A safe version of Russian Roullete

[BCRider]

So I tend to shoot a fair amount of .38 Spl from my two S&W's to help control cost. But I'm a sucker for some .357 power as well. Loading from a box of 50 always ends up with a couple of orphans at the end so I got the idea to do something about it.

I load five .38Spl's to use a row from the box liner and then slip in a .357Mag. Looking up from the cylinder I give'er a spin and then slip it into the frame before presenting the gun for shooting. The mag round may be the first or the last or any in between. Boy, does THIS sure make or break your flinch.....

I've gotten pretty good at it by now and find that with my 6 inch barreled 19 I pattern my 38's all nicely on the bullseye but that the .357 round typically comes in about an inch and a half low. This is with the sights set to work best with .38Spl and shooting at around 12 yards.

Anyone else mixed in a magnum round to liven things up like this?

 

[Oyeboten]

I've never owned a .357 to try it...sounds like a good idea...but, I used to put in one empty shell, now and then, for testing my hold when practicing, which is similar in it's way...

 

[GoodKat]

I've done it with the .357 and .38, and also the .44 mag and special. The .44 version is scary.

 

[PT1911]

I do this often with my 608 to work on my shooting practices (prevent flinching) with the hotter loads... It will surprise you every time... pop, pop, pop, pop, BANG!!!!!!!, pop, pop, pop..... yes... you read right... 8 shots... hehe....then pop out the moon and start over again.

 

[BCRider]

Oyeboten, yes it's similar but without the fun of the noise and flame show...

GoodKat, yes that would be a bigger difference. If you can avoid flinching with that combo you're a better man than I...

 

[Hoxviii]

I do that with my snub. I'll load the gun randomly from a box of mixed .38, .38 +p, and .357 and occaisonally leave a dead cylinder.

It's definitely a wake up to jump from a .38 target load to a full power .357

 

[mbt2001]

I find it is the best way to help people avoid the flinch, put a few 38's in there then 1 or 2 .357's or 38 +p's and after those, the recoil of the 38 magically gets more manageable. I never advise that is what I am doing, but it does help them.

Kind of like going from a 44 mag to a 9mm, the 9 all of a sudden "doesn't recoil at all..." The flinch happens BEFORE the shot.