Buckshot vs Pure Lead Balls In .36 Rifle

[yellowhammer]

Curious if anyone has experience shooting buckshot, such as Hornady 000 Buckshot (Link to product) in a .36 rifle, as compared to pure lead balls, such as the Hornady product (Link to product):

In the case of a .350 ball for the .36 cal rifles, there is an insignificant cost advantage between them; 7 cents/ball vs 11 cents/ball at Grafs.

The main difference (correct me if I'm wrong) is that buckshot generally uses a lead alloy hardened with antimony.

So hardened vs not, what have you seen vis-a-vis loading ease, ball/patch obturation, penetration, mushrooming, etc, we all understand the issues of hard vs soft. I would just like to hear from actual shooters if they observed real actual benefit of one over the other.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I have a friend who did it, also with his .32. Works but, IMHO, soft lead cast balls are preferable. Depending on how much you shoot casting might also prove less expensive.

 

[yellowhammer]

Cost is insignificant right now (agree could change). I'm just curious about tangible performance difference between the two in the field.

 

[smokeum54]

I used to cast my own, then years ago found 20lb of hornady .350 buck at a garage sale. I found no difference in accuracy out to 50 and they load the same as soft lead.

As for expansion, i have yet to have a rabbit or squirrel take one to the head, jump up and say HA! it didn't expand enough to kill me.