Problem reloads for colt cobra 1.9"pre. 71

[wisconsin]

I will try and keep this short. I've messing around with this for almost a year. I'm reloading for this pistol and using 125 gr. fp,hp with W231. 3.8-4.4 gr the oal come off of the winchester powder sight so I'm sorry for not remembering it off the top of my head. If I use 148 gr hb wad cutters lead or berry/3.8 bullseye flush to the case the shots will group dead on at 7-10 yds. If I use the 125gr. bullets they will all group 6-8" low holding dead on off of sand bags. No matter what I shoot in the w231 3.8- 4.4 gr range it won't matter hp or fp they all group low. Nice tight groups but low. What in gods name am I doing wrong. Jeff

Edited July 10, 2009 by wisconsin

[Storm52]

Cheese: The .38 Special revolver is calibrated to 158 grain ammunition, and smaller faster loads will tend to shoot low because the bullet emerges from the barrel sooner in the recoil cycle of the gun. The snubnose has a very short barrel so you need a load which burns its powder fast and develops some velocity. You wont get there with 231. The favorable results you see with the heavier bullet under bullseye.

[Al Capizzo]

+1 to Storm52's reply. These guns were regulated for the standard 158 grain load of that era. Lighter bullets usually = higher velocity. Thus the bullet is out of the barrel before the barrel lifts (much) in recoil. The light bullets hit lower on the target. You might try some of the 140 grain bullets, that might give you a load you can live with. Also try looking at some of the more defense oriented shooting web sites, surely some of those folks have developed practice loads for these short guns. Good luck!

[jasond]

Cool gun! Carry it?

Surprisingly, at close range, increasing the velocity will normally make bullets shoot lower! Not nearly the difference as changing weights, though.

Your choices are to live with it, switch to 148-158 bullets, or shorten the front sight to dedicate the gun to light bullets.

Heavy bullets/fast powder makes for a more pleasant load anyway. 231 is slower than bullseye, but not much. It's cleaner, if that matters.

I have an SP101, and in .357 I get slightly better velocity with slow magnum powders (H110, Blue Dot, 2400), and a huge increase in noise and recoil.

[wisconsin]

AHHHHHHHHHHH! I see that would make sense. This pistol is very accurate for it size. But the one thing I didn't do was other than the 148 HBWC is try 140fp or 158swc weight bullet. I try not to post "please help" unless I've tried just about everything I can to get results. This grasshopper thanks all of you for your help. Jeff