I got a little revolver range therapy yesterday

[doubleh]

Yesterday was a beautiful, warm (89 degrees warm) day with very light breezes so I slipped off to shoot 4 22 rimfire revolvers. Things started off a little annoying. I had just put an old ADE red dot on my SS single six and I started with it to sight in in. The sight was retired in favor of a FastFire III sometime ago and worked fine when put away. I fired one shot and the dot went away. It was stored without a battery, and I installed an new one when I put on the gun. I could not get it to come on again and put it away The sight is long out of warranty so it's trashcan time for it. I moved on to a S&W 22-a with a FF III on it and put in a new battery. It wouldn't come on. I tried another battery with no joy. Back in the case it went beside the single six.

Next up was my modified GSG 1911-22, again wearing a FF III. Finally a red dot that works. tweaked the point of aim to where it was dead on at 10 yards and them went to killing rocks in the berm at about 27 yards. After I tired of that I made hash out of a water bottle that someone was "nice" enough to leave laying below the target board at 25 yards.

Next it was a Rossi Plinker, a nice little gun that I seldom shot because I didn't like the factory grip. I recently ran down what aftermarket grip would fit it and settled on a Pachmayr rubber one that turned it into a nice feeling grip. It was dead on at 10 yards with a center hold so I did the rock killing thing and added to the water bottle's demise some more. This gun has a day glow front sight and it shoot low at 25 yards with the rear sight all the way up. Experimenting I found that if I put the top of the light rod at the top of the rear sight it was on with a center hold. Now if I can remember that.

All in all I enjoyed the trip. Now to cure my problems encountered.

 

[beag_nut]

Rather than discard the Burris sight, I suggest you at least contact them. Maybe they have a constructive idea, which might not cost you anything.

 

[ontarget]

Sounds like the session ended better than it started. What more can a shooter ask for?

 

[Pat Riot]

I have had days like that, but even a bad day on the range beats any day at “work”.

Are we allowed to say that 4 letter word here?

 

[doubleh]

Rather than discard the Burris sight, I suggest you at least contact them. Maybe they have a constructive idea, which might not cost you anything.

It is the old ADE sight that is going away. I have no idea what is going on with the Burris. After taking the battery out and just putting it back in the thing is now working. I suppose I should have tried that at the range but I had just installed a new battery and was sure the cap was tight. I'm in no hurry because of the lifetime warranty. If the problem occurs again then I will give them a call.

 

[beag_nut]

With those batteries it is common for some "oxidation" to form which can be overcome by simply removing and replacing. The eraser on an "old-style" pencil can remove that coating without causing any damage. Your initial post did not clarify what was going on.

 

[AzShooter1]

I feel your experience. That's why I never go to the range with only one gun. Murphy's Law...

Sounds like the Pachmyers are a plus for you. I've always enjoyed them on my guns. They sure deminish recoil and fit my hands well. I also like Hogue grips.

 

[halfmoonclip]

Sorry, can't abide the looks of Pachyderms; do have the molded rubber OEMs on a 629, and do like those.
As regards the battery problem; good advice on using a pencil eraser. Got a battery tester last winter that is adapted to all the little cells; never hurts to check a battery...I've had dead brand new ones, even quality brands.
Moon

 

[doubleh]

It was stored without a battery, and I installed an new one when I put it on the gun

I moved on to a S&W 22-a with a FF III on it and put in a new battery

With those batteries it is common for some "oxidation" to form which can be overcome by simply removing and replacing. The eraser on an "old-style" pencil can remove that coating without causing any damage. Your initial post did not clarify what was going on.

That seems pretty clear about what I did, or at least to me it does.

 

[bannockburn]

doubleh

Well at least you managed to salvage some therapeutic benefit with your GSG and your Rossi!

 

[Dave T]

I too had a revolver day at the range yesterday. Met up with a friend who was chronographing some of his hand loads and offered to run some of mine as well. I've been trying to find a good +P 38 Special load for my favorite bullet, a cast 150g WFN-GC from Montana Bullet Works. I tested two loads, one of 231 and the second with 2400 powder. And I ran both through two revolvers, a 2.5" 386NG and a 4" M10-10.

The 231 load, which I'm not going to list as it came from an old factory data sheet, averaged 826 fps from the 2.5" barrel and 917 fps from the 4" barrel. The 2400 load is also from an old manual and is now considered dangerous by the lawyers. It produced an average of 913 fps from the 2.5" gun and 1002 fps from the work horse M-10.

Recoil felt about the same with both loads despite the 2400 delivering higher velocities. The chronograph indicated the 231 loads had a lower extreme spreads and better standard deviation than the 2400 versions. Not sure an 85-86 fps advantage for the 2400 is enough considering I have more 231 than the slower powder.

Most would say go with the more accurate load but both will keep all their shots on a 10" steel plate at 25 yards if I have any trigger control and can see the front sight. Age and arthritis diminishes both on any given day. Both of these revolvers are meant to be used at distances from "get off me" to "don't come in this room" and either load will do if I can. Right now I'm thinking of using the 2400 load in nickle cases for carry and the 231 load for practice in brass cases. I hate changing the powder measure back and forth on the Dillon but it can be done, with patience. Time will tell.

Dave

 

[halfmoonclip]

Dave, I've accumulated a bunch of Dillon powder bars, and I mark them, and leave them set. Even if you have to order spares from Dillon, it just makes changing charges a snap.
Failing that, on my data page, I'll note which bar, and how many turns it takes from zero. (made a gizmo from a .45 case and two wings, that makes counting turns easier than using a wrench)
This makes getting a setting back easier, and also makes a useful double check, if the charge doesn't come out to match the recorded weight.
Moon

 

[Dave T]

Thanks Moon for the suggestions. I've loaded several thousand 38-44 rounds (158g @ 1125 fps) on that machine using the larger powder bar and 2400. I changed to the smaller bar for the 231 loads so I was kind of doing what you suggested. I should probably formalize it if I'm going to switch back and forth.

On the other hand it might make more sense to pick one of the two loads an stick with it.

Dave