Buckshot for .32 rifle balls?

[Jbar4Ranch]

Anybody ever try #1 buckshot (nominally .30") or #0 (nominally .32") for .32 cal rifle balls? Unfortunately, .30" is a tad small and .32" is a tad large.

 

[Dave K]

I have found that Speer buckshot is about .008 smaller than Hornady buckshot. See if that helps.

 

[[email protected]]

Hey JBAR,
what brand rifle are ya shootin? Just wondering cuz I am planning on buying a .32 and dont want to run into problems like this.... I was looking at a very nice .28 caliber percussion today at Weston West Virginia
in a pawn shop......caliber and price stopped me from buying.....$1,200.......i think I will lean toward the CROCKETT .32

**** WV SCROUNGER ***

 

[irishjim]

I have a .32 Green Mountain barrel for my TC Hawkin. With thin pillow ticking .30 buck is OK for plinking but not very good for hunting or match shooting.

The way they make buck shot makes the balls inconsistant for weight & density. They also display a situation were they seem heavier in one part of the ball. You can see this if you do a roll test. Balls with more weight to one side will always face the bottom of the dish. If you get one that is really off you'll hear it make a type of wabbling sound when shot.

I prefer swagged RB for hunting, target or match shooting.

:results:

 

[bob1961]

years ago before they made lead shot illegal to use they used to make it by dropping it from high up in a tower through a grate of holes of different sizes....as the lead fell it would round itself out and by time it hit the water below to finish cooling it would be almost perfectly round....then it went through a sizing grate to get your #4 shot and #6 and so on....i think thats the way they still make buckshot of the different sizes so it won't be like it swaged............bob

 

[bshultz]

I've used single ought in my 32 pistol with a .010 patch, it shoots pretty good with that :results: :imo: :thumbsup:

 

[Slowpoke]

I use buckshot all the time in my 32. I personally think it's the best way to go. I buy it in 5 pound bags for $10 and it has about 750 shot in a bag. I've done some testing and found it equal to those balls that I cast. I had a buddy assey them and they can back in the area of 97% pure lead. If you don't use a thin patch, you have to use a little hammer to get them started. I'm sure if you put your rifle on a bench and shot a group at 50 yards, then compaired it to a group of cast balls, you could probably see a little bit of difference in your group. But offhand you'll never know the difference.

SP

 

[CoyoteJoe]

I've been shooting Hornady 000 buck in a .36 pistol with 25 yard groups about one and a half to two inches, which is about the best I can do with iron sights on any pistol. The Hornady buck is not at all like old Lawrence brand buck which had many flat spots and weight variations. The Hornady buck looks like polished steel ballbearings, actually much better than their swaged roundballs. However it is NOT pure lead, but is hardened with antimony. Hard is good in buckshot since it retains it's roundness for a better pattern but dead soft pure lead is generally prefered for patched roundballs. That said, I doubt I could much improve on the accuracy I'm getting from that .36 pistol. :results:

 

[Jbar4Ranch]

IrishJim, I'm also using a Green Mountain .32 barrel on a TC Hawken. It actually fit better than the original .54 TC barrel, and has been a really fun caliber to shoot.

 

[wilded]

I have found that Speer buckshot is about .008 smaller than Hornady buckshot. See if that helps.

Speer no longer makes buck shot except for #00 which is .330 :sorry: