[tim josey]

Hi, does a 44 mag have a chance in this competition? If so, what loads would be good. I reload and cast my own. Figure heavy jacket softpoints probably wood be better-or not? I used to have a Ruger Super Blackhawk 30 years ago and really liked it. I have a hankering for another one. Not really looking for the super handguns ( and price) of the IHMSA crowd. Just wanna shoot for my personal score and fun.

Thanks

TIm

[Hoser]

I see a lot of Blackhawks at matches.

If you have an accurate one and feed it good ammo you can knock down a lot of steel.

Most of the guys at the top of the heap shoot Freedom Arms Revolvers in 41 or 357.

[tim josey]

What length barrels do they use. I have a Colt Python 357, but it only has a 6" barrel with an 8" sight radius.

Tim

[hardluk1]

Guess its more about can out shoot near the mid or bottom of the pack and still hve a good day shooting. Hard to play and expect to do well against high skilled shooter in any type of competition. I did matchs for a while and had fun but finshed loooow. Over time you can buy better equipment for the match. Maybe come across a older dan wesson revolver to step up with.

[Hoser]

Most guys shooting iron sighted revolvers use 10 inch barrels. However in the hands of a solid shooter, a 6 inch gun will be just fine. Most of us use 10s for the sight radius.

I would work up a accurate load for your Python and figure out your holds/clicks for 50, 100, 150 and 200 meters.

Get out there and do it. Your first match is always the hardest.

[mbopp]

Back when I shot IHMSA I used a 7-1/2" SBH. Having the trigger reworked and lightened helps. With an accurate load my personal best was 9 turkeys at 150 yards (and I knew I pulled the 10th one.)
The first match I shot I used a 4" 357 M-19. And I actually knocked down some pigs.

[CrackerJim]

When I shot IHMSA, I used a contender with a 10" 44mag barrel and also an open barrel; 7mm/30-30 in 14".

I loaded the 44 to standard loading manual at a notch below maximum. Had no problem tipping the rams (those dadburn turkeys would go down hard but were way harder to hit! :D).

Wish they still held the competitions in my neck of the woods. Only gave it up when they no longer came to town.

Jim

[steveno]

the 44 will work just fine but how much recoil do you want to put up with over a 40 , 60 or 80 round match? when I started out( IHMSA # 5994) shooting standing and I started with a 44 SBH , I switched over to a TC 7 mm TCU and my scores went up 5 to 10 targets just because I didn't have to deal with the recoil.

[tim josey]

This looks interesting. I might do something like this later, the brass for this load is expensive. Midway had it for $35.00 for 20. The SBH loads are more in my line as I have about a 100 left over from about 30 years ago. I had a TC back then also chambered in 44 mag and a 14" in 30 30. Wish I had them back now.

[steveno]

7 mm TCU is really easy to load for. just take a 223 case and run it into a TCU sizing die , prime it , put powder in it and put a bullet in it. then shoot it. you don't even need to fireform first. the only thing that I found was when you fire the case the first time and the case gets fireformed is to use a "soft" primer like Federal or Remington because the extractor is the only thing holding the case in the chamber. after you have the formed cases you can use any primers you want

[tim josey]

Getting more interesting! I will take a closer look at this set-up if that is all that there is to it. What size bullets and powder do you use?
Thanks
Tim

[steveno]

I used the Speer 130 grain sp and the Nolser 120 gr sp along with H-4895. these bullets would take the rams if the targets were set right and proper bullet placement but then that is the way it is for all calibers

[tim josey]

I think I wll go this route, What dies and other accessories will I need. I only have pistol reloading dies .
Thanks
Tim

[steveno]

should be just a 2 die set. if I remember right I neck sized the cases and didn't even lube them. just screw the sizing die down to where it just touches the shell holder and then back it off a turn or the shoulder isn't being touched.

[tim josey]

OK, decided I want this gun. I can't seem to find it anywhere, has this caliber been discontinued or am I just not looking in the right places?
Thanks to anybody that can help me find one. Seems that TC has gone to the 12" and I don't see the 7mmtcu listed.

Tim

[steveno]

at one time it was the most popular of TC calibers for IHMSA and I can't believe that TC would stop making it since a production gun is a 10 inch barrel limit. I'm also not sure what has happened to TC since S & W bought them out a few years ago and I think that was a mistake. you muight check for a barrel at gunshows.