Pin Shooting Pistol/ Revolver Caliber Combo?

[tims]

So if this has been asked before , I apologize as I can't find it .What makes a good pistol/ calibre combo and good revolver / calibre combo easily available in SA ? tims

[The Beast]

High cap 9mm for tipover - can be used for the other events but not as effective. most start with a 9mm. use what you have.

357 and bigger for revolver. lots of 357 with the 8 shot revolvers. larger is better with a lighter charge gives lighter recoil and still very effective.

40 S&W or larger for pistol. 45 is very popular.

[Katlagter]

There's an extensive article on Pin Shooting in the latest Sport Shooter Magazine (December/January). It also addresses firearms needed.

The absolute minimum you need for the five core events, would be a .357 Mag revolver, preferably with a 6" barrel. You will battle to be competitive in 9-Pin though, as you will have a "compulsory" reload. A .357 can be competitive in all the other core events, especially an eight shot revolver such a the Taurus 608.

The typical minimum battery will be a 9mmP pistol with at least a 13 round magazine (i.e. Browning HP), combined with a 6 shot .357 Mag revolver. Look at the core events below with possible firearms to shoot them:

9 Pin: 9mmP pistol, .40S&W pistol, .357 Mag or larger revolver
Stock Gun & Pin Gun: .40S&W or .45ACP pistol, .357 Mag or larger revolver
Stock Revolver: .357 Mag or larger revolver (you can use a 8-shot revolver, but may only load 6)
Pin Revolver: .357 Mag or larger revolver (you can use an 8 shot revolver and load 8 rounds)

I hope that helps.

[A-R]

What Katlagter said below.

If I may comment on pistol/revolver combinations that seem to be effective, going by what the top shooters used in recent nationals. Interestingly, most top-scoring shooters use only 2 guns, i.e. 1 pistol and 1 revolver, for the 5 "core" disciplines. This is beneficial, as there are less transitions from 1 gun to another, resulting in more consistent times.

Popular combos:
9mmP CZ Shadow (or similar) and Taurus 608 (8-shot 357Mag).
45 ACP 1911 (Para Ord) and 45 ACP revolver (6-shot with moon clips).
9mmP pistol (Beretta 92) and Ruger 44 Mag revolver (6-shot).
45 ACP 1911 (Single stack) and S&W 44 Mag revolver (6-shot).
40 S&W pistol and Taurus 608 (8-shot 357Mag).

Loads are also important. Except for the 9-pin tipp-over, where any reliable 9mm load will work, you need enough momentum to knock the pins off the wider tables. Typical "major power factor" loads are the minimum. Heavy bullet loads seem to work better, so 40 S&W and 357 Mag shooters use at least 180 gn bullets, with 200 gn + preferable. The 45 ACP can be loaded quite normally and the 44 Mag can be down-loaded substantially. (I personally prefer hot 44 Spl loads in 44 Spl cases, shot from a heavy (Ruger) 44 Mag revolver.)

Various other combos also did well. In the end, it's the driver that counts, not the bus...

[tims]

I'm late back to this .Thank you gentlemen , I have found this most instructive. tims