Target Bullet for 686

[sjs]

I just ordered a 6" 686 and want to hand load some accurate target loads for 50 yard bullseye shooting. Not for formal competition, just for fun.

I thought I would start with 148 grain hollow base wadcutters due to their long standing reputation for accuracy in a variety of guns. I want to order them now even though I do not have the revolver yet and can't measure the cylinder throats or bore, and I thought the swaged hollow base lead would conform to the cylinder and bore specs better than other bullet types.

Looking on line I found Remington bullets for about $35 for 500 and Missouri Bullet Co. for about the same price and both are .358 in diameter.

Wish I could go to a LGS and buy about 50 of several types to find what shoots best but I can't, so I figure this type of bullet gives me the best chance of finding some accuracy, or at least a logical starting point.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

 

[rwsmith]

You probably won't go wrong with....

...HBWCs. Cast bullets aren't too expensive. Some of them you can get in packs of 100 and some places have sample packs. There are many good ones, but I use coated bullets. Missouri or Bayou bullets.

I still experiment with a lot of stuff, but good old HBWCs have always been the best for target if shot with a light load of Bullseye, Titegroup or some other fast 'target' powder.

The 686 is a great gun period but it's great for reloading because of the VERY wide range of what you can shoot in it. I even load .38 strength target rounds in .357 cases to use in it. All the way to top loads I can get with 2400 powder. Jacketed, plated, coated, lube in groove...whatever. Of course HBWCs need velocities about 900 max because you can blow the skirt off and very soft bullets, which most HBWCs are, will likely lead the barrel. Which isn't the end of the world, but it takes some technique to get it out.

Report back when you've tried some loads.

 

[johngalt]

Probably most any swaged HBWC. I use Hornady + 2.8 gr Bullseye

 

[Joe4d]

Call Missouri or Bayou,, I bet they will send you a box of sample packs. Right now I am playing with the coated 180gr over 2400 and HS6 and really really liking them

 

[Eddietruett]

I've been using Summers Enterprises and SNS for bulk of my bullet buys. One that is particular accurate in 3 of my 686's is the 130 gr HyTek Coated. I'm loading it over 5.0gr of Universal and it is very accurate shooting plates out to 100 yards.
Give Donnie a call at Summers. I'm sure he would gladly help you get started.

 

[H Richard]

HBWC over 3.2 gr 231 in 38 Spec. case, taper crimped. Fed Primers.

 

[Qc Pistolero]

I both cast and swage my .358 bullets.From my experience,if you want to shoot at 50 yds,the swaged will give you a slightly better performance than the cast one.At 25 to 35 yds,there's not much difference .It is beyond that that the smashed lead slug starts to show its superiority.
The HBWC should give you plenty satisfaction.But 50 to 60 yds is about the max you'll get good accuracy from it since it has to move slow(aprox 750fps at the muzzle,give or take 50 fps)and past 50 yds,it'll start to yawn.
Your 686 is an excellent choice for this;congrats for your purchase.Hope you enjoy it for a looooong time.

 

[sjs]

I have been checking the various bullet makers and am finding lots of choices for cast bullets but not swaged HBWC. I did, however, find that Midway has Speer and Hornady swaged HBWC, and at a decent price too.

I appreciate all the help.

 

[Nevada Ed]

Lead is good but..........

if I was starting over I would test out the "Coated" bullets first
then slide over to the plated, so I would never have to worry about
my barrel leading.

At low fps target loads, there is really no big deal.
Have fun.

 

[Troystat]

Check out Precision Delta, they have nice 148 grain HBWC's

https://www.precisiondelta.com/products/100-packs/38-cal/38-cal-148gr-hbwc-ml-100-pack/

 

[rwsmith]

Speer and Hornady HBWCs....

Both of them have some built-in 'dry lube'. At low velocities I never had a problem with leading. Both of them are soft swaged. I'm sure there are lots of makes of swaged WCs but these two I've used and had very good results.

 

[Kiwi cop]

I use Can Pro 148 gn Plated HBWC over 4.2 gn Tightgroup in Starline cases and Federal primers at 50 yards out of my 686-4 AFS. Velocity is around 850 fps.

No leading and good accuracy for me.

 

[bluetopper]

X-treme plated 158gr truncated cone bullets shoots ten-shot one hole groups in my 586-8 in front of 12.5gr of 2400. That is benched and I do use a reflex sight.

 

[RGVshooter]

For my 4" 686 I reload 38 special & 357 magnum. The recipes I use are of as follows and the loads featuring Hornady bullets come straight out of my Hornady reload manual 9th edition

----38 special----

Hornady 158gr LRN (Lead round nose)

4.8gr power pistol

COAL (cartridge overall length) 1.510"
----------------------------------------------------

---38 special---

148gr Hornady HBWC (hollow base wadcutter)

2.7gr TiteGroup

COAL 1.18"
---------------------------------------------------------

---357 magnum---

Badman Bullets 158gr hardcast SWC

4.6gr Titegroup

COAL 1.588"
------------------------------------------------------

---357 magnum---

Hornady 158gr SWC

3.8gr Titegroup

COAL 1.590"

 

[rwsmith]

That's your best bet.....

I have been checking the various bullet makers and am finding lots of choices for cast bullets but not swaged HBWC. I did, however, find that Midway has Speer and Hornady swaged HBWC, and at a decent price too.

I appreciate all the help.

There are some other outfits that make swaged HBWCs but they aren't casting firms. Precision Delta makes swaged HBWCs. Berry's makes a plated version.

 

[cowboy4evr]

I have tried 148 gr wadcutters and finally settled on the lyman 358156 swc . It's the Ray Thompson design with 2 crimp grooves . Tom @ Accurate molds made a plain base version ( no gas check) . It is the most accurate bullet for my guns . Regards , Paul

 

[Hasbeen1945]

I bought some 148 DEWC's. They are Missouri coated. They are very accurate with Titegroup in my 4 inch 66-3 and 686-3.