Marksmanship Match-Changed Loads

[SW CQB 45]

I shoot an LEO match with a duty revolver and semi auto with the main focus being a timed marksmanship match for points.

Its fun and I am always chasing the perfect 500 points for 50 rounds on a B27 target.

They do allow reduced loads and I see some guns being shot with hardly any movement on recoil.

anyway…..this year I changed my loads because of an over abundance of certain powders and with availability being thin, I want to reduce my older, heavy quantities first.

I have always loaded my wadcutter .38s with B/E, 231 or N320 and never had to make an adjustment in my old, worn out, warmed over Bob Jones 686.

About a month ago, I tested my new loads of WST and everything seemed fine.

Yesterday, I shot the first match of the season only to discover my group was low. WTH!!!!!!!!! I tied for first place but lost to Xs.

the match consists of all free hand, 5 yds 8 shots, 7 yds 12 shots with a reload, 15 yds 12 shots with a reload and 25 yds 18 shots with a reload, all timed.

I was asked why did I not make a sight adjustment. I use glasses were I have a crystal clear front sight and my target is a blur. At 25 yds, I just look at the blurry knotted hole and press.

I will likely not have time to go sight in before the next match and I loaded a bunch of 2.7 WST P/D 148 HBWC.

I went made a elevation adjust of 2 clicks counter clockwise, but I am arguing with myself that may not be enough.

This was at 1000 hrs so the sun was to my right and not really a factor.

Those who can make educated guess on elevation adjustments, your thoughts….yes I know I need to zero properly but I have a lot going on and I am squeezing the shooting matches in this season.

 

[jimbo728]

I know the feeling about constantly second guessing match sight adjustments. IMHO 2 clicks is fine. Hope you don`t keep worrying about it. If you do it`s not going to help.
Your score was excellent so I hope you build on confidence and proven ability. Old 686`s don`t wear out, they just get more accurate!
Good Luck
Jim

 

[tomcatt51]

Full size B27, 6" barrel with factory sights? Educated guess is 1/2 half turn CCW.

 

[growr]

Were it me...I would take a few minutes and bench rest it to find out for SURE what is needed and then write it down so that I had totally confidence in what was required to clean the X ring.

You seem to shoot well enough to know that one more X is often the difference between 1st and second place as you have already alluded to.

Having that kind of confidence in your gear many times will put you in the winners circle. That way when there IS an errant shot I know it was ME that put it there and not an equipment error.

Randy

 

[SW CQB 45]

Thanks y'all.

I am having a medical procedure that will put me out of the game for a couple of weeks and work and home life (grizzly bear) will keep me from range testing right up to the next match.

I can make corrections as I go back.

I was given advice yesterday to start cranking on my sights at matches and I am going to start do that. I used to be able to hold over or left or right but being over 50.....I thought I held over yesterday.....but apparently not.

I am not going to worry about this....just want a good guess for my next match and will adjust as I go back.

I need to make me a cheat card with adjustment settings so just in case I forget.....so I don't go the wrong way.

 

[SW CQB 45]

Full size B27 and 4" 686.

 

[tomcatt51]

Full size B27 and 4" 686.

I'd still try 1/2 turn.

Your target's a great example of being sighted low on a target shot at progressively longer distances. Group looks ok (but there are really no hits above the center of the X zone) at the close distances but the groups keep getting lower as the distance increases.

5 to 25 yds isn't really enough distance to be changing elevation between positions.