Range time with .38 special: Ruger Security Six, Smith 642, Taurus 85

[binkerton]

Along those lines I picked up a new range toy. Been along time since I've had a .357. Gotta say I'm enjoying this old school gem

Is that a Speed 6 with a 4" barrel?

 

[armalitesheepdog]

Is that a Speed 6 with a 4" barrel?

Police six 4" barrel. Mint. No box though.

 

[SAILORGOLF46]

I always take a security 6 w/4 in barrel to the range for some old school fun. Death to the plate rack with my shaky hands.

 

[Steve]

Had a Security Six 4" and a Speed Six 2 3/4" back in the day. Loved both guns. Very accurate and reliable and so simple to disassemble for a through cleaning. Eventually had to sell both of them (a young families needs come 1st) and have always regretted it. But time moves on and my GP 100 4" has eased the burden in my heart.

 

[doddg]

Been out of town, but I finally got to take the SW 64-5 back to the range after deciding to buy it from my friend instead of selling it for him, haha!

Ignore the top row.
The revolver 64-5 DAO is in the middle & last row circles.
Intended to shoot it at 21', but since the target was set at 30' for the top row 9mm, I just kept it at 30'.
6 rounds on each 5.75" circles.
Bottom left target had 5/6 rounds grouped better than I can shoot.
I believe we are witnessing my peak, never to be had again, haha!
Sweet shooting gun!

 

[SAILORGOLF46]

Great shooting with the M64, I also have a 64 that if I hold still it will shoot like an extension of my pointed finger. Pre lock stainless S&W's are my weakness.

 

[doddg]

Great shooting with the M64, I also have a 64 that if I hold still it will shoot like an extension of my pointed finger. Pre lock stainless S&W's are my weakness.

It certainly was a surprise to myself!
I wasn't looking to pick up a home defense revolver, but my weakness for "3rd gen" Smiths came into play AGAIN, haha!
That's what I get b/c of my propensity to post range targets of everything I sell, since I had an ad ready to post, but I went out of town & decided to buy it myself.
I would have preferred it to have been a DA/SA for my ego at the range, but the chance to own one of my best friend's guns that he's hade for over 2 decades was too much to pass up.
Guns I sold him back in the late 80s I picked up at auction for $15-$25 have turned out to be worth hundreds lately.
But, everyone has those stories of wudda-shudda!

 

[doddg]

This was .38 specials day.
I had a Taurus 856 I bought last May since I have a Ruger LCR .38 sp, 5 rds, & I wanted the 856 with 6 rds.
Two days ago I had a chance to get another 856 w/o a hammer & gladly did so.
I will be selling my original 856 with the hammer.
But I wanted to take both to the range today for a last range time with the first one I'd bought.

The 1st row was the "new" 856 w/o a hammer.
POI was 6-8" low on a rest (38 pts) & 10-12" low free hand (34 pts).
The 2nd row was my original 856 with a hammer, & the POI was Ok & I didn't have to aim high, as you can see with the 1st round being high.
33 & 41 pts on a rest & free hand, respectfully.
My Ruger LCR had great POI, with 48 pts on a rest & 39 pts free hand.
I obviously need practice with snubbies, especially free hand, haha!

 

[doddg]

I put 4 coats of white & 3 coats of red on the front sight.
I was blind, and now I can see!
But, I still can't see details on the blue silhouette, but love the red circles!
I got to shoot it last Friday & was glad to try out the "new" front red sight.
I splurged & shot 65 rounds & thought I'd taken pics of the targets last Friday, but hadn't.
Got 40+ rounds today.
I really like how it shoots.
I can shoot it free hand as well as on a rest which is uncommon.
Love that it's DAO: pulling a long trigger on a revolver is as God intended for real men to shoot, haha!

Top left 5.75" circle.
POI 1' - 2" low, some POA adjustment at 21'
Ignore the middle & bottom 9mm circles.


30' which the top left pic shows POI 4" & 5" low.
Corrected using Kentucky elevation techniques on top right pic, haha!
Ignore the middle & bottom 9mm circles.


Really fun at 15' shooting the 2 small pics above the shoulders.
On the torso, I couldn't see the "X" or where my rounds where hitting or I could have used Kentucky windage methods, haha!

 

[jwamplerusa]

Been out of town, but I finally got to take the SW 64-5 back to the range after deciding to buy it from my friend instead of selling it for him, haha!

Ignore the top row.
The revolver 64-5 DAO is in the middle & last row circles.
Intended to shoot it at 21', but since the target was set at 30' for the top row 9mm, I just kept it at 30'.
6 rounds on each 5.75" circles.
Bottom left target had 5/6 rounds grouped better than I can shoot.
I believe we are witnessing my peak, never to be had again, haha!
Sweet shooting gun!
View attachment 237490

Nice shooting!

 

[doddg]

Enjoyed getting the revolvers out today for function checks with the snubbies & just sheer fun with the SW 64-5.

Using reloads: 135 grain.
All revolvers DAO.
Top row with the Ruger LCR.
Not labelled, but on the left is on a rest & on the right is free hand & did about the same.
Bottom row is with the Taurus 856.
The middle target is using the beloved SW 64-5 4" barrel, very smooth.
I also put five 1" red dots between and/or beside each of the bigger circles for more shooting with the SW 64.
My POI was much better on the 1" dots than the larger middle targets using the SW 64.
I shot 5 rds on the big targets on the top & bottom rows.
I put 10 rds in the middle target (x5 on a rest & x5 free hand) with the SW 64 & looks like I need to go back to school.


Taurus 856 practice rounds at 1" red dots at only 15': POI low.


Pleased with 3 of 5 rds. centered better than I normally can do free hand.
Practice with the LCR on 5.75" circles, but at only 15'.

 

[doddg]

Love shooting the SW 64-5 revolver.
Nothing like a DAO revolver in .38 sp with a 4" barrel, except for a 6".
This could be improved by running a couple of boxes through.

 

[Magyars]

Spent time at 40' and 20' with all the 38s today.

Short version, at 40' in S/A the Taurus wins hands down.
(1" means 1" from a middle point = a 2" circle, therefore, 4" around a middle point = an 8" circle)
The Ruger had a 6 round cylinder (I should have loaded only 5 for accurate comparison)

2" Taurus wins: 3 to 0/Ruger and 0/Smith (D/A only)
3" Taurus wins big again: 4 to 2/Ruger and 1/Smith (D/A only)
4" Taurus wins big again: 6 to 2/Ruger and 2/Smith (D/A only)
5" Ruger wins: 10 to 7/Taurus and 3/Smith (D/A only)

Short version at 20' in D/A = Taurus wins hands down.

2" Taurus wins: 5 to 2/Smith and 0/Ruger
3" Taurus wins: 10 to 7/Ruger and 4/Smith
Ruger beats out the Smith in the wider hits.

Short version at 20' in S/A = Ruger wins big (Smith 642 hammerless, no S/A)

1" Ruger beats Taurus by 1 round
2" Both tie (8 rounds each)
3" Ruger/12 to Smith/8 (Smith only had 10 rounds, but it still makes the point)

Smith 642 would have to go if trimming, but since it is hammerless it has utility for a CC.
Amazing to me that the Taurus beats out the Ruger in D/A: I know it is me, the X-factor.

Maybe I missed it, but what load(s) are you using?

 

[doddg]

Maybe I missed it, but what load(s) are you using?

You didn't miss it.
I was using misc ammo I had left over in plastics bags & even some reloads, with 9mm & .38 sp.
Normally, I write down the ammo use, especially with .22LR, but not today.
Today, I was just trying to get rid of some of that hodgepodge of ammo.

 

[doddg]

Picked up some 38 sp 135 grain reloads.
Nothing like shooting a .38 special.
This DAO gives great trigger time.



I couldn't even see the circles in the torso at 25 yds, only the outline of the silhouette, haha!

 

[doddg]

Got out the .38 specials, which I only have 2 left:
- SW 64-5 DAO, 6 rd (home defense)
- Ruger LCR 38 DAO, 5 rd, no hammer (pocket carry)

15' & 21' with SW 64-5 DAO & Ruger LCR 38 DAO
Should have used my 5.75" circles.
Don't know what happened with 1st row SW 64-5, 3rd circle:
NOT ONE of 5 rds got on the 3.75" circle?
I was flabbergasted.
(ignore last row of Ruger Security 9)


SW 64-5 at 30' on 5.75" circles in Febr. 2022.

 

[doddg]

Originally put this in my 9mm thread by mistake Jan 23.
Moved here in my .38 special thread even though this is a .357 mag.
But, I can't delete this.

Sold SW 64 DAO.
Bought a Taurus 66, .357 magnum, 7 rd, 4", SS from a member here that I previously have bought/sold 22LR rifles with.

I like having a revolver in the house.
Smooth DA trigger.
Shot reloads only today, which might explain some fliers, or at least gives me excuse.
85 rds today.

Shot only 38 sp.
Did some some rear sight adjustments since POI was left & low for my eyes.
3.75" circles at 15, 21 & 30' free hand & rest using both SA & DA.
1st row was only free hand.

 

[doddg]

63 more rounds with the Taurus 66 .357 magnum, 4", 7 rds, SS.

.38 special reloads:
- 140 gr
- RN-FP bullets

1st row: 30' DAO free hand, SAO free hand & DAO on a rest.
2nd row: 21' DAO free hand, SAO free hand & DAO on a rest.
3rd row: 15' DAO free hand, SAO free hand & DAO on a rest.
I can really tell I rarely shoot anything except .22LR anymore.
3.75" circles

 

[doddg]

Function check with my Ruger LCR .38 special.
It is my revolver CC.
Only revolver today, but shot five 9mm for function checks.

At only 15' on 3.75" circles using 2 types of reloads
5 rds each circle.

 

[DadSmith]

Function check with my Ruger LCR .38 special.
It is my revolver CC.
Only revolver today, but shot five 9mm for function checks.

At only 15' on 3.75" circles using 2 types of reloads
5 rds each circle.
View attachment 341381

Have you tried 148gr wadcutters?