Greetings,
I guess I'm one of the few who shoots matches but doesn't reload ammo, but whatever. I switched from a 5" 45 ACP revolver that had no problem making major with just about anything to a 5" S&W 627 shooting 38 specials in which factory ammo making minor power factor is a unicorn. I rode around Lafayette buying anything that could come close or even surpass minor PF with what they listed on the box, plus a few other hopefuls.
Here is the list of the 38spl loads shot and chronographed from a 5" S&W 627 chambered in 357 and their results:
The problems with that Perfecta load are I'm pretty sure it's discontinued and the brass doesn't fit well into the moon clips I have on hand. I picked up the Perfecta load as a Field and Stream packaged box of ammo on sale for about 25 cents per round. I bought the last box of ammo from the Lafayette location last Friday and then drove to Dick's in BR today to pick up 400 rounds so I have it for the match this weekend. I could have gotten it cheaper if I brought in some coupons, but whatever.
The moon clip issue is a bit more challenging. I get my moon clips from Revolver Supply, they're the cheapest that I know of, and I buy in bulk. I had 100+ already at .025" because they fit my Remington brass, and they're the thickest RSC carries. Thick is good with moon clips because they hold the round more secure and they last a little longer. RSC is pretty awesome because they also send sample packs of moon clips with other thicknesses: .020" and .022". The .022" holds the Perfecta rounds just fine, in fact, it's pretty frickin' secure. There's hardly any wobble. I did squeeze some into the .025" clips, but that caused a slight deformation in the clip which produced a light primer strike. I have 50 moon clips on the way from RSC in the .022" thickness as well as a moon clip checker.
If any of you have any chronograph data from 38spl factory loads that meet minor power factor, 125 kgrfps, please let me know. I'm sure I'll need some more eventually.
I have a lot of extra ammo on hand now that I don't have much use for. The point of aim / point of impact shifts too much from one load to the next in my revolvers for me to be comfortable using it in a match. I'm neurotic like that, sorry not sorry. So, I'll probably test a bunch of loads in my various revolvers: 3, 4, 5, and 6 inch barrels. I'll have to think of a way to compile that data to make it easy to interpret.
Cheers,
Ryan
I guess I'm one of the few who shoots matches but doesn't reload ammo, but whatever. I switched from a 5" 45 ACP revolver that had no problem making major with just about anything to a 5" S&W 627 shooting 38 specials in which factory ammo making minor power factor is a unicorn. I rode around Lafayette buying anything that could come close or even surpass minor PF with what they listed on the box, plus a few other hopefuls.
Here is the list of the 38spl loads shot and chronographed from a 5" S&W 627 chambered in 357 and their results:
Winchester white box FMJ--------------------- 130gr - 689 fps - 89PF
Remington UMC green and white +P SJHP--- 125gr - 950 fps - 118PF
Remington UMC yellow box MC--------------- 130gr - 767fps - 99PF
Monarch Brass +p SJHP----------------------- 158gr - 690fps - 109PF
Fed Am. Eagle LdRN---------------------------- 158gr - 734fps - 115PF
Perfecta FMJ----------------------------------- 158gr - 848fps - 134PF
Aguila FMJ ------------------------------------- 130gr - 706fps - 91PF
The problems with that Perfecta load are I'm pretty sure it's discontinued and the brass doesn't fit well into the moon clips I have on hand. I picked up the Perfecta load as a Field and Stream packaged box of ammo on sale for about 25 cents per round. I bought the last box of ammo from the Lafayette location last Friday and then drove to Dick's in BR today to pick up 400 rounds so I have it for the match this weekend. I could have gotten it cheaper if I brought in some coupons, but whatever.
The moon clip issue is a bit more challenging. I get my moon clips from Revolver Supply, they're the cheapest that I know of, and I buy in bulk. I had 100+ already at .025" because they fit my Remington brass, and they're the thickest RSC carries. Thick is good with moon clips because they hold the round more secure and they last a little longer. RSC is pretty awesome because they also send sample packs of moon clips with other thicknesses: .020" and .022". The .022" holds the Perfecta rounds just fine, in fact, it's pretty frickin' secure. There's hardly any wobble. I did squeeze some into the .025" clips, but that caused a slight deformation in the clip which produced a light primer strike. I have 50 moon clips on the way from RSC in the .022" thickness as well as a moon clip checker.
If any of you have any chronograph data from 38spl factory loads that meet minor power factor, 125 kgrfps, please let me know. I'm sure I'll need some more eventually.
I have a lot of extra ammo on hand now that I don't have much use for. The point of aim / point of impact shifts too much from one load to the next in my revolvers for me to be comfortable using it in a match. I'm neurotic like that, sorry not sorry. So, I'll probably test a bunch of loads in my various revolvers: 3, 4, 5, and 6 inch barrels. I'll have to think of a way to compile that data to make it easy to interpret.
Cheers,
Ryan