GP100 In Local IDPA Match

[revchuck38]

IMR4227 is a slow powder that works well in full-power magnum loads. A medium-speed powder like Unique or BE-86 would've given you that velocity and been much cleaner burning.

[Jim Watson]

Right, I load .44 Magnum with IMR 4227 because it is perceptibly more accurate in MY gun even though it does not give 2400 or 296 velocity and leaves a lot of unburnt powder behind.

[JonInWA]

Excellent and much appreciated input, guys. Looks like my reloader will be trying the Bulle Eye powder route for the next batch. While I can live with the toothbrushing out the ejector star and rear cylinder in a match, it's a bit of a pain.

And I'm very interested to hear Winchester's response, but unless they provide me with a sufficient amount to test and vet before I use for duty/EDC, I'm kind of donme with it, which is a shame, given it's previous street cred in duty use. But if I can't trust it, I won't use it.

Best, Jon

[Lester Polfus]

Excellent and much appreciated input, guys. Looks like my reloader will be trying the Bulle Eye powder route for the next batch. While I can live with the toothbrushing out the ejector star and rear cylinder in a match, it's a bit of a pain.

And I'm very interested to hear Winchester's response, but unless they provide me with a sufficient amount to test and vet before I use for duty/EDC, I'm kind of donme with it, which is a shame, given it's previous street cred in duty use. But if I can't trust it, I won't use it.

Best, Jon

Right? Currently I have a stash of AE 158 JSP that I carry in both the GP100 and the 1894c. My plan was to perhaps carry the Silvertips in the GP100, and reserve my stash of 158 AE JSP for just the lever gun. But how many of the 60 rounds of Silvertips should I crack off before I'm comfortable that the rest will go bang?

[Stephanie B]

I have purchased Winchester revolver ammunition 3 times in the last 8 years:

In 2013 during the Sandy Hook ammo panic, I scored a couple boxes of Winchester .38 special ammo. I think it was White Box 130 grain MC? if there was such a thing. I had multiple failures to fire out of the box out of an otherwise reliable J-frame. I also had rounds that were noticeably hard to seat in the cylinder because the brass visibly got bigger toward the base. It was like there was a ring of metal above the rim that was larger than the outside diameter of the rest of the cartridge, if that makes sense.

I don't know what to tell you. I've probably fired a couple thousand rounds of W-W White Box .38 (130gr MC) through S&W revolvers from J- to N-frames over the last several years and I've had none of the problems that you have had.

[Stephanie B]

Frakking duplicate post.

(Mods, feel free to delete at your leisure.)

[Lester Polfus]

Frakking duplicate post.

(Mods, feel free to delete at your leisure.)

Right? A cursory internet search didn't turn up anything that suggested this was a widespread problem, but in those particular cases, I had visible defects on the brass. Maybe I did something to piss of Winchester in a former life?

I was pretty surprised too. I've seen all sorts of chicanery with cheap Eastern European ammo and some of the sketchy ammo makers that pop up during shortages (AMERC brass, anyone?) but typically I've had good luck with FedRemChester ammo. I try not to buy anything other than decent US ammo, particularly if I'm buying in bulk.

[JonInWA]

Winchester is stepping up to resolve the issus with the .357 145 gr Silvertips, the next step in the process is to ship my remaining rounds to them for analysis and reeimbursement. They've been pretty timely in their responses to this so far.

This has been a great learning curve. Once resolved (both mechanical issues and ammunition issues-and I'm presuming that the "mechanical issue" part is put to rest at this point)-will provide a clear path for relatively uninterrupted GP100 use. I'm carrying it today, with the Federal 158 gr HydraShoks.

I'm almost hesitant to mention this, because of the host of potential factors that are interplaying here, but so far I've had far fewer issues over yeasrs of use and thousands of rounds with my Glocks, HKs, Beretta, Ruger P89 and Security Six...

I think things will work out well at the end of the day, but for those who march stalwartly forward proclaiming the innate and intrinsic mechanical and performance/reliability superiority of a revolver over a semi-automatic, all I would say is that it's best to keep such assertations to yourself until you've thoroughly vetted all aspects of your revolver's use...the gun, ammunition, ergonomics, components...

Best, Jon

[gato naranja]

I'm almost hesitant to mention this, because of the host of potential factors that are interplaying here, but so far I've had far fewer issues over years of use and thousands of rounds with my Glocks, HKs, Beretta, Ruger P89 and Security Six...

To paraphrase Briscoe Darling, "Them boys is gonna be all riled up."

But it is a valid point to consider. I concluded long ago that the best thing a wheelgun gave to me was the ability to use a cornucopia of ammunition that would defeat an autoloader; reliability comparisons between the two were pretty inconclusive. My clinging to the 870 rather than going to a semiauto shotgun is an echo of that ammunition consideration.

[JonInWA]

Quick update: Last weekend, I re-qualified with the GP100 for duty. With 158 gr .357 fodder. Duty loads will be Federal Premium 158 gr JHP HydraShoks or Remington SJHP 158 gr HTP, both of which I've veted in my GP100. The remainder of the 145 gr Winchester Silvertips that I had significant light strike/non-detonation issues are now with Winchester for evaluation...

And yeah, there's the painful sting inherent to 158 gr full house stuff. I'm looking at gloves....

Best, Jon