Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns "Want" a new camping gun....

My 22/45 is to big (i.e. heavy), can't use snake shot and is under powered for "all around" use (snakes,coyote, cats, 2 legged critters, etc). My .45 auto does not have small game accuracy and will not cycle snake shot. My H&R 949 is a family heirloom. I like the size of the Bearcat but thats about it.

Here is what I want: A smallish ( smaller than my 22/45)single action revolver in a caliber more suited more towards small/medium game than deer/bear. Other than that, cost is a big concern.

Here is what I've found. .32 H&R Mag revolvers. Ballisticaly equal to the .38 special with less recoil and available in .22 frame revolvers. Ruger has chambered them in the Single-Six, H&R chambered them in the .22 frame guns and currently Heritage is offering the .32 H&R Mag in a small, steal frame revolvers. Standard grip frames have 4 3/4" and 6 1/2" barrels and a birdshead grip with a 3 1/2" barrel.

Due to it's size I am thinkin about getting the birdshead Heritage but am worried I won't be able to shoot it well enough (for the occasional rabbit?) with the shorter sight radius vs. getting the standard grip and the 4 3/4" barrel.

Do any of you have experience with the .32 Mag in small frame revolvers over the years? Seems like a good little caliber available in small revolvers.

CB

P.S. I do reload

In your first paragraph, you mention twice the drawback of not being able to use snake shot in the guns you have. Now you are looking at a cartridge with no ready source of snakeshot.

Is the snake shot thing important or not?

If it is, think about a 38 spl. or a .22 magnum. If not, the .32 will do you fine.

JimF

Get a .38 Spl. in a Taurus or S&W alloy frame, 3" to 4" bbl, adjustable sights.

It'll do everything you want.

Personally, I think the old S&W 631 4" would be perfect, but there ain't many of them.

Taurus has a lightweight revolver that shoots 410 and 45 Colt.

Before I even read your entire post I thought of almost the same handgun you mentioned . Mine! Which is a Ruger Single Six, 32 H&R Magnum, blue & case hardened finish, a 4 5'8" barrel, that does have the Black Micarta Birdshead Grip- which I very much, like the looks, fit, and feel of.

My buddy recently ordered two (one for me) from CDNN Sports (a firearms liquidator that sells to anyone at wholesale and below clearance prices). CDNN is also offering a choice, the other being the same Single Six Revolver except for having Traditional Style Ivorylite Grips. The price for either handgun is $289.99. $10.00 shipping for any order whether you're buying 1 gun or 100. Get permission from a gun store dealer or FFL holder Pawn Shop (and their FFL Licience number) to have the firearm sent from CDNN to them. Then you pay the dealer only his transfer fee. Or just have him order it for you & pay his transfer fee. CDNN also ships Handguns the same day ordered. You can find their catalog on-line.

We both shot my freinds Ruger .32 recently, not being such good pistol marksmen, but we sure found ourselves suprisingly accurate with the consistent little Ruger Single Six. The .32 H&R- IS a great caliber and these guns are fun to shoot. Also, we shot a bunch of Cowboy loads, and they 'smoke'.

My wife has a S&W 432PD Airlight hammerless snubby in 32 H&R Mag. Her first time ever, shooting a handgun.

She later asked me how I thought she did. I told her, "You did great." "You saw where you hit the target didn't you?" She said, "No I didn't." I asked, "What do you mean? You didn't see where you hit the target?" She smiled and said, " I had my eyes closed when I pulled the trigger."

Cimarron Lightning, 3.5" .38 Special. Only big trick is I cast from a 9mm mold for SWC, due to bore dimension. Homebrewed shotshells, using chopped shot over Bullseye, and Oxyoke .36 wads over powder and shot. My daily carry combo- goes anywhere, even pocket, but usually in a Mernickle PS6SA. The chop-shot is better than ANY of the factory version shotshells for revolvers, because of all the points and corners. Will tear pop cans in half at 10 yards, point shooting. Fewer pellets, but ballistic ineffeciency seems to help, not hurt. Kill lizards with it every day, have popped many snakes in the Ozarks, even some edibles. SWCs will do bunny, grouse and coyote duty, will handle a lion in a pinch.

Couple of added things...

First off, I will admit I have long been interested in the .32 mag. Something about the round caught my attention long ago. Small caliber with some power. Unlike the wussie .32 auto and .380.

As far as the .38 goes it has never held my attention very long. If I get a gun that will shoot .38's it will more than likely be a .357. From my understanding the .32 mag has equal power to the .38 with less kick in small revolvers. But I will add this, if I'm at the next gun show and see a good .38 single-action kit type gun at a very good price it may very well come home with me.

What really got me thinkin about the .32 mag was the search for a small revolver and found that Ruger had chambered it in the single -six. Then I found that Heritage offered it in guns with a msrp of $229. That means I can more than likely pick up a new gun for under $200. Then I also found out they were legal for SASS. I have never done this but I figure the next gun I will get should be legal so I can give it a whirl.

As far as snake shot goes, I have a recipe for a handload using 31 - 7 1/2 shot pellets that is suppose to be wicked good on snakes. And these loads will be much cheaper than store bought.

The only knock I have come up with is the lack of readily available ammo. I can walk into almost any sporting goods store in the US and buy .38 ammo, a huge plus. The same can't be said for the .32 mag.

P_Weed - glad to hear you really like your single-six. And that sounds like a dang good price. Was that price for a new gun? I thought Ruger was no longer chambering the Single-Six in .32 mag.

Thanks for the info guys and keep it coming,
CB

If you are looking for something that can do double duty I don't think you can do better than just the standard old Ruger Blackhawk. Comes in 4-5/8" and 6-1/2" barrels and I've seen clean used ones for the $250 range. They, as you know, will shoot the 38's and 357's and you can shoot CAS in the "modern" class. My son uses the same gun for cowboy and it does very well, in fact that's what many use. Depending on what you are intending to shoot in the woods the 32 is for smaller varmints IMO and with the bigger stuff including good size dogs I would personally feel undergunned with a 32. My cousin had to shoot a feral dog 4 times before he killed it and immediatly got rid of the gun as he was very UNIMPRESSED. FWIW

CB;

I'm a BIG fan of the .32 H&R Magnum. I currently own 3; all S&Ws.

The .32 ammo can be found easily enough, and it can also use the .32 S&W (shorts) and .32 S&W Longs. Handy for training and plinking.

Load up your own snake shot and be set.

Personally, I think the Ruger SingleSix or the little Vaquero-type Bird's Head revolvers are really sweet.

Of course, my favorite for your use is a S&W 631 4" with adjustable sights. But they is RARE, and you can't have mine... although, here: ( 631 ) is one... If I were you, I'd grab this one... now!

I just sent my new CDNN catalog down the road with my brother-in-law. Yes it is a brand new gun. I'm sure the model is not current but they always seem to come up with old/new stuff like that.

CDNN is also offering new in box (rare find) Low 3-digit serial #'s Ruger Security Six" 4"bbl, DA Revolvers that haven't been made for years- ~1970 MFG.~ 349.99 New In Box. [Found in warehouse] Checkered Walnut grips, adj. rear sight.

I also thought the .38 spl. was an undesirable and obsolete cartridge while becoming a huge fan a of the 9mm Luger.

Then I got a Dan Wesson 357/38 DA Revolver and a Marlin 1894C 357/38 Lever Carbine and started shooting 38 specials; finding them to hit with great accuracy and power- and I compared them to my smaller 9mm auto-pistol cartridges...

Well, 'now' the .38 spl. is one of my favorite cartridges. I found some name-brand 38 spl. +P hollowpoints red-tagged clearence not long ago for $5.99 a box of 50 and am sorry I only bought 2 boxes.

--Weed

I'd say get a Taurus M66 in .357.. shotshells ok in .38, and decent accuracy in .38 & .357. Fairly llight, even in ss. Gives you a good pack revolver, no jams, speedloaders avail to load up with shot, and both cals. Would cover any camping situation, except for 'gators. They just laugh at .38's.

I agree about the 9 mm P_Weed. I have never been a fan of them. They are great in Hi-Cap mags but once the government started limiting mags to a max of 10 rounds the 9 mm lost a lot of it's flavor. If you are going to be limited to 10 rounds they may as well be BIG rounds. Thats why I bought the 45 acp I have. If I compare the 38 vs the 9 mm or the 380 the 38 winds hand down, round for round.

CB

I've got an SP101 Ruger with a 3" barrel, in 32 H&R mag.
Great little gun!
I'm loading 95 gr. SWC's at 1000 FPS, for a "plinking" load.
'bout like shooting a 22LR!
Also, a shot load could be worked up using 32 cal gas checks. One over the powder, and another crimped upside down into the mouth of the case.
Virgil B.

OK, decisions, decisions.

Here is what I'm leaning towards. A birdshead Heritage .32 mag with a 3.5" barrel. I think it will fill the bill nicely for my intended purpose of tossing in the daypack. It will also work for SASS. I'm still worried about being able to shoot it well enough and weather or not I will like the birdshead grip but for the price I don't think I can go wrong.

After that I'll see weather or not ny next gun will be a .357 or another larger .32. I'll have to play that one by ear.

Opinions?

CB

Most of the time I carry a Taurus Tracker model in .45 Colt. It has a small frame, holds five rounds, and a 4" ported barrel. I really enjoy carrying it, and it would give you a fair amount of shot for slithering critters!
Keith

Dang, I like that Birdshead Heritage idea. Are those made here in the USA? I think I may get one.

Here is a couple of article links for ya Ethan. The first is an article for the .32 mag and the second on the Heritage Big Bore revolver. The .32 mag is made in USA and the Big bore is made in Italy.

http://www.gunblast.com/WBell_HeritageRR.htm

http://www.gunblast.com/WBell_HeritageBigBore.htm

CB

The Heritage 32 Magnum Rough Rider: A New-American Made SA Revolver- [I Googled]

Go for it, I don't think you'll be sorry. I asked a co-worker aquaintance pretty knowlagable about SA revolvers. He also said they were 100% American made, strong, should be accurate, and economically priced.

He said Heritage only made .22 long rifle & .22 magnum SA revolvers and wondered if they just bored out their regular barrels & cylinders for the 32's which still should be plenty strong. "They make good guns."

As to the Birdshead grip. I always liked them. Just for their looks. about a year ago I saw a Ruger Vaquero case-color finish, black micarta birdshead grip- 45 COLT. & bought it

Now, I also like the Birdshead grip for the comfort, feel, & way it seems to make the gun point and shoot and even handles recoil. A buddy who was worse than skeptical about my gun shot it (and shot it well). He soon went out and bought one himself.

As to the 3.5" barrel (both my Rugers are 4 5/8") but my buddy's Ruger 45 Colt birdshead is 3.5" and his gun shoots as accurately as my 4 5/8" model.

Many popular service type auto pistols only have 4" inch barrels and the chambered cartidge takes up at least an inch of that. In a cylindered cartridged revolver, the bullet uses the whole barrel length. I've found DA revolvers with 3" bbl's. to be very acceptable regarding accuracy.

It was this same friend who recently ordered two BH Ruger 32's from CDNN. That's how I got mine. He figured I'd want one. Now I got to figure out how to pay him for it.

Thanks Chris and Weed.

I've had several Heritage Arms guns going back to a long stint with an FIE (their predecessor) which rode many miles on a tractor with me. For the money, they are adequate guns. I sure like the idea of an inexpensive, made in USA, Lightening-lookalike in 32 Mag. The original H&R's were appealing until they got cost-prohibitive. The Rugers were always a little high for this type of thing.

I LOVE Lightenings and Thunderers. I've had a couple. The trouble is, they're no damn good. heheheh I like the idea of the Heritage which hopefully, is mechanically sound and reliable. There is nothing better-looking, IMO, than an old Lightening. What I DON'T like about the Blackhawk and some others in this configeration, is their size. You need a .22-sized revolver to capture the original sense of the Lightenings. And certainly nothing against anybody who enjoys the bigger guns so configured. I just like the original type of this gun.

Bad news boys. Did some calling around today and nobody can find the birdshead Heritage. The only 32 mag Heritage that seems to be available is the 6.5" barrel. Then I called Heritage's offices and they informed me that they are back ordered and they are currently in the process of shipping them to the distributers. Dealers should be able to order them in 3 weeks.

Not that I can's wait but I've been around the block to many times to trust that they will be available when they say. Looks like I may be in for a wait.

CB