Bowling Pin matches, what works best?

[possum]

the local indoor range has started having bowling pin matches, what is the best combo for knocking the pins not only down but off the table? i was told that .45acp and jhp's are best for this. is this true? what would the best caliber/ bullet type be to use in a bowling pin match to win? light and fast 9mm, .40 s&w or heavy and slow like .45 acp? will jhp's be better for knocking the pins off the table more so than say a fmj? what do you guys that do this kinda thing use? thanks in advance!

 

[Riss]

Back in the day a light and fast 45 was the preferred way to go. I have an old pin gun, a S&W 25-2, comped with a red dot and DA only trigger. Load was a 152 gr lead loaded to make lots of gas to work the comp. That and a long slide S&W 645 modified for SA only, with a 745 slide and a tapered cone bushingcomped barrel. Same loads for that. Light bullets loaded hot.

 

[steveracer]

JHPs slide off the pin much less.
I like 165 JHP for pins, in a 1911 or Smith 4506.
I have gotten ~4 second times with the Smith.

 

[ADKWOODSMAN]

For years I shot in the low 4's with a 4" 629 with the full lug barrel, I believe the load was 8 gr. of unique and a 200 gr. lead bullet.

When I purchased a .45 ACP old model Gold Cup, I used 200 gr. roundnose lead bullets with success.

 

[HRT]

My solution, since I'm too cheap to buy jacketed hollow points was a hard hast H&G68 200 gr LSWC driven at 900-950. Found I had less bouncing off and skittering problems with that load. I shot in the 6's regularly and an occasional as low as 4.5. Typically we were shooting at 14-15 yds. Sometimes we had the second chance table and sometimes it was a half sheet of ply wood with the pins set about 6" from the front. Alas the range we did that in did not care for the ricochets dinging the lights. Brought a lot of shooters in though...

 

[Samuel Adams]

At our first pin match, the top 4 shooters were using 3 1911s and a CZ75, all shooting JHPs. I didn't pay attention to who shot what during the second pin match. FMJ went through the pins, at least part way.

Then there was the guy with the .454 Casull.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Gun8C6osR8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nWKOj6HBZw&feature=related

 

[Navy joe]

In my vast experience I had good luck at minor caliber with a 9mm shooting 115gr plated bullets at around 1160. I think the soft plated deforms on/in the pin better than FMJ. I had no problem clearing the table. 3.77 was the fast string for the day, I shot that with a iron sighted glock, stomped a couple of IPSC open guns in the process. That was my first and last pin match, the club was going away, but at least I went out on top!

 

[distra]

It depends on where the pins are set. We have medium bore (9mm, 38) where the pins are at the back of the table and big bore where the pins are set at the front. Big bore I use 230gr JHP .45ACP 5-5.3gr Bullseye through a 5" 1911 with a red dot. Revolver I use a 44 mag, 240gr FP or JHP, 8-10gr of Unique depending on how long the match runs. Pins get heavier throughout the match and I use the heavier loads later on in the match.

 

[zxcvbob]

I've had good luck with .45 Colt w/ 200 grain SWC's loaded moderately hot. 255's are probably better, but they slow me down from the recoil.

 

[WNTFW]

I don't know what to recommend. I shot 230 grain FMJ .45acp.

I did shoot my first pin match Aug 24 & saw this when I logged yesterday.
All I can do is recommend that anyone that has a chance to shoot one do so. It is a good fun match.

The pins were not on a table, so all you had to do was hit them. We did snubbies, revolvers, any gun & .22lr. Afterwards the throw away pins were shot with a .500 just for kicks. It was a good time.

 

[possum]

thanks to everyone i appreciate the help and the info.

 

[4sooth]

Bowling pin load

Jerry Miculek used to use a Hensley and Gibbbs 230 grain wadcutter cast of almost pure lead over a stiff load of Blue Dot early in his career.The gun was a S&W Model 14 with a 8 and 3 eights inch barrel.

At the Second Chance pin matches he would usually shoot low three second times.In the revolver events which had eight pins he would do low five sec's which includes a reload.

 

[StrawHat]

Jerry Miculek used to use a Hensley and Gibbbs 230 grain wadcutter cast of almost pure lead over a stiff load of Blue Dot early in his career.The gun was a S&W Model 14 with a 8 and 3 eights inch barrel.

I think you might be mistaken, the M14 is a 38 SPecial and a 230 grain WC would be mighty long. Probably why he had the 8 3/8 barrel.