S&W mode 14-3

J

Jeryray

New member
I hope this is the correct place to ask my question.

Been using my 14-3 for 45 years.

I did stop for some 25 of those years. I am back shooting, after cleaning and checking this pistol.

Seems when I shoot at 50 feet I am getting a round once in a while out of the black.

So I tried bench resting (no Vice yet) used my loads, factory loads.

What seems to be the norm is the first shot is at 11 o clock

One of the other range folks says it's cold barrel symptom?

Never heard of that.

The barrel and rifling look OK. Used a Lewis lead remover, don't see any lead.

Using 158g Berry jacketed with 3.0 Bullseye

Any Ideas while I wait for my vice rest?

TIA
 
Just shooting at possibilities here, but here goes.
For about $15.00 you can get a 5.5mm Android Borescope Inspection HD camera. You can run that up the barrel and see if you have a cylinder not lining up with the forcing cone. One possibility is you're shaving lead and causing a bullet to not behave as the others. These cameras aren't as wonderful as true bore scopes or high dollar systems, but they'll let you peek at the alignment of the barrel and cylinder holes. The adjustable light will also let you see how well you are or are not cleaning. Plus, they're just kind of handy to have around the house. And they are available for non-android type phones- check Amazon.

Another possibility might be that you goobered the crown when using that lead remover? I doubt it, as I would think all rounds would go wonky.
 
I'd say pay attention to whether that errant shot always comes from the same chamber. If it does, that rules out a barrel & crown issue.

Also check to see if you get the same effect (from the same chamber) shooting cast bullets. If you don't (i.e. all shots hit true), my bet is that one of the throats is a tad larger, such that it's too big for a jacketed bullet, but still ok when shooting cast bullets.

Checking chamber alignment isn't a bad idea, either.
 
Start closer and get some upper body toning exercise.
An 11 o'clock shot indicates anticipating the recoil or pushing the trigger. Pushing the trigger means your finger isn't far enough onto the trigger. Trigger should be just inside the pad of your trigger finger.
Have a look at this too. http://www.targetshooting.ca/docs/Pistol_Shot_Analysis.pdf
3.0 of Bullseye is .1 under minimum for a cast 158. You work up the load? 3.5 is max.
No jacketed data on Alliant's site for some daft reason.
 
I visually checked the cylinder alignment with lights on either side, I think it's OK.

Went to the range and bench tested the 14-3 with a clamped bench rest at 50 feet.

Attached are 3 targets where it shows the groups get tighter as the barrel gets warm, it is 47 years old. Cleaned and cleaned. But the same results.

Should I try to have the barrel changed, maybe the cylinder too?

Also my re-loads have a very poor group, not sure why.
 

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You are like me getting old and jest do not as good. We are not as strong as we use to be that has something to do with are shooting and are eyes has changed so be happy that you are able to go shooting. GOOD SHOOTING
 
All the Berry's bullets I have seen were plated, not jacketed.
Plated bullets are not usually as accurate as cast or jacketed.

Do not underload jacketed bullets, you can shoot the core out and leave the jacket stuck. Saw it happen.
 
Berry's are decent bullets (they are not jacketed as you said, they are eletroplated) and make for easy cleanup and little worries about bullet diameter as you can sometimes face with cast lead bullets. But they are NOT what anyone would likely choose for gult-edged accuracy.

Bullseye shooters are a fantastic judge of this kind of thing... competition Bullseye shooters simply don't ever choose a plated bullet by ANY maker.

I suggest that you find some 148gr soft swaged hollowbase wadcutters and load those if you really want to make a K-38 Masterpiece sing. 2.7gr of Bullseye will do it. Many folks prefer W231 if you like that.
 
I've found plated bullets okay for just banging around, but not for serious grouping. I would consider those bullets as the probably cause of your grouping problem.
I recently bought a couple of 3" Smiths with fixed sights and went out to try some loads at 7 yds. to see what shot best out of them. I tried factory JHP's, my reloads using Hornady JSP's, and reloads using plain old SWC lead. The lead SWC's outperformed the rest by a wide margin. Even with my jacketed loads, the groups were in the 2" range, but with the SWC's I shot one big hole!
Try some good old lead SWC's over the proven load of 2.7 Gr. of Bullseye, and I think you will see your model 14 perform as it should.
I've never seen a model 14 that wasn't a shooter...
 
Great info, what swc heads did you use?
Need to find some that I can get shipped. Only bullets around these parts are the berrys.

What weight?

Thanks
 
I’m confused. You initially expressed concern that one shot (the first) in a cylinder doesn’t shoot true, but the tone of the thread seems more concerned with overall accuracy.

At any rate, yes, load up some 148 HBWCs or 158 SWCs over bullseye and re-test from a rest.
 
At first that's what I thought until true bench rest test, multiple times.
Bring it to the gunsmith for a new barrel, it lasted over 45 years.

After warming up, my old 148g 2.6 bullseye was better, but not as it once was.
 
I don't shoot bullseye anymore, and haven't for years...so I gave up shooting the full wadcutters. I have used various SWC's bought in bulk with good results, and prefer 158 gr. weight.
 
I do have 158 g swc, perhaps my crimp or depth is not optimum, factory loads tighter groups, my old 148g wads are better than my new 158 berrys?
 
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