686-6 For Bullseye Shooting

[Photochromes]

I bought a 686-6 Competitor and some 12 BHN lead, 158gr swc and 148 DEWC from Missouri Bullet, after trying some Berrys. I have a few relaoding books.

I am older and my eyes are not in the best condition so I put a Ultradot Matchdot II on it.

I am having dismal results off the bench with all rounds tested so far. Really bad.

The 38 specials have 14 twists and the 357mag have 18.75 I think? Should I be moving away from lead bullets and going to jacketed and higher velocities? My Lyman book listed Titegroup as their most accurate powder for the wad cutters, but they are listing a 150gr dewc with a 22BHN, ie Linotype.

It's a brand new gun with less that 200 rounds through it.

If I do move to a jacketed bullet, where should I start? 125gr found nose?

I would like the gun to hit the bull at 50yards from the bench at least, If the revolver can hit it, then I at least have a chance to.

Thanks!

 

[Protocall_Design]

All the S&W barrels have a 1 in 18-3/4 twist. The 45 ACP barrels are 1 in 16. This is too slow for light target loads. Get you DE wadcutters over 900 to 950 FPS and you will be doing a lot better. The factory twist is just too slow to stabilize anything slower out to 50 yards. That's why all PPC guns have a custom 1 in 10 or 1 in 14 barrel.

I have never got Berry's or Ranier copper plated bullets to shoot a group out of any of my guns with any barrel. The same guns will shoot tight groups with jacketed, polymer coated, or cast and lubed lead. I'm getting about inch and a half groups at 50 yards in my 1 in 10 PPC gun with Bayou Bullets poly coated 138 gr. DE wadcutter at around 920 fps. I have not tried them in a factory barrel.

The Ultradot Matchdot II is a very good choice. It's a high quality target scope.

 

[Photochromes]

Excellent info, thanks!

Much appreciated! I will try that.

 

[rockquarry]

Plated bullets aren't the best if you're interested in accuracy. A cast bullet of a soft to moderate alloy that fits your revolver is vastly superior to plated bullets. The S&Ws twist rate may seem a disadvantage, but experiment enough in your load development and you'll find a good, accurate load. Try at least a few powders, Bullseye, Titegroup, WST, etc. Don't waste your time testing closer than twenty-five yards. Good luck-

 

[Photochromes]

Plated bullets aren't the best if you're interested in accuracy. A cast bullet of a soft to moderate alloy that fits your revolver is vastly superior to plated bullets. The S&Ws twist rate may seem a disadvantage, but experiment enough in your load development and you'll find a good, accurate load. Try at least a few powders, Bullseye, Titegroup, WST, etc. Don't waste your time testing closer than twenty-five yards. Good luck-

 

[gwpercle]

You need to establish a baseline .
Buy a box of 148 gr. HBWC Target Ammo and shoot some targets ... first from a good rest . You want to see whats going on ... You have to find out if it's your gun , your reloads or your shooting ability .
A great Target load is 148 gr. HB or SB WC ( I use cast solid base WC's) 38 special case and 2.7 grs Bullseye ... if your 38 will not shoot this load accurately ... something else is wrong !
Good Luck - Load Safe ,
Gary

 

[glenwolde]

First, check your throats. This is best done with inside (or "minus") pin gauges which you can buy individually online. The quick and dirty test is to press one of your Missouri Bullet's through the throat from the front of the cylinder. It should pass through with moderate finger pressure. If it's too tight it is fairly easy to have them opened up. If it's too loose you need to size your bullet to the throat diameter.

I never got commercial hard-cast wadcutters to work without pushing them up into standard service-level velocities, as was previously mentioned above.

 

[KSK]

Try loading some swaged lead bullets instead of cast. They will typically group tighter at 50 yards.

 

[rwsmith]

Try loading some swaged lead bullets instead of cast. They will typically group tighter at 50 yards.

Good plann. I'd use Speer or Hornady HBWCs to establish how the gun is shooting.

 

[chief38]

I shoot 158 grain SWC lead hand loads in my M586 (same gun but blued). Accuracy is superb! If I recall, the hardness is 16-18. May I suggest checking to see if the sights are lose and let someone else (who is a known good shot) shoot the gun and see how he does. I normally do not sgoot jacketed bullets from revolvers, but do use polymer coated over lead from time time. No issues with accuracy.

I have always found 158 grain LSWC's to perform very well in all my 38/357's.

 

[Photochromes]

I shoot 158 grain SWC lead hand loads in my M586 (same gun but blued). Accuracy is superb! If I recall, the hardness is 16-18. May I suggest checking to see if the sights are lose and let someone else (who is a known good shot) shoot the gun and see how he does. I normally do not sgoot jacketed bullets from revolvers, but do use polymer coated over lead from time time. No issues with accuracy.

I have always found 158 grain LSWC's to perform very well in all my 38/357's.

Last time I shot, I found a sliver of lead around the forcing cone. I have had instances of the cylinder seeming to be jammed closed and very difficult to open for reloading, after only small number of rounds have been fired. I wonder if a cylinder is out of alignment?

So far the best group the revolver has made is (I think, if I am remembering right) 4.5 inches at 25 yards.

I have some 158gr JHC Sierra I am going to try next. If there is any sign of copper slivers, I guess the 686 will need to go back to S&W for repair?

 

[Amp]

You will need to try several bullets to find what your revolver likes..
I shot bullseye with a 686 plus for a few years now.
To get great results from many HBWC, I had to push the bullet faster and it got dirty.
And you need to try a few powders too.
Plated bullets are cleaner but not great accuracy.
Then trigger control. I do better DA.
Good Luck and have fun

 

[Photochromes]

You will need to try several bullets to find what your revolver likes..
I shot bullseye with a 686 plus for a few years now.
To get great results from many HBWC, I had to push the bullet faster and it got dirty.
And you need to try a few powders too.
Plated bullets are cleaner but not great accuracy.
Then trigger control. I do better DA.
Good Luck and have fun

Thanks.

I have been using Titegroup and did 0.1 grain ladders from minimum load to 0.2 grains over the highest load. From my notes, 3.4 grains gave the best groups. I always get four together, then one high to the left at 10 O'Clock and one low at 6 O'Clock.

I am wondering about the cylinders....

Plus I got a sliver of lead last time I shot.

 

[Amp]

Try 148 HBWC as I did. They make nice holes to score too.
158 LSWC seems prefered my my gun plus they load fast with moon clips or speed loader.
Full wadcutter takes longer on the line.