What's the magic behind boutique ammo?

[AJC1]

I only brought the gun for protection. I didn’t realize it was going to do double duty. Buffalo Bullets are PRICY! I could have shot the halibut with a .22.

Next year I’ll bring some 125s in .38 spl for the fish.. Everytime I was going to shoot a halibut I had to warn everyone to cover their ears.

Sorry for the confusion.

Oh it makes sense. Did you get one of those huge 100lb plus ones. I'd be eating happy for a long time...

 

[barnfrog]

I am trying to wrap my head around needing to shoot halibut. I'm not this huge expert halibut guy, but we had a small stick with a lead weight on the end and just whacked the crap out of them on their head. Even barn doors instantly stopped moving.

I was talking with Richie Koepicus (you remember Richie, don't you?) about halibut fishing and his advice was "Save your money. Run an eye bolt through the center of a piece of plywood, hook your line to it, throw the plywood overboard and try to reel it in. Pretty much the same experience." That Richie. What a kidder.

 

[EricBu]

I was talking with Richie Koepicus (you remember Richie, don't you?) about halibut fishing and his advice was "Save your money. Run an eye bolt through the center of a piece of plywood, hook your line to it, throw the plywood overboard and try to reel it in. Pretty much the same experience." That Richie. What a kidder.

Truth. The best description of Halibut fishing I've ever heard was "It's like pulling a wet 8'x4' sheet of 5/8 plywood up the side of a 20 story building".

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I only brought the gun for protection. I didn’t realize it was going to do double duty. Buffalo Bullets are PRICY! I could have shot the halibut with a .22.

Next year I’ll bring some 125s in .38 spl for the fish.. Everytime I was going to shoot a halibut I had to warn everyone to cover their ears.

Sorry for the confusion.

Dumb question: wouldn't a gig be easier? That's how we catch flounder down here. And frogs, catfish, skippers... lots of things that swim, slither and crawl.

 

[wcwhitey]

I always thought that it was the ability to develop loads in a laboratory environment with the proper equipment to test. Then the ability to load in small batches with that particular batch of powder which varies from lot to lot.

 

[Smaug]

I don't think I'd choose any of the listed loads for a sub 2" barrel revolver. Hollow point bullets, both cast and jacketed, need speed to become effective, expand, and I use about 1000 fps as a threshold velocity. I don't see that happening in a 1.87" barrel. Another thought is bullet shape. A large meplat is more effective than a smooth round nose or hollow point that won't open. For one of my house gun loads I use a cast DEWC over a max. load of W321. Accurate and I believe for a 38 short barrel revolver, the full caliber flat face would be pretty effective at SD distances...

Well, go back and click the links in my original post. Buffalo Bore gives chrony figures from all different length barrels; real world guns. It seems they agree with you, as:

• the regular pressure wadcutter load is almost 100% meplat and doesn't need to expand (868 fps from a 2" barrel S&W 60)
• the +P 158 gr. load has a large meplat; Keith-style bullet, but is moving right around 1,000 fps anyway
• the +P 158 gr. gas-checked soft lead SWC HP is moving at 1040 fps from the 2" S&W 60. He said: "Item 20A: 158gr., very soft cast, semi wad cutter, (Keith) hollow cavity, with a gas check. This bullet will mushroom violently on impact and will penetrate roughly 14 inches. Again, this bullet is gas checked and will not lead your barrel."

I made an attempt at answering your question at the beginning of the post you quoted. The rest was just free advice, you don’t have to follow. I haven’t even followed it my entire life, so I understand dismissal.

Well, the advice seemed to suggest I was about to try something crazy in my basement, which I didn't suggest I was going to do. I guess you were warning me in case I was thinking of it. Sorry I was a bit disrespectful; I removed the "idiot" part from the reply. Thanks also for the additional data and support.

I imagine BB's velocities are correct. I have not tried the BB ammo listed, but I have shot Underwood's 'equivalent'. Underwood loads a 38 Special +P with a 158 grain cast bullet.

https://underwoodammo.com/38-special-p-158-grain-hard-cast-keith/

It's rated at 1,250 fps, though they don't say what barrel length. My guess is that speed is from a 6" barrel - similar to what BB gets from their 6" barrel Ruger with their 158 grain SWC. (https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=288)

I've shot the Underwood from snubbies with barrels as short as 1.875". In those guns they clocked an average speed at just over 1,000 fps.

I have no reason to doubt BB's data. They would not be able to charge $2.15/round and still be in business unless their loads were delivering as advertised. I'm sure people chrony them, too. I know the magazines do.

I only brought the gun for protection. I didn’t realize it was going to do double duty. Buffalo Bullets are PRICY! I could have shot the halibut with a .22.

Next year I’ll bring some 125s in .38 spl for the fish.. Everytime I was going to shoot a halibut I had to warn everyone to cover their ears.

Sorry for the confusion.

Haha, I had to look up "how big are halibut" when you mentioned shooting them:


That is one creepy-looking 500 lb. fish, with the eyes in the non-standard locations... I guess they swim horizontally oriented?

I am trying to wrap my head around needing to shoot halibut. I'm not this huge expert halibut guy, but we had a small stick with a lead weight on the end and just whacked the crap out of them on their head. Even barn doors instantly stopped moving.

Well, we're gun guys, so since he had a gun around may as well put them down in a more humane manner. (taking proper precaution not to shoot the boat or anything...)

 

[kalielkslayer]

Well, go back and click the links in my original post. Buffalo Bore gives chrony figures from all different length barrels; real world guns. It seems they agree with you, as:

• the regular pressure wadcutter load is almost 100% meplat and doesn't need to expand (868 fps from a 2" barrel S&W 60)
• the +P 158 gr. load has a large meplat; Keith-style bullet, but is moving right around 1,000 fps anyway
• the +P 158 gr. gas-checked soft lead SWC HP is moving at 1040 fps from the 2" S&W 60. He said: "Item 20A: 158gr., very soft cast, semi wad cutter, (Keith) hollow cavity, with a gas check. This bullet will mushroom violently on impact and will penetrate roughly 14 inches. Again, this bullet is gas checked and will not lead your barrel."

Well, the advice seemed to suggest I was about to try something crazy in my basement, which I didn't suggest I was going to do. I guess you were warning me in case I was thinking of it. Sorry I was a bit disrespectful; I removed the "idiot" part from the reply. Thanks also for the additional data and support.



I have no reason to doubt BB's data. They would not be able to charge $2.15/round and still be in business unless their loads were delivering as advertised. I'm sure people chrony them, too. I know the magazines do.



Haha, I had to look up "how big are halibut" when you mentioned shooting them:


That is one creepy-looking 500 lb. fish, with the eyes in the non-standard locations... I guess they swim horizontally oriented?



Well, we're gun guys, so since he had a gun around may as well put them down in a more humane manner. (taking proper precaution not to shoot the boat or anything...)

Most of ours were 82-97 lbs. but a .38 caliber bullet about 2-3” behind the eyes saves a ton of wrestling in the boat. But apparently that’s only legal in Alaska.

Next trip I’m bringing the SP101 stainless for halibut, the GP100 in case of bears. The blued gun rusted pretty bad even though I kept it double zip locked when not in use. It’s fine but I had to do a thorough cleaning when I got home.

 

[Swampman]

So do you gaff 'em with a small crane and then shoot 'em before bringing them aboard?

 

[jmorris]

Well, the advice seemed to suggest I was about to try something crazy in my basement, which I didn't suggest I was going to do. I guess you were warning me in case I was thinking of it. Sorry I was a bit disrespectful; I removed the "idiot" part from the reply. Thanks also for the additional data and support.

No need to be sorry, I made the statement based on the

What is a "non-canister powder" and why can't we get it as reloaders?

and wanting to know the “magic” behind the claims, caused the assumption as far as wanting to duplicate it.

I still think the advice remains sound, even if not applicable to you personally, followed or not and I have been on both sides myself.

In the end there is no magic or wizardry going on.

 

[JFrank]

So do you gaff 'em with a small crane and then shoot 'em before bringing them aboard?

A graph or I use a spear for Halibut, the tip comes off when it goes through the fish and turns sideways and because there is a line/rope connected to that tip and a ball at the opposite end I can float the fish or tie him to the boat cleat by the tail once he’s dead by way of club or pistol

 

[kalielkslayer]

So do you gaff 'em with a small crane and then shoot 'em before bringing them aboard?

Shoot them, then gaff them.

Gaffing and hauling them into the boat isn’t a big deal. Your pretty amped up!

These photos aren’t of the best ones, but of ones we caught on a charter.

We rented a skiff for 3 days and did better.

The guide on the charter shot them with a 22 LR. But he had to shoot a couple twice.

I have a video but not sure this format will let me load it.