This thread was resurrected to finish posting some accumulated data.
We chronographed and accuracy tested 3 different concoctions, two target loads and a higher performance concoction in January of this year, over a 3 day period in which we had glorious weather for excursions to the range.
Revolvers used were the same as before:
Smith & Wesson Model 10 2-inch
Smith & Wesson Model 10 HB 4-inch
Smith & Wesson Military & Police 5-inch
Smith & Wesson Model 27 .357 Magnum 6-inch
Smith & Wesson Model 14 .38 Special 8 3/8-inch
Two loads performed pretty well as expected. One of them was new and one was a more thorough retest. A third load was a puzzler that yielded velocities far higher than expected.
A new load for me made use of Green Dot. I think I remember trying a can of Green Dot back in the late 1970s but made no notes about it. This load uses TVB's excellent 148 grain double-ended wadcutter.
148 grain TVB DEWC/3.7 grains Green Dot
2-Inch Barrel
Muzzle Velocity: 669 fps
Muzzle Energy: 147 ft./lbs
Extreme Spread: 45
Standard Deviation: 23
4-Inch Barrel
MV: 706 fps
ME: 164 ft./lbs.
ES: 43 fps
SD: 14 fps
5-Inch Barrel
MV: 735 fps
ME: 179 ft./lbs.
ES: 17 fps
SD: 7 fps
6-Inch Barrel
MV: 690 fps
ME: 156 ft./lbs.
ES: 31 fps
SD: 13 fps
8 3/8-Inch Barrel
MV: 775 fps
ME: 197 ft./lbs.
ES: 73 fps
SD: 33 fps
Next up is an old standard, the 148 grain hollow-base wadcutter backed by 2.8 grains of Bulls-Eye. It performed in January much the same as it did 30 years ago. The good Hornady 148 grain HBWC bullet was used.
148 grain HBWC/2.8 grains Bulls-Eye
2-Inch Barrel
MV: 643 fps
ME: 136 ft./lbs.
ES: 29 fps
ES: 12 fps
4-Inch Barrel
MV: 689 fps
MV: 156 ft./lbs.
ES: 42 fps
SD: 17 fps
5-Inch Barrel
MV: 712 fps
ME: 167 ft./lbs.
ES: 20 fps
SD: 9
6-Inch Barrel
MV: 693 fps
ME: 158 ft./lbs.
ES: 37 fps
SD: 16 fps
8 3/8-Inch Barrel
MV: 765 fps
ME: 192 ft./lbs.
ES: 33 fps
SD: 12 fps
This last load tested didn't behave as expected. Using a 158 grain lead semi-wadcutter I've previously tested 4.8 grains of Unique and 5.4 grains of Unique on a few occasions so thought to split the difference and test 5.1 grains of Unique. I wasn't expecting anything out of the ordinary but it gave considerably higher velocities in all barrel lengths than 5.4 grains of Unique did in previous tests. I re-checked the distance between the sky-screens to find it correct. I weighed the bullets and they checked out 158-159 grains and were .358" in diameter. I broke down a handloaded cartridge to re-weigh the powder charge and it checked out correctly. It felt quite lively after shooting a lot of the light 148 grain loads.
I felt unsatisfied and displeased after testing this one because I can't explain it.
158 grain lead SWC/5.1 grains Unique
2-Inch Barrel
MV: 922 fps
ME: 298 ft./lbs.
ES: 40 fps
SD: 19 fps
4-Inch Barrel
MV: 987 fps
ME: 342 ft./lbs.
ES: 67 fps
SD: 28 fps
5-Inch Barrel
MV: 1031 fps
ME: 373 ft./lbs
ES: 37 fps
SD: 15 fps
6-Inch Barrel
MV: 1018 fps
ME: 364 ft./lbs
ES: 33 fps
SD: 14 fps
8 3/8-Inch Barrel
MV: 1117 fps
ME: 426 ft./lbs.
ES: 34 fps
SD: 15 fps
I probably shouldn't have subjected the 5-inch Smith & Wesson Military & Police revolver to testing with this Unique handload due to the revolver's age. Won't do that again.
The 5-inch M&P seems to show a pattern of consistent velocity performance with most loads tested in it, both last week and last summer.
The Model 27 frequently registers lower velocities than the 5-inch M&P with the same loads.
The Green Dot load with the 148 grain DEWC bullet grouped about as well as the HBWC bullet loaded with Bulls-Eye. The Green Dot load didn't seem to foul the revolvers but was very smoky to shoot and I don't think it was from the bullet lube. It could just be a characteristic of the powder. I've still got a lot of Green Dot in the can so will play with it some more. It doesn't seem to display any especially endearing characteristics over other fast burning powders.
It's only three loads but a whole lot of shooting was involved, mostly because the great weather encouraged it. Revisiting the data I recall that the afternoon temperature was in the low 50s on that week in January. Hard to remember how that feels since we've "enjoyed" 100F or more for the month of June. I had great fun shooting the revolvers for group.
Here are some target highlights from the load tests. Targets where significant operator error was in evidence were not photographed but only the best efforts. There were lots of targets that started out with promise but came to grief with a bullet hole "off towards Jones."
5-shot groups predominated because it was convenient to load one row from a 50 round box. Most groups were shot from 10 yards.
Here are examples of the best effort in the Model 14. One each of the Green Dot load and Bulls-Eye load, the Green Dot load being on the left.
Plebeian Model 10s can group right along side the so called target models. One each of the Green Dot load and Bulls-Eye load, the Green Dot load again being on the left.
A slightly heavier, but still crisp, single action trigger and less user-friendly sights make shooting the oldie M&P a bit more of a chore but it still turned in a decent performance.
The best effort with the Model 10 2-inch in single action mode at 10 yards with the 158 grain SWC/5.1 grains of Unique load.
Best single action group at 10 yards with the Model 14 using 158 grain SWC with 5.1 grains of Unique.
A double-action group shot rapid-fire from 10 yards with the Model 10 and the 158 SWC/5.1 Unique load.
A more deliberate double-action attempt at 7 yards with the 5-inch M&P and the 158 gr. SWC/5/1 gr Unique load.
