Revolver day on the range

[Graybeard]

Today I got back out on the range again. Today was revolver day on the range and only centerfire revolver day. I didn't take any rimfires out. Yeah I was kinda wishing I had after the shooting was over.

First up was also first one not used. I had my Ruger BH convertible .45acp/.45 Colt which I had to replace the rear sight blade on as it had somehow broken. But I left the ammo for it in the house so wasn't able to shoot it. I did have one box with some .45acp ammo in it but it didn't fully seat into the cylinder and caused me to have to take the cylinder out to remove that one round. While it was out I tried some others.

I don't know just what that ammo was nor if I loaded it or if it was factory but for some reason it sure won't chamber in that revolver. I will have to check it in my chamber checker tool to see what's going on with that. But I set that gun aside and moved on.

Next up was my Ruger BH Bisley .44 Special. I shot it first with some reloads using the Lyman 429667 bullet over 8 grains of Unique I think it was. All initial shooting today was done on paper at around 10-12 yards. I didn't measure it or step it off but set the target stand "about half way" to the 25 yard line.

I was very pleased with the tightness of the group. It was about what I used to be able to shoot at 25 yards easily and other than a single flyer that opened it was a one hole group. Recoil was a bit more than I thought I had remembered it to be with that load. Not unpleasant but definitely noticeable. This was my first notice that the old arthritic hands are not dealing with recoil well. Well I had really realized it shooting semiautos on previous shooting sessions but this was my first time out with the centerfire revolvers in quite a long while.

I also shot this one with some HSM factory loads using 240 JHP bullets. I'm not sure what velocity they had but are standard pressure .44 special loads so likely no more than 800 fps or so. Very mild recoil and very accurate.

So I set that one aside and got out my S&W M60 3" in .357 Magnum. This is one of my home defense guns but I hadn't shot it in quite a long time. I'm not sure what that first load of 5 rounds was but recoil was vicious. I actually considered strongly just unloading them and not finishing that cylinder of ammo but forced myself to concentrate and continued. I sure didn't shoot anymore of them after that five tho.

Group was nice and tight and well centered. I had actually used both the laser and the sights. Laser lined up as perfectly as possible with the sights and POI was spot on. So nothing had moved since I had last shot it.

I think that ammo was some hot loaded 125 JHPs but with that level of recoil maybe they were 158 JHPs. I can tell ya in that small revolver the recoil was punishing to my arthritic hands. That is honestly the first time I have ever considered recoil in that gun to be painful. I've owned it ever since they first came out with it over 20 years ago.

I also shot it with some other 125 JHP ammo that was milder on recoil. I think that first load was 15.5 grains of 2400 with 125 JHPs but am not sure. I also shot a few cylinders of .38 special in it and enjoyed the mild recoil.

Next up was my S&W M638. It also has CTC laser grips. My first ammo in it was some reloads with the Hornady 140 Cowboy lead bullets. They were loaded to normal .38 special level. I used the laser for aiming and wow does it need adjustment. POI was about right vertically but about 7" to 8" to the right, completely off the target sheet. It was a fairly nice cluster of holes tho and was on the backer so I was able to see where they hit.

Since I didn't have the wrench to make the adjustment with me I next loaded up with some 160 RNFP bullets also loaded to normal .38 special level and used the sights. Group was even smaller and tight but high. I should have held a bit less front sight up at that distance. It was perfectly centered horizontally just a couple inches high. So I sat that one aside.

Next up was my old S&W Model 66 with 6" barrel. This gun other than being stainless is a dead ringer for my first ever S&W M19 6" which was the first revolver I bought for myself after I was old enough to buy my own.

I shot it with those 125s over 15.5 grains of 2400 and for sure knew I was shooting a full magnum level load. Still in the full size gun even with my arthritic hands it wasn't bad. Not what I'd call fun like I used to think of that load as being but even these days not bad.

I used it for several more cylinders full of several different loads both .357 and .38 special. I shot steel with it at 25 for most of those rounds and was pleased to get almost every shot on steel with both the laser and the sights. It's an old and well used favorite even tho I hadn't shot it it in awhile. It was still right on with both sights and laser.

That 638 is wearing new CTC grips as the old laser died on me I'd had it so long. I will get it adjusted so the gun hits to POA next time out.

I went back to the Ruger Bisley flat top .44 special and wrapped up my shooting session with it.

Overall observation is that the arthritis in my hands has really progressed to the point that guns and loads that used to be fun no longer are. Loads that used to get my attention are now just plain painful. Clearly my days of shooting big bore magnums are behind me. John Taffin made that observation in one of his columns not so long ago. Age sure creeps up on ya. John is a few years older than me, around 10 more than my 75 years I think.

I had actually planned my next shooting session to be .22 rimfire rifles. But I still need to get that Ruger BH convertible sighted in since I didn't have the ammo to do it today. I also need to get that laser sighted in on the 638, so I think the next shooting session will again be revolvers but I'll have some rimfires along as well. At least rimfires are still fun to shoot.

[two-blocked]

To me those five shot revolvers in 357 are great for carrying in the woods but not so much for shooting at the range. Had a Ruger SP101 with a 3” barrel in 357 that was not fun to shoot at the range. Give me a Bisley Blackhawk with a long barrel for fun.
Anymore 22s are my range gun of choice. We shoot silhouette scoped, open sights or pistol every week so that’s what I practice for.

[Ranger99]

Look into getting a PAST glove(s)

I used to have a left and right set,
and they do help with the recoil.
I know they used to sell right or
left and a set of both, but I'm not
sure how they're offered now

[Graybeard]

To me those five shot revolvers in 357 are great for carrying in the woods but not so much for shooting at the range.

That little S&W M60 3" has made an untold number of trips to the woods with me both during hunting seasons and just on hikes and bike rides. It used to be fun to shoot for me but sure isn't any longer. Arthritis has taken a toll on me.

Look into getting a PAST glove(s)

I have a set of both right and left of them somewhere. I haven't seen them in a long time and am not sure where I'll find them now. They may have been with me today. I have a black and gray MTM box with stuff that always goes to the range with me. It at least used to have them and that is where I'd expect to find them.

I did have a pair of thin leather gloves on today that I used to use shooting skeet. That sure didn't help.

If I am to do much more shooting of that M60 with those full house magnum loads I will have to round them up and use them for sure.

[oldandslow]

Wife and I plus our daughter's family minus 2 gathered at the range late yesterday afternoon. My grandson helped his 5 year old daughter shoot the little crickett rifle I bought for the kids and his Ruger 22 revolver and I let the 9 year old gg daughter shoot my Ruger 22/45 lite which brought a big smile to her face. The 1 and 2 year old ones stayed in the car with my wife. Then all the women except my 12 year old gg daughter headed to my grandson's home to prepare supper.

 My son-in-law and grandson shot various pistols in 9mm and 45 acp. The grandson has had an XD for years and he commented that he likes this gun less and less each time he shoots it and the SIL law feels the same about a Springfield. Both are 9's.  My main interest was in the 12 year old and her getting to shoot. She started out with my 22/45 and then I moved her into her first shooting of centerfire handguns. We started with my 1911 9mm and she liked it. She shot four mags through it and then she tried my Walther CCP 9mm. Nope, too snapper for her. Next was one of my 1911 45's and she said no on it too, "Wait till I'm a little bigger for these two" was her take on them. Then she went to the Colt M4-22 that I gave her last year and set it up with a red dot sight like she wanted and she burned up cheap ammo until it was almost sundown. Lastly she worked in a couple of mags of 22 in my wife's Walther PPK/s 22 pistol. She is a good shot and not one of the shoot fast as it can shoot types. She's deliberate and aims with every shot. She also has safety down pat and is doing very good with her shooting stances. She's a smart kid and listens to advise.

Primidone for the shakes only lasts 8 to 10 hours and I took mine at 6 AM yesterday so it was gone by range time and I was shaky. Just to see how bad it was I shot five shots at a target at 7 yards out of the CCP which is a very accurate little pistol when I'm not shaking. I managed a group of 3 1/2" so that was it for me. No use in wasting ammo.

[Dee]

I guess every day is revolver day at my house. I mostly carry a 686 4 inch, but occasionally pocket an Airweight 38.
I learned years ago to practice with light 38s, and "carry" full house 357s.
Of course a Smith 686 takes a lot of the sting out of the full throttle 357 magnum loads, but the difficulty in transitioning to the full power loads under the stress of an actual defensive shooting incident at least for me was non existent.
My last 6 (or 5) in a practice session, are always full power loads to check the sights.
I do have a little Browning Buckmark I like, and keep in my pickup, but it's for cats, and other varmints.