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Rapier
07-24-2009, 03:27 PM
Handgun Pins & Plates
Is there anyone on site that has or does currently shoot falling plates or bowling pin matches? If so what do you shoot, gun and loads?
Best,
Ed
GoodOlBoy
07-24-2009, 05:43 PM
not right now I don't. When I did shoot a few times locally the Best I found was a 1911A1 with Lead round nose ammo.

I also tried a blackhawk in 45 colt which worked well with lead rnfp, and a Ruger gp100 357 which was ok with 158gr semijacketed flat nose.

What DIDN'T work was 357 with 110grain hps, 38 specials, or a 9mm my buddy tried.

Probably the best I saw was actually an old boy when we shot plates who was using a 44special Ruger Vaquero (OOOOOLLLLDDDDDD gun) with handloaded lead.

Other than that I am sure there are people who can give better advice I have not shot bowling pins or plates in quite a while.

GoodOlBoy
270man
07-24-2009, 09:55 PM
Those bowling pin matches were great fun when I participated several years ago. We had an commercial indoor range and 10-15 of us gathered behind the shooting line and watched 2 shooters fire at once. The good shooters with 1911s all did well. My friend with his tuned 5" S&W Model 625 45ACP usually won or placed very high. My Colt 1911 in 40S&W did okay too. The 9mm shooters always had problems with pins that would fall but required extra rounds to get off the table.

Great fun while it lasted. Our club never had an accident or even an "incident" but the range eventually decided that only shooters could be in the shooting area at a time -- while everyone else was crowded into a small ante-room without good viewing.

270man
Larryjk
07-25-2009, 11:26 PM
I started out shooting plates (IPSIC) with a S&W Model 14 in 38 Spec. with 158 grain SWC. Power factor requirements in IPSIC made you use a load that had energy. Some of the other 38 Spec. shooters shot 148 gr. wadcutters. Sometimes they didn't do to well in knocking down the plates. I went to a 1911 with 200 gr. SWC loaded to power factor requirements. Much more knock down power. Use the same load for shooting combat courses on paper targets and steel plates.