Beretta Stampede

[blackpowderbill]

Anyone here own a Stampede? My Missus bought me one a while back and I could never get it to group with anything approaching decent accuracy. I slugged the bore, .451, I slugged the chamber mouths, .451. I loaded it with .452 and .454 bullets and every load I could find for the powders I had on hand but to no avail. At 10 yards I could not keep it under 6-10 inches. Later on I was given a .45ACP (Uberti) cylinder so I fit it up to the Stampede. I noticed an improvement right off the bat but still nothing to write home about. Just the other day I tried some 255 gr soft (Pb) .454 slugs over a light charge of Unique.That was better, I kept 3 of 5 on a paper plate at 25 yards. A 200 gr WW .454 slug over a slightly warmer load of Unique gave similar accuracy.
Maybe I am just spoiled, my other 45 is an older S&W 25-5 that will group far better than I can. It doesn't care much what I put in it so long as it mikes .454.
Any ideas?

[jimster]

I tried the Stampede a few years ago when they were just coming out, it grouped OK, but had to send it back to get the timing fixed, it rotated past the lockup notch if you pulled the hammer back quickly.  So when i sent it in I also told them it shot to the left, and asked them to fix that. They sent the gun back to me with the timing fixed, but also sent a target back with it, with all their shots hitting left, and said that was within their tolerance.  So rather than to turn the barrel myself, or spend money on it to get it to shoot straight, I sold it due to their customer service.  I figured if they had it in their hands they could have tuned that barrel in a tad for me.
No problem with that one shooting groups through,  I never did measure the cylinder, but was shooting .452 cast bullets out of it. 

[crash87]

I just got done putting my Stampede through it's paces. All in all I'm quite satisfied. "Now" my barrel Measures .4515 and my cylinder throats go .4545. I say now because I firelapped the barrel using LBT bore lapping method. I had a barrel constriction at the threads that measured .450. Could be your problem. I also had some roughness by the lettering, quite common in all the guns I have lapped, including the ones we've come to compare all to, Rugers. I might add I have done bore lapping to all my revolvers, some even before I shoot them, as after you do your measuring, you already know your going to have a problem. I say this because I don't have any before and after groups, just after. I sized my bullets .454 ( L.B.T. 255 LFN pb, W.W. & a bit of tin, air cooled, at about 14bhn)  Lubed with lbt Blue soft. I've fired 10 shot groups so far, working up an accurate "colt" load. WW231, Titegroup, HS-6, and good 'ol 2400 (hercules I might add). I do 10 so as I get a better average on velocities, extreme spreads, etc. The clear cut winner has been 2400 with a standard load of 16.5 gr. HS-6 is becoming a favorite powder for me in the 45 colt, coming in second with in accuracy. The 10 shot group fired with 2400 measured 2.5" at 25yds. extreme spreads are up there with 2400, which in my experience is common. Titegroup, while not as accurate gave the most consistant performance. I will add I fired 96 firelapped shots (16 cylinders full w/ alot of scrubbing in between). To me it's not a quality control thing that makes you have to do it. Like I said, If you have a problem with a Ruger, it just seems to be that ONE gun, anything else It's "ALL" the guns. Nothing could be further from the truth. My stampede came from the factory with a fantastic trigger, My Bisley Vaquero needed a $90 tune up. My Stampede shoots 4" left, common even to Colts, perfect elevation for me 2" high. An easy fix. My  Bisley vaquero was 8" left 6" high. A new, higher sight dovetailed into the barrel was the fix there, $175. It was also interesting that Ruger sent the Test fired and I assume sight in cartridge, with the gun a, "44 special". That one is chambered in .44 mag. Must be within their specs! I'm waiting on a Mold from LBT, a 255gr pb Kieth, I now have a good start to my load devolopment with this new bullet. 2400 and a Kieth semi wadcutter, Good shootn' CRASH87

[blackpowderbill]

I never thought to check the breech area of the barrel. Thanks I'll give it a measure and see what it come up to.

[crash87]

I'm betting that's a big part of it. I would have never even considered owning a Beretta had my Wife not purchased it for me also. She said She liked it because it looked really western and I own to many Rugers. Can't you argue with logic. I own a number of Rugers and a Colt Model P. While the Colt is regulated to the safe, the Rugers are my "working" guns. The Colt is all wrong in my opinion, .456 throats, .451 barrel. 3rd Generation purchased in '97. It also seems very "mushy" when working the action. How's that for a Custom Shop gun? One day I'll get the bug to send it off and have it done right. Most of the Rugers, have been lapped and worked on in one way or another. Without exception all shoot very well. I've taken a liking to that stampede though. CRASH 87

[PlacitasSlim]

I have 2 Stampedes in .357. Once we settled on a cowboy load, we filed the front sights to zero them and now they shoot to POA