? about small game hunting with SAA's

cshold · Post by **cshold** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 7:14 pm

Question about small game hunting with SAA's in 38 spl.

What have you found to be the best factory load?

I am thinking the 148 gr. wadcutter for small game.

Would this be right or is there something else that works better?

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 7:21 pm

casastahle,

I've never hunted with a 38 Spcl, but were I to do so, I'd choose a 158gr SWC at the least. Or preferably the old FBI 158gr SWC-HP +P load. Unless you are hunting bunnies up real close I think the wad cutters are gonna leave you a bit short.

JMHO

Joe

Post by **Hobie** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 7:21 pm

Wadcutters work.

JimT · Post by **JimT** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 7:35 pm

As a kid I killed lots of rabbits, cats, dogs, squirrels and so with 38 Special wadcutter handloads. They worked just fine.

cshold · Post by **cshold** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 7:37 pm

Yes bunnies and possibly tree rats that are not to far away.

I was thinking the +P's with semi-wadcutters would be the choice
for turkey, but could be wrong there.

open to sugestions for sure.

Post by **Hobie** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 8:37 pm

Yep, I'd want more than target wadcutters for turkey and fox and such but mostly due to the trajectory. Wadcutters work great on squirrels and rabbits or bigger game in traps...

Paul · Post by **Paul** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 9:02 pm

casastahle wrote:Yes bunnies and possibly tree rats that are not to far away.

I was thinking the +P's with semi-wadcutters would be the choice
for turkey, but could be wrong there.

open to sugestions for sure.

I had a Lyman double cavity WC mold years ago. Have NO idea how many of those I ran down the barrel of my Rossi. With some stingless bee wax lube I invented and Especial de CaÃ§a powder it was one accurate bullet. It worked great on partridge and even put down an egg sucking bitch from the next farm over one time. That was NOT a clean kill, ended up putting three more into her after the first one hit her at the base of the skull - right where I'd aimed - and put her down, but not out. That first one would have killed her I'm sure - if I'd hot rodded it a bit instead of using a powder puff load. The WC will hit with plenty of authority if you run them on the hot end of the loading scale. They should be good for anything up to the size of a large coon or even coyote if you place them right. Would I use them for turkey? I don't know. I'd have to run some shooting tests with them first. A lot of it will have to do with whether you can place your bullets well. If you can, they'll do the job admirably. That flat face has an AWFUL wallop to it and should do good duty for you.

Paul - in Pereira

cshold · Post by **cshold** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 9:23 pm

Yes I do think for turkey I would step it up a notch to the 357.
That's what I think is nice with the versitility of the 38/357.

JimT · Post by **JimT** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 9:29 pm

The wadcutter run hot will ruin a lot of meat. I can attest to it from personal experience.