I really didn't know which forum to ask this but does anyone here have any experience shooting 38 Special reloads/wadcutters out of a 1:10 twist barrel? This barrel twist was recommended to me by a very prominent custom revolver shop for bullseye shooting.

No experience so I can't help with that, but have read about the idea here and there. From what I can tell the idea went nowhere. Accuracy was not improved over the usual 16- or 18-inch twist barrels and the "tipping" issue was not positively cured. It would appear it's pretty tough to substantially improve something that has been researched thoroughly and has been working very well for nearly a century. Barrel quality and installation seem to be the bigger factors. But as I said, just what I've read. No firsthand experience - sorry.

Usually the faster rate of twist helps to stabilize heavier bullets. I'm doubting if it would make too much difference over the distances pistol bullets are used, possibly at 50 yards.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

If I remember correctly (no guarantees on that one) that was the idea behind the SMOLT. PPC shooters loved the Smith action and the twist rate on the Colt Python barrel.

They were cool looking guns but not sure they ever really made a difference when it came to marksman ship skills.

The smolts utilized the tighter bbl of the colts along with better stability for the long bodied wc in the 1 in 14 twist. A ppc revolver that I own with a 1 in 16 twist. It gets a steady diet of 148gr hbwc's cast from a custom mold.


A lot of the ppc revolvers used a 1 in 16 twist as does the rugers. Actually ruger is just now starting to put 1 in 18 3/4 twists in some of their longer bbl'd 38spl's.

I have/use 2 different 1 in 10 twist bbl's in 4" and 6" for a couple of dw's that I own. The 1 in 10 twist bbl's do extremely well with the longer bodied bullets like the 148gr hbwc's or heavy long bodied bullets like these jacketed bullets I made with swaging dies and using 9mm range brass for jackets.


Some of the 35cal wc/hbwc's I cast/shoot. From left to right, the 110gr h&g #41 wc, the 148gr h&g #50 wc, custom 148gr hbwc, lyman 148gr hbwc/358395.


As you can see the hbwc's are a lot longer than their button nosed counterpart, the h&g #50.

The dw revolvers that I use the custom 1 in 10 twists in. They are setup for long heavy bullets/full house loads with the heavy bbl shrouds and muzzle breaks.


Those dw's also do extremely well with the 148gr hbwc/target load combo's

Quite interesting Forrest r, I enjoyed that post and your others in the past about shooting wadcutters. Actually, I just got this 586-8 with this 9 inch custom 10 twist barrel back a few days ago and have been experimenting heavily with it shooting every weight and type of bullets I can get hold of. I'm finding out the lighter you load wadcutters the better it shoots them. And, if you load a swaged hbwc too heavy it slings them all over the place. I'm assuming the centrifugal force deforms the skirt of the bullet after it leaves the barrel. That is the only aspect I'm not liking. Those same loadings shoot fine in a slower twist barrel. It is a tack driver with 170-200 grain bullets.

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Very nice!!!

Don't know if you cast or swage bullets but custom is the way to go. Mold makers like accurate molds have excellent molds in stock along with the ability to cut custom molds of your own design.
Accurate Molds: Custom Bullet Molds

NEO is another mold maker that has excellent molds.
NOE Bullet Moulds

Swaging your own bullets ='s any size/length you want.

I highly recommend powder coating (pc/pc'ing) your lead bullets. It takes all the correct alloy/pressure/lube out of play.

Extreme accuracy:
Accuracy starts with the launch of the bullet. I like to use bullets with either multiple crimp grooves or bullets with multiple lube grooves that can be used as crimp grooves. Take a bullet and put it in a case that has no primer and chamber it. Use a wire thru the primer pocket hole to push the bullet forward until it stops. Then remove the test case/bullet from the chamber and look to see where the bullet is seated compared to the crimp groove.

Some 38spl cases with wc bullets loaded long for the 357 cylinders.


PC'ing bullets will also increase the nose diameter of fn/rn bullets which is a good thing. The larger diameter allow the bullet to align in the cylinders with shorter oal's. One of my favorite bullets for the 38spl's/357's. It a 359640 fn bullet from a custom mold (mihec) that cast 158gr hp's and 170gr fn bullets. It also has 2 crimp grooves.

Between pc'ing the bullet and loading it so it crimps in the bottom lube groove, it makes an excellent bullet for all my 357 firearms. Bought a new 686 2 years ago and and did test loads with that bullet. Didn't take long to find some plinking loads. These are not hand picked/cherry picked targets by any means. These are nothing more the the actual targets used to test loads. 6-shot groups @ 50ft.


Anyway, enjoy that "SWEET" 586, get some bullets with multiple lube/crimp grooves to keep it fed.

enjoy

Very nice!!!

Don't know if you cast or swage bullets but custom is the way to go. Mold makers like accurate molds have excellent molds in stock along with the ability to cut custom molds of your own design.
Accurate Molds: Custom Bullet Molds

NEO is another mold maker that has excellent molds.
NOE Bullet Moulds

Swaging your own bullets ='s any size/length you want.

I highly recommend powder coating (pc/pc'ing) your lead bullets. It takes all the correct alloy/pressure/lube out of play.

Extreme accuracy:
Accuracy starts with the launch of the bullet. I like to use bullets with either multiple crimp grooves or bullets with multiple lube grooves that can be used as crimp grooves. Take a bullet and put it in a case that has no primer and chamber it. Use a wire thru the primer pocket hole to push the bullet forward until it stops. Then remove the test case/bullet from the chamber and look to see where the bullet is seated compared to the crimp groove.

Some 38spl cases with wc bullets loaded long for the 357 cylinders.


PC'ing bullets will also increase the nose diameter of fn/rn bullets which is a good thing. The larger diameter allow the bullet to align in the cylinders with shorter oal's. One of my favorite bullets for the 38spl's/357's. It a 359640 fn bullet from a custom mold (mihec) that cast 158gr hp's and 170gr fn bullets. It also has 2 crimp grooves.

Between pc'ing the bullet and loading it so it crimps in the bottom lube groove, it makes an excellent bullet for all my 357 firearms. Bought a new 686 2 years ago and and did test loads with that bullet. Didn't take long to find some plinking loads. These are not hand picked/cherry picked targets by any means. These are nothing more the the actual targets used to test loads. 6-shot groups @ 50ft.


Anyway, enjoy that "SWEET" 586, get some bullets with multiple lube/crimp grooves to keep it fed.

enjoy