Revolver ammo for 100 yards

[paplinker]

Well I am going to be sighting in my deer gun soon at 100 yards.

Thought what the heck maybe I will be see what my 38/44 King Super Target is capable of.

I shot it at 50 feet a couple days ago and was shooting very-very good groups with six o'clock hold.
Probably the best I ever shot a revolver.

I am using Federal white box semi wadcutter 158 grain.
Is this light of a load capable of being accurate at 100 yards?

I do not intend to adjust the sights as they are right where I want them to be at for my shooting needs and this ammo.

I buy this ammo in bulk as i find my prewar stuff really likes it.

[Fishinfool]

If its accurate in your gun, then its accurate. The bullet may drop more at 100 yards than a hotter load, but unless you are hunting, or trying to knock over steel, it doesn't matter. The key is the bullet maintaining its stability.

Try it at 100 yards, you may be surprised. You get a feel pretty quick for how much front sight you have to hold for consistant hits at that range.

For what its worth, when testing loads at 100 yards with a revolver, where a scope and benchrest is used, I have generally had better accuracy with jacketed bullets, but not always.

Larry

[Drm50]

I don't doubt accuracy at 100yds if good at 50yds. I don't know if it will have the hammer on a deer at that
range. Anything less than perfect kill shot will probably result in a track job. 100yds is pushing killing
power of 357mg for deer hunting. You probably don't
want to beat a fine target piece like yours with +P loads. I would hold out for -50yd shots or use more gun.


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[paplinker]

Originally Posted by Drm50

I don't doubt accuracy at 100yds if good at 50yds. I don't know if it will have the hammer on a deer at that
range. Anything less than perfect kill shot will probably result in a track job. 100yds is pushing killing
power of 357mg for deer hunting. You probably don't
want to beat a fine target piece like yours with +P loads. I would hold out for -50yd shots or use more gun.


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I am not going to hunt with it. I just wanted to see if I could put six in a pie plate with practice. Open sight on a bench

Curios how much drop to account for. Maybe 12 oclock?

[mike campbell]

"Well I am going to be sighting in my deer gun soon at 100 yards....I do not intend to adjust the sights as they are right where I want them ...."

This does not compute.

Anyone contemplating hunting deer with a handgun might consider practice shooting at 1-gallon milk jugs full at water at various yardages.

If you're not willing to bet me $10 you can hit 3 in a row (with your chosen equipment and technique) at a certain distance ... would you risk that shot on a deer?

But you're not going to hunt with your sighted-in deer gun?

[paplinker]

Originally Posted by mike campbell

"Well I am going to be sighting in my deer gun soon at 100 yards....I do not intend to adjust the sights as they are right where I want them ...."

This does not compute.

Anyone contemplating hunting deer with a handgun might consider practice shooting at 1-gallon milk jugs full at water at various yardages.

If you're not willing to bet me $10 you can hit 3 in a row (with your chosen equipment and technique) at a certain distance ... would you risk that shot on a deer?

But you're not going to hunt with your sighted-in deer gun?

I hunt only with my deer rifle. I should have said rifle before, I can now see the confusion.

Where I live the only place I can shoot 100 yards anything is at this one particular range. Since my rifle likely is still right from last year I will shoot three rounds through it to be sure. Then I will have nothing but free time and a 100 yard lane to myself .

Normally I bring a rim fire rifle and practice but I have read a good bit on this forum that 100 yard shooting with a 38/44 or REG mag was fairly common back in the day. I am curious to know just how hard it was. I just don't know if I am setting myself up for failure using a mild round.

The 38/44 was used by a Navy Officer for Bullseye until WWII broke out. I do not have the heart to ever take this revolver anywhere but a range.

[reddog81]

Your probably looking at about a foot of drop. I'd place 2 plates down range with one sitting above the other one. Aim for the middle of the top one and you'll probably hit the bottom plate. That's assuming you do your part. I shoot 9mm at a 10" steel plate and aim for right above the steel plate.

[Drm50]

I have no doubt your King 38/44 will shoot into a dinner plate at
100 yds benched. My brother busts clays with k38 and optic at
100yds benched with target loads. He uses optics but prooved the gun is capable. We shoot 10" plate off hand at 100 yds with
everything from K22 to M29s. Once you get the hold over, it's easy to hit. We are shooting cast target loads for most of this shooting.

[Eddietruett]

I'm sure you can hit the pie plate at 100. My range is limited to 75-80 yards and off a rest, with a red dot sight, I can easily keep a good load around 4". Sometimes better but always can keep on a 6" target. My 2 loads for hunting are 158gr Speer JHP with 1605gr of H110 for deer and 180gr Missouri HyTek Flat Point with 13.5gr H110. Actually the Coated 180 is the most accurate load I've ever shot with my 8 3/8" M686. Not sure what the drop is, but I have my red dot set spot on at 75 yards. I've been wanting to try at 100 just to see the difference in drop at the extra 25 yards. I might would try a deer at 75 yards but I wouldn't shoot a hog at over 50. I want all the penetration I can get and I'm not real sure whats left after 50 yards. I'm sure it can be calculated but I never have.

[paplinker]

I am glad to hear this ammo will likely work.
I think I have the ability to do it standing free hand but the lanes are bench only unless they are having an event. Then they move up past the overhead guards for the new line.

[daddio202]

Yes sir! That awsome pre war piece of functional art will do its job out to 100 if you do yours. The advantage of being able to stabilize on a bench I bet with some practice you could hit a plate out to 150. As stated already I would try the same ammo that is already accurate for you. Just a matter of how much higher to aim. King sights add to an already accurate platform! Enjoy

[Nevada Ed]

A M19 6" will take deer with the old 160gr Speer SJWC bullet or
a 158 gr, if it is accurate enough.
I tried to hold my shots to only 50 yards, where the energy of the bullet
would do a better job of dropping them quickly. I never wanted to
shoot one at 100 yards, due to the energy figures, if I was off a little
on shot placement, with the iron sights.

It is a real eye opener to see what a full load 110, 125, 140 and 158 will do
against a flat nose 160gr bullet on a burn behind a 200 yard target
with a 6" sight radius.

A scope would be plum handy for putting meat on the table....
but I had Eagle's eye's back in the 70's.

6" pie plates at 100 yards will work.........
a 125gr JHP can be accurate at times, if you run out of those 158 gr bullets.

[RMFnLA]

I LOVE long-range pistol shooting and that gun looks perfect.

Maybe you'll find an old outhouse or two to line up on...

[Drm50]

One of my favorite tricks is to bench revolver or pistol and shoot
100yd bullseye. I use a large piece of cardboard to mount target
on. The bullet is going to impact low and you can measure this drop. Then I take a 1x4 stake and mount bullseye at the exact measurement from top of the stake. Aiming at top of stake will
drop them into bull reguardless of what you are sighted for. This
way there is no guessing on hold over. You use your normal sight
picture.

[Wyo]

If you can find the space for it, see if you can stretch the distance a bit. I do a fair amount of shooting on a 24” gong at 400 yds. with a 6” Model 27-2 loaded with a 180 gr. LBT bullet at about 1250 fps. Just hold some extra front sight, set the gong on top and fire away. Once you get the hold it really isn’t too hard to hit 2 out of three, sometimes better. And it sure will impress your friends - you know, the ones who think a handgun is useless beyond 20 feet or so.

[Joe4d]

every common bullet out there has a mfg listed ballistic coefficient. That and muzzle velocity will give you the trajectory. With factory loads good possibility the trajectory is on the MFG websight.
But 50 feet isnt really enough distance to determine much. Id think I'd want at least 25 yards before I would call a zero confirmed or determine if a load is accurate.

[BigBill]

With my 6” colt Python I could make pin point shots at 100yds using my Speer 140 gr Jhp reloads. (357). I ran a lot of reloads through it until this load worked.

Elmer Keith made a 265yd shot with a smith m29/4” magnum loads. (44).
How much power was left at 265yds I’m not sure.

[hardluk1]

Everone knows a revolver can hit targets at long distance but hunting with open sights at 100 yards and making a quality hit and a quick kill is not in the same league specially with slow with 38/40 . I hunted with a dan wesson 15-2 8" 357mag with a 2moa dot optic and 170gr sp at 1400 fps back in the late '70's . I can still place 6 rounds in a 4" groups at 100 yards today buy in the field you better have a good support you know you can shoot well from and deer can run for some way even with a heart or broken shoulder shot at 94 yards . They don't drop as quickly as a 44mag with a hotter 240gr hp ahits then or a 20ga slug Or a t/c encore handgun in 308 !! .

maybe keep your distance closer to 50 yards assumeing you can shoot a 4 to 5 " group while hunting , not sitting at a bench .

Ole elmer keith also sprayed bullets all over the country side try to shoot game at long distance using a load that was reduced by Remington to a lower level . read up on ole elmer and you will find he's not all that as a marksman . That 600 yard mule deer shot was all ready hit and elmer had to keep shooting until he found the range or got lucky ? Ha . Gun rags and tv tend to edit out a lot of truth .

[bushmaster1313]

The proof of the pudding is in the eating
The proof of the .357 Magnum ammo
(158 grain American Eagle jacketed soft point)

Is in the 100 yard shooting
5 rounds, sitting at bench
Weak hand resting on carpet covered block of wood:

[chief38]

Years ago when I was into Cowboy Action Shooting and SASS matches I went out to the Range with two friends so we could all practice for an upcoming match. After I ran out of ammo for the two Colt SAA's I was shooting we were sitting there wondering if we could hot anything with our EDC carry guns. Since I had my 2" chief's Special on me I figured I'd see what I could do. The Range we were shooting on was sand and there were sticks and twigs down at the end which was 100 yards. The first shot I took was about a foot low but then I started walking the shots up and after 3 shots I could consistently hit within a couple of inches at that distance. So while I would not say it is capable of pin-point accuracy at 100 yards, YES, almost any S&W vintage Revolver is capable of grouping a reasonable sized cluster at that distance - assuming the ammo you are using is consistent,
the wind isn't too bad and the shooter does their part. YES...... I did have to use some Kentucky Windage and Elevation!

[Darkenfast]

Originally Posted by bushmaster1313

The proof of the pudding is in the eating
The proof of the .357 Magnum ammo
(158 grain American Eagle jacketed soft point)

Is in the 100 yard shooting
5 rounds, sitting at bench
Weak hand resting on carpet covered block of wood:

I've noticed that the AE 158 grain JSP is available and fairly reasonable in cost these days (at least in my area). It's a classic load (sort of an all-around compromise), and it's nice to see how accurate it can be.

[BB57]

Ill second the recommendation for Federal's American Eagle (and Champion) 158gr JSP load. It gives great accuracy in both my rifles and my 6" revolvers - and I would not hesitate to use it on deer at 100 yards.

[Drm50]

I don't use optics and wouldn't shoot a deer over 50yds with handgun. I
would be confident of hitting deer, but where? Makes no difference what
caliber. Shooting a deer is usually not a well defined target and nothing
like standing and ringing a 10" plate at 100yds. You get use to hold over at
known distances. A known distance in woods is rare and at 100yd + ranges you have to guess distance to guess hold over. A passable deer
rifle has to shoot into 6" at 100yds to be practical. The 6" doesn't get bigger for pistols. When the deer is at distances that it looks like it's standing on width of front sight it's to far for me to risk a wounded deer.

[TMan51]

Originally Posted by paplinker

Curios how much drop to account for. Maybe 12 oclock?

How much velocity do you have with your load?
Are you using the same bullseye size as your sight in distance?

If you are getting close to 1200fps, the drop will be in the 6" +/- range sighted in at 50yds, a bit more if you sight in a 25yds. When I sight in for shooting at longer ranges, I use a hold with the spot at 1/2 the horizontal diameter. Makes it easier to determine actual from apparent drop if you use a larger bull so you can get a good sight picture at longer distances.

[Groo01]

Groo here
For years we would sight in on popcans at 100 yds.[yes and hit them regular like]
Once you get use to your gun things get much easier.
The most interesting thing was that loads did not seem to mater much.
38 level loads hit about a foot lower than 357 level loads.