Author Topic: Do you have a favorite load for your CENTERFIRE handgun??  (Read 1373 times)

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Offline Plainsman

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Do you have a favorite load for your CENTERFIRE handgun??
« on: December 01, 2002, 01:47:11 PM »
So how about it guys, do you have a 'small game load' for your centerfire handgun?

I've been playing with a 240gr LSWC on top of 6.0 gr HP-38 in .44magnum for small stuff.  So far the accuracy has been good out of my 4" Redhawk, but I haven't been able to go after furry targets yet.
Plainsman :)

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Offline Peevie

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Do you have a favorite load for your CENTER
« Reply #1 on: December 02, 2002, 03:37:22 AM »
9.3 gr of Unique in the 44 mag with 240 gr Hornady slug. Or, 5 gr of Blue Dot w/ 55 gr fmj in 223 for my TC handgun. The 223 load is really good for squirrels. Gets me about 1900 fps/

Offline deerhunter

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Do you have a favorite load for your CENTER
« Reply #2 on: December 12, 2002, 04:46:18 AM »
For my .357 and 38 specials:

.38 special brass.
9 grains of 2400.
158 grain lead swc.
Regular primer.
This load would be ok for foxes and Coyotes at close range too.

for .45acp, I use it in a Blackhawk convertable:
.45acp brass
200 grain Lee tlswc
4.5 grains of Red Dot.
Regular primer.
You could use bullseye instead of Red Dot, but I had Red dot on hand for reloading my 12.ga, and it works ok.

Offline Plainsman

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PV's load....
« Reply #3 on: December 21, 2002, 04:23:53 AM »
That .223 load looks like a .22WMR actually! :)
Plainsman :)

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Offline redhawk44p

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Do you have a favorite load for your CENTER
« Reply #4 on: March 14, 2003, 03:53:13 AM »
A 120 LFN I cast myself pushed by 3 grains of Bullseye in a 38 case is extremely accurate in my GP 100.  My sons and I have collected many a tree rat with it.
http://www.geocities.com/redhawk44p/Fish/smallgame.html

Offline redhawk44p

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Do you have a favorite load for your CENTER
« Reply #5 on: March 14, 2003, 01:35:31 PM »
The best way to get squirrels with a pistol is to wear camo head to toe like a turkey hunter. I have had to shoot in defense to keep them from climbing on me.
Thanks Ken, glad you like them.

Offline Ed Harris

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The .32s Are Ideal Small Game Guns
« Reply #6 on: December 16, 2003, 08:47:25 AM »
I like .32 handguns and mostly use them for small game such as rabbits, squirrels, groundhogs and the occasional wild turkey.

My two primary small game guns are a 4" S&W Model 31 in .32 S&W Long and a Ruger Super Single Six, 4-5/8" chambered for .32 H&R Magnum, but most of the time I use .32 S&W Long ammo in it.

I recently had a pre-war H&R .410 shotgun on the old tiny receiver redone into a 26" barreled rifle chambered for the .32 S&W Long cartridge, which uses the same ammo as either handgun.

Most often used general-purpose small game load uses the Saeco 95-gr. #325 SWC bullet, cast of soft lead, sized .312: and loaded in Remington cases with 2.0 grs. of Alliant Bullseye.  Velocity is about 770 f.p.s. from the revolvers and 950 from the rifle, in which is is very quiet.

You can load up to 2.5 grs. of Bullseye in a modern strong revolver, but this is too much for the pre-1957 S&W .32 Hand Ejectors or Colt Police Positives.  It is fine in post-1957 S&W Model 31, the H&R 732,  post-war Colt Police Positive special on the full-sized .38 frame, Officer's Model Target and the post-1957 S&W K32s. And, of course, ANY .32 Ruger is no problem.  As a small game gun the Single Six is far more accurate than the SP101.

For maximum effort loads in the stronger modern guns, S&W Model 31, H&R 732 and Rugers, you can load up to 7 grs. maximum of #2400 with the Saeco #325 or the 85-gr. Hornady XTP, which approximate .32 H&R Magnum ballistics.  These make fine varmint loads, but are louder than I like for small game hunting.

I also load the Saeco #325 in the .32 ACP with 1.8 grs. of Bullseye and find it more accurate and a better killer than FMJ hardball in my wartime Beretta M1935.  While not a precision arm, it will stay on a business card at 7 yards, feeds the FN bullet reliably and "lets the air out of bunny wabbbits" just fine.
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