The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

1066 wrote:These are 158 gn TC cast lead shot through my Winchester 64AE. 5 shot groups at 25 yards. .357 case, 4.5gn Bullseye for about 1,040fps and 4.5gn Unique for about 1,020fps. I've stuck with the Unique, it's a bit sooty but I like it.

What I would expect from a lever action, I am more concerened with the Rhino LBR

The length of barrel has very little to do with accuracy, it's much more to do with sight radius and the ability to hold the thing steady. A reasonable quality revolver with a 6" barrel, when shot from a Ransom rest is well capable of ragged hole groups at 25 yards. A quality target pistol, something like a Walther GSP, Pardini, FAS, Hammerli will have something like a 4-5" barrel but can keep all shots comfortably in the 10 ring at 25yds. Shooting with open sights is the hard part, a fraction of misalignment of the front sight means inches on the target.

If you keep the velocity within the sweet spot, say somewhere between 850 and 1,050 fps, use a suitable soft lead/lubricated bullet. Shoot it from a well supported position with sandbags you should soon find a load that suits the pistol - just develop the load methodically with the aid of a chronograph if possible.

1066 wrote:The length of barrel has very little to do with accuracy, it's much more to do with sight radius and the ability to hold the thing steady. A reasonable quality revolver with a 6" barrel, when shot from a Ransom rest is well capable of ragged hole groups at 25 yards. A quality target pistol, something like a Walther GSP, Pardini, FAS, Hammerli will have something like a 4-5" barrel but can keep all shots comfortably in the 10 ring at 25yds. Shooting with open sights is the hard part, a fraction of misalignment of the front sight means inches on the target.

If you keep the velocity within the sweet spot, say somewhere between 850 and 1,050 fps, use a suitable soft lead/lubricated bullet. Shoot it from a well supported position with sandbags you should soon find a load that suits the pistol - just develop the load methodically with the aid of a chronograph if possible.

What if you're using open sights such as the aristocrats which are not on the tip of the barrel?

Gh0st wrote:
What if you're using open sights such as the aristocrats which are not on the tip of the barrel?

You'll need to enlighten me a little more there, have you got a link to what you're thinking of? Aristocrat do a range of stuff for revolvers/pistols like an "add on" rib comprising both front and adjustable rear sight and also a rib with Weaver type rail to mount an optical sight.

If you are mounting any kind of optical sight on a pistol (cheating of course :) ) the sight radius/barrel length is irrelevant as long as you can hold it steady.