Revolver accuracy tricks

[Buzzdraw]

One thing overlooked on wheel guns is checking the chamber throat and matching it to bullet diameter. I have had revolvers (Smith and Colt both) that had different size throats in the cylinder. That makes it difficult to find a load that shoots consistently unless you either number the chambers and load specifically for them, or get the throats reamed to the same size. Just a check point..

If the cylinder mouth (chamber throat) is too big over spec the revolver will never shoot well. Putting an 11 degree angle into the forcing cone helps many revolvers. Carefully re-cutting the back of the forcing cone, to square it, sometimes helps. If you get the barrel forcing cone to cylinder front gap too big by doing/over-doing this, it will cost velocity.

Slug both your barrel and your chamber mouth's. Then you know the accuracy potential of a particular revolver. If the chamber mouth(s) is several thousand's over the barrel, then you are sunk.

Choose a powder suited to your bullet type. Hot burning powders are not best for lead bullets. Winchester Super Target and Tite Group will melt lead off the bullet base; messy and may hurt accuracy. The appropriate VhitaVouri powder, SR 4756, Solo 1000 and others burn cooler.

I've had good results with Red Dot, Unique, Winchester 231, HP 38 and several others. Even Herco in some calibers.

For jacketed bullets, powder options are more open.

 

[swampratt]

Don't forget some lead bullets can accept a gas check.
I feel a bullet casting session coming up here pretty soon

 

[No.343]

Pick a random round out of the batch and pull the bullet. Inspect it and see if it is deformed. Your crimp should not deform the bullet. Adjust your crimp as necessary.