Which gun/caliber for bowling pins?

[Rob D]

The local gun club is talking about starting a bowling pin match. I'm psyched about this because I currently have to drive at least an hour to get to any kind of match. From what I understand, my Glock34 is totally SOL when it comes to pins. What do most people use? Single stacks? I don't have a 45 right now, but I've got access to a SW686. Would .357 work? I realize I'd be at a disadvantage with regard to capacity, but would I at least be able to play with a 686? Thanks in advance.

[d5357]

my thinking is the bigger the better, 45acp with hicap mags works well

[racerba]

.45 cal with ashtray hollow point bullets.

Any SS should work - there's only 5 pins. I've seen people use rev. also.

[BlackSabbath]

45 acp with biggest bullet you can find. Load in the range of 180 pf. Flat point bullets work great. Hit the pins just above the widest part.

[Jimlakeside]

I have shot bowling pins as practice and one time at a match with my Glock 34 with no problems. If you hit the pin it will fall off the table. Go to a new gun if you want to, but I think hitting the pin is more important than what you hit it with. Bowling pins are available on line for practice if you have a place to set them up.

[Jeff686]

Your 686 should kick butt! It has plenty of power. I use mine when I infrequently go to the local match. I always do very well with it. The nice thing about using a revolver is that you can use any bullet shape you need. I usually just buy factory loads with big hollow points in 357.

The key to using the revolver for pins is to hit the center of mass with one shot, then get a cadence going. As you recover from the recoil, the trigger starts to squeeze so that when the sights fall onto the next pin the shot breaks. It is very satisfying to beat a guy with a 1911 who shoots his mag and has to reload, while you tag them down one at a time like a machine.

Depending on how large the table is, and how far away it is, you should easily clear it in one shot per pin.

As far as getting a new guy, I'd wait. You'd be surprised how quality shooting with a smaller caliber can out perform a big bore pin gun. In USPSA, I used to love beating the $4,000 race guns with my little chinese 1911 clone. I've since gone to the dark side, but that's another story. Plus, if you get a new pin gun, then the match falls through... well...

Edited January 7, 2009 by Jeff686

[6-shot]

We shoot pins pretty regular and about the only thing I'll say is BULLET WEIGHT. Bullet weight seems to make the difference,.357,.40 will work but IMHO they don't have the weight to carry the pins off the table,especially if the pins get lumpy. Accurate shooting is also a big part of the equation, hit the pin in the fat part .If you load for the .357 and can find a square sharp shouldered bullet in a 180 gr you should do all right. Go shoot and have fun.

Scott

[mikegot38]

Thecaliber of choice is a 45 with at least a 225 grain bullet. 255 grain is better. You can load a little lighter with the heavier bullet. If the tables are regulation which is 4x8 or 2 tier, this is the best setup. A lot of the wheelgunners used the 8 shot revolver with 180 grain rounds. To win, though it needs to be 1 shot-1 pin. About 2.0-2.5 seconds for 5 pins at the front of the table table is what the Master Blaster did at Second Chance,. I have a dedicated 45 comp pin gun that is growing mold in my safe since pins are dead here in PA after being huge for 15 years in the mid 80s to late 90s. Thus, shoot what you own or can get. Do not spend money on a new gun unless you can use it for other types of competition.

Mike

Edited January 7, 2009 by mikegot38

[Toolguy]

I've shot pins for over 2 decades. A heavy slower bullet beats the pants off a high velocity light bullet on pins.

Round nose bullets don't work very well, square shouldered Elmer Kieth type bullets do fairly well, hollow points

work the best. For a 686, 170 or 180 grain hollow points at over 1000 fps will do. 180 gr Kieth bullets will work

too, but may lead the bore. The best of all is a 44 or 45 with the heaviest bullets you can find. I shoot a 629 with

300 gr. hollow points. When you have heavy bullets, you can shoot a lower velocity with less recoil and still move

the pins with authority. 6-shot has probably shot a lot of pins. When the pins are laying down, hit directly above where

the fat part touches the table or you will just spin them in place instead of move them off.

[Chris Martin]

The pin match that I shoot has different categories with different rules. It makes it enjoyable and you can compete with everything or just what you have.

Major = .40 and larger, 5 pins 1 foot from the front of the table

Minor = less than .40, 8 pins 1 foot from the back of the table

Revolver = any revolver, 5 pins 1 foot from the back of the table

Carbine = straight-walled cartridges (.45ACP, .30 carbine, .40, etc) rifles, 5 pins 1 foot from front of table

Sub = any rimfire, 5 pin tops cut from the used pins 1 foot from the front of the table, small target, but they fly off the table, lots of fun.

Here is my current minor pin gun (9mm) that I built (sub 5 second gun with 8 pins):

For Major, I shoot a 1911 in .45, Revolver is a 686, sub is whatever I feel like (Marvel 1911 .22, Sig Trailside, Buckmark, whatever) Carbine is a 9mm AR15 that just doesn't knock the pins too much, .40 and .45 work MUCH better, but that's what I have.

As others have mentioned, the heavier flatter bullets work better than pointy fast ones.

Just for fun, here is a video of me shooting minor with my sig P229 (click the pic):

Yeah, I know, I missed twice

Edited January 7, 2009 by Chris Martin

[Carmoney]

Order up some of those 230-gr. "Lincoln Log" .357 bullets from GAT Bullets (Gary Thibodaux, 985.446.0093) and load them up with Blue Dot or Unique in .38 Special brass (be careful working up your load, though, and don't mess with any other powders).

Run them up to 950+ fps and they're absolutely phenomenal on pins.

[herky]

Local pin match runs everything from .22 to full auto and everything inbetween. The difference is where you set the pin on the table. Big Bore - 3 feet from back edge. Small bore - 1 foot from back edge. .22 - on back edge. There are classes for Big Bore (major), small bore (minor), .22, rimfire carbine, centerfire carbine, and full auto, each class is also divided into Open and Limited.

[benos]

Order up some of those 230-gr. "Lincoln Log" .357 bullets from GAT Bullets (Gary Thibodaux, 985.446.0093) and load them up with Blue Dot or Unique in .38 Special brass (be careful working up your load, though, and don't mess with any other powders).

Run them up to 950+ fps and they're absolutely phenomenal on pins.

Gary is not only one of the greatest guys on the planet - he knows bullets, and he knows pin shooting!

be

[Carlos]

There you have the advice - from the best.

IF you later decide for some reason that you'd rather shoot the G34 over the 686, then V V publishes a 147 grn 9mm load at 1200 FPS - which is about as effective of a pin load as you will find for PUBLISHED 9mm 147 grn loads. Powder is 3N38. Use the recommended OAL. Use a heavy spring. Still, shot placement will be critical for a decent run.

And MikeOne recently reported that recoil from this load is rather stiff.

[Rob D]

Order up some of those 230-gr. "Lincoln Log" .357 bullets from GAT Bullets (Gary Thibodaux, 985.446.0093) and load them up with Blue Dot or Unique in .38 Special brass (be careful working up your load, though, and don't mess with any other powders).

Run them up to 950+ fps and they're absolutely phenomenal on pins.

Gary is not only one of the greatest guys on the planet - he knows bullets, and he knows pin shooting!

be

Sounds like a good plan. My dad actually went out and traded for a singlestack yesterday before I got to talk to him about what I had learned in this thread. I've been itching to compete with a revo anyway, so I think I'll load up some of those .357 loads and see if I can't beat him with his own 686. Thanks for all the info guys. As always, it's much appreciated. Now I just need to spend some time dryfiring to get used to the double action. I can't wait to try this out.

[gunut]

When you shoot the wheel gun really focus on the front sight during trigger pull .

[joecichlid]

Carmoney, you beat me to it. I was going to suggest the 230 grain lead logs as well. Heck, even if they hit the pin sideways they still take them off the tables. lol There are several people at the local club here in Kansas City that swear by them. The only trick to loading them from what I have seen is to load them in .38 Special brass instead of .357 Mag but other than that they are best thing since sliced bread when it comes to pin shooting.

Joe W.

[mikeone]

And MikeOne recently reported that recoil from this load is rather stiff.

Yep In a Glock 34 it gets kinda dramatic. But if you hit a pin in the right spot it Whomps em.

Glancing blows are a bit of a prob with the XTPs so is price WHEW!!

Im looking at a wide Meplat lead bullet in the 140-160gr range and 3n38 for a nice 9mm Knockem down load.

Now on the otherhand a 38 super+p or 9x23 with a 180 could be just what the doctor ordered if you wanna shoot auto.

The 230s in a 38 case seem to be the Holy Grail, but my skills are pretty poor with a revo.

Mike

Edited May 27, 2009 by mikeone

[Storm52]

Order up some of those 230-gr. "Lincoln Log" .357 bullets from GAT Bullets (Gary Thibodaux, 985.446.0093) and load them up with Blue Dot or Unique in .38 Special brass (be careful working up your load, though, and don't mess with any other powders).

Run them up to 950+ fps and they're absolutely phenomenal on pins.

Gary is not only one of the greatest guys on the planet - he knows bullets, and he knows pin shooting!

be

+ a bunch Order some GATs + 6.8 gr Blue Dot, crimp long and heavy. I know some guys that were loading above 7 grains, kept an eye on signs for pressure and took pins off with ease. Even the lumpy ones.

[Bodacious]

.50 AE, get the job done!

[gunut]

MAN thanks for all the good info guys . Didnt know about the 357 stuff

[mwx40x40]

True the 45's and 357's with heavy flat nosed bullets are awesome, but one of my all time favorites was 10MM with 220 LTC bullets shot from my 6 1/2" S&W 610. I was using Bludot Powder.

[hovbuild]

Our pin tables are rusted steel 4'x5' and the pins are set up along the front of the tables. While fresh pins can be shot with a .40 they are a real challenge later on when they get heavy with lead. We usually have 4 categories and about 35 shooters so towards the end of the day you better be shooting on the sweet spot with some heavy loads.

I like a .45 255 gr lswc, running about 850'ps. These will usually get the job done if you do your part.

[EEH]

Order up some of those 230-gr. "Lincoln Log" .357 bullets from GAT Bullets (Gary Thibodaux, 985.446.0093) and load them up with Blue Dot or Unique in .38 Special brass (be careful working up your load, though, and don't mess with any other powders).

Run them up to 950+ fps and they're absolutely phenomenal on pins.

Mike,,

GREG,and I loaded some of these things,they are awsom for pins,at our club I have some not so fast shooters so some months we play just knock them down,so it helps people who dont reload and just want to shoot what they have at home,,357 mag with 158gr,bullets also does a good job,but recoil is a little more noticeable,at our club it's more of a fun match,,

[Carmoney]

Yeah, those 230-gr. .357 Lincoln Log bullets are friggin' great on pins. I've tried it all, and nothing gives better action (which of course is critical for matches where the clock stops only when the last pin hits the ground)on pins.

One year at Second Chance (1993?), I led the main event all week long shooting those bullets out of my S&W 27. Jerry Miculek was right behind me (we actually shot the same aggregate time, but my tie-breaker was better) using the same bullets out of his S&W 27!

Unfortunately, toward the end of the week, Ken Tapp (Mr. Personality) finally decided to shoot, and proceeded to set a new Second Chance record, beating everybody soundly.