I have read that J Frame sights are calibrated for 158gn. I have also read that 130-135's P+ are giving same POA/POI as the 158's. Does anyone have experience with both from the same revolver?
I have read that J Frame sights are calibrated for 158gn. I have also read that 130-135's P+ are giving same POA/POI as the 158's. Does anyone have experience with both from the same revolver?
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The lunatics are running the asylum
Yes. IME that isn't so.Originally Posted by UNK
I have multiple J frames in .38 Special and .357 Magnum, mostly with 1 7/8" barrels, from the scandium alloy lightest weight models to solid steel models.
The steel 1 7/8" barreled guns all seem to be regulated such that POI corresponds to POA for 158gr+P loads, best exemplified with Remington's premium LSWCHP.
NONE of those guns hit to POI with lighter weight rounds, with Gold Dot .38 Special+P 135gr JHP having been tested most consistently among all of them. The lighter Speer rounds consistently hit low.
The scandium alloy guns (340PDs, ostensibly in .357 Magnum) OTOH are very close to having POI = POI with said Gold Dot+P 135gr JHP load, but hit high with 158gr Winchester, Remington and Buffalo Bore +P LSWCHP loads.
"Therefore, since the world has still... Much good, but much less good than ill,
And while the sun and moon endure, Luck's a chance, but trouble's sure,
I'd face it as a wise man would, And train for ill and not for good." -- A.E. Housman
That's what I needed. Thank you.
I'll wager you a PF dollar™ 😎
The lunatics are running the asylum
When you find a j frame that shoots to the sights, treasure it. In my experience, it is a rare occurrence. I have a bunch of them and only one or two manage to regulate with anything. My most recent problem child is a 640 pro that shoots low with everything, like 4-6" low at 15 yards. So far the only thing that comes close to POA is a light .357 handload with a 180 grain bullet.
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disembodied soul is looking down at his own corpse wondering what happened.
The cure for the gross POI problem is often recrowning the barrel. Factory crowns, esp. S&W snubs are often pretty crappy.
I agree.
The original steel J frames are apparently intended to shoot to POA with 158gr+P loads.
Some definitely do. I have a treasured 649 that does so quite reliably.
The perceived commercial desire for extremely lightweight CCW guns has prompted S&W's production of the titanium/scandium alloy J frame guns, whether as primary or backup guns.
I've got two of 'em, both 340PDs, and have shot both of them extensively with every single commercial premium .357 Magnum round made, from 10 to 50 rounds each.
I'm not "recoil sensitive", and though the 125gr .357 Magnum loads truly weren't fun to shoot (hell, NONE of the .357 rounds were "fun"!), they were nonetheless controllable in (very) slow fire, and simply were neither particularly accurate nor especially precise in my hands, compared to the better premium .38 Special loads.
In my particular experience, the Gold Dot 135gr+P "short barrel" .38 Special+P loads provided the best accuracy and precision in these little featherweight revolvers.
As always, "YMMV".
I'm no longer a practitioner of J frame primary carry, personally, preferring a G26 or a Colt CCO in that role, and I no longer carry a backup gun at all (I'm not a LEO), except in rare circumstances, though I do always carry reloads.
"Therefore, since the world has still... Much good, but much less good than ill,
And while the sun and moon endure, Luck's a chance, but trouble's sure,
I'd face it as a wise man would, And train for ill and not for good." -- A.E. Housman
My J's perform better with heavier rounds. The lighter rounds were all over the place, the heavier rounds hit POA/POI well enough. For a time the 3x5 drill was my favorite drill to shoot with various pistols as a way of vetting carry loads and performance at various ranges. With the heavier rounds I actually shot a successful 3x5 drill, except with 5 rounds at each distance instead of the 6 the drill calls for. After I posted the video of that on FB, Todd sent me a message saying I had found a unicorn since that kind of accuracy from a J isn't common. I only have three J's, they all perform better with heavier rounds. Only one is capable of shooting the 3x5 drill successfully, (or is it I'm only able to put together a successful run with one J?), the others come close and there is a significant difference when trying a dot drill or something similar with the lighter rounds. High right is an understatement...
Last edited by Paul Sharp; 09-06-2016 at 07:42 PM.
"There is magic in misery. You need to constantly fail. Always bite off more than you can chew, put yourself in situations where you don't succeed then really analyze why you didn't succeed." - Dean Karnazes www.sbgillinois.com
This concurs with my experience. My '70s M60 shoots to POA with 158 grain ammo and low with Gold Dots. My 2013 442-2 does better with 135 grain Gold Dot.
I've been lucky over the years. I've owned probably 10 or so various J-frames since 1977. All have been close enough for center hits in the chest to 25 yards with wadcutters (my preference) or 158 gr LSW. My current 642 and 442 are no exception. Lighter and faster rounds, like the Gold Dot do shoot low.
I just purchased my first 642 and shot it for the first time today.
I used 148gr Federal Wadcutters. Even at 5 yards they shot about an inch high, increasing with distance from there.
Would the recommendation be to try lighter and faster such as the Gold dot, go heavier with a SWC or just get used to where the Federal wadcutters hit and move on?
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