Advice on Silhouette loads for M57

[Kaumheimer]

Need some advice from experienced silhouette shooters.

I'm seriously thinking of joining a local silhouette club here in Hawaii. I would use my stock 6" M57. So far in just plinking I've used SWC 215 lead bullets effectively up to 125 yards.

Do I need to use a full jacketed bullet for longer distances or is the existing load/bullet sufficient? (I believe the maximum distance we will be shooting is 200 yards).

My current load is 15.5 gr of 2400 and it has just the right amount of recoil/accuracy but a friend suggested I might go to a full jacketed bullet for more velocity.

mahalo

[SOFMatchstaff]

Hey Brudda....I have used the M-57 on rams for a Long time. It dont give up nothing all the way out! I use a cast 220gr lyman #410459 out of wheel weights or equivilent, over 18.5gr of H110 and a mag primer. this is a sedate load, 1240fps out of the 6" and a bit more from the 8 3/8". you can tune it for your piece, but it shoots in all the 41s I have.
I did a sight mod to the rear, replaced the blade with a M41 sight leaf .196 high, this allows you to run the elevation down all the way and still have a good hold on the chickens and still not run out of elevation at the ram line(sight wont pop off under recoil at full elevation) It suits my 6 oclock hold style. The McGivern bead on the front finished it off. These are S&W factory parts and were ruled legal in stock class by Elgin Hisself(long time ago). might want to check tho...

[Kaumheimer]

Mahalo! Great info. So you don't need full metal jacket? At 1240fps don't you worry about leading dakine cast bullet?

[SOFMatchstaff]

No. Ive never had a significant leading problem as long as the alloy and the lube is proper. I havent found a need to shoot the expensive jacketed stuff as the cast accuracy usually surpassed my ability to hold. I hunted with the same 220gr Keith profile that I used on steel. I suppose each barrel is going to have a favorite combination, But thats why I handload, well, that and Im cheep and like to shoot alot.

[mkk41]

I too am a big fan of the Lyman 410459 (cast 50/50 wheelweights/linotype and water quenched) and have used it on silhouettes with my .41 Mag Redhawk. For the rams , ya might want to try Penn Bullets 295gr SSK bullet.

[Kaumheimer]

Appreciate your responses.

However, what if you don't cast your own?

I don't and I don't see anywhere you can buy 220gr lyman #410459 bullets out there. Does it really matter whether or not you're shooting a lead or metal jacket bullet at a silhouette so long as you can hit it?

BTW I will look into the Penn Bullets 195gr SSK bullet.

[Missionary]

Good morning
+1 on the load info. You do not need to max out the powder in a 41 mag when you use a 220 or a 240 grain gas checked lead bullet. Lead has a lower friction ratio than jacketed so you get more FPS with the same charge. Less powder, less pressure and in the end you will not slowly destroy your M57.
Lead will take down the 50 # Rams reliably and I think even better than jacketed simply because lead seems to have a longer dwell time on target thus imputing more energy to the target. But I never lost a ram properly hit using a lead bullet.
Check your cylinder throats. If all 6 are the same your M57 will do well. I prefer my cylinder throats .001 over bore for lead bullets. The bullet should be throat sized or up to .001 oversized for the throats. Pay attention to detail here and you willl be on the road to accurate loads.

[much ado]

Back in the 80s when sil. shooting was introduced at my local club I loved the game.I started off using my M29 but after a little testing I discovered that my M57 was just as effective with less recoil,blast etc.I loved the aspect of using an open-sighted revolver(6") and shooting at up to 200 yards.I would shoot typically 24-25-26,with 26 being the best I ever shot.Never won anything,as guys with XPs and 35 cal Contenders could come close to cleaning them all,but I still loved the game.My best load at the time was the Sierra 210 JHC with 21.0 H110 and CCI 350.This chron`d 1276fps at the muzzle. I had tested cast bullets but just never used them.Using your load I feel sure the ram will fall but I think the bullet arc is going to be quite a bit more "rainbow" possibly running you out of elevation clicks as mentioned.Your grip is most important and and it is quite possible to hinder the arc with differences in your grip.Example:you miss a couple at 200 yards,you "bear down'' determined not to miss,you grip the gun tighter (purposely or sub-consciously),and the result is that you lower the arc thereby hitting low.

I am not saying that the cast bullet may not be the most accurate in your gun but I respectfully submit that I feel you`re going to have to give the load you mentioned a little more gas because of elevation clicks available and trying not to over compensate the larger arc.

Best of luck and I would be interested to know the outcome of your testing/shooting. John

[mkk41]

Aside from the 295gr SSK , I've pretty much settled on Blue Dot for my .41 mag loads when using the Lyman 410459. BUT , and this is VERY IMPORTANT , the Lyman/Keith style bullet carries a lot of the lead in the big nose and has a shorter 'shank' in the case , which leave more room for powder. All other cast bullets pack more lead inside the case , making for less room , or a compressed load. Ya can get into trouble real fast if ya use a powder charge for a Lyman/Keith style bullet and use another bullet with a longer 'shank' in the case.
Do not judge a cast bullet or use data based on weight alone. I've used 16.5grs of Blue Dot with the Lyman 410459 , as per an older issue of the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook.
If ya inadvertantly substitute say , an RCBS .41-210 , you WILL have pressure issues.

[Kaumheimer]

Thanks again gentlemen. A lot here to chew on! Appreciate your sharing this with me.

[mkk41]

I made a typo error in my first post and corrected it later. I refered to the Penn Bullets .41 SSK bullet as a 195gr. It is in fact a 295gr bullet and it is very accurate. It'll make chickens do somersaults!

.41 Caliber Bullets Available From Penn Bullets