heavier bullets in SBH

Noreaster

New member
I usually fire 240 grain through my SBH with some knuckle bite from the dragoon trigger guard. The worst I've gotten was from 180 Remingtons. How are the heavier bullets, say 260-300 grain. I've been looking at the 300 xtp load and was wondering how the kick compares to 240 WWB. Factory loads only, I don't reload.
 
I would say if your banging with the 180's on your finger either the SBH grip frame is to big for your hands or your just using a bad hold on the grip. I only shoot the 44 Mag with heavy bullets 300/325gr at around 1200 fps. I always use a plnky under hold with all my plow handle frames. No problem with any of the BH's. I even have small hands.
 
By pinky hold do you have your pinky off the grip. The bite isn't too bad but after a half a box I develop a slight flinch. I tried a Pach grip and didn't care for it.
 
Most people that shoot my SBH use a double-action or semi-auto grip, and they get their knuckles busted by the trigger guard - even with light loads.
As for me... it has only happened twice. Both instances were my fault, and I was shooting fairly stout 310 gr loads.


Heavier loads may have more recoil, but lighter loads have 'snappier' recoil. I think any knuckle-busting is caused by improper grip, much more than by bullet weight (assuming all loads are just as 'hot').
 
Pinky-Under grip:

47221619.jpg
 
The Remmie 180s are known for their stoutness. Ain't no fun when a gun bites and does nuttin' at all for one's accuracy.
 
I have a 45/70 Contender pistol that I can shoot without a hiccup but the SBH keeps gettin me on the trigger finger or middle finger knuckle.
 
My first .44 was a Three Screw SBH I bought back in the early seventies. It beat up my hand so bad with the factory ammo available at that time, I traded it in on a 20 ga. SxS woodcock gun, and I gave up on .44 mag for a coupla decades till I discovered how much better S&W D.A. revolvers fit my hand. Grips and how a gun fits you makes a world of difference.
 
In my experience, the lighter bullets in .44 bite worse than the heavier bullets. I think the recoil impulse is just faster. A good grip helps, but I'd much rather stick with 300 grain bullets.
 
On a side note I shot a little buck today with my .50 cal using light .45 cal spire bullets. Perfect shot but I had to track it for awhile. Never had that problem with heavy XTP .44 sabots using less powder! I'm going back to slower and heavier rounds in my guns!
 
I am buggered to find that I do not have any chronograph data for the 290’s I loaded in my Ruger SuperBlack Hawk. I did chronograph them later in my S&W M629 classic.

The whole experience in the SBH was an unpleasant experience. That Dragoon trigger guard ate up my support hand. That squared end gouges skin! and 290’s recoil something awful.



The experience in my M629 was less painful due to the softer Hogue X grips and the rounded trigger guard.

Code:
[SIZE="3"]S&W M629-4  5" Barrel		
		 			
					
					
					
290 LSWC 17.0 grs AA#9 CCI 300				
21-Oct-00	T = 75 °F				
					
Ave Vel =	1114	 			 
Std Dev =	22				
ES =	79.62	 			
Low =	1070				
High =	1150				
N =	21				
Very accurate					
					
290 LSWC 17.5 grs AA#9 CCI 300				
21-Oct-00	T = 75 °F				
					
Ave Vel =	1140	 			
Std Dev =	17				
ES =	63.18	 			
Low =	1114				
High =	1177				
N =	18				
		Very accurate			
					
290 LSWC 18.0 grs AA#9 CCI 300				
21-Oct-00	T = 75 °F				
		 			 
Ave Vel =	1181				
Std Dev =	24	 			
ES =	110.3				
Low =	1145				
High =	1256				
N =	17				
					


[URL=http://smg.photobucket.com/user/SlamFire/media/Smith%20and%20Wesson%20Pistols/HogueXgriponM629-4sideviewDSCN6334.jpg.html][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v479/SlamFire/Smith%20and%20Wesson%20Pistols/HogueXgriponM629-4sideviewDSCN6334.jpg[/IMG][/URL][/SIZE]
Overall, I don’t like shooting 44 magnums, and I dislike even more shooting bullets heavier than 240 grain in the 44 Magnum.

Call me a wimp, but I don’t like hard recoil and muzzle blast anymore.
 
Yes I looked on line for a bisley grip frame and in the end it looked like too much money and work. I just ordered the Hogue grips.
 
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