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Post by williamiorg on Feb 25, 2023 17:17:33 GMT -5
I have a .32 H&R Mag TC barrel, 24” and a Marlin 1894 in .32 H&R. Both are very good small game rifles. Megee spent a lot of time in the Austin area and West of there in the Hill Country. Megee wrote quite a bit on small game rifles and cartridges and their use in Hati and Central/South America. Megee used the .25 Rimfire in the Marlin pump and the .32 Rimfire/32 Long Center fire in the Marlin Lever action. Megee was well known and respected in Military/Marine aviation and had enough pull at Ruger to have the only No. 1 factory chambered for .32 S&W Long. Both Megee and Craige should have written in more detail about their small game rifles. Here is Megee with his Ruger No 1 in .32 S&W Long.
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Post by Encore64 on Feb 25, 2023 17:25:45 GMT -5
I'm really a fan of small game rifles. This build will fit right in.
Have TC Contender Carbine Barrels in 25-20, 327 Federal, 30 Reece, etc.
Marlin 1894s in 218 Bee, 25-20 and 32-20.
Also, have a Ruger #1 in 7.62x39mm. It does great with cast bullets and Unique for small game..
I seriously need to get MGM to do me a couple Encore Rifle Barrels in similar calibers. Maybe a 32 Magnum. I don't use my Encores enough because they're all big game guns.
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Post by rjm52 on Feb 28, 2023 7:18:19 GMT -5
Sounds like a great project...
Bought a #3 in .22 Hornet about 10 years ago with the thought of rechambering/reboring to .327 Federal or .41 Magnum. Problem became that it shot so well as a Hornet I decided to leave it as is...
Did have a 1#A stock set put on...
With Speer and Hornady .218 Bee flat point bullets it will colverleaf three shots at 50 yards at .22 Magnum velocities...
Bob
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Post by Encore64 on Feb 28, 2023 13:55:40 GMT -5
At this point, small game centerfire rifles are nearly extinct.
The 22 Hornet was our last holdout and it's unheard of these days.
One of the few factory guns that I'd classify as such is the Henry 327 Federal.
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jgt
.327 Meteor
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Posts: 801
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Post by jgt on Feb 28, 2023 14:17:34 GMT -5
Have you considered a 25-35?
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Post by Encore64 on Feb 28, 2023 14:22:52 GMT -5
Have you considered a 25-35? I love the 25-35 Win. Have a wonderful Rolling Block from Lone Star Rolling Blocks that Dave Higginbotham had built for himself before he passed away from a (accidental) self inflicted gun shot wound. It's an excellent round, but holds too much powder for a small game rifle. I generally prefer under 20 grn capacity.
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Post by rjm52 on Feb 28, 2023 21:25:39 GMT -5
"At this point, small game centerfire rifles are nearly extinct"...and the biggest killer was the .22 Magnum.
Less expensive to shoot Less expensive rifles Don't have to reload Flatter shooting Lots of handguns available Easy to scope rifles Holds lots of rounds
Speaking of small game...saw my first cottontail rabbit last week in NH...in 20+ years. Coyotes and raptors started wiping them out in the mid-1990s. Last one I saw was about 2002. Haven't seen any dropping/tracks in 20 years when we were covered in rabbits in 1988 when I moved here...sad.
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ericp
.327 Meteor
Posts: 512
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Post by ericp on Feb 28, 2023 21:32:04 GMT -5
At this point, small game centerfire rifles are nearly extinct. The 22 Hornet was our last holdout and it's unheard of these days. One of the few factory guns that I'd classify as such is the Henry 327 Federal. I would have to agree and would add that small game hunters are becoming significantly more scarce as well. It's very rare for me to encounter other hunters during small game season any more. Even when I do they are often deer hunters doing scouting who happened to bring a .22 along. I am very fond of the old willowly little guns like the Marlin 27s, Martini Cadets, etc. I have to think if more people got a chance to handle such guns and experience a good morning in the squirrel woods there would be a demand for these types of guns and cartridges again. These old small game cartridges also make great predator hunting rounds in the thick north woods. A good friend got a nice bobcat a couple of weeks ago with a 22 hornet. Range was 34 paces, can't imagine what a 223 or something similar would have done to the hide. Eric
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Post by kevshell on Mar 1, 2023 19:01:06 GMT -5
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Post by Encore64 on Mar 1, 2023 19:35:43 GMT -5
Agreed. I have the Uberti Baby Rolling Blocks in 218 Bee and 357 Magnum. Awesome small game guns.
Uberti also occasionally makes a run of Low Walls in 32-20 which I think would be a great choice.
Still, the best two cartridges I've found are the 30 Reece and 327 Federal. The edge definitely going to the 30 Reece.
It loads down to 32 Long and up to nearly 300 Blackout ballistics. While a .308" offers nearly endless bullet possibilities, it's also effortless to push any 32 caliber bullet thru a Lee .308" Sizer Die and go. The Hornady 100 grn 32 Bullet is a favorite.
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