.38 special VS .357

[Flinttim]

After three months, I finally got to the range yesterday to shoot my gp100. When I bought it I also bought a couple boxes of American Eagle 38 special to plink with.I bought the gun used in excellent condition and assume it's been sighted in, but maybe not. Anyway, at 25yds the gun shoots about 2" left and 3" down. I'm going to pick up some .357 rounds this week. What should I expect ? I really did not want to touch the sights till I ran some .357s thru it. Likely the higher performance rounds will raise the impact point a couple of inches ?

 

[snapping turtle]

Low left but grouping together? Have you shot alot of revolvers?

Sounds like you are tighening the whole hand insead of just the trigger finger. Shoot it off an english rest and see what happens.

 

[brutalone]

Low left but grouping together? Have you shot alot of revolvers?

Sounds like you are tighening the whole hand insead of just the trigger finger. Shoot it off an english rest and see what happens.

Exactly what I was thinking.....

 

[Flinttim]

No, just .22 revolvers and not much of that either. Groups are pretty good for me. I'll give it a try. But , will .357 rounds print considerably different than the 38 at 25 yds ?

 

[XtremeVel]

After three months, I finally got to the range yesterday to shoot my gp100. When I bought it I also bought a couple boxes of American Eagle 38 special to plink with.I bought the gun used in excellent condition and assume it's been sighted in, but maybe not. Anyway, at 25yds the gun shoots about 2" left and 3" down. I'm going to pick up some .357 rounds this week. What should I expect ? I really did not want to touch the sights till I ran some .357s thru it. Likely the higher performance rounds will raise the impact point a couple of inches ?

No, just .22 revolvers and not much of that either. Groups are pretty good for me. I'll give it a try. But , will .357 rounds print considerably different than the 38 at 25 yds ?

I wouldn't change anything yet. You didn't say... A 4 inch barrel or 6 ? What weight bullet ?

Not really bad grouping considering what all you stated. ( new to centerfire revolvers, lower priced ammo, 25 yards )

I would bring in the target to maybe 7 yards and try another brand of ammo or two before making any changes. Maybe even try different bullet weights ( some guns will definately change point of impact with heavier/lighter weights).

Ammo can and usually does make a difference. It will have more to do with quality of ammo, bullet weight, and simply what your gun likes, rather than the performance of the round. In theory, a higher velocity round would LOWER your point of impacts.. I know this sounds backwards... Remember (2) things... First, all bullets start to drop the moment they leave the end of the muzzle. Also, visualize your recoil. The slower the bullet travels, the higher your muzzle will be under recoil the instant the bullet exits the muzzle.

 

[the1kidd03]

Actually, I would have to disagree and say that a round arches out a muzzle. While it does immediately start to lose velocity the round actually inclines initially before the decrease it starts to drop creating an arch. Regardless, it sounds to me like the OP has some trigger control issues to practice out more so than different ammo selection.Low and left being the common indicator of the flexing the muscles in the hand when squeezing the trigger, further indicating the shooter is not maintaining a tight grip on the weapon.

 

[XtremeVel]

I can't think of any round that is not subject to gravity. All rounds start dropping once it leaves the muzzle. Now, I can see how some might think a round such as a 3000+ FPS (5.56) out of an AR would " arch ", but it doesn't. It too, plays under the same rules of gravity. What appears to be a arch, is the relationship with the weapons sites and line of site. I'm not wording this right, but someone more familiar with the AR platform will explain this much better.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

It's arching, but that's because of the sighting. If you zero a rifle at 100 yards, you have to aim it slightly up to account for the drop over 100yd and it will hit a bit high at 50yd, where it peaks. If you zero at 200, it peaks at 100. It's arching a bit, but only because the barrel is pointed ever so slightly up. There's no magic in a bullet that would make it go up from a level barrel.

 

[DaveO]

Sounds like it was covered pretty well. How far is your finger wrapped around the trigger?

 

[the1kidd03]

Sounds like it was covered pretty well. How far is your finger wrapped around the trigger?

thats largely a matter of personal preference based on level of accuracy from different trial methods...I barely have finger tip on one model of gun and another it wraps around first knuckle

 

[Flinttim]

4" barrel. Breaking the trigger with the pad of the finger under the nail. More range time it is. I hate that .:-)

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

Oh man, don't envy ya that!

 

[DaveO]

The first revolver that I owned was a Ruger Single Six. When I first started shooting it I would sometimes wrap my finger in to far and I would end up with a group to the left. That's why I asked. Hadn't really done much shooting at all at that time. Pratice, Practice.