Originally Posted by HawkI
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

The Richard Special and the Officer on Saturday.

Worked on an 83gr. Lapua wadcutter load for the Richard that (hopefully) stays in a coyote noggin. It runs with the sights to about 35 yards, after that it drops like a brick.
It gets the 00 Little Dandy Rotor to drop 1.4 grs. of 700x and Prvi cases. (Or Lapua. Prvi and Lapua are thin walled and not tapered. Both are specifically made for this hollow base wadctter). No, reloading the Fiocchi wadcutter brass is way too thick for proper seating with this .314 bullet, as are most other available cases.

The Officers Model I've posted before but while it looked good on the outside and I lusted for the King rear sight, it was corrupted on the insides by novices. It got a new hand, positive lock safety and rebound lever to fix both the timing and lockup and to make the gun drop safe again.

Numrich (thank goodness) is stocking newly manufactured guts for these guns (that includes the Python) so I FINALLY got one of my favorite guns from boderline scrap heap back to the rare and gorgeous target arm that needs to be enjoyed.

Between the two they ate 700 32 caliber chunks of splendor, the Officers getting the brunt of the action with 231 (2.3 grs, in rotor #0), a 115 Keith/NOE bullet and Federal cap in Starline brass.

Coincidentally I gave my pre-war Colt Officer's Model a workout yesterday too. I recently acquired an old unused RCBS mold for an 85 grain wadcutter. It seats shallow enough so inside case taper is inconsequential, even in .32 Long brass. I pulled a charge weight out of the air for the initial test and loaded them with 1.9 grains Red Dot. Brass was Starline .32 H&R (the revolver's chambers had been lengthened by an "enlightened" soul in the past). Sized .314 with nary a whiff of powder coating on the 1:20 tin:lead alloy bullets (who needs PC'ing on .32 target ammo?). The load further confirms that the handgun shoots like a young rifle, as it has been doing with Accurate #311-105T RNFP's, same alloy, 2.4gr. Bullseye. Now I have two go-to loads for the old sweetheart.

I've been asked, "Why don't you whomp up a bit on the loads for it since it's reamed out to H&R specs and the steel in the Colt is plenty up to the task?" No need, I say. I don't carry it, don't hunt anything with it - all its bullets need to do is go fast enough to punch through paper and/or ring tiny steel plates at my buddy's woods range. And at this level I can shoot the thing as cheaply as, or cheaper, than .22 rimfires.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz
"Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty