Techniques for Shooting Magnum Revolvers

[buck460XVR]

It seems a death grip makes things more consistent yet when a doe slips in at 10 yards, will I rememeber to grip tightly?


Thanks

The problem ain't always the grip itself or how you grip the gun. For many, when it comes to shooting an animal they forget to look at their sights. Deer up close and deemed impossible to miss sometimes just get pointed at. Sometimes it's the follow thru, as one many times will lower the gun prematurely to see if they hit the deer. I've shot bow in league next to guys that put my shooting to shame, yet put them in a Treestand during deer season and they have a hard time finding a dead deer at the end of the bloodtrail, even when they do hit it. It ain't the flinch from recoil or the wrong size grip making 'em miss. I shoot Sporting Clays with folks that score in the top 5% of the league shooters, but yet have a big rooster jump up in front of a staunch point and they blow holes in the sky and watch the bird fly away with only two spent shells in their gun to show for it. Controlling ones excitement is just as important as controlling ones flinch.

 

[HB]

^Strongly agreed with above, even more people shoot the “deer” and then I get to help track a gut shot.

 

[murf]

shooters have a tendency to loosen their grip, at the shot, with heavy recoiling guns. their minds follow the gun recoil instead of the bullet to the target. focus on follow-through by following the bullet to the target with your hands and your mind. this will keep you from anticipating recoil which will keep you from changing your grip before the shot.

double ear protection, custom grips and shooting gloves can also help with your flinch.

luck,

murf

 

[boom boom]

A couple of observations, not for hunting but firing magnums in general. Take them for what they are worth.

A cheap diagnostic technique can tell you if your trigger stroke needs some work. Dryfire with a dime on the flat top of the cylinder strap (just in front of the sights generally). If the dime falls off during the trigger stroke, then you need some work especially if you fire Single Action.

If you have a flinch, two things can help--first get some practice firing powder puff wadcutter loads (either in .357 or .38 SPC) and put a dummy round in the middle of them. Spin the cylinder so you don't know which round is coming up. Do this for awhile before stepping up to a heavier load.

Then, after licking your flinch. Step up to the .357 full bore magnum load that you want to fire and practice with it. Wear padded shooting gloves so you don't tire and hurt as much. Back in the day, the Newhall incident caused police to change training methods where they used to use 10:1 ratio of .38 spc to .357 loads fired during training. After Newhall, the std. protocol was to use std. issued ammo for training. I suspect that you will need to do the same if you want consistency in the hunting field.

Last, and this is simply my opinion, the K-frame is really not optimal for heavy .357 loads for hunting. It is a bit light for that--there is a reason that Redhawks, Blackhawks, Smith's L-frames and N-Frames, along with Dan Wessons, or even the GP-100 are built more for hunting and consistently firing heavy loads. Weight is your friend when firing heavy loads and many of these are also tapped for scopes or red dot sights. Longer barrels also give better sight lines and if an underlug design help fight muzzle rise. (BTW, I am not slighting Colts here--a Python is a marvelous handgun and the Trooper not far behind but these are becoming collectibles that running around in the hunting woods might damage the value of especially the Python).

Personally, I love the K-Frame in .38 spc, for .357, not so much. Ironically, the best grips, even better than Hogue, for me in magnum revolvers are the Ribber grips of Taurus--even firing a full bore .44 mag in a Taurus Tracker without padded gloves did not hurt. Wish Taurus would spin off their grip division and make them available for other brands.

 

[alfsauve]

How do you hold onto a magnum? I seem to do a good job. Have never come anywhere near vertical. A good solid grip with the the bore lined up with the forearm as well as possible. Let there be some give in the elbow, the shoulder and in the overall stance. Better to rock back some than lose control. Maybe it's the inherent way my bones are connected that allows this to not be a problem.

Flinch when slow firing it's simple, concentrate on the front sight (if iron sights are used) and keeping saying your mantra. Mine is "press, press, press". You want the moment of let off to be a surprise.

For what it's worth here's a video of me shooting a .357Max, 158gr at 1800+fps out of a 10" T/C. I know the camera doesn't always catch all the movement at 30frames/sec, but given the light gun I think I maintain control fairly well.

 

[buck460XVR]

If you have a flinch,

Then, after licking your flinch.

The thing is, it doesn't seem that the OP has a flinch problem, even tho most everyone here is trying to tell him that. If ones reads his opening post, you see he had no problem with accuracy at the range, even with magnum .357 loads. It's when he's shooting at game.

 

[boom boom]

The thing is, it doesn't seem that the OP has a flinch problem, even tho most everyone here is trying to tell him that. If ones reads his opening post, you see he had no problem with accuracy at the range, even with magnum .357 loads. It's when he's shooting at game.

Similar issue--essentially you have to program your subconscious to behave almost automatically. Jim Cirrillo talked a lot about it and admitted if he thought about a shot, then he would be more likely to miss. In golf, they call it the yips and it happens often on putting and short game. Practice makes perfect.

 

[Armored farmer]

I think you just need to pick a good bullet for your handloads.
Ill bet on accurate over fast and loud every time.

 

[Toodfb1911]

I practice at 25yds shooting at a paper plate. Hold the gun both hands pointed in front of me at the ground (ready low), lift the gun to eye level, looking through the sites and fire. I use a firm grip and do 50-100 rounds a weekend before going out to hunt. I get to where all my shots are falling inside the center of the plate, most of them within 3” or so at 25. I shoot a 44mag single action with 300 gr xtp’s moving at approx 1200fps. If an animal (hog or deer) are a bit further out, I hold the top site a little high on the shoulder. Won’t shoot at anything past 100yds... although I’ve been tempted.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I have a model 66 snubber with the Hogue grips.

When first shot full house loads through it the thing was down right scary. It started hurting my hand and wrist after the first cylinder. It was so loud too. I had ear plugs but really needed muffs on too. The shot was vibrating my whole body with concussion. I shot out a partially blinding flame in sunny daylight. I was not flinching though and was able to hit a 6x6 target at 10yds in double action.

The ammo was some old white box PMC 158gr JSHP.

I adjusted my grip a bit and that took care of the wrist snap and hand impact. I ended up going through about 60 rounds with it. I would start shooting 38s and then I just had to go back to the magnums. It became so much fun to shoot.

 

[RealGun]

Get GOOD earplugs and GOOD muffs to go over them. "Blast" causes more flinch than recoil.

Yes, but pain causes a flinch too.

Another comment is that I think this discussion should make a distinction between single action and double action, which shoot quite differently.

 

[MidRoad]

I have a model 66 snubber with the Hogue grips.

When first shot full house loads through it the thing was down right scary. It started hurting my hand and wrist after the first cylinder. It was so loud too. I had ear plugs but really needed muffs on too. The shot was vibrating my whole body with concussion. I shot out a partially blinding flame in sunny daylight. I was not flinching though and was able to hit a 6x6 target at 10yds in double action.

The ammo was some old white box PMC 158gr JSHP.

I adjusted my grip a bit and that took care of the wrist snap and hand impact. I ended up going through about 60 rounds with it. I would start shooting 38s and then I just had to go back to the magnums. It became so much fun to shoot.

Just gotta get your fix now ehhhh? That's how my dad's conteder is. 10" 30-30 with the thin barrel has quite the bark. Can't get enough of it! 180gr buffalo bore through a 2.25" sp101 short wood grips (2 fingers on one tucked undrr)can be pretty snappy too. Used to only do a cylinder a range trip, but mainly because of price though lol.

 

[Toprudder]

For me a “death grip” makes things worse. Weak hand thumb locked over strong hand thumb with a firm but not white knuckle grip is what works for me. Remember only the first shot has to be on target and you can only shoot one round at a time.

I've got a 44mag Super Blackhawk that I have hot loads for, and shooting rested at 25 yards I noticed that a really tight grip opened up my groups quite a bit. A firm but lighter grip shrunk my groups.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I've got a 44mag Super Blackhawk that I have hot loads for, and shooting rested at 25 yards I noticed that a really tight grip opened up my groups quite a bit. A firm but lighter grip shrunk my groups.

Experienced the same with my 460 magnum.

Death Grip = Poor Groups

 

[jnichols2]

1. Tighten grip till your hands shake, now you're too tense. Then loosen till shaking just stops, now you're firm but relaxed.
2. Don't lock elbows and wrists. A very slight bend will let them act as shock absorbers.
3. Lean your weight into it, especially with .44 Mags. Leaning back will overtip your body.
4. Learn to love the gun going off. That's why you bought it, right? This helps with flinching.
5. If your middle knuckle is getting slammed, jam the index finger of your support hand between your knuckle and the trigger guard.
That way the gun just "pushes", instead of "slamming" back on your knuckle.
6. Keep your thumbs away from the cylinder and/or guard.
7. Keep your fingers away from the cylinder gap. Those gasses are HOT, and under high pressure.
8. Smooth wood grips are very beautiful, but ugly rubber Hogues feel better.

 

[RealGun]

Appreciate that the original gun was an N-frame and that maybe one is not necessarily inadequate when trying to handle full power in a scaled down, more practical size gun (L-frame 686, K-frame 66). Nothing wrong with shooting a load tailored to the type of gun and what the shooter can stand. However, I think there are some really good tips here for handling punishing loads. In my K-frame model 19-4, 4" I typically use a mid level load, the middle of what I consider the range from Tier I for target and small guns, basically minimum loads or 38+p-357 hybrids, through to Tier III for full up loads in my GP100. I used to have a 686 that handled that almost as well in my hands as the GP100, but the middle tier is what I chose to shoot at the range.

 

[1976B.L.Johns.]

[QUOTE=" jnichols2, post: 5. If your middle knuckle is getting slammed, jam the index finger of your support hand between your knuckle and the trigger guard.
That way the gun just "pushes", instead of "slamming" back on your knuckle[/QUOTE]

That should help a lot!

Getting my middle finger knuckle slammed caused me to flinch. It got to be so painful that I wanted a different revolver with more room for my finger. Well DUH, this is the cure!

Now, what excuse can I use for another revolver?!(Don't tell my wife)

 

[RealGun]

For me, arriving at a Ruger Bisley grip took care of most of my issues with shooting 44 magnum in a Super Blackhawk. I can now deal with flinching without worrying about pain or controlling the gun. I also get a better trigger pull, since the Bisley is a package of grip, trigger, and hammer. But I had to reach back to 1997 to find a model with a moderate length barrel. The muzzle is 5 7/8 from the cylinder face.

 

[RealGun]

I think you just need to pick a good bullet for your handloads.
Ill bet on accurate over fast and loud every time.

But I think of it as whether I can or cannot handle a magnum revolver. Loading down is maybe fun but evades the issues of real deal ammo or a poor match of shooter and gun model.

 

[CraigC]

8. Smooth wood grips are very beautiful, but ugly rubber Hogues feel better.

Think you got that backwards.

 

[Dave T]

...more practical size gun (L-frame 66).

The S&W Model-66 (which I believe the OP is talking about) is built on a K-frame. An L-frame 357 Magnum would be a Model-686 and it would help tame the recoil because of it's greater weight.

I just love picking nits. (smile)

Dave

 

[Drail]

When you hammer nails in are you more accurate if you squeeze your hammer as tightly as you can? A relaxed but firm grip is all that is necessary. Recoil cannot be stopped or even controlled by a death grip. You have to learn to ride it out and wait for the front sight to come back down. If you do it right the front sight will lift straight up and come straight back down exactly where it started. If it doesn't then you are steering the gun off target.

 

[MaxP]

My issue with the suggestions of “letting it ride” is that follow-up shots are drastically slowed using this technique. Also, are we talking .44 Mag recoil or .454 Casull recoil? The difference is palpable and if a revolver generates truly heavy recoil, letting it ride can let it get away from you. I use considerable grip tension, but not to the point of shakes or white knuckles. Consistent grip tension leads to consistent shooting irrespective of shooting position. I tend to approach this topic from the perspective of a hunter.

 

[gotboostvr]

But I think of it as whether I can or cannot handle a magnum revolver. Loading down is maybe fun but evades the issues of real deal ammo or a poor match of shooter and gun model.

I wouldn't say it avoids the issue. As a matter of fact I find it's a great training tool. To get conditioned and used to my first 44mag I loaded some 240's upto about 900fps (a very manageable load, not particularly hard kicking) and shot that till I felt proficient then stepped the power up about another 100fps and kept repeating till the heavy stuff didn't feel uncomfortable.

I thought it was a great way to incrementally get acclimated to a harder bucking handgun than I was used to.

 

[RealGun]

I wouldn't say it avoids the issue. As a matter of fact I find it's a great training tool. To get conditioned and used to my first 44mag I loaded some 240's upto about 900fps (a very manageable load, not particularly hard kicking) and shot that till I felt proficient then stepped the power up about another 100fps and kept repeating till the heavy stuff didn't feel uncomfortable.

I thought it was a great way to incrementally get acclimated to a harder bucking handgun than I was used to.

Interesting, but the point was the oft cited practice of backing away from full power.