Range report - inherited handguns and 460 S&W
10-24-2016, 05:12 PM
#1
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Martin, TN
Posts: 854
Range report - inherited handguns and 460 S&W
Yesterday, I set up to shoot and sight in all of my remaining handguns. My first objective was to sight in my Performance Center Model 460 to 100 yards, and my second objective was to test some of my inherited handguns to determine which one will accompany me this season as my sidearm/close range pistol.
I set up my pistol stand, chronograph, and target for the short range weapons. Since I'm not nearly as proficient with open sights, and since the Blackhawks' sights seemed to be quite off, I initially set up my target at a mere 10 yards.
S&W Model 1086 10mm, 180 grain Hornady XTP factory loads:
The double action proved difficult to work with. Although it shot decently, I cannot ethically take it hunting with me. The three rounds averaged 1132 fps with a standard deviation of 7 fps.
Colt Model 80 45 A.C.P., 230 grain FMJ and 200 grain LRN factory loads:
Of the four handguns I tested, the Model 80 sent all of the bullets through or grazing the bullseye right off the bat, no adjustments needed. The three 200 grain LRN bullets averaged 989 fps with a standard deviation of 18 fps, and the three 230 grain FMJ bullets averaged 881 fps with a standard deviation of 7 fps.
Ruger Blackhawk 357 Magnum, 158 grain Hornady XTP factory load:
This one was quite the sweet shooter. It initially grouped somewhat low, but I quickly got that corrected and moved the target back further. My last group of three were all touching at 20 yards. All of the rounds I fired averaged 1263 fps with a standard deviation of 27 fps.
Ruger Blackhawk 41 Magnum, 210 grain Remington soft point factory load:
This gun quickly became my favorite of the four I tested yesterday. It took me a while to get the sights aligned. The bullets were landing quite high and to the right, even at only 10 yards. I moved the target back to 20 and, as in the following picture, 30 yards. It took me a while to figure out how much to adjust the windage screw, but after my last adjustment I sent a bullet through the bullseye.
The load I used averaged 1288 fps with a standard deviation of 29 fps.
After some more practice with it, I think I'll have the 41 Magnum on my belt this season. I'll definitely limit it to about 20 or 25 yards maximum for now. That's not altogether an impossible proposition. I've had quite a few clueless does and young bucks come within that distance of my blind even during gun season in the past.
Smith & Wesson Model 460 14" - Performance Center, 240 grain XTP-Mag on top of 48.0 grains of H110 handloads:
With the inheritance handguns tested, I moved on to my 460. I had already sighted it in to 25 yards, so I moved the target to 50. At first, the bullets were landing above the target itself, but I eventually adjusted the scope down so that the shots were landing almost dead on the bullseye. I estimated that if the 460 was hitting dead-on at 50 yards, then it would be almost exactly on at 100. So, I moved my target back to 100 yards and fired my first ever 460 group at that distance:
I think I flinched a little on the first shot and sent it lower, but the other two felt good. Not bad for my first 100 yard group with that beast of a revolver.
Unfortunately, my chronograph began giving me issues after the first group I fired at 50 yards. That first 3 shot group gave me velocity readings consistent with my previous load testing back in the spring. The three bullets averaged 2416 fps with a standard deviation of 9 fps.
All said and done, I had a productive day yesterday.
I set up my pistol stand, chronograph, and target for the short range weapons. Since I'm not nearly as proficient with open sights, and since the Blackhawks' sights seemed to be quite off, I initially set up my target at a mere 10 yards.
S&W Model 1086 10mm, 180 grain Hornady XTP factory loads:
The double action proved difficult to work with. Although it shot decently, I cannot ethically take it hunting with me. The three rounds averaged 1132 fps with a standard deviation of 7 fps.
Colt Model 80 45 A.C.P., 230 grain FMJ and 200 grain LRN factory loads:
Of the four handguns I tested, the Model 80 sent all of the bullets through or grazing the bullseye right off the bat, no adjustments needed. The three 200 grain LRN bullets averaged 989 fps with a standard deviation of 18 fps, and the three 230 grain FMJ bullets averaged 881 fps with a standard deviation of 7 fps.
Ruger Blackhawk 357 Magnum, 158 grain Hornady XTP factory load:
This one was quite the sweet shooter. It initially grouped somewhat low, but I quickly got that corrected and moved the target back further. My last group of three were all touching at 20 yards. All of the rounds I fired averaged 1263 fps with a standard deviation of 27 fps.
Ruger Blackhawk 41 Magnum, 210 grain Remington soft point factory load:
This gun quickly became my favorite of the four I tested yesterday. It took me a while to get the sights aligned. The bullets were landing quite high and to the right, even at only 10 yards. I moved the target back to 20 and, as in the following picture, 30 yards. It took me a while to figure out how much to adjust the windage screw, but after my last adjustment I sent a bullet through the bullseye.
The load I used averaged 1288 fps with a standard deviation of 29 fps.
After some more practice with it, I think I'll have the 41 Magnum on my belt this season. I'll definitely limit it to about 20 or 25 yards maximum for now. That's not altogether an impossible proposition. I've had quite a few clueless does and young bucks come within that distance of my blind even during gun season in the past.
Smith & Wesson Model 460 14" - Performance Center, 240 grain XTP-Mag on top of 48.0 grains of H110 handloads:
With the inheritance handguns tested, I moved on to my 460. I had already sighted it in to 25 yards, so I moved the target to 50. At first, the bullets were landing above the target itself, but I eventually adjusted the scope down so that the shots were landing almost dead on the bullseye. I estimated that if the 460 was hitting dead-on at 50 yards, then it would be almost exactly on at 100. So, I moved my target back to 100 yards and fired my first ever 460 group at that distance:
I think I flinched a little on the first shot and sent it lower, but the other two felt good. Not bad for my first 100 yard group with that beast of a revolver.
Unfortunately, my chronograph began giving me issues after the first group I fired at 50 yards. That first 3 shot group gave me velocity readings consistent with my previous load testing back in the spring. The three bullets averaged 2416 fps with a standard deviation of 9 fps.
All said and done, I had a productive day yesterday.
10-24-2016, 07:20 PM
#3
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Martin, TN
Posts: 854
The 41's recoil was only marginally more than the 357's due to its ports. The 10mm seemed like it recoiled marginally less than either Blackhawk, but the slide racking back and forth it makes it a bit harder to quantify.
