What is your favorite trail gun load? Send me your favorite cast bullet trail gun loads with your comments and I will assemble one or more articles for the Fouling Shot. Email is preferred, macnmac(at)inreach.com. Paper mail may be sent to me, Grant Macomber, at P.O. Box 248, Applegate, CA 95703. Thanks a bunch!
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Stevens 200 22-250 22” barrel
RCBS 55FN (Linotype)
13.5 2400 or 14.5 4759 (2150 fps velocity)
Any std lg rifle primer
NRA lube
Groups into 1.5” for 5 at 100 average.Goes under 1” at 100 sometimes and between 3-4” at 200 in favorable conditions.
Its the rifle and load i carry on my property or when tromping through the woods picking mushrooms.Not a “macho man cowboy trail load",but plenty goodnuff to 200 with decent power.
George
"if it was easy we'd let women do it" don't tell my wife I said that!
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I cary several different weapons when I am scouting or hiking.
41 Mag with 250g5 hard cast gas check over 20 grs. of W296.
357 with 158 gr. cast lyman keith type (can't remember the #) over about 12 gr. of H 2400. Std primer.
45 acp 200gr. semiwadcutter 5.5 unique or 6.8 Unique .
Here In Flagstaff we don't have grizzzzlies to contend with just black bears, cats and jackasses.
B.E.Brickey
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What is your favorite trail gun load? Send me your favorite cast bullet trail gun loads
I pretty much pack one trail gun. Well, actually about a 1/2 dozen but they are all Ruger Flattops in .44:cool: One is always with me, I hike with them, camp with 'em, and I hunt with them, killed lots and lots of grouse, deer and a few elk.
For just a standard trail gun load I have 2. One is in a .44 special case and either an RCBS 250gr or else the 429244. I use 7 1/2grs of Unique, an oldie but a goodie. The other is in a 44 mag case with either of the same bullets and 9 grs of Unique. Either load will do 1 1/2” at 25-30 yards or a bit better. The 44 special load gives me about 900fps in the shorter barreled FT (4 3/4") and about 1000fps in the 6 1/2". The mag case with 9grs Unique does about 1000fps and 1100fps, respectively. Either will nip the head off a grouse or easily take a deer inside 75 yards.
When I am on the trail, or even just out woods bumming during deer season, much of the time I pack along a 24” Marlin Cowboy in .44 also. Sighted about 1” high at 50 yards with the 44 mag case and 9 grs Unique, the 44 special load prints about 2” high. It makes for a good combination and I can slip shells out of my gunbelt to load the rifle!
44
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Favorite 357 trail load
Lyman #358156, 5.0 bullseye, 357 cases, Win small primer or use a Lyman#358429 with the same powder, powder charge, primer and case.
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During my hikes I carry an old Colt Officers Model 38 special loaded with the Lee 125gr. round flat in front of 3.5 grains of titegroup. The gun is lite enough to carry and big enought to shoot well. It is about half worn out but still is plenty accurate enough for my needs. If I feel the need for some thing a little more potent I switch to an old style Colt trooper 357 using the Seaco 180 gr. round flat in 357 mag cases. The gun liked a load of 12 grains of Vitavouri N110 powder,but I ran out of it and have switched to 2400 because it is easier to find and not as expensive. I cut back to 10.5 gr. to be easier on the gun.
There isn't really much of a need to carry a sidearm for protection against hostile creatures in the fields around these parts but one never knows when he might encounter a charging pasture field grizzley < ground hog > or a coyoty or barbarian hords
Don't breath the smoke and shoot straight Flashman
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If I am out in the sagebrush or desert, I usually carry a late model S&W 32/20 with Lyman 311316's loaded with 5.8 grains of SR 4756 (not a recommended load). If I am close to the woods or in the woods, I carry a S&W Model 1989 #625 4” with Lyman 452424's loaded with 14.0 grains of new Alliant 2400 in AR cases (again, not a recommended load). Since they basically outlawed cougar hunting here in 1992, they have become a problem anytime you are above timberline.
Ric
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Since they basically outlawed cougar hunting here in 1992, they have become a problem anytime you are above timberline.
Ric
Yep, they HAVE become a problem, Ric. Over here on the 'wet' side we are over run with 'em. Saw one just outside my house last summer. See tracks most every time I go hiking.
Heck, before I moved from my place inside the city limits, we had one that was spending quite a lot of time in town. My son and his friends though I was absolutely mouth foaming nuts when I told them about seeing it on my back porch. Until my son walked out the front one night a couple days later and it was standing right there! Quite a few people saw it before a couple hound hunters tracked it down and killed it. Lost quite a few cats and dogs during that episode!
44
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My S&W 631 or my Sp 101 (both in .32 magnum) generally gets the call to carry in the woods. When the possibility of small game occurs, I load up .32 S&W L cases with a 100 gr Keith ahead of 2.8 Win 231 (this MAY be a bit heavy for an old .32 S&W L but is just fine in the above mentioned platforms). This shoots wonderfully well and really does a proper job on edible small game. Small holes but “stops” really well.
I also sometimes will be found with my Model 60 “Target” - 3” barrel with adjustable sights. .38 Wadcutters work VERY well in this for edible small game.
These revolvers offer adequate power for the intended use and carry easily (hardly know I have them with me).
If I find myself in Black Bear Country, I will be carrying an S&W 624 (4” barrel) with a 250 Keith with the appropriate charge of powder or even a 4” Model 629 S&W with full loads.
When grouse hunting I have always carried a revolver along with my shotgun (over-under Beretta Silver Snipe). I typically use a cross draw holster to avoid damage to the shotgun stock. Hunting in Michigan often gives an opportunity to take a snowshoe rabbit with the handgun. The wife and kids always appreciated rabbit with a single hole in it - they much prefer it to picking shot out of their teeth:D.
My first stainless revolver many years ago (nice when hunting or hiking in the rain) was the 624 S&W. A heavily loaded .44 Special Keith thru the ribs of a snowshoe rabbit does little damage to meat but you do NOT have to shoot them twice:D.
Dale53
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If I were to pick only one it would probably be the S&W Hand Ejector 4-1/4” barrel in the .32 S&W Long.
If allowed only one load, it would be the Saeco #325 with 2 grs. of Bullseye.
73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia
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My favorite trail gun load is one that I picked up from an article by Skeeter Skelton. He suggested using a 158-160 gr. HCSWC over 5.0 gr. of Unique in a .38 Special case with a regular primer as a good service load. For over 20 years I have been using this load in my .38-.357 revolvers with excellent results. Currently I fire this load in my M-28 S&W. For the kind of woods wandering I do, I seldom find a need for anything more powerful. Sincerely. Bruce.
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s&w 625 45 acp with 250gr rnfp's
5.0 titegroup
or 41 flattop with 210 xtp's and 2400. or cast swc's,over 2400 @ 16gr for both
and some 41 special loads for small game,when deer/elk hunting.
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Ed,
I assume that all of your other 32 caliber pistols are for sale now? That is a great target! I've never seen a fix sight S&W shoot so well for windage.
Ric
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Before It became illegel hear in Pa. to use anything larger than 22 caliber for small game I shot lots of squirrels with 38 waddcutters out of my Colt O.P.
They “thump' a squirrel a lot harder than a 22 rimfire out of a revolver. After using the 38 and the 22 I just gave up on the 22 rimfire. A marginal hit with the 38 brought the squirrel down. I didn't think the 22 out of the S and W model 17 I had had enough “umph". Sometimes the target would just sit there several minutes with a bullet through the body. Any true hunter doesn't want to see that. I expect things to happen when the hammer falls. I got rid of the model 17.
Anyhow, I went back to my Marlin lever action 22 for squirrel hunting. I am accurate enough with it to be sure of a good head shot. I suppose if I was limited to one gun that Marlin would be it. But then I think if cartidges would get scarce I'd be better off with something I could reload for. Hopefully It will never come to that.
I also used to use my model 94 30 WCF with light cast bullet loads for squirrel. Sure do miss not being able to add the challenge and veriety of using different rifles and handguns for the hunt. Oh well I guess that is the state of the world we live in.
Flashman
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Kimber Gold Match in 45 acp rides on my hip when walking my property. Either 190 Lee or 200 Lyman soft cast with 4 grs of Bullseye or Clays. Never shot any thing with it.....well, except a woodchuck at the club. There have been several rabid animal cases in CT in the past few years, so who knows.
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Ed, I assume that all of your other 32 caliber pistols are for sale now? That is a great target! I've never seen a fix sight S&W shoot so well for windage. -Ric
They'll all shoot “on" after “tweaking." It's just a bit tedious to pull the barrel, square the frame grind to the threads, straighten the frame, if necessary, and refit the barrel. All the while checking with a colliminator and lining everything up just so. But a fellow has to have something to do on long winter nights...
73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia
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73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia
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358156 or 358429 and 13.5 grs 2400 in M28, 3” M65, and Ruger OMBHs short and long barrels and 38 Special cases.
44-250KT or old Ideal 429421 with square groves and 7.5 grs unique in M629 Mountain Gun all in 44 Special cases
Same 2 bullets and 17 grs of 2400 in Redhawk, M1894 Trapper and 3” M24 again in 44 Special cases
45-270KT and 8.5 grs of Unique in SA and Colt New Service
311281 and 12 grs of 2400 in M99 and M98 in 308 and 03A3 sporter in 30-06.
457122 or 45-405HB in 45/70 and 12 grs of Unique in 1886 and 1895G
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I sympathize with you, my mom lives in northern Phoenix and I saw first hand what you are talking about this past spring on a trip down to sierra vista.
If I were you I would be carrying hornaday xtp hollow points with a stout load for everything.
For the 44 mag I use a LBT WFN 250gr. with 7.6 grs of bullseye. For the 357 I use a LBT 200 gr. wfn with 6.2 grs of bullseye. the 38 sp I use a keith semiwadcutter out of an old Ideal mould that weighs 158 gr and run that with 2.9 grs of bullseye. The 45 acp gets a lyman 200 gr semi wad cutter with 4.5 grs of bullseye.
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I work in Tucson for DHS on the electronic fence project and 99+% of the things that happen never make the national news. You don't see ABC, CBS, MSNBC or CNN reporting on home invasions of CPB officers trying to kill them and their K9 units, ambushing agents family members in shopping center parking lots trying to murder them to intimidate officers, fully armed and uniformed members of the Mexican Army crossing the border to provide armed escort for drug smugglers, beheading police officers in border towns and sticking a knife in their chests through a list of all their fellow officers including their addresses, phone numbers and all their family members by name. The people traffickers aren't any better. They recently busted a stash house here that had 60 women that had been beaten and raped and were being sold into prostitution across the country while their family members that had crossed with them were held as “insurance” of their good behavior. It would be interesting to hear all the howls from the “tree huggers” if we started patrolling the back country border areas with M1A1s and shooting anything that crossed.
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Yeah ddeuce43, my daughter just move from Phoenix to Ft Mill SC. She didn't know when she might become a victim. She confirms everly thing you said. Here in South Carolina I pack Ruger blackhawk 45 colts, 255 RCBS Keith at about 900 fps. we have a lot of wild hogs. The sows with piglets can be real pesky. Around water, there are gators, but they don't much bother anyone. OF course we have our share of two legged maggots runnng loose in the woods. come across a few of 'em.
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Hi, George
I really enjoyed your articles in The Fouling Shot. Now you have me thinking of a Stevens 200.
Grant
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I work in Tucson for DHS on the electronic fence project and 99+% of the things that happen never make the national news. You don't see ABC, CBS, MSNBC or CNN reporting on home invasions of CPB officers trying to kill them and their K9 units, ambushing agents family members in shopping center parking lots trying to murder them to intimidate officers, fully armed and uniformed members of the Mexican Army crossing the border to provide armed escort for drug smugglers, beheading police officers in border towns and sticking a knife in their chests through a list of all their fellow officers including their addresses, phone numbers and all their family members by name.
And WHY do you that is? WHY isn't the mainstream media picking this up? WHY isn't the Bush Administration beating the invasion drum?
WHY aren't the Police arresting the Mexican Army members and forcing it on to the news? WHY is the Bush administration prosecuting those who are trying to protect their own land from illegals.
I do not understand.
Specifically, is it time for average citizens enmass to take the law into their own hands? To do what it is our own Government won't do?
44
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I work in Tucson for DHS on the electronic fence project and 99+% of the things that happen never make the national news. You don't see ABC, CBS, MSNBC or CNN reporting on home invasions of CPB officers trying to kill them and their K9 units, ambushing agents family members in shopping center parking lots trying to murder them to intimidate officers, fully armed and uniformed members of the Mexican Army crossing the border to provide armed escort for drug smugglers, beheading police officers in border towns and sticking a knife in their chests through a list of all their fellow officers including their addresses, phone numbers and all their family members by name.
And WHY do you that is? WHY isn't the mainstream media picking this up? WHY isn't the Bush Administration beating the invasion drum?
WHY aren't the Police arresting the Mexican Army members and forcing it on to the news? WHY is the Bush administration prosecuting those who are trying to protect their own land from illegals.
I do not understand.
Specifically, is it time for average citizens enmass to take the law into their own hands? To do what it is our own Government won't do?
44
44,
Several reasons, not sure if they are good ones or not.
1. These kind of things don't fit with the media's left wing liberal agenda of open borders and amnesty for all line of BS. Beside it wouldn't be PC to offend the drug cartels by calling them what they are. 2. The Bush administration supports programs that provide border protection (it's the Dems in Congress that have been dragging their feet) and since Mexico hasn't declared war on the United States and these incursions are not directly authorized by the Mexican government (that we know of) we can't declare “invasion” by agents of a foreign government. 3. When your alone in the back country and your closest backup is 30 miles of bad desert away and you are facing 16 guys with automatic weapons and your armament consists of a 40 S&W and 2 extra magazines, I want to see you tell them they are under arrest. 4. The Bush administration isn't responsible for every thing that happens. I do know there are efforts underway to secure Presidential pardons for the 2 BP agents wrongly convicted. 5. You alone are responsible for your personal protection, not the government or the police. 69,445,229 people in this country just elected the biggest A**hole in American political history to the highest office in this country, do you really think they are going to watch your back if something goes down?
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Ruger Blackhawk in .41 Mag with a 4 5/8 barrel. In Colorado, I used Lyman 410459s cast from linotype pushed by 21gn H110. Now, in Tennessee, I use the same bullet, but cast from straight WW pushed by 6gn W231.
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Update from Southern Arizona.
Recently, two plain clothes Border Patrol Agents were walking up a mountain trail near Tubac, Arizona, when they saw three men coming down the same trail. It was about noon. The three men did not see the two agents. The agents waited in the rocks until the three men approached, taking them at gunpoint much my surprise. No shots fired. The three men were illigal aliens from Mexico and all three were armed with AK-47 Rifles.
Also had double murder near Tucson by illegal alien with AK-47. The narcoviolence is here folks, and I will bet you have not read about it in your newspaper or seen it on your television. But, if you listen to talk radio you already know.
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I used to carry a .22Magnum,'just in case.' After an unpleasantly close encounter with feral dogs and sightings of bear, as well as reports of big cats in the area, I now venture into the woods with either a .44 Mag or .45 Colt revolver. I know that a long gun would be better but I am usually loaded with camera gear and frequently venture into or through public areas, where a visible firearm would definitely not be welcome.
Jack
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Trail guns and loads
I spent a lot of time in the woods and still do (retired logger and log buyer) I gather berries and mushrooms still.
woods: Smith 686-5 7 shot 4” ,357, NEI 161A ,WSP primer,5 grs of Titegroup-big meplat and very accurate and controlable DA alternate is Old orginal Keith 173gr solid with 12.5 grs of 2400
Rifle woods: 92 Rossi .357 with 20” bbl 358477 ,9.5grs of HS6 very accurate in rifle and pistol
Town: Kahr 9mm- 120gr Lee fn with 4.4 grs of Titegroup
Hunting : .33 Win 86 lightweight - 200 gr hollowpoint gascheck and 44grs of H4350
95 Win 30-40 NEI 188gr with nose ring and gascheck- 19.5 grs of 4759
watch fob: NAA Black Widow .22mag with shotsell up first
The only gun you have is the one you are carrying when you need it!
Rawhider
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"Trail Gun Loads ? Depends on where the trail is and what else likely may be on it. Gotten so dangerous here that the Game Department warns in the annual hunting regulations that anything in Arizona south of Interstate 10 may be a diminished quality hunt due to drug, alien and Homeland Security issues."
Yup I agree. I live 18 miles as the crow flies from the border.:cowboy:
My trail gun in a S&W 657 MG with either 250 Gr SWC or the 175 Gr Winchester Silverips. Depending on if I am going into bear areas or smuggling areas.
Sometimes they are the same area. So sometimes I carry both. the 250 Gr for Bears, The 175 Silvertips for thin skin Predators IE: rabit coyotes, Cougars Etc :fire
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For general woods loafing:
1: Colt Single Action Army, .44 Spcl, 4 3/4” barrel, 255 gr flat point or 250 gr Keith or LBT cast bullet, 7.3 grs Unique or Rex 3 powder, standard large pistol primer, 900+ fps, Bob Munden action tuned, very accurate setup.
S&W Mountain Gun, .44 magnum, 4", stainless steel, 250 gr Keith or LBT cast bullet. standard large pistol primer, 20.0 grs 2400
S&W Model 21-4, .44 Spcl, 4", same load as 1 above
Dan Wesson Razorback, 10mm, 1911, 200 gr flat point bullet, loaded to 1250+ fps, a match quality 1911 this is. Will be loading 230 gr cast bullets this spring - a fine penetrating load they should be, at around 1140 fps...
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S&W M24-3 or more recently, the new Ruger .44 special with a 4 5/8” bbl. Either is loaded with 7.5 gr of Unique behind Lyman's 429215 GC. It's a 950 fps load, authoritative but controllable.
An alternate is my Combat Commander in .45 ACP with a 200 gr TWC and 5.1 gr of Win 231. Another authoritative load. We live in KY, have a cabin in western NC and like to hike the mountain trails.
Wife carries a 3” Chief Special with adj. sights. Her load is Remington's 125 JHP and 6.5 gr of Win 231. She's deadly, night or day with it..the piece sports a pair of Crimson Trace laser sight grips.
HTH's Rodfac
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Great thread! This is one of those topics that really brings out the comments. My favorite all purpose TRAIL gun is a S&W M60, stainless steel, adjustable sights, and a pleasure to carry. It's about as versatile a gun as you get and can be loaded from very mild to fire breather. With the heaviest loads you could penetrate a big bear sideways, all depends on bullet selection. But, for GP use in normal hopefully casual conditions I use the Lee 150 TLSWC over 6.2 grains of SR4756, because it works, the bullets are easy to produce, and I have a lot of that powder. After a terrifying encounter with a big cat in the Sierras I swore I'd never get caught out in the boonies at night again without a 12 ga. pump with night sights. That's my “night” trail gun. You guys in Arizona don't need trail guns, you need close air support!!
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My trail gun is a ruger redhawk loaded with 300 gr hard cast over 20 gr of H 110. Our animals are different than those is the southwest,
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Yesterday morning I was out for my morning walk on a trail in the canyon that was once a wagon road to a mine. On the way uphill, more than a mile from the rim and only one way home, I saw a large, mature bear ahead of me. The bear was unaware of me, having its rear to me. I drew my .45 Colt as I approached the bear. Not wanting to startle it when I was really close, at a paced sixty feet I said, “Hi, there,” in a cheerful voice. The bear looked at me and then lumbered up the trail. I suppose it left the trail when it rounded the next curve, but I watched my back-trail the rest of the way home. I completely forgot that I had pepper spray with me.
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Yesterday morning I was out for my morning walk on a trail in the canyon that was once a wagon road to a mine. On the way uphill, more than a mile from the rim and only one way home, I saw a large, mature bear ahead of me. The bear was unaware of me, having its rear to me. I drew my .45 Colt as I approached the bear. Not wanting to startle it when I was really close, at a paced sixty feet I said, “Hi, there,” in a cheerful voice. The bear looked at me and then lumbered up the trail. I suppose it left the trail when it rounded the next curve, but I watched my back-trail the rest of the way home. I completely forgot that I had pepper spray with me.
A darned good thing you forgot about pepper spray:shock: You had a 45 Colt! :fire:fire
A few years back the wife and I had a run in with a black bear our own selves. The doggone critter followed us for about a 1/2 miles in the timber next to us. When we came to the end of the timber patch he turned and came out of the timber directly toward us with his head down looking directly at us about 20 yards away. I unlimbered my 44 Flattop with a 270gr cast @ 1100fps and busted him directly in the chest and it came out in front of his right hip. He whirled and disappeared and I found him about 300 yards away. First time a bear ever came TO ME when I had a bear tag in my pocket:hunt::D
Turned that tough old critter into about 300lbs of sausage. Thought about that look on his face when he came out of the timber every time I took a bite!
44
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S&W M24-3 or more recently, the new Ruger .44 special with a 4 5/8” bbl. Either is loaded with 7.5 gr of Unique behind Lyman's 429215 GC. It's a 950 fps load, authoritative but controllable.
I just read about the new Ruger in Handloader! @ 34oz, I would bet it's a pleasure to carry. How do you like it, Rodfac?
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Dollar Bill, You're right about it being a pleasure to carry, but the weight is considerably more than what Handloader is giving. Jeff Quinn in his article on the piece lists it at 41.8 oz. after measuring it on his scale. I don't have a scale that will do that but it feels the same as my .45 LC Ruger Vaquero in the same barrel length.
Accuracy has been exceptional...I haven't tried a load, in my limited testing to date, that is greater than 1.5” @ 25 yds, sitting with the gun extended between my knees. Lyman's 429215, cast of WW, sized to .432” and lubed with LLA over 7.5 gr of Win 231 or new Unique is the perscription.
I carry it either in a Tom Threepersons type holster of my own making, or stuffed in the right rear hip pocket of my jeans. As Taffin would say, “it's the Perfect Packin' Pistol” for me. Here's cpl of pics if they work...
Regards, Rodfac
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Got another good load for the Ruger .44 Special, 6.5 gr of 231,,,moderate pressure signs, Lyman 429215 GC sized .430” with the NRA formula 50-50 Beeswax/Alox. I chrono'd this one at 984 fps. Regards, Rodfac
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Ruger Bisley Vaquero, 44 mag. 4 5/8” with dovetailed front sight installed.
LBT 250gr. LFN gc-air cooled WW-LBT blue soft lube, 10gr. Tightgroup @ 1054fps
With 6 o-clock hold hits to the sights,Interesting is that with this same bullet and 24gr of Lil gun @ 1278fps poi hits 2 1/2” high. Big difference in recoil though but both loads very accurate.
Ruger Bisley, 45 Colt, 5 1/2"
Winchaester 94 Trails end 20"
LBT 250gr. LFN pb.aircooled W.W. 14 gr HS-6 @ 1128fps (Ruger) 1422fps (Win '94)
Bereta Stampede 45 Cot 5 1/2” (I tend to carry this one more than the others)
LBTK 250 Kieth semi wadcutter, 16:1 tin/lead, Blue soft 9.0 gr Univ. Clays @ 830fps.
This load shoots to point of aim about 2” left and as good as I can hold with the sights. Am going to work on this one a little bit yet, but is as good as it gets as is.
Both Ruger have been worked on by a gunsmith who specializes in Rugers. They are both very accurate but, needed work on their triggers and while I was at it stuck a few more $$ in on things like, recut forcing cone, free wheel cylinder, both barrels were cut and custom sights installed, chambers polished, etc. etc.
The Beretta is “as is” the way I bought it except to smoothe up the barrel with lapping. The trigger came, for me anyway, as perfect as the Rugers after I spent the $$.
All groups were were devoloped and shot at 25 yds, only going to 50 and beyond when a good one was found. Eye's it's all about the eye's:shock: While I'm not getting old, they havn't got the message yet;)
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This is an old thread but a good one. I've posted before but have another thought to add.
I bought a .45 LC New Vaquero earlier this year but found that it leaded badly and accuracy was in the 3"+ range with good handloads. Slugging the barrel and cylinder throats, I found the throats were on average .002” smaller than the tube itself (.450” vs. .452"). Cylindersmith.com opened the throats up to .4525” uniformly and turn around was about 2 weeks. A great guy to do business with!
Since then I've experimented with Win 231 and Unique, having both on hand in quantity. With Win 231... 6.5 gr works well with any ~250 gr cast bullet I've tried. (A cpl of commercial offerings and Lyman's 454190 and 454424). The old Unique formula of 8.0 gr - 8.4 gr works as well. Win 231 meters better than the Unique through my Dillion press and measure so that's my preference, but Unique is equally accurate.
Packing the Vaquero is a joy on a gun belt with a Threepersons holster (a pic of same in my previous post on this thread) doing the lugging, or more commonly, stuffed into the back pocket of my jeans. I've found the “hog-wallow” rear sight costs me about 1/2” in gp size at 25 yds; but allows the gun to draw well, it never hangs up on shirt cuffs or peels skin off my forearm while riding in the holster and the smooth front sight never has pocket lint or leather dust along its edges. It's a good piece, that Vaquero, accurate, powerful, and fits me to a tee. The grips are NY Crab Apple cut from a friend's wood pile while still pretty green...shoulda waited another six months to fit them as these have shrunk a bit as they've dried.
Regards, Rodfac
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Rodfac; I recently took delivery of a new Ruger SS Bisley Blackhawk 5½” (my preference in barrel length) .45 Colt/.45ACP convertible.
The .45 Colt cylinder throats are just slightly under size and leads with typical .45 Colt loads and the .45 ACP cylinder throats are so under size I can't load my .45 ACP reloads. That will be corrected shortly on both.
I believe this is going to be a fine revolver when I get it “tuned” to my satisfaction.
My .44 Lipsey Special 5½” came with throats perfectly sized and it shoots like a match gun:
 to do it right in the first place.</p>
<p>Dale53</p>
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nice shootin' Tex! i load my 4” S&W model 10 with 158gr cast LRN with 3.2grs bullseye. or, my 3 1/4", ported, Ruger 44mag Redhawk with 265gr cast bullets with 20gr 2400. these work in my pistol with very good “trail gun” accuracy out to 25yds. actually never tried them at a greater distance. best, john
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After dark trail gun load(in cougar country): Mossberg 500, 12 ga buckshot. Daytime load varies from Ruger Single Six ..22 Mag up to S&W M60 with either 158 gr SWC medium power load(any powder handy) or duplicate of old FBI load. After a close encounter with an old maybe 150 .lb cat the hottest trail load I carry was probably in my pants! Anyway, if I'm boonie crashing or rock scrambling in daylight I like my sidearm to be very light. Night time is a very different animal than daytime, when it comes to defensive shooting. Major issues such as target acquisition, sight alignment and muzzle flash ruin all that daytime practiced skills, other than muscle memory. I contacted Speer to get info on their “Short Barrel” loads, they were kind enough to send me a page of load data for their 135 gr. Gold Dot HP.Now beings a cast bullet forum you can easily convert the data to a cast bullet load, but the key points are a 135 gr. bullet and a huge hollow point. For .38 SP+P loads a starting load is Unique, 4.3 gr which achieves 818fps in a 2” barrel. There is loads for the following powders, if anyone is interested; Power Pistol, AA#5,AA#7,HS-6,Viht. 3N37, Unique, H. Universal, PB. Maybe I'm preaching to the choir, but practice shooting at night, that's when threat levels go way up and when it's the hardest to shoot well. EDIT: My main reason for contacting Speer was to try to find out what powder THEY used in their 'short barrel' loads, which I still don't know. My concern is muzzle flash and how to reduce it. If any of you know more about that I'd like to hear about it.
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Geez Dale....how'm I gonna top that target? That's a 50-4x if I talley'd it right! Looking forward to our visit.
Carpenters are about 1/2 done with the reflooring job on our 1st floor as of 4 pm today. I'm leaving for NC and our cabin for some fishing tomorrow leaving momma to oversee the remainder of the job here in KY. I should be back in a week...if the fishing holds up. Taking the Lipsey's .44 and a .357 50th to while away the off stream hours. I'll call you on return. Take care and keep holdin' 'em that tight.
You young turks out there take note...Dale's no spring chicken and that's a 25 yd target shot with his hands, not some stinkin' bench rest.
Regards Rodfac
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Rodfac; I am looking forward to your visit. In fact, I noticed that I am about out of .45 Auto Rims. I'll have plenty of those when you get here along with the .44 Specials and .45 Colts.
I hope that you do well fishing. I'm an old fly fisherman, myself, but haven't fished in a while.
Dale53
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I had a three screw Ruger Blackhawk .357 with 4 3/4” barrel converted to .44 special,using the original barrel. I like the old Lyman 429421 ahead of 7.5 grs Unique.
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I've never been one to carry a gun along just for the hell of it. If I figured I needed a gun, I took a rifle, usually a mod 660 Rem with 165gr Hornady's. But lately I'm thinking about small game more and just easy walks with the dog's, I got bad knees so need easy walks. Worked up a load for my Smith 38/44 Outdoorsman that's 150gr Keith type HP, mold 358499, that I like real well. 3.4grs Red Dot. Also working on my Smith mod 16 K-32, 32 S&W Long. A 95gr RN From I think it's an Ideal mold #313226. Haven't got quite the load I want in it yet but just started working with some old Dupont #6 powder and likein' it so far. Had a load for it years ago with that bullet and 2.5 grs Super Balistite that was great shooting. Unfortunatelly I'm out of that powder now. That mod 16 is a real joy to carry around.
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Don; The .32 S&W Long is a dandy edible small game load. I have a 631 (4"), an SP101 (4"), and a S&W 16-4 (6"), all chambered for .32 H&R Magnum. All of them get shot mostly with .32 S&W Longs.
I have used and enjoyed Wadcutters (both hollow based and solid based) on paper and in the field. However, the last couple of years I have mostly used a Group Buy 100 gr Keith style SWC. My most used load is 2.8 grs of Win 231.
Whether you prefer wadcutters or swc's, the .32 will deliver on edible small game.
Dale53
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Wm Cook
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Aaron
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MP1886
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beagle6
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linoww
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John Alexander
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Wilderness
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Rich/WIS
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GWarden
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