32 or 380 ACP roundball loads?

[dk17hmr]

Slightly ridiculous but I'd like the quietest load possible, I have a Keltec in 32 and a Ruger 380. I don't care if they cycle the action. They are the smallest pistols I own and fit into my bino harness I use when hunting.

The reason is for shooting grouse. I shot one with my keltec on my way back to the truck last week and with the Winchester 60gr HP load it was way to loud. I don't want to carry a 22 pistol+ suppressor all over the mountains. But a mag full of super quiet grouse killers would be handy to have along with a mag of hollow points.

So who has done it and what did you end up with for a load?

[Outpost75]

1 grain of any fast-burning pistol or shotshell powder, Bullseye, TiteGroup, 700-X, Red Dot, etc. Slightly oversized ball sized to barrel groove diameter so that you have a short, cylindrical bearing surface aids accuracy. Lightly tumble lube in Lee Liquid Alox diluted with equal parts by liquid volume of mineral spirits. I size a "0" buck or .319" round ball to .311 in .32 ACP and 000 buck or .360" ball to .357" for .380. Seat ball to taper crimp onto the sized cylindrical portion and they will hand-feed from the mag but don't cycle.

Same basic load works in a top-break .32 S&W or .38 S&W revolver also, but shoots a bit low to the sights. Blot bird out with front sight. Traditional Hillbilly trapline load.

[dk17hmr]

Thank you.

I just made up 10 380s with 1grain of trailboss to test.. I have killed a bunch of rabbits with the same round ball and a Walmart slingshot so as long as the ball gets out of the barrel at an ok velocity I'm guessing it will work on grouse in the 10-20 foot range I commonly walk on them at.

[GhostHawk]

.32sw long, one #1 buckshot, one 00 buckshot run through a .314 sizing die which stretched it a bit. 2 grains of Red Dot.

Drop in 2 grains into a primed case, drop in the #1 buck loose, drop in the other on top, crimp.

I run mine in a H&R 732 snub nose revolver. They are pretty quiet. But if I was concerned about noise I would try a small ladder.
1, 1&1/3rd 1 &1/2 1 2/3rds, 2.

Pick any charge that gets you decent accuracy with everything leaving the barrel and acceptable sound.

In my tests the 2 balls were always within an inch of each other.
Top ball would be slightly high and right, low ball slightly low and left. But both within half an inch of point of aim. Mine were shot at 20 feet.

Because they are slow you don't get that supersonic crack that carry's so well distance wise.

Totally agree with Outpost about using thinned Alox as lube. Just takes a little.

[Wayne Smith]

Yup, as above. 1 to 1.2 gr BE in 32S&W cases, buckshot sized, and shot out of a H&R revolver.

[Thumbcocker]

Let us know how it works for you.

[megasupermagnum]

I've been playing with round ball loads in 38 special, just for fun. Using a poof level of 700x, they are definitely quieter than full power 38 special, but nowhere near 22 LR levels. Maybe 22 magnum level noise.

[dk17hmr]

Tested 1gr of trailboss and a roundball. Didn't cycle the action of course and still has a pretty good pop, just about as accurate as anything I have shot in my lcp. Either going to work down in powder charge until I stick a ball or test an actual bullet with the light charge.

[dk17hmr]

Tested .6gr and .8gr of trailboss with a powder coated roundball today after work really quick. Accuracy was fine and I'm thinking the noise is the primer popping at this point because I can hear the ball hitting the cardboard box I was shooting at from 5 yards. The ball bounced off an oak pallet from 3 yards but made a heck of a dent in the pallet. Based on previous experiments with a 36 cal round ball and my slingshot it'll kill just fine because with the slingshot I can see the ball in the air, I can't with the pistol.

I need a single shot or double barrel of some sort I think it would be quieter if the action couldn't move at all

[rockrat]

Ahy 380 roundball loads that actually cycle the action and function

[Led]

Trailboss would be my first powder choice for your load requirements. I've loaded thousands of 357 plinkers with trailboss. Out of a handy rifle I have gotten them down to almost 22 lr sound levels. According to my records the lightest I went was 2.2g Trailboss in a 357 case with a bulk 158g SWC. Velocity out of a handy rifle barrel was 620fps, SD was 11. It the light was good you could see the bullet in flight. It still made 135 Ft/Lbs of energy at the muzzle.

Later,
Led

[Outpost75]

What kind of velocity do you get with such loads in a 0.355'' bore?


These'd make a great load for zapping the occasional partridge that I encounter when deer hunting as they tend to "sit tight" where I hunt...lots of dense cover makes them reluctant to move.

Have not chronographed them, but an educated guess is about 500 fps.