M60 3" 25yd groups

[jrplourde]

I'm loading 357 brass with .358 bullets rated for 357 mag (fairly hard) with both W231 at the upper end of the manual and Power Pistol at mid load. They both group a poor 4" at 25yd carefully shot off a bag.

I've got some of the same bullet loaded with 14gr of 2400, a hand full with the M60. Have not tried them yet cus I'll probably flinch these things into the next county. I'm ordering some softer versions of the same bullet to see what's what.

What is a reasonably expected group with a 3" barrel?

Bob

[OKFC05]

I've shot under 2" with .38 wadcutters. I suspect the gun is doing better than my eyes.

[john traveler]

Back in the good old days when my eyesight was better, I could regularly print 2" groups with 2 1/2". 4", 6", and 8" K frame revolvers using 148 grain match wadcutters at 25 yards. The same guns using the same ammunition fired in a Ransom rest would produce anywhere from 1 1/4" to 1 3/4" groups at that distance.

Your choice of hotter cast bullet loads using .357 brass may or man not give an accuracy advantage. Only LOTS of group size testing will tell. If it were me, I would spend more time trying softer bullets at more sedate .38 Special velocities for best accuracy. At least, that is what my extensive PPC and bullseye competition has shown.

It's not that shorter barreled revolvers are less accurate, but that they are more difficult to shoot accurately. Your 3" barreled J frame is that much more difficult to shoot unless you have some really good hand-filling grips. A good handload should break 3" easily at 25 yards.

[Fauquier]

My Model 60-10 regularly shoots 2" groups , a few 1 3/4" groups, with Remington 158gr.HP +P loads.

[BE Mike]

The limiting factor is not the barrel length, but the ability of the operator to shoot a gun with a fairly short sight radius. Of course, having ammo that the gun "likes" makes a difference in group size.