S&W Model 0f 1955 load

If 4.8 BE with 200 Hornady JSWC shot absolutely great, what BE charge would you try with 185 Zero or Nosler, or 185 JSWC Hornady??????

This is with Auto Rim brass

Do a ladder.
I tried 3.8be under the 185 Zero and it was incredibly accurate with recoil less than a .22.
I had to use a recoil spring out of a ball point pen and it still wouldn't cycle the gun--but in your revolver, it might be really awesome.

Rob,

This is interesting. I have been testing 3.7 of BE with old Bull-X 185's in the stock Range Officer and found that they functioned fine in my pistol. I am considering trying 3.6 and maybe moving to the 15lb recoil spring, if necessary.

Reduced loads work excellent in a stock RO. The stock RO barrel fit isn't tight (hood, upper lugs and bottom lugs) and will allow cycling of powder puff loads. 25 yards is only distance I would shoot the lighter loads. At 50 you will notice larger groups than standard BE loads. Pistol is coming out of battery too soon due to factory barrel fit. I know people like to say photos/video shows bullet out of barrel before cycling, but from hand you will see a definate difference between BE fit barrel and factory fit. I love light loads )
Jon

Thanks Jon, that makes sense. The same loads out of my Ball gun, are iffy. On the other hand 4.6 of BE and a 185 Nosler, cycles the Ball gun fine. The Spring is stock, but at least 12 years old and I have not tested it on the Spring Gauge since I have had it over the last 3 years.

I have not tested the RO at 50 yet either with any loads.

Hello Jack H,

As you are referring to a revolver; I would caution you about jacket separation using really light loads with any jacketed hollow/soft point bullet.  I am a huge fan of the Nosler bullet at around 780 feet per second in my autoloaders (one of my favorite loads being 4.5 grains of Bullseye) but would not use it in my revolvers.  I would recommend being closer to 900 feet per second in your Smith.

As an aside; my revolvers love, using .45ACP brass, the Hornady 230 grain FMJ bullet at around 750 feet per second.

Keep us posted; I am curious what you settle on.

Jim

Search out Babe Magnan's article; he was a revolver man and well above 2600 with it

I recall he like it Hot and used linotype

Hi Jack, Missed you at Roddys match yesterday. I had my 25 with me but shot the 14-6. I have 3 favorite loads for mine.

3.8 gr BE with a 200gr L-SWC (not what you asked but what I shoot the most)

4.2 gr BE with a 185gr Nosler  ( very accurate but costs twice as much to shoot)

7.8 gr Unique with 185gr XTP  ( Auto Rim only, Hot load, very accurate, Mule Deer load)

Len

Yeah, I missed the match again.  Works fault.  Maybe next month. 

Here is the S&W 1955 and a five shot offhand with the 4.8 BE and 200 Hornady.