for steel.

I load 2.6 gr. Clays under a 150 gr MasterBlaster moly coated bullet. I haven't chrono'd it. I will one of these days. Super soft shooter.

Dave

[D.carden]

Thanks Dave.

I guess the thing im concerned about mostly is reaction to the "hit".

Last month at our club SC match it seemed like forever to hear the hit on Outer limits.

Thats why im asking about lighter/faster loads.

200 fps with a lighter bullet gets there faster. whatayathink???

Dan

[Jerry V]

Hey Dan,

I'm using a 125gr plated (West Coast & Berry's) w/ 5.2 W231 out of my S&W 686+ 4" for Steel. It's a very accurate load & light recoil. When you come up here for the CCS match, I'll give you some to try if you want. We had Outback as one of the stages a couple weeks ago and there didn't seem to be much of a pause before the ring of the bullet hitting steel

---- Jerry

[hopalong]

Dan,

What's the dill Pickle?

Shot the 625, that is what you are used to, and the 230s makeing major will really whack that steel so you can hear it.

OR LOAD THE 627 to major, that is what you are used to, and you won't have to wait on the "bing"

Have fun with it whatever you do !!!

HOP

[Carmoney]

Dan, last year I shot SC with my 627 and a 122-gr. TC (sized .357) over 3.6 gr. of Bullseye, finished 4th limited revolver behind Pettitt, Tanita, and Bagakis. That load is not real fast, takes a little time getting to the steel (but that never bothered me much), but really minimal recoil (which I really like). Last SC match I shot was in Rolla, MO back in June and I used AE 158-gr. RNL factory ammo, finished second revo. I'll shoot the same stuff again this weekend at the sold-out first annual Big Dawg falling steel match here in Iowa.

Mike

[8shooter]

Any data on PF  and Velocities???  On both

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

ICORE = 121pf around 840 fps for the 145gr

STEEL = 112 pf around 900 fps for the 125 gr

I only noticed a slight problem on speed option and outer limits with the slower velocity as you have to wait for the "ting" if you can't call your shots.

FYI - When I asked Doug K, he said he runs a 90gr pill in his auto at 1150fps.

[Tom Mainus]

Dan,

I don't know if I would believe anything from this Carmoney character, He is pretty new to this game but he sure can talk the talk.

Tom

[Carmoney]

Which game???

[Bubber]

Thanks Dave.

I guess the thing im concerned about mostly is reaction to the "hit".

Last month at our club SC match it seemed like forever to hear the hit on Outer limits.

Thats why im asking about lighter/faster loads.

200 fps with a lighter bullet gets there faster.  whatayathink???

Dan

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Dan if you are waiting for the report back you are taking to long. Know you hit the target trust the sights,"Be da buddit" . I think Brian said something about this in the book when he was shooting the Steel Challenge.

[R112mercer]

Dan;

I'm with Airedale, you have to break the shot and trust it went where it was supposed to go, especially on SC. For steel I use Montana's 125 gr. CMJ over 4.0 gr. of Clays. I think it's around 750 fps, very light recoil but takes falling steel and poppers. You might also want to search around for loads using .38 Short Colt brass. I know Rich Bitow and Bill Sahlberg run Short Colt in their guns for the faster reload on events that require one. I haven't done this yet, but am probably going to run Short Colt brass with .38 Super 125 gr. heads for the PSA Shootout this year. Good Luck.

[10mmdave]

Hi Dan, Dave Parker here from the 2004 IRC

Okay, as a first time SC attendee this year I don't want to step on any toes out

there of folks that have been going for a few years.

As Bubber said, if your listening for the "ding" then your going too slow...... BUT !!

if that's the way you shoot steel at this time then might I suggest a fast, light

bullet.

Personally I like to hear the ding knowing I shouldn't care about it, I should know

I hit the plate (but that sound is reassuring) so I'm looking for a load above 1000

fps. Fast bullet to steel equals fast noise back to you.

Since you don't have porting in your gun I don't know how the light bullets would

work, I do know that with ports I get more blast at the gun which can be

distracting (but I'm also finding that may be a powder issue)

There expensive but don't forget Noslers 115 grn IPSC .357 sized bullets, out of

my 9mm barreled revo I got a quarter sized group at 25 yards out of a Ransom

Rest.

Zero makes a nice 110 grn .357 head as well as a couple 125's

I also had good luck with some of the Montana golds but the Zero's have become

a tad cheaper and better for accuraccy.

Check out the SC section here on BE about loads and such, the flat gun guys seem

all over the place but hey, use what works.

And I'll see you there

[D.carden]

You nailed me to the cross on that one Dave.

I've shot 2 SC matches at our club this year and have had "zero" practice at it period!!! So this is a new venture here. Hearing the hit is my only guarantee of "knowing". I'm not that good at calling the shot and moving-on ( Steel only ).

But the high velocity and low PF can change that.

My 2004 IRC PF was 142, the same load I used for our SC matches recently, so i think it needs to lightened up a bit.

I'm sure I can get-it-goin once the load is right.

Thanks again all

Dan

[AzShooter]

I've never had the pleasure of shooting the actual SC but one of the local clubs puts on the steel challange stages every month here in Phoenix and I've been doing it for about two years now.

I just use the same load for everything, IPSC, ICORE and SC. 4.0 grains of Solo 1000 and a 158 gr bullet.... Best bullet so far has been Billy Bullets.

If you are waiting to hear your hits you are waiting too long.

If you have a load you are comfortable with just use it and make it a habbit.

My times are the best but for the overall match I average about 132 to 140 seconds depending on my day.

I actually find my limited times have averaged the fastest.

[michaels]

Dan, Aug 14th @ Sacramento, they're having a steel match....

If you want some of the 38 Long Colt brass that I've got, let me know and I'll bring some down with me next time, you can load them up with what ever you've got...I might even loan you a few moons for them...

mikey

[Carmoney]

Dan, your long-lost cuz DougC. has some pretty good knowledge on the topic of .38 Short Colt......you might want to drop him an email or PM.

[10mmdave]

What Carmoney said on the SHort Colts, Doug has done a TON of load testing.

Hey Mike.......I think that front sight is just a liiiittle bit off in your avatar

Fun shooting the Big Dawg this past weekend and sorry we didn't talk more, that

H&H you folks have out there killed me....plus the 22 hour drive

Great folks out there in Iowa and I hope to do it again.

And Dan, as some of the guys state here, shoot what you know, but you and I

both know that those lighter faster bullets just seem faster and easier to

control

We load 125-140 PF loads for ICORE because we have to.... we don't have

to for SC stuff.

Heck, on your way to an SC load you may find a new ICORE load

Load up some ammo, your regular and your new light stuff, stagger every other

round (light-heavy-light-etc) in some moon clips and shoot at 1 piece of steel,

watch your follow thru and recovery. (do this with the new dot installed by the

way )

then load half and half (4 heavy, 4 light) shoot the steel again, see how it feels.

When you find the one you like (side note ! ! ! limit your powder and bullet

selection....you don't have a alot of time left) Load up a sh!t load and get to

practicing, slow at first, only load 5 rnds in your clips, make all 5 hits first.

uber slow if need be, get the feel.

You have the ability to do really well at your first SC Dan, your a good shooter,

forget the run times, forget who your shooting against, forget the prizes, just go

shoot the best time you feel you can and let it fall where it does.

You'll have a great time, meet some nice folks, and have a heck of an experiance

that you can draw from for practice next year.

Now go get 'em !

(p.s. I only state all this from years of steel shooting, alot of it not very well, but

these are recommendations and opinions from myself and others that I've talked

with, I'm not an MB or wear a fancy sponser shirt or any of that, just a shooter

who listens and try's many things, course that could be why I'm not a top steel

shooter either )

[Carmoney]

Hey Dave, you'll also note the front sight in my avatar is quite out of focus, not unlike my sight picture on several stages at the Big Dawg match over the weekend.

Still a really fun match, glad you could make it out to shoot with us.

Mike

[10mmdave]

Hey Dave, you'll also note the front sight in my avatar is quite out of focus, not unlike my sight picture on several stages at the Big Dawg match over the weekend. 

Still a really fun match, glad you could make it out to shoot with us.

Mike

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ah yes....missed that part, cause like you, mine are always fuzzy too

[D.carden]

Thanks Dave,

You've been a great help !!!!

I'm waiting for my 125's to get here and get started.

SC app is in the mail so it's time to "get it going".

Hope to see you there, and keep watching this thread, may need some more info,

Dan

[10mmdave]

Thanks Dave,

You've been a great help !!!!

I'm waiting for my 125's to get here and get started.

SC app is in the mail so it's time to "get it going".

Hope to see you there, and keep watching this thread, may need some more info,

Dan

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You may need more info

I'm out of primers and powder, still searching for that "perfect" load, still don't like

my grips for draw speed (i have 4 or 5 different sets)

Oh ?!?! and that new thread about squibs in 38 spcls !?!?!

Now I gotta go out and blast some ant hills

But anyway, we'll have fun and place where ever we do.