357 Single Shot For Backyard Vermin

[wtfooptimax200]

After conversations over on the single shot rifle forum, I'm totally sold on the 357 Handi Rifle. I am thinking that in addition to a fun plinker, it may be a great gun for dispatching any backyard (of course safe shooting conditions/rules would apply) vermin that I may have to deal with. How would you feel about a 357 stuffed full of Trail Boss with a 158 gr. pure lead with a large hollow point? Would it push out enough velocity to ensure expansion? I'd intend this load to be a step up from a 22 LR for use on and wayward woodchucks, raccoons, coyotes, etc that need to be dispatched. Suggestions for anything better are also appreciated.

Branden

[Artful]

Trailboss is real bulky - don't know how it would work for 357 - I usually put a load of red dot or bullseye under my plinkers in 357 cases for about 900 fps from Rossi carbine. Not too noisy.

pure lead upsets easily so should expand on a large / tough enough target.
some links for your HP construction
http://singleactions.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=reloading&action=display&thread=4963
http://www.lasc.us/FryxellCastHollowPoints.htm
http://www.handloads.com/articles/default.asp?id=7
http://www.stoppingpower.net/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7712


If you live somewhere you can put a can on it (suppress it) it would be real nice from your neighbors point of hearing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2knHA4MDPlI

here's one in 45 Colt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOaiEj8zzpM

300 Blackout
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oNhJTQPGrU

[leftiye]

Make it a 357 max and you'll love it even better. You can still load it down (trail boss is excellent for this).

[HighHook]

38/357 in single shot is a great choice. Fill them with super slow powder and see how quiet they shoot.

[John in WI]

Definitely keep us posted on your results. I have been kicking around getting a lever .357, but at the moment there's no way I can budget it. So I'm also SERIOUSLY thinking a lever .357 is the way to go.

With dead soft lead or lead and a touch of tin you shouldn't have problems with expansion at velocities around 1000FPS. I have shot hand-drilled dead soft HPs out of my .38 at speeds below 900FPS and get expansion about 50% of the time (into wet phone books).

[MT Gianni]

The factory bbl for many 357 Handi's has an extremely long throat and chamber. Mine let a 200 gr RCBS chamber without touching the lands. It is now a 357 Max with a lot better accuracy.

[quilbilly]

Dittoes to Leftiye. Bore it out to 357 max and you will get better accuracy and more versatility. I have two loads for mine, a rook load and a light bear load (be great for deer too but I hunt them with a muzzleloader). it also shoots regular 357 mags passably well but never tried 38's.

[Jeffrey]

I inherited a 30-30 from my grandfather, worked up a load using 150gr flat noses (unchecked) with about 3 gr BI. Sounds like a .22, hits like a .38. Anybody interested in the full story... http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=94463 . Now loading 10gr unique under a 265gr ranchdog in a H&R 444 crack barrell. YAAAHOOO!!! A little louder, need the muffs for these.

[revolvergeek]

I have had very good luck making pretty quiet loads for an H&R single shot using the ~200 grn lrn 358430 bullet seated a little deeper in the case than usual (@1.535 oal) over lightish charges of Red Dot (4 grns last batch). Maybe a little quieter than standard velocity 22 LR, but average velocity was 981fps at the muzzle so plenty thump.

[BAGTIC]

Loading a .357 Handi-Rifle with slow powder is a waste of good powder. Use a .360 round ball. I seat it directly over a light charge of fast burning powder. I use 4 grains of Red Dot because I have a lot of it. It produces abot 1600 fps and 400 ft lbs Any other fast burning pistol or shotgun powder should work about as well.

A RB will kill most any 'backyard' vermin. Seating it directly on the powder provides good charge density and uniform ignition. The small fast burning powder charge provides complete combustion and a high expansion rate that produces little report. 6 grains will produce about 2000 fps and 600-plus ft lbs with very little increase in noise.

[Huntducks]

22 Hornet would be my choice in a handi rifle.