Prewar .38/44 Heavy Duty at the Range

[DCWilson]

So 42774 (shipped March 1934) pretty much hits where the sights say it will.

This was a short target (about 10 yards), but my "groups" at 50 feet and 75 feet were the same, which is to say more spread out in direct proportion to the added distance. Two hand grip, standing, right hand/right eye. I tried a few left-hand shots sighting with my left eye, but I was not operating well in southpaw mode today. I won't show that target. This hardly counts as shooting in comparison to what some of you guys and gals do, but this old guy with fuzzy vision and shaky hands is satisfied. Maybe some day I will get into the one ragged hole class, but that's going to take some work.

To 1Aspenhill: Bill, I'm with Ed McGivern on the service stocks. They look good on the gun, but I don't like the way they feel in my hand. I wish simply agreeing with Ed on that point would confer on me his ability to shoot.

I was blasting away with FMJ range reloads on this occasion. The kick seemed a little stouter to me than the last time I used the range's bulk stuff, but perceptions differ from day to day. The trigger guard hit my knuckle a few times, but I changed my left hand position to hold my right middle finger tight to the stock with my left forefinger. That took care of it.

What a pleasure it is to shoot a big .38. This accuracy is similar to what I got with my transitional HD (1946) when I took that one out several months ago. I can't shoot my K-38 this well. I guess I need to get it out and go start working with it. Takes a long time to train a gun, and the smaller breeds are more demanding than the large ones.

 

[j38]

Way to go, David! Hard to beat range tme with an old HD. I agree with you about the service stocks - just plain uncomfortable. Adding a T-grip helps some, but a set of Pachmayr presentation grips really helps on these old N frames. Thanks for the post and good pics,

Jerry

 

[Raider]

There is nothing nicer than going to the range and shooting a fine old revolver that hits well. Glad you had a good day.

Charlie

 

[Lefkiguy]

Great to hear a 76 year old still shoots well. I have to get off my butt and take my '32 HD to the range soon.

 

[1Aspenhill]

David,
Still good shooting! I just got home from picking up a new one for the herd but it wears Magnas and they do feel better to shoot. Pachmyers are even better if you are going to shoot hot loads. Good job!
Bill

 

[dacoontz]

David,
Do these HD's have a significantly heavier trigger pull then say a premodel 10. Maybe this is an obvious question but when I pulled both of them apart the HD had a much stiffer spring within the alligator looking part. I apologize for my nomenclature ignorance, but that's what it looks like to me.

Is this something that is desireable? I am waiting for some ammo I purchased on gunbroker to shoot in my HD before I have a real opinion on the matter. I will try and post a couple pics of the ammo I bought. I ran them past Bill and he thought they would be "interesting" and "stout" to shoot. I interpretted both words as follows.

interesting+stout=FUN

The third pic is blurry but it says high velocity along the bottom.

 

[DCWilson]

I haven't tested all of them with a scale, but some of my K-frames have a measured 2.5-3.5 pound SA pull, and the HDs -- subjective impression -- feel about the same.

Double action is stiffer, of course, but I like the N-frame DA pull better. With K-frames I have the feeling that the muzzle is drifting and wandering all over the place while I am pulling the trigger to get the hammer back to the release point. In the N-frames, the heavier gun seems to hold its place in space better during the long trigger pull. Obviously 99% of this problem is me, not the guns. I just need to work on technique.

I have one prewar Outdoorsman that some one REALLY lightened the spring on. It releases at about 1.5 pounds SA and cycles at only 7.5-8 pounds on DA. I haven't tried to shoot this one yet, and I wonder if there is even enough oomph in the spring to ignite a primer. Guess I'll find out.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

Nice shooting. What is the ammo in the bag? 357 Maximum?

 

[DCWilson]

Nice shooting. What is the ammo in the bag? 357 Maximum?

The cartridges look longer than they are -- maybe frame-edge distortion by the camera lens. They are just my range's bulk .38 Special reloads.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

Interesting. They really look a lot longer in your shot.