I have been monkeying around at the bench and the range working on a couple accuracy loads and getting right with the trigger on the new 686 plus. Things are coming along and the effort is yielding some results. The first target is a wheel full (7) 158’s with H-110 at 25 yards. I was already close on this load. I backed off as far as could on the expander for more neck tension and added another 1/8 turn of crimp trying to get a burn with the H-110 that shines and it seems to be paying off. Holy smokes! With the right ammo, this revolver will shoot.



The second target is a 38 special load with 110 XTP’s I got free from Hornady as a L-n-L rebate and W-231. I was hoping to come up with an accurate and light recoiling practice load to start sending those 110 XTP’s down range. Hornady lists 5.9 grains as max 38 special and 6.3 grains as +P. I kept upping the powder charge till I got to 6.0 before I was satisfied how they shoot. The first six made a nice tight cluster. I changed my hold a bit on the seventh to see if I could put the last one in the bull. Still a nice group with a revolver at 25 yds. The nonexistent recoil of this load made me giggle.

I need to tweak the sights a smidge but of interest to me and against conventional wisdom, the POI of both the 110 and 158 loads damn near print on top of each other. At 60 years old I don’t know how much longer the eyes will let me keep it up but I still enjoy it.

Mighty fine loading and shooting!

Looks like you have your loads. Agree with JG good loading and shooting

Remember on a 357 when shooting 38s the carbon ring buildup in the cylinders

Thank y’all for the kind words. Yes the carbon rings in the cylinder are a bother if you let them go to long. I have two other .357’s that I shoot a lot of 38 wad cutters out of....

Those guns just shoot and look sexy doing it.

Congrats on your load development success.

A 6" 686 was the best shooting wheel gun that I've ever owned. I let it go like an idiot

My 686 is far more accurate than I am. The loads I shoot however were worked up for a Colt Trooper Mk5 years ago. When I sold that one and got a Python, I just kept the loads. And now I’ve added the 686 and shoot the same loads. Maybe I’m just lucky or maybe accurate handguns aren’t that picky about loads. I honestly don’t know which. I’ve never been as picky with pistol loads as I have been with rifle loads.

But I sure do like the 686…

I have a couple revolvers that are scoped that are sub 2 MOA for all 6 shots with me shooting from the bench with anything I feed them and with 2X scopes that is about the best I can do.

I have wondered about it as well and think Smokey is right but I think with the shorter barrels there migh be a bit bigger accuracy nodes and how many are really good enough with one to tell

Looking good sir

Heavy crimps with pistol cases can make a big difference in ignition!
Looks like you got a couple really nice loads!

Yep. More neck tension and more crimp noticeably tightened up an already tight shooting load. I just finished fine tuning the sights then shot a group to confirm how things are shooting. No rat shot required to shoot a snake in the head with this combination.