Range Report, Nickel M58

A

ACP230

New member
I got to the range with the nickel M58 this afternoon.

I had a large International Rapid Fire silhouette target up and started standing at three yards shooting my .41 reloads double action. The loads use a 215 grain LSWC bullet with enough Unique to get 1,000 fps out of a six-inch M57. I shot a group in the 10 ring spanning two and a quarter inches, shooting double action. The double action felt hard to me in dry fire, but didn't bother me in actual shooting.

Then I shot Remington Factory 210 grain soft point loads from 50 feet single action using a bench and bags. The group was two and three quarter inches and centered around the target's neck. The softpoints were quite loud under the shooting cover. Once I saw a four- inch fireball at the end of the barrel. These are not loads to shoot all day for fun, my left ear felt like it was going to ring after these loads, even though I had a fairly decent pair of ears on.

Next were reloads made with 296 powder and a 230 grain LSWC. I shot four into two and a half inches on one side of the head and put two on the other side making the total group five and a quarter inches.

I shot some double action from 50 feet from standing with my reloads and saw the group expand to four and three quarter inches. It was also low, two shots barely touched the paper. The 296 went into four and a quarter inches single action, but the group was more centered.

Either the gun or I have the tendency to shoot two distinct groups, one with some shots touching and another high, or off to one side. I might be shifting my grip between shots.

The gun looks good, and shoots pretty well too. I wonder how it would have done with the box of the Remington 210 LSWC I thought I'd brought, but left home instead. Those are the original "Police" load and runs about 900 fps. It shoots well from my M57 and both my .41 Magnum Ruger Redhawks. It looks like I'll have to be making another range trip soon.
:)
 
58's

I always liked these old guns, thought the .41 was about the sensible power ceiling for the n-frame Smith. I have always preferred fixed sights as well, assuming they are correctly regulated. About the only thing I'd like better is the 58 set up for moon clips in .45 ACP.

Congrats on a good-shootin' old sixgun.
 
58's are one of my favorites. I seem to shoot my nickel 58 a bit better than the blue one I have though. I think it might be because I can see the sights a bit better on the nickel.

I was at the range this morning with my 58 and put a few of the silvertips though it. I was expecting it to group very low due to the load. It turned out not to be as bad as I expected at 25 yards. About 2.5-3" low.
 
Just Me?

Is it just me, or does the .41 Mag round seem to have a sharper recoil and be more unpleasant to shoot than the .44 Mag?

V/r

Chuck
 
I agree

I swear my old nickel mod. 58 with the hot soft point loads is much more brutal in the recoil dept than a .44. It seems the recoil is sharper and more abrubt. Makes my hand tingle a little. The bigger bores seem to push more than slap my hand. The first gun I carried though, wouldn't get rid of it.
 
I took the M58 to the range again this morning and fired it from 50 feet offhand in single action. All six were in the 10 ring of a International Rapid Fire Silhouette target. The 10 ring on these is six inches long by four inches wide. All my shots were in the bottom half of it, so the group should have been about three and a half inches or so. (I didn't measure it as I had some .22 benchrest matches to shoot.) My 10 year-old son, a pretty good shot himself and not too easily impressed, said, "Nice shooting, Dad."
:)

Then I shot a cylinder full offhand and in semi-quick double action. A couple went high, and two strayed off into the eight ring. I still put a hurt on the target, but obviously need more practice. Son said, "You really like that gun, don't you."
"Yes, son, I do."

Next time I'm going to do some shooting with it at 50 yards.
 
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