Smith & Wesson Forum

Go Back   Smith & Wesson Forum > Smith & Wesson General Topics > Smith & Wesson Competitive Shooting
o

Notices

Smith & Wesson Competitive Shooting All aspects of competitive shooting using Smith and Wesson Firearms. Including: IPSC, IDPA, Silhouette, Bullseye.


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 10-07-2016, 01:19 PM
otasan56 otasan56 is offline
US Veteran
Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting  
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Hartford, VT
Posts: 261
Likes: 58
Liked 85 Times in 61 Posts
Default Bowling Pin Shooting

I use my S&W 629 6-inch revolver loaded with 215 gr wadcutter bullets at 1200 FPS. This load works well to push the three-pound bowling pins back the required three feet. These matches are in NH.
Reply With Quote
The Following 3 Users Like Post:
  #2  
Old 10-07-2016, 03:09 PM
S&WIowegan S&WIowegan is offline
Member
Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting  
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Iowa
Posts: 4,106
Likes: 14,444
Liked 3,763 Times in 1,784 Posts
Thumbs down

Congrats on finding pin matches to shoot. In Iowa, they have gone the way of the DODO bird. I was speaking to a fellow last night who moved here from CT 3 years ago. He said he shot pin matches there with hot-loaded 38 Super hollow points.
__________________
Bob.
SWCA 1821

Last edited by S&WIowegan; 10-07-2016 at 03:11 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 10-07-2016, 03:12 PM
ISCS Yoda's Avatar
ISCS Yoda ISCS Yoda is offline
US Veteran
Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting  
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Dallas, Texas
Posts: 8,389
Likes: 2,476
Liked 13,054 Times in 4,535 Posts
Default

Excellent! I didn't know anyone shot bowling pins any more. If I ever find such a match I'll use my Model 25 loaded with standard .45 Colt - that should work. I think.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 10-07-2016, 03:16 PM
Bob R's Avatar
Bob R Bob R is offline
US Veteran
Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting  
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Southern Nevada
Posts: 1,484
Likes: 29
Liked 549 Times in 216 Posts
Default

I know my 25-5 loaded with a 255gr hardcast SWC pushing about 900 ft/sec hits those pins with authority.

bob
Reply With Quote
The Following 2 Users Like Post:
  #5  
Old 10-07-2016, 04:25 PM
moongoon moongoon is offline
Member
Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting  
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Tilton NH
Posts: 32
Likes: 97
Liked 28 Times in 13 Posts
Default

We're doing our first bowling pin shoot at our local club, Franklin Targeteers, N.H. on 10-16. Just for fun this time, next year maybe more formal matches for prizes. I'll be using my Norinco 1911 with 200 grain SWC. There seems to be only 1 or 2 guys that have ever done it before among us. Is there a formal format that should be followed? We're going with 3 tables , 5 pins each. First one to clean the table wins that heat. Any handgun, any sights, load only 6 rounds, no magnums. Reload as necessary but I think that if you have to reload you already lost. Any comments or ideas?
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 10-07-2016, 04:38 PM
Comrad's Avatar
Comrad Comrad is offline
Member
Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting  
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: New Jersestan
Posts: 3,372
Likes: 1,025
Liked 4,293 Times in 1,636 Posts
Default

Around my little slice of heaven bowling alleys are disappearing rapidly and the more that close the less available pins to shoot. Wonder if they will just make some just to shoot?

Our local Bowling alley was Berra and Rizzuto, owned and run by the players in the 60's. Hard to believe now but in those days players needed a winter gig to pay the bills. Sadly both are now gone and so is their old bowling alley.
__________________
Back to back World War Champs.
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #7  
Old 10-07-2016, 09:24 PM
M1A's Avatar
M1A M1A is offline
Member
Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting  
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: 1945
Posts: 1,088
Likes: 2,261
Liked 1,850 Times in 627 Posts
Default

I did a lot of pins, 25+ years ago. It's gone along with the smoke filled low ventilation ranges. Steel plate matches are around though. No mess to clean up.
__________________
"from my cold dead hands" C.H.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 10-07-2016, 09:52 PM
Hang-Fire Hank Hang-Fire Hank is offline
Member
Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting  
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Central AZ
Posts: 434
Likes: 8
Liked 355 Times in 163 Posts
Default BAD RICOCHETS

Otasan56:
I took part in a couple indoor pin matches. Shot a medium load 41 Mag thru my 8 3/8" model 57 using my cast bullets. There were ricochets at every match. The last get-together I went to had a bullet whizzing/whining back towards the crowd behind the shooter. No more for me!
About that same time (early-mid 80s), we stopped using them in Cowboy Action Shooting for the same reason. Seemed like such a good idea too!
As Comrad said, the old style bowling houses are about gone. Now colored strobe lights & wild masking unit colors are the rage for the young set. I was raised in that industry (Dad was a lane mgr.) & miss the smell of beer bottles, cigarette/cigar smoke, & lacquered lanes & settes.
Oops, sorry! Old Guy here pouring over old memories.
Hank M.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 10-11-2016, 08:19 AM
otasan56 otasan56 is offline
US Veteran
Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting  
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Hartford, VT
Posts: 261
Likes: 58
Liked 85 Times in 61 Posts
Default

Yes, bounce-back bullets are a problem at pin matches. I always wore body armor to pin matches.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 10-11-2016, 02:35 PM
TAROMAN's Avatar
TAROMAN TAROMAN is offline
US Veteran
Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting  
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: The wet side of Oregon
Posts: 6,290
Likes: 8,789
Liked 7,778 Times in 2,375 Posts
Default

My club still runs a monthly pin match.
Difference is that these pins are at 25 yards, on a deep table.
Have to clear them off. 1 shot preferred.
I use a 240 coated SWC loaded to 960 FPS on my 629-4:
__________________
-jwk-
US Army '72-'95
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 10-11-2016, 11:25 PM
S&WIowegan S&WIowegan is offline
Member
Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting  
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Iowa
Posts: 4,106
Likes: 14,444
Liked 3,763 Times in 1,784 Posts
Thumbs down

The first indoor pin match I shot was also my last. One guy showed up with a Desert Eagle 44 Mag. He destroyed the pins which caused the organizers to run out. But, we also regularly got hit by 240 gr Bounce-backs and that aint fun. I was in the money with every gun I shot but I didn't go back.
__________________
Bob.
SWCA 1821
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 10-13-2016, 07:42 AM
Collo Rosso's Avatar
Collo Rosso Collo Rosso is offline
Member
Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting  
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Upstate South Carolina
Posts: 1,523
Likes: 1,267
Liked 2,021 Times in 760 Posts
Default

My club started (re-started actually) bowling pin matches again about 2 years ago. So far this year we've had 3 and the July match was a rain out. Spring match drew 28 shooters.
One table, 5 pins and your timed from the buzzer till the last pin hits the ground. Four rounds and lowest total time wins. Draw from a holster, unlimited rounds and reloading. Break it down by semi-auto, DA revolver and SA revolver. SA revolver can bring 2 guns to the line.
I won the September match with a Sig 1911 shooting 230gr. hardball. Lots of fun and we're bugging the guy that puts these matches together to have a December match. The weather here is usually nice that time of year.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 10-16-2016, 03:13 PM
USARMYSPEC4 USARMYSPEC4 is offline
Member
Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting  
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Southeast PA.
Posts: 117
Likes: 26
Liked 56 Times in 28 Posts
Default

Last time I shot a pin match was in the mid 90's. I used my 4516-1 with 230 grain round nose reloads. worked well for me.
Now it's steel plates with my 986. I'm having fun with that though.
__________________
Nam '66-67
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 10-30-2016, 10:32 AM
otasan56 otasan56 is offline
US Veteran
Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting Bowling Pin Shooting  
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Hartford, VT
Posts: 261
Likes: 58
Liked 85 Times in 61 Posts
Default

One more pin match this year - 12 November at Country Pond Gun Club in Newton, NH. Revolver and semiauto.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Bowling Pin shooting pacecars Smith & Wesson Competitive Shooting 39 11-21-2016 08:18 PM
Shooting bowling pins with a 45 hswaters The Lounge 9 07-29-2014 07:17 PM
Bowling Pin vs. S&W 29-2 thedane S&W Revolvers: 1961 to 1980 33 07-24-2013 02:58 AM
700 gr 500 mag vs bowling pin mo84 S&W Revolvers: 1980 to the Present 3 10-29-2012 10:02 AM
Bowling pin gun jkmo The Lounge 8 03-03-2011 08:07 PM

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
smith-wessonforum.com tested by Norton Internet Security smith-wessonforum.com tested by McAfee Internet Security

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:54 AM.


Smith-WessonForum.com is not affiliated with Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select: SWHC)