Want a woods gun, any advice?

[Empty Quiver]

I don't have much experience here. I have been planning on a .22/.22mag for a knocking around revolver. Now I have this idea of getting a .327 mag instead. Stay with me here. How much "hotter" is a .32 long or a down loaded .32 mag than a .22?

I'm figuring the ocassional tree rat, rabbit or partridge. But, the idea of something that would also take a close coyote, fox, or dispatch something large is appealing. I have a habit of figuring more is almost enough. Is the 22mag plenty out of a revolver.

The fact I can reload a smaller charge make much difference? Is the .32 too much bullet for smaller game and just ruin too much meat or pelt? Also of consideration is how danged loud is a .32 long / mag / .327( I understand these are pretty loud ).

[m-g Willy]

If this is your first handgun then by all means get the 22/22mag.
The 22 is cheap enough to shoot ENOUGH of to become good with the handgun.
And the 22LR will handle any tree rat you come across.
And the 22LR with a good hit will drop a fox or coyote.
And the 22mag will do it even better.
When you start thinking about center fire handguns the 38 is the smallest I would go for.
Better yet a 357.
The 357 can be loaded to any level you want, from round nose hard cast 38spl loads that will do no more damage to a tree rat or a rabbit than a 22lr. To a full power 158gr. 1300fps deer load.

[Empty Quiver]

I have a 22 auto and 2 .40S&W and 2 9mm. The .357 comment is interesting though, woulda thought it would pretty well pulverize a rabbit. I had sorta ruled out a .357 as too dang much for the small game side of things.

[Bigeasy]

Either a Ruger S/A in .327 or .357 would be a fine woods walking gun, although if you intend on deer hunting, I would go with the .357 as a minimum.  The beauty of either round is that you can load them down.  Yes, either is ear splitting, and can do a lot of damage at full velocity.  But loaded down to say 800 fps with a sharp shouldered cast bullet, they are effective small game rounds that do little meat damage, and do not have a muzzle blast any worse then a 22 mag.  I often use a 44 mag small game hunting, with cast bullets at 800 fps.

Larry

[Ganjiro]

Remember the old muzzle loader squirrel guns were 32 and 36 caliber so diameter not the problem.  If you reload you can make up some low velocity rounds even using round balls.  I have .360 mold just for that purpose keep velocity under 800 fps quiet but deadly on squirrels and rabbits anyways preferably head shots or "barking" them "squills".

[Empty Quiver]

I gotta say the idea of a .357 doing it "all" is nice. In the end the final cost of a .357 wouldn't be much different than the .327 either I suppose.

As far as deer hunting goes I can't legally carry during archery season and during firearms season I like my Marlin too much to leave it at home. I also fear I'm only a fair marksman with a pistol and would not feel very comfortable past bow range with it, so I would likely carry the bow. The thought of missing a rabbit doesn't disturb me much, not recovering a mortally wounded deer does.

[gcrank1]

For your stated purposes the .22LR is what you really want, and it in a quality revolver with adjustable sights.
There are .22LR cartridges in a wide spectrum of load levels from subsonic to hyper-velo, light bullet weight to the Aguila SSS 60gr. (which is heavy enough and accurate enough at 35 yds to penetrate deep, even though sub sonic, and the revolver, unlike an auto, will digest them all).
Get one with about a 4-5" barrel, it will be easy to pack and belt carry, and not too heavy or you wont carry it, and shoot cheap 22 ammo enough to get good with it.
When (if) you ever get tired of it you wont have trouble selling/trading if you take care of it properly.
If you had wanted a caliber with more beans I would have recommended the 357Mag for all the very good reasons already stated.

[Empty Quiver]

Gcrank you have described all of my logical arguements for a .22. Like I said I have a problem of talking myself into more horsepower than needed.  I really didn't think about down loading the larger calibres. The low cost plinking can be done with the auto but does no good for that revolver does it?

If I get the centerfire I can about bet it won't get much plinking use. If I get one I'll likely end up with the other too, and there I am again right back to the beginning.

[Lloyd Smale]

id go with a 22 unless you are a handloader. Buying enough centerfire ammo in any caliber to practice enough to be proficeint is a very expensive proposition. If your a caster and loader you can cast and load 32longs for less then the price of 22 mags and its a much more effective small game gun with very little added recoil. Personaly i dont consider a 357 a good deer hunting gun so to me the use in one is shooting 38 specials. A 32 mag will take care of any small game hunting a 357 will take care of and do it with less recoil and muzzle blast and shoot a bit flatter to boot. If big game hunting is a consern id be looking at a 44 mag. Again it can be loaded down or 44 special ammo can be bought that is just as effective on deer sized game as any 357 load and do it without the muzzle blast of a 357. If i was starting out handgun shooting id buy a 22 and shoot the snot out of it and when your ready to step up go to a 44.

[44 Man]

You can't get better advice than you are getting here.  Lloyd makes a lot of sense and has the experience to back it up.  I'd also advise you to get a Ruger Single Six convertable first. You've said you don't feel you are an experienced shot.  The best way to cure that is with lots of shooting and the best gun for that is a .22 which will also fill the other needs you have.
I when through what you are going through.  After my .22, my first center fire handgun was a Blackhawk .357.  A .357 is a very versitle handgun, but I found after I bought my first .44 that it was much more effective on deer and also much less offensive to my ears.  (That was back when I was young enough that I thought I didn't need ear protection.)  A .32 is a gentle, fun gun also.  What you will eventually need is all three guns: small, medium, and large. 44 Man

[sixgun_symphony]

 Do you handload?
 
 If so, then consider going with the .32-20 cartridge. It's also called the .32 Winchester Center Fire as it was first chambered in a Winchester rifle for small game and pest control.


 

 Edited to add that the .32 WCF should not be confused with the .32 Winchester Special.