Accuracy problems.

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McNightmare

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Hi all. I joined a local shooting range and took my King Cobra out to shoot. its only the second time shooting this pistol. I started shooting up close like maybe 10 - 15 yards and everything seemed ok. Im a novice pistol shooter sooooo. Anyways I took it back to 25 yards and man I was all over the place. I meen, when I was done shooting the paper target looked like I hit it with 00buck with a riot gun :cuss: I realy dont think Im that bad but the paper prooves it. The gun is in mint condition and done all the tests for cylinder lock up yada yada yada. I was wondering if it could be ammo related ? I was using Remington UMC 357 ammo. Also when shooting I could feel a slight spray of what I think might have been burning powder on my face, is this normal ? :confused: And like I said, timeing seems fine and so does lockup. Any help will be appreciated.
 
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Well, you're either going to have to bench rest it or let another shooter try it to know for sure. It's not unusual for groups to open up as you transition from close up to further away.

You're going to have to determine the accuracy of the gun with the ammo you're using. If you use a bag rest, use single action and the fleshy part of your finger to ease back on the trigger. If you start getting tight groups then, you'll know it's you.

The Colts take a bit of getting used to, so practice your DA shooting while dry firing.
 
My stainless Colt revolver in .357 was a dog also. S&W way more accurate than Colt....or Ruger.... for that matter.

90% of the time, a S&W will shoot really accurate, tho once in awhile one is not 'match' accurate. About 1/2 of the Rugers are...and the other half are not tack drivers.

Of the 3 Colt revolvers I have owned....1 of the 3 was accurate, (i'm only talking double action revolvers here).

Just my experience from owning, shooting and trading guns for 40 years.
 
Another thing to try is to take six 125-gr jacketed bullets (not cartridges) and drop one into each of the chambers. If any of them fall through, you have sloppy tolerances. Lead wadcutters may work fine as they're just a bit bigger and tend to catch (and thus be more accurate) than precise .357-sized bullets.

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I hear your pain! I bought a S&W mod. 65 (the fixed sight model) and it is the most inaccurate gun I've ever fired. At even 10 yards I'd be better off throwing the gun at somebody, the target looks like I shot it with a 12 gauge and that's using a sandbag rest.

On the other hand, I have a Colt Peacekeeper that I have handed to folks who aren't all that used to revolvers and they can shoot two or three inch groups at 50 yards with that big gun. I can put two and three inch groups out at 100 yards with 125 gr. slugs. I have a S&W Mod. 19 that is also a tack driver at ranges up to 100 yards. Why you sometimes get a lemon is something you can't always figure out. You just have to take a loss, get rid of the gun and find something that's accurate for you!
 
Why you sometimes get a lemon is something you can't always figure out. You just have to take a loss, get rid of the gun and find something that's accurate for you!
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Well, like I said, its only the second time fireing this pistol and Im totaly new to shooting pistols. It could be me or the ammo or a combination of the two. I do know certain guns dont like certain ammo. Im not ready to get rid of the gun just yet. Other than the Remington UMC ammo, what do you guys shoot at the range ? Somthing thats decent but wont break the bank.
 
Try some Winchester White Box .38spl from Wal-Mart. Generally works well.

I agree with the suggestions that another more experienced revolver shooter ought to shoot it to see if they observe the same thing. Since you're a new shooter, though, the most likely reason behind your accuracy issues is that you simply need more quality trigger time. And for a new shooter, expecting respectable groupings at 25 yards is setting the bar a bit high, IMO. Bring that target back to 7-10 yards, and focus on the fundamentals.
 
Some stuff to key in on from the OP:

Im a novice pistol shooter

It's probably not the ammo or the gun.

Bring the target in to 10 feet. Fire single action. Focus on your front sight and trigger pull. Grip is essential. You will need to learn to shoot double action. Ed McGivern's Fast and Fancy Revolver Shooting is a good book (but you'll have to get past his late 1800's writing style). There are other revolver marksmanship books out there; I'm just not familiar with them. McGivern was enough; I followed his procedures and my group size halved (with double action) in 30 minutes with my S&W 617 (in 22 LR). Don't just read McGivern; study it. His "procedures" are all spread out through the book, so keep a pen and paper handy for notes. I guarantee you will be able to shoot well if you follow his instructions (worked well for me).

Your goal is to get a FOUR inch group. Six to eight inch groups are fine at 25 yards (put a paper plate over your chest and figure out how much of the plate covers vital organs). This is good enough for self-defense.

If you're getting into the target shooting game, then you'll need regular coaching and specialized gear.

If you find yourself getting frustrated, go to the range officer and ask about shooting lessons. One or two hours with an instructor will save you months or years of frustration. Ask me how I know :)

Finally, I recommend that you purchase a revolver in 22 Long Rifle. There's nothing like ripping through 300 rounds in a session for under $10.
 
Are you sure the barrel isn't leaded? Is that Remington ammo lead? Other than that, it could be so many different things I wouldn't hazard a guess. I had two stainless King Cobras, a 4" and a 6", and they were both as accurate as anything I ever owned (with just 1 exception), and they were great to shoot.
My concern is you shouldn't be getting any kind of "spray" back in your face unless something is wrong. :what:
 
Something to check that's not as uncommon as you'd expect.
Use electronic calipers. Check the ID of the forcing cone and the ID of all of the cyliner ports. Eliminate shaving as a possibility.

Latigo
 
were they 125 Remmies? IMO, They tend to spray quite of bit of crap thru the cylinder gap as opposed to other cartridges.....and this is compounded by those not familiar with revolvers. But they have always been accurate outta my guns. Something else hard for new handgunners to grasp is how hard it is to shoot a handgun accurately freehand. Especially iffin they are anticipating recoil...and Remmie 125s have some recoil. I too recomend shooting off a rest single action until you can narrow the problem down to either you, the gun or the ammo. Different ammo shoots differently in every gun, shoot enough and you will find what your gun likes.............
 
Thanks for all the help. I will have someone with more experience go over my pistol and take it for a test drive. Being a novice I did have the vision of hitting bullseyes all the time at 25 yards like John Wayne did :p I have many years with shotguns and small bore rifles and I think I was expecting to much out of myself. Thanks again for the replys.
 
Doesn't sound like a hardware problem.
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Im 98% sure it isnt. But then again Im not to sure what that stinging is on my face when I fire a round :confused: Kinda feels like hot powder slightly spraying my face. Not bad but I can feel it. buck460XVR says it could be that Remington UMC ammo. I dont know.
 
i own a colt python the spraying is coming from cylinder and barrel its burning powder i believe but it happens to me when i shoot hot loads with light bullets 125gr are light, grab some 158 gr try them. had your same issue with my python.

ok take target 10 yards aim steady even prop hands on pillow anything soft and yet sturdy six rounds single action, that is cock hammer then pull trigger. DO NOT ADJUST YOUR AIM on target, with my python 10 yards was slightly off bullseye im talking 2 inchs to the left. when i shot 25 yards it tended to show up i corrected aim more and it put bullets all over target. because at the time i was a novice i couldnt hit straight anyways so thats why bullets flyed everywhere. so adjust your sights to hit dead on bullseye at 10 yards bet your prob will cease
 
GIve the first link a read then print out from the second link,

http://www.adjunct.diodon349.com/Attack_on_USA/pistol_and_revolver_error_analysis_and_correction.htm

http://www.xdtalk.com/forums/hs2000...on-pistol-correction-chart-w-xdtalk-logo.html

I have used these as well as a few of my friends who were having issues. They do work. Give them a try at 10, 15, and 20yds. Once you get good at the closest move on out.

As for bench top shooting from a rest, make sure that you do not set the cylinder gap on top of any sort of bag that you might not want ripped. The escaping gas can and will cut sand bags which will suck when it happens.

If you have a carpet shop close by go by and ask if they might have a remnant piece around a foot or so wide and about two feet long. Make sure it is the tight weave type. Throw this across your sand bags or soft rest and you will be fine.

Good luck, and have fun.
 
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