smith 629 44 mag. what do you think is respecable shot groups?

Boolit Bub Join DateDec 2012Posts31

I finally had some time to try some of my cast loads in my 6.5" 629 smith. I cast rcbs 44 250 k and tried it with a couple of different loads here are the 50 yard 3 shot group results

22 gr H110 smallest was 3" and largest 6"
19 grains ramshot enforcer smallest was 3.5" and largest was 7"
7 grains red dot about 12" groups.
This is with iron sights and resting on a couple of sandbags.
are these decent or should I be trying to find better? The problem I have right now is finding powders to experiment.

Boolit Man Join DateJun 2010LocationWNYPosts136

For a stock factory gun a 3" group at 50yds off bags and a rest is about the best you can expect. I've seen some do better but for the "average" stock gun that's about what you're going to get. That's assuming you are a pretty good shooter on top of everything else. I've owned custom guns that would do 2" or less but they were very high end customs at about twice the cost of a stock 629.

Personally, I might be quite happy with 3" groups at 50 yards.
But I'm no sharpshooter.

Personally, I might be quite happy with 3" groups at 50 yards.
But I'm no sharpshooter.I would be Thrilled with 3" at 50 yards.

Shiloh

"A society of sheep must in time beget a government of wolves."
Bertrand de Jouvenel

?Any government that does not trust its citizens with firearms is either a tyranny, or planning to become one.? ? Joseph P. Martino

?If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert , in five years there would be a shortage of sand.? ? Milton Friedman

I don't see anything wrong with 3" groups at 50 for a handgun.

A 3" group at fifty yards with an iron sighted sixgun small enough to carry on your belt, which your Smith qualifies as, shows excellent shooting technique with a good load.

Boolit Bub Join DateDec 2012Posts31

I would be Thrilled with 3" at 50 yards.

Shiloh

3" was the best, 6" was the worst. average might be 4-5.5" The H110 shot slightly better than the enforcer. I think I will load a bunch up with 110. That will be my hunting/heavy load. I would like to get my 12" reduced loads a bit tighter. I'm using 7 grains red dot right now. I'd like to have just a couple of go to loads. I've had a bunch of different loads for other guns and it got to be a bit of a pain with keeping up with different components and constantly adjusting sights for different point of impacts.

Ditto. That is good shooting.

That firearm with good ammo and a good scope and rest is capable of around 1.5 to 2.0 inches at 50 yards with an occasional one incher.

If you are a really good shot that is not intimidated by the recoil and have good trigger control and good eyes You might expect two to three inches.

The NRA B-6 50 yard slow fire target has a ten ring slightly over 3" in diameter. Those bulls eye shooters hit it "with one hand behind their back."

First reload: .22 Hornet. 1956.

Where is John Galt?

(If you don't know, you owe it to yourself to find out. )
.

Boolit Man Join DateSep 2012Posts102

I'd experiment with slightly higher and lower charges of H110, maybe five 5-shot groups with each. It might do even better with one of those.

(but you're doing fine now)

I'm with William, 1.5 to 2 inches at 50 is doable, but I have trouble holding
that well with a 4" gun with irons. Put on a scope and I can still do it,
and can usually do it with my 6.5" powerport Mountain Gun 629.
This is rested. I spent some time getting a load that would do
that - but it is ELmer's load 20 gr 2400 under a softish 429421
or RCBS 44-250-K. Hard ones did noticably worse.

Oh, yeah - this is for 5 shots.

Bill

If it was easy, anybody could do it.

Boolit Master Join DateApr 2005LocationIowaPosts403

Every Smith is going to give different results as I have 2- 629s and other family members have 629s. For accuracy testing at 50 yds I use a Lee 1.0cc scoop of Unique under a 429421 sized to 433. My Smith is a 629-1 classic hunter with full lug unfluted cyl and Nothing has been done to it. One night I was short on time and out of loaded rounds but work was going to take me right past the range coming home the next day. In a panic I grabed that scoop and quickly loaded 50 as I didn't have time to set up the powder thrower. Wow! Did they group, maybe 1 - 1 1/2 but the gun was well bagged up and I was just pressing the trigger while holding the grip. H110 does ok for me but not the tightest groups. I think that stuff gives me an unconscious flinch or something. The 3 inch groups are starting to shoot, just keep experimenting.

You mentioned the problem of getting your 44 special level loads shooting to the same point of impact as the magnums in a long barrel sixgun. I like to keep my 44 magnums sighted in for full power loads in case I need them in a hurry. I never found a load with a bullet in the range of 240-260 grains that would shoot to the same point of impact even at close range with a long barrel, and the sixguns I used lacked the sight adjustment to zero a light 44 load. Even bullets as light as 215 grains shot too high with light loads. The only solution I found for the long barrel 44's was to use the NEI 185 grain double end wadcutter. I could sight the gun in for magnum loads at close range and adjust the powder charge behind the light bullet to hit at the same impact.

One reason I like the 4" Smith and even the 3" inch Smith is that I can use my RCBS mold which throws a 260 grain bullet and shoot them to the same point of impact with either heavy or light loads. They also shoot well with the 185 grain wadcutter.

Its funny when I think about it.
90% of my shooting is at 10 yards. At ten yards I can put them all in a golf ball and most of the time its just grape size hole with little 1/2 circles around it. When I move out to 20 yards my group opens up to a tennis ball with some flyers. My hands aren't as stead as they used to be. For me I go for "man accurate". If I can hit a man's t-shirt at any given distance then its good enough for me.
I would say 3 inch groups free hand (no rest) is good shooting at that distance.

Boolit Buddy Join DateSep 2012LocationEverett, WAPosts50

I used to own a 629 classic with a 8 3/8" barrel and 3" groups were very doable at 50 yards. with good ammo and steady aim I was even pullen down 2" groups on a good day. that revolver was scary accurate and its a real shame I had to sell it but it was too expensive to shoot and I needed money. (I wasn't reloading at that time)

So much depends on the shooter. I am easily satisfied with 3 inches at 50 yards. With much work I am sure I could learn to do better. Depends on whether or not I need better or of that level of accuracy meets my needs.

What matters is whether or not YOU are satisfied.

You don't want to know! I have owned 6 model 29's I had vision back then. Shooting Creedmore from the side of my leg and every single one would do 1/2" at 50 meters.
My problem with them was grip sensitivity that moved a group to different POI's. Groups never got larger, the group would just move if I put down the gun and picked it up again.
I can NOT shoot open sights from the bench, never could, distance to eyes or something. Creedmore moves the gun out more.
3" off hand is great at 50 yards but the S&W is capable of tiny from a rest.

With my old eyes, I would be quite happy with 3" groups @ 50yds w/ iron sights.

EVERY GOOD SHOOTER NEEDS TO BE A HANDLOADER.
NRA Cert. Inst. Met. Reloading & Basic Pistol

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