ppc revolvers

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Bezoar

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Just what makes a ppc revolver?

a barrel twist? ive seen some old articles on specific twists to push particular wadcutters at specific bullseye velocity. But ive seen current companies and "bragging right photos" on internet boards with their pet ppc revolver loaded down with lead round nose.


how do/did they compensate for the loss of the SW barrel lug being used to help secure the cylinder pin?

Im curious because ive been seeing a few STOCK stainless steel k frames with adjustable sights being advertised as high end ppc gusn with a high end price.
 
Hopefully others with more knowledge will chime in, I like those PPC revolvers.

I picked one up a few years ago and it piqued my interest as it is a VERY nice shooting gun. I have been keeping my eyes open for others at a reasonable price.

From what I've seen, a PPC gun can be everything from a stock handgun to the revolver equivalent of a race semiauto. There are a few rules restricting the guns. I don't know them all but I know open sights only.
It all depends on how serious the competitor is. Most will have at least an upgraded front sight and slicked action tuned for DA. Some I have seen have a bomar or ambassador sight rib on a standard barrel, and I have seen many with very heavy aftermarket bull barrels.
Some interesting modifications were done during that time, such as Python barrels installed on S&W's and Rugers.
The heavily customized guns will also have additions such as skeletonized DA-only hammers and heavy weights under the barrel.

I have not seen any mention of rifling rates, the aftermarket barrels might differ from factory but I have not seen any emphasis on a specific twist.
The emphasis seemed to be on heavy barrels to eliminate muzzle rise, high visibility custom sights that were often settable to multiple ranges, and very smooth DA's.
In the case of my gun and others I have seen with aftermarket heavy barrels, the lockup is retained, and the barrel is relieved for the ejector rod.
 
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Bezoar said:
Just what makes a ppc revolver?

a barrel twist? ive seen some old articles on specific twists to push particular wadcutters at specific bullseye velocity. But ive seen current companies and "bragging right photos" on internet boards with their pet ppc revolver loaded down with lead round nose.


how do/did they compensate for the loss of the SW barrel lug being used to help secure the cylinder pin?

Im curious because ive been seeing a few STOCK stainless steel k frames with adjustable sights being advertised as high end ppc gusn with a high end price.
Click to expand...

In the heyday of PPC shooting, the Davis PPC revolver, along with Ron Power, Travis Strahan and one or two others were the revolvers you saw in the winners circle at National level.

I had a Davis built PPC revolver. Slab sided barrel and underweight, it was rifled for 38 Special velocities with a 1/14" twist. Suitable for 150 grain wadcutters or 158 grain semi wadcutters. Same as the twist used in Colt revolves of the same cartridge. It also had an adjustable front sight and could be easily adjusted for three ranges, I chose 7, 25 and 50 yards. An adjustable rear sight and amazing action job was standard.

Davis and others would install a ball detent in the crane to the crane to replace the loss of the barrel lug. All in all a well made revolver. In the day well worth the money and some went for $1000 or more. Today, with the lack of emphasis on accuracy and the lack of PPC shooters, these revolvers commonly go for 3-500 dollars. Mine was built on a S&W M64. Last time I had it out it would still chew up the 7 and 15 yard X ring and the 25 and 50 yard targets, while not equal to my competition scores, still showed the revolver could shoot.

I did run some 158 SWCs out of it in the thought of shooting in the Pin Shoots but switched over to the M25-2 for pins.
 
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ive been seeing the stock sws in the 800+ range. and easily identified ppc guns in the 8-1200 range online.
 
Bezoar said:
Just what makes a ppc revolver?
Click to expand...
Most easily recognized is usually the 1"+ bull barrel. Some were left round while others were slab sided, with an under lug added to place weigh lower than the bore.
[resize=400] DavisPPCgun030.jpg [/resize]

Most PPC S&W revolvers were built on the K-frame. Usually the M10/64, with some built on the M14/15 if you weren't using a top rib.

They would also chamfer the rear of the chambers
[resize=400] 006.jpg [/resize]
...install trigger stops
[resize=400] 001-1.jpg [/resize]
...and shave the cylinder release to clear Dade speedloaders
[resize=400] DavisPPCgun033.jpg [/resize]

Thick sighting ribs, with mounted sights, were a common modification. Ron Power liked a pre-set (for range) rear, while Bill Davis liked his pre-set on the front
[resize=400] DavisPPCgun029.jpg [/resize]

[resize=400] 008.jpg [/resize]

a barrel twist? ive seen some old articles on specific twists to push particular wadcutters at specific bullseye velocity. But ive seen current companies and "bragging right photos" on internet boards with their pet ppc revolver loaded down with lead round nose.
Click to expand...
The best twist rate for the universal 148gr wadcutter was 1:14"

Colt Pythons already had this twist rate, as well as the under lugged barrel, and you'd often see them on the line shooting against bull barreled PPC guns.

Lead roundnose (158gr) was usually used for "Leg" Matches (think stock guns), the Python ruled this class, until S&W became more competitive with the introduction of the L-framed revolvers (586/686)

how do/did they compensate for the loss of the SW barrel lug being used to help secure the cylinder pin?
Click to expand...
The usual way was to install a "crane lock" to hold the crane and frame/barrel in alignment
[resize=400] 002-1.jpg [/resize]

[resize=400] 005.jpg [/resize]

Im curious because ive been seeing a few STOCK stainless steel k frames with adjustable sights being advertised as high end ppc gusn with a high end price.
Click to expand...
Maybe "Leg" guns
 
Well, I was going to post pics of my PPC revo, but there's no point now. ;)

One thing I noticed about PPC sights is that they seem sighted for a CoM hit while holding on the silhouette neck. IOW, if you're using a standard NRA bullseye target, you may find it shoots low.
 
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MrBorland said:
Well, I was going to post pics of my PPC revo, but there's no point now. ;)
Click to expand...
If you'd already posted, I wouldn't have :p

One thing I noticed about PPC sights is that they seem sighted for a CoM hit while holding on the silhouette neck. IOW, if you're using a standard NRA bullseye target, you may find it shoots low.
Click to expand...
The front blade is pretty tall to accommodate a "neck" hold at 50 yards...you place the head on top of the blade, like a 6 o'clock hold on a bullseye.

Some shooters also used this hold at 25 yards

The 7 yard zero position was meant to be a center hold for both 7 and 15 yards (well, top of the X-ring for 15 yards)

It was much easier than counting clicks on the rear sight of my Python "Leg" gun

For those of you still wondering, the above Davis Custom PPC revolver, which I had built on a S&W M14-4, now resides with MrBorland and likely getting much more attention than I was able to afford it
 
What we have seen here is the Open gun with bull barrel and rib.
There was also the Distinguished match which called for stock barrel and sights but with the usual slick action job. Distinguished had to be shot with "service ammunition" so got roundnose or semiwadcutters instead of wadcutters.
Less common were the Service Revolver with 4" barrel and Off Duty Revolver with 2.5" barrel. There were even rooney guns with those shorter barrels but still heavy barrels and ribs. I think they later barred short versions of the Open gun on the Service and Off Duty matches.

The Nationals included a match shot with the host police academy's training revolvers with 4" barrels, fixed sights, and stock actions. Guns and ammo issued on the firing line. Now THERE is a level playing field.

Of course the event has been contaminated by automatics for a good while now.
S&W occasionally runs off a batch of very fine pistols for the purpose and there are some very accurate 9mm 1911s being built for PPC Open Auto.
 
Just what gain in accuracy did the unde 4 inch guns get with the extra barrel weight?
 
Bezoar said:
Just what gain in accuracy did the unde 4 inch guns get with the extra barrel weight?
Click to expand...
Stable support to mount the rib, which allowed the pre-set sight adjustments, elongated sight radius, and flat rear blade, which allowed a consistent sight picture to their main gun.

I'm thinking 20-25 "Xs" over a 300 round CoF.
 
The guns used in the "Practical Pistol Course" have the same relationship to "practical" as NASCAR cars have to "stock".

Jim
 
Jim Watson said:
What we have seen here is the Open gun with bull barrel and rib.
There was also the Distinguished match which called for stock barrel and sights but with the usual slick action job. Distinguished had to be shot with "service ammunition" so got roundnose or semiwadcutters instead of wadcutters.
Less common were the Service Revolver with 4" barrel and Off Duty Revolver with 2.5" barrel. There were even rooney guns with those shorter barrels but still heavy barrels and ribs. I think they later barred short versions of the Open gun on the Service and Off Duty matches.

The Nationals included a match shot with the host police academy's training revolvers with 4" barrels, fixed sights, and stock actions. Guns and ammo issued on the firing line. Now THERE is a level playing field.

Of course the event has been contaminated by automatics for a good while now.
S&W occasionally runs off a batch of very fine pistols for the purpose and there are some very accurate 9mm 1911s being built for PPC Open Auto.
Click to expand...
Jim Watson, it's been a long time since I shot PPC but remember going to matches and shooting each leg. I used my Davis for open, a 6" L frame for Distinguished, service was a M15 and off duty my 36-1.

Had a lot of fun and met some great guys and gals. One Sgt from the Akron Ohio PD was a hoot. She always shot barefoot, winter or summer. And her scores put her in the top of her category.

I shot matches in the Midwest and Canada. Good people, good shooting and the banquets were lots of fun.

Thanks for reminding me!
 
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