Skeeter Skelton's favorite

[SA John]

otasan: Just joined today and have read all of your stuff. I'm quite sure I know you from the Chester and Country Pond pin shoots. You're the guy I can't beat in the shootoffs. I shoot a 1911 with no extras, a Sig 220 when I'm bored, and a Ruger (or Colt) single-action in the revolver division. In about 12 or so shootoffs I think I clipped you just once with a Sig 220. Have not been able to do it again. Hands down, you're the best guy there. I like to watch you destroy the field even if I'm one of the victims. Excellence in any undertaking is fun to watch.

About the .357: I like Skeeter's old 158 gr LSWC with 15.0 of 2400. Have never had a problem with that load in any appropriate gun and it gives me slightly over 1400 fps out of a 6" barrel. Both a 686 and a 5.5" Ruger SA. Pins leave like crazy. I think for a combination of power and moderate recoil it's one of the best choices. Mainly I shoot the .45 Colt at traditional levels: 255 LSWC @ 850. Mild recoil and it moves pin almost as well as the heavy .357 listed above.

See you at Chester on the 20th
John

 

[otasan]

God Has Blessed Me . . . .

. . . with a love for pin shooting since 1978.

I am yet still a student of the sport, even after five trips to Second Chance.

I contribute much of my success at Chester and Country Pond by having the right ammunition and firearms. The .40 S&W's and even .45 ACP with 230gr FMJRN are noticeably inadequate for these matches. 9mm is a non-starter.

I feel undergunned if I have anything less than power factor 215 going at the pins!

I would expect there to be some changes at Chester this year, especially in the .22 event.

Have you chronographed the Skelton load in your M686?

 

[SA John]

Yes, otasan, I got 1407fps with a 6" 686, and 1447 with a shorter 5.5" Ruger SA. Have always shot faster times with cast bullets vs. JHP of the same weight. I suspect you have noticed this yourself. Lead bullets give less resistance and they are slip along easier in the bore.

What changes at Chester do you hint at? I don't shoot the .22 matches. If the gun doesn't recoil, I'm not interested.

John

 

[otasan]

Chester

Yes, otasan, I got 1407fps with a 6" 686, and 1447 with a shorter 5.5" Ruger SA. Have always shot faster times with cast bullets vs. JHP of the same weight. I suspect you have noticed this yourself. Lead bullets give less resistance and they are slip along easier in the bore.

What changes at Chester do you hint at? I don't shoot the .22 matches. If the gun doesn't recoil, I'm not interested.

John

Last year they added a "tie-breaker" extra target in the .22 event to reduce the number of people in the shoot-off. They placed a shotgun shell atop the table, and it raised the total possible score to 36.

This year they will likely use pin-tops in place of the shotgun shells.

I wouldn't be surprised to see a pin-top tie-breaker for the centerfire events.

I am definitely impressed by your velocities using Alliant 2400. I can only get 1320 FPS using 16.7gr WW296 and a 163gr gas-check SWC. That's only PF215. You get a whopping PF228 with your load!

 

[otasan]

I just chronographed my latest .357 Magnum load.

163gr gas-checked SWC, 17.2 grains WW296, Federal small pistol magnum primers.

S&W Model 586 six-inch.

1380 FPS! PF 225!

LOTS of recoil, but is manageable.

Look out pins!

 

[SA John]

otasan: Your above load should be the full equal - or better - than the Skeeter load. Have you worked with 2400? It's Elmer Keith's old favorite and I have not found a better magnum powder for speed with heavy bullets. Never had better, or even equal, luck with 296/H110. Blue Dot is too fast, and the 4227 types are too slow. Been using 2400 since I got my first .357 back in 1975. An oldy but goody. Try 14.5 of 2400 under your bullet. Bet you can reach 1400 without bending anything important. Plus you'll get a muzzle flash that'll give you a decent tan.

SA John

 

[otasan]

otasan: Your above load should be the full equal - or better - than the Skeeter load. Have you worked with 2400? It's Elmer Keith's old favorite and I have not found a better magnum powder for speed with heavy bullets. Never had better, or even equal, luck with 296/H110. Blue Dot is too fast, and the 4227 types are too slow. Been using 2400 since I got my first .357 back in 1975. An oldy but goody. Try 14.5 of 2400 under your bullet. Bet you can reach 1400 without bending anything important. Plus you'll get a muzzle flash that'll give you a decent tan.

SA John

The real pain with 296 and 2400 is that they require magnum primers. I just went through NH's biggest gun show (Concord) on Saturday 12Apr08, and there was not even one 100-round pkg os SPM primers!

I'll stick with WW296, for it meters very well in my D550.

Also, unburnt powder is a real concern with combat revolvers. One granule of certain propellants under the extractor will cause a much heavier double-action trigger pull, or even a jammed cylinder.

 

[SA John]

2400

otasan: I fully understand personal favorites where powders are concerned. But you should know that Alliant 2400 is not a ball powder and mag primers are not needed or recomended by Alliant. Elmer Keith never used them years ago and I've never used mag primers for 2400. It is a small flake powder that has the look and feel of a ball. When used above 25,000 cup (any proper mag load is well above this) there is much less tendency to leave grainy residue that can get under the star on a revolver. I used to shoot PPC back in the late 70s and found many powders to be troublesome in that regard.

John

 

[otasan]

Great!

Sounds good. I'll go back to the 1920's and try 2400. Thanks!

 

[SA John]

1920s

If all gun technology ended in the 1920s, I wouldn't be unhappy. Everything was made of blued steel, nice walnut, and the workmanship was tops. Besides, the 1911 had been invented and you could pick up Colt single-actions for almost nothing in the pawn shops. The only two handgun types I really like.

SA John

 

[otasan]

I got a 1-lb can of 2400 @ Riley's today.