scooter123
Member
First I would suggest that you get that front site corrected, it should not move around at all. Actually I find it very odd that you have any movement in your front sight, in my experience the pinned sights have no wiggle at all. What can have some wiggle is the DX system interchangeable front sights and I don't think that sight system was ever offered on the model 14.
Second, check your B/C gap, cylinder End Shake, the frame under the barrel in the yoke cutout for a crack, and finally check to make sure the barrel is tight. Because even with some wiggle due to a DX sight system you should be grouping under 3 inches at 25 yards off a rest. Note, when resting a revolver you NEVER EVER rest the barrel, because that will throw any accuracy in the trash. Barrels vibrate when the bullet is transiting the barrel and anything that interferes with that vibration will just trash accuracy.
Finally, NOT a fan of any of your powder choices. The 38 special is a very long case originally designed for compressed Black Powder loads. The powders you have chosen are all Shotgun Powders that were designed to be used in a compacted charge. End result of that powder rattling around in the 38 special is variation in velocity and poor accuracy. What I suggest is a powder that I have tested for Position Sensitivity in a 38 special and found to have NO Position Sensitivity. While you won't like the price at 38 dollars a pound or so you WILL like the results. That powder I suggest is Vihtavouri 3N37, a powder that was originally designed for 22 Long Rifle but which also works very well in 38 special. Note, it also works very well in 9mm loads featuring 124 or 147 grain bullets. Another plus for 3N37 is that it meters superbly, so no need to hand weigh each charge thrown as is necessary for Longshot.
PS, I am also a Shotgun shooter and currently am set up to load for 20 gage, thus my familiarity of your choice of Shotgun Powders. Universal was designed for 410 through 10 gage loading, Clays was designed for Skeet and Trap loads, and Longshot was developed for long range Goose and Turkey loads. In all loadings the powder charge is compacted by the Wad being pressed on top of the powder charge. Use of these powders for handgun loads was sort of secondary and none of these powders was designed in ignition enhancers in order to promote ignition in less than compressed powder charges. Yeah, they do work in handgun loads but they really aren't well suited for charge/volume ratios under about 60-70%. BTW, Unique was also originally designed as a shotgun powder but sometime between 1960 and 198? in was re-designed with a more handgun oriented mixture so Unique is actually quite good in both handgun and shotgun loads, however it meters like dog poop.
Second, check your B/C gap, cylinder End Shake, the frame under the barrel in the yoke cutout for a crack, and finally check to make sure the barrel is tight. Because even with some wiggle due to a DX sight system you should be grouping under 3 inches at 25 yards off a rest. Note, when resting a revolver you NEVER EVER rest the barrel, because that will throw any accuracy in the trash. Barrels vibrate when the bullet is transiting the barrel and anything that interferes with that vibration will just trash accuracy.
Finally, NOT a fan of any of your powder choices. The 38 special is a very long case originally designed for compressed Black Powder loads. The powders you have chosen are all Shotgun Powders that were designed to be used in a compacted charge. End result of that powder rattling around in the 38 special is variation in velocity and poor accuracy. What I suggest is a powder that I have tested for Position Sensitivity in a 38 special and found to have NO Position Sensitivity. While you won't like the price at 38 dollars a pound or so you WILL like the results. That powder I suggest is Vihtavouri 3N37, a powder that was originally designed for 22 Long Rifle but which also works very well in 38 special. Note, it also works very well in 9mm loads featuring 124 or 147 grain bullets. Another plus for 3N37 is that it meters superbly, so no need to hand weigh each charge thrown as is necessary for Longshot.
PS, I am also a Shotgun shooter and currently am set up to load for 20 gage, thus my familiarity of your choice of Shotgun Powders. Universal was designed for 410 through 10 gage loading, Clays was designed for Skeet and Trap loads, and Longshot was developed for long range Goose and Turkey loads. In all loadings the powder charge is compacted by the Wad being pressed on top of the powder charge. Use of these powders for handgun loads was sort of secondary and none of these powders was designed in ignition enhancers in order to promote ignition in less than compressed powder charges. Yeah, they do work in handgun loads but they really aren't well suited for charge/volume ratios under about 60-70%. BTW, Unique was also originally designed as a shotgun powder but sometime between 1960 and 198? in was re-designed with a more handgun oriented mixture so Unique is actually quite good in both handgun and shotgun loads, however it meters like dog poop.
