357mag at 100y inside 2 inches?

[Bug Splat]

I love accurate firearms. Built a bunch of sub 1/2 MOA rifles and I have semi-auto pistols that will eat out the same hole at 25 yards. I'm bored with them all. Too easy. I need a new challenge. Always wanted a target/hunting scoped revolver. I'd expect groups no bigger than 2 inches at 100 yards and 5 inches at 200 yards from a rest. Is this possible?

[Budd]

What barrel length?

I think the 100 yards is doable - not sure about 200 yards out of a revolver - but then again I have never scoped a revolver.

[Czsp-01-9mm]

Maybe a single shot handgun with a rifle round, If your figure it out would love to see it

[luchador768]

There was a writer for Guns and Ammo years ago that had built some really accurate wheelguns. I can't remember the guys name, late 70's early 80's era.

[Bug Splat]

Naw, a single shot pistol is not a challenge. Its just a short barrel rifle without a stock. I want a revolver with an 8" barrel. Revolvers are the one area I have not spent time gunsmithing. I have tuned a few triggers and polished parts but nothing like taking a off the shelf revolver and turning it a real shooter. I have 3 older revolvers but they are too old for what I want to do and they are in odd calibers not suited for high pressure loads.

I used to own a 7-shot Taurus Tracker 4" 357 and it was a lot of fun and very accurate. Wish I didn't have to sell it but times were tough back then. I still have a lot of accessories for it like speed loaders so I may go back to Taurus unless I can find a good deal on a S&W 686.

[paul0660]

Sounds like you have whipped the sport, and need a new hobby.

[Dutch Henry]

Squeezing top accuracy out of a wheelgun is a challenge for the shooter and the gun. Many variables come into play. You'll have your work cut out for you.

If you use sandbags on a bench, you might be able to do 2" at 100 yards, though it probably would be more of a sometimes thing than an average grouping. 4-5 inches at 100 yards with a .357 revolver might be closer to the norm; at least that has been my experience.

Been shooting revolvers for 35 years, I have 20/20 vision and long range handgunning is still a challenge for me.

I sincerely wish you good luck in your endeavor.

[Bug Splat]

Yes, I need a new project. Built just about everything else I like to shoot. Its either build another AR or try something new and build a scoped revo. Should keep me busy for a few months.

My eye sight has gone way down hill the past few years. Iron sights beyond 25 yards is just a guessing game for me. I really need magnification beyond that. 2" is just a goal for me. I see most guys shooting around 4 inches but I need a goal to work towards. Maybe with a good load and zero wind I can squeeze 2 inches.

[huckberry668]

I love the way you think!! You're going to need at least a heavy bench rest grade barrel, serious gunsmithing (barrel turning, cylinder timing, forcing cone job, cylinder gap, trigger job) and optics.

I cut my shooting teeth on revolvers. Shot Bianchi and PPC (hit Hi Master score) for a few years. I've seen 686 tweaked to shoot "close to" 1" 6-shot groups at 50 yards (using Krieger, Apex, Shilen, Douglass .355" blanks & Hornday XTPs).

I think 2" at 100 yard is possible but the limitation is the bullet. Handgun bullets are generally not made to have the ballistic coefficient to sustain that kind of accuracy in short barrels (14" or less). Plus the revolver has multiple chambers. Each chamber has to be machined, timed exactly for repeated same POI. At the velocity of a 357 (since you mention 686) wind is a big factor. It's possible for 2" at 100-yd. but 4" at 200-yd maybe harder. A 180gr TM at 1400fps with 50-yard zero drops 31" at 200-yds.

bullet wise, you might want to try 180gr Hornday XTP or Sierra Tournament Master (TM). Maybe some solid copper hollowpoints like Barnes for the longer bearing surface and stability. For some reason the solid copper HPs are surprising easy to shoot extremely accurately.

[Czsp-01-9mm]

500 s&w with a 10.5 in barrel, I dunno that's a tuff one

Found this too

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product4_750001_750051_785511_-1_775663_775655_757896_ProductDisplayErrorView_Y

[Bug Splat]

Got some prospects on some used S&W 357's. Waiting on specs. I think I might want to try and get a beater and rebarrel it, fix up the action and cylinder and see what it can do. Little nervous about doing that much work on something I know very little about but I'm sure I can figure it out. Time to start reading up on revo smithing.

[Czsp-01-9mm]

I get what you wanna do now, take a beater and make is a mean machine, I have a ruger blackhawk 357 6.5 in barrel, I was getting lucky hitting 2 liter bottles at 50 yards

[RL15]

I have a 6" S&W 586 with a aimpoint that will hold 2" at 100 yards. I used it in shooting metallic sihoulettes for quite a while.

Lots of aguys used revolvers in various calibers to compete. As you probably know, in the steel game you shoot chickens at 50, pigs at 100, Turkey at 150 and rams at 200 yards. The 41 magnum was very popular
.

[huckberry668]

I have a 6" S&W 586 with a aimpoint that will hold 2" at 100 yards. I used it in shooting metallic sihoulettes for quite a while.

Lots of aguys used revolvers in various calibers to compete. As you probably know, in the steel game you shoot chickens at 50, pigs at 100, Turkey at 150 and rams at 200 yards. The 41 magnum was very popular
.

I have got to know... can you share what is your 2" 100 yard load?

[DT556]

The 460 Magnum shoots really flat. S&W Performance Center makes it in 10.5", 12", and 14" barrels.

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Category4_750001_750051_775663_-1_775655_757751_image