I'm wondering if loading light weight plain base 32 caliber lead handgun bullets into 300 AAC brass using a small charge of fast burning pistol powder would make a decent small game hunting load that only costs around 4 cents per shot. It would be something similar to 38 special power, but the accuracy and overall efficiency would be better. The bullet hole diameter left in the game would also be slightly smaller than 38 special which means more saved meat.
I just ordered all 3 of the Lee 32 cal handgun molds that cost $20. I'm thinking about trying them in my tiny single shot H&R rifle in 300 blackout. I have lots of IMR 700X powder I could use with small pistol primers and around the same data as 90 grain or 105 grain 38 special lead bullets. I can try them with traditional lube or powder coating them. The powder coating must be used if I want to try and push those little bullets faster without gas checks and a slower burning powder like Longshot, HS6 or IMR 4227. It's worked for me with 223 powder coated lead bullets and no gas checks in the past.
Using 32 cal handgun molds that do not require gas checks cuts the cost almost in half per shot. I get S&B primers for 2 cents and the lead and powder cost is around 2 cents and the 300 BLK brass is free in the form of converted 223 brass so the total cost would be around 4 cents per shot. That's less than 22LR has been costing lately. Yes, converting the 223 brass into 300 blackout takes a little work, but it's not that hard.
Continue reading below
The point of experimenting with this is to find the most light weight, accurate, efficient, cost effective and versatile brush gun and caliber for game between the sizes of deer and squirrel. Obviously the deer hunting ammo will cost more than the small game ammo at 4 cents per shot, but not a whole lot more. The deer or hog ammo will probably cost around 10 cents per shot because they'll use more lead and gun powder. Still very cost effective with either loading.
I think my single shot H&R 300 BLK rifle or even a Ruger American Ranch rifle in 300 BLK could rival the 38/357 magnum rifles in terms of weight, versatility and range. The only advantage the 38/357 mag has is that it can be used in handguns and the brass requires less work when reloading, but the added range and power capabilities the 300 AAC caliber has with good bullets probably balances things out and might even still have a slight overall advantage. With good jacketed bullets 300 blackout has a supersonic range of around 500 yards. That's nothing a 357 magnum even comes close to. However, for now I'm just talking about using inexpensive lead bullets and comparing that to 38/357 mag.
Even if this all turns out to be a waste of time when 38/357 magnum does, for the most part, the same things it'll still be an interesting thing to experiment with and see which caliber comes out on top with being the most light weight, most efficient and most accurate.
Here's a picture I found online of someone loading a 90 grain 32 cal handgun bullet into a 30-30 win rifle case. So what do you think? Waste of time or something interesting to tinker around with?
I'd buy a factory-threaded stainless steel 357 Magnum Marlin 1894 for sure if they ever made one.
