Groo01
Member
Groo here
A trip to the Mother ship is in order.
A trip to the Mother ship is in order.
686 won't shoot good groups
- Thread starter Teep
- Start date
Good for you!!! Sometimes the only way I've been able to get a gun to shoot was just to keep trying various loads/components. Once had a very nice US Model 1917 rifle that shot every load I could find into groups of about 5 inches. No matter what I did, that was about all the rifle would do. Then I tried some Hornady 180 ground nosed bullets over a powder charge that I do not remember. The result was shocking. All of a sudden that rifle would consistently shoot five shot groups of well under 2 inches. Truth is, a whole lot of the groups were at or below 1.5 inches. Even out to 200 yds., groups were never more than 5 inches. It would not perform well w/ 150 gr. bullets. But with 180 bullets, it was a completely different story.
cowboy4evr
Member
I don't know what you have for powder but I would suggest using their website for the powder of your choice . Regards Paul
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As an additional note, my problem 625 went back to SW and they said accuracy was within spec. They sent back the target shot at 15 yards and rounds were all over the place. I will post it if I can find it.
fuzzy
fuzzy
POA/POI and shooting from a rest
It sounds like you are on your way to solving the vertical stringing.
Resting the gun rather than your wrist may contribute to vertical stringing. We have a tendency to try to hold the gun down when resting the gun which will give a very different group when resting our wrists and letting it recoil. Try both methods to see if resting your wrists helps tighten your groups.
Smiles,
It sounds like you are on your way to solving the vertical stringing.
Resting the gun rather than your wrist may contribute to vertical stringing. We have a tendency to try to hold the gun down when resting the gun which will give a very different group when resting our wrists and letting it recoil. Try both methods to see if resting your wrists helps tighten your groups.
Smiles,
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I loaded up some 125gr. Speer JHP using HS-6 ranging from 9,8gr. to 10.9gr. Surprisingly all six groups shot under an inch at 25 yards. I don't think there is anything wrong with this 686, it just didn't like what I was feeding it. Although Speer list 11.3gr. of HS-6 behind their bullet I found the 10.9gr. load to be hot and had two primers that show signs of starting to flatten. The 10.7gr. load was the most accurate but I will move to 50 yards and try it.
This is my 6" M686 shipped in Jan 1983.
Hogue Monogrips, High Patridge front and Millet rear sights, smooth Target trigger and some very nice trigger work.
My brother competed in silhouette competitions with this one.
It is way more accurate than I will ever be.
This was the second time I ever shot it.
I felt pretty good that I got 40 out of 50 at 100 ft.
While it rests inside its pistol rug it wears its original Target Stocks.
Shooting copper leads to copper fouling. I clean my barrel of lead and powder then apply a copper solvent. It always gets some copper out of barrel. I am a novice and learn so from these sights.
357 shooter
Member
Glad to hear that the accuracy of the 686 is finally being realized. Six shots under an inch at 25 yards is a good indication there is nothing wrong with the 686.
I have accuracy tested my 686 with a lot of magnum loads but not very many 38 Specials. I need to load up some 38s. But it has been my experience that it is not difficult to find an accurate load.
Hope you have good results at 50 yards , let us know how it turns out.
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It has taken me a while to find time and a good day together to do some testing again. Shooting Hornady 158gr. XTP's over 13.5gr. of 2400 has gotten me some good groups, 3/4" at 50 yards. Sighted in about 1/2" high at 50 puts me only 2-1/2" low at 95 yards, I really expected more drop.. Per charts this should be a mild load so I am wondering just how much more I should push it?
3rdgeargrndrr
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The alliant website publishes data for the speer gold dot with 14.8 gr. That is about what most manuals would top out at.
I say, you wont get much more velocity than that.
You found a good accurate load. I wouldnt keep looking any further IMHO. I would be more than glad to find 2400 in my parts.
My 629 hasnt left the lockbox in a couple of years.
Slightly off-topic, but sub-inch groups at 50 yards from a handgun is pretty impressive: May I ask what ammo you're shooting in the 617? Thanks!
In my 617 I am using Agulia 40gr. HV that I run through a Waltz die to hollow point. CCI SV run through the Waltz die will also shoot sub 1" but to a different point of aim.
In the 686 I am using CCI 500 primers with the 2400 powder.
In the 686 I am using CCI 500 primers with the 2400 powder.
Benchrest1
Member
As I write this post Powder Valley has H110.
jcs266
Member
Teep,
Very happy to see you've FOUND the right combo. I'd just keep things exactly like that if you're now getting those kind of groups. Excellent!
Very happy to see you've FOUND the right combo. I'd just keep things exactly like that if you're now getting those kind of groups. Excellent!
HOUSTON RICK
Member
Speaking just for me, I usually find the problem with accuracy issues in the mirror - more so as the years pile on.
357 shooter
Member
If I was getting 3/4" groups at 50 yards I wouldn't mess with anything. According to Hornady's own 357 magnum data (6th edition manual) 13.5 grains of 2400 with a 158 XTP is not really that mild. Data lists 10.5 to 14.3 with 2400 and 158 XTP 357 magnum.
randyp
Member
Excellent shooting with that load Sir. The Lyman 49th edition shows 11.3 to 14.9 of 2400 with a Hornady 158 JHP (#35750). Their potentially most accurate load was at 14.9 grains. Your 13.5 grain load of 2400 is a bit above a midrange load.
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