[epijunkie67]

I'm not a reloader but have considered getting a small kit in the next few months. I was wondering if it's possible to download rifle brass with more lightweight pistol rounds of the same caliber? Like loading a 100grain .32 bullet in .32 winchester brass to produce a projectile with higher velocity so it will have a flatter tranjectory. Would this increase or decrease chamber pressure? If it's do-able would this have the desired effect or am I missing something?

[USSR]

If it's do-able would this have the desired effect or am I missing something?

It's doable, but you're missing something. Bullets are constructed to hold together up to a certain velocity. In the case of pistol bullets, this threshold is far below rifle velocities. In summary, the pistol bullets are not likely to hold together when fired at rifle velocities.

Don

[Jim Watson]

It is possible in a few limited cases, but not the one you state, and not for the reason you state.

A .32 pistol bullet measures .312-.314" and .32 Winchester Special is a true .320" so that is not a good matchup.
Those .32 pistol bullets will work for LIGHT loads in a .30 caliber rifle, say .30-30 or .30-06. They size themselves down in the barrel and are said to shoot fairly well at short ranges.

Most pistol bullets are not strong enough to stand rifle velocity, and they are SO light relative to caliber that they do not retain velocity well and don't give a flatter trajectory.

The one exception I know is that you can blow a .357 pistol bullet, if hard cast or strongly jacketed like an XTP, out of a .35 caliber rifle at pretty high speed and might actually hit something. I have done it with a couple of .35 Remingtons and have heard of it in .350 Magnum and .35 Whelen. Still doesn't make it a long range varmint rifle, just a cheaper source of practice ammo.

[c_yeager]

People have made varmit loads doing just this. Pushing pistol bullets this fast will cause them to fail (fragment) which is a BAD thing for big game, but can actually yield good results on thin-skinned animals like coyotes. I recall reading about some folks who were loading .25ACP hollow point bullets into 6.5x55 swede for this purpose.

[dodgestdshift]

Be careful if you intend to use 45 Caliber bullets. The 45 rifle bullet measures about .458 in. the handgun caliber 45 is .452. It shouldn't be hazardous, but I doubt if it would shoot well in the rifle.

[Jet22]

CAUTION: The following post includes loading data not in currently published manuals for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The High Road, nor the staff of THR assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.


Depends on what you are doing, but you might want to try a single 00 buckshot pellet with a small charge (1.5-2 grains max) of Bullseye or WW231. It will shoot like a big pellet gun and would be good for close range rabbits and such. I like to use magnum primers when doing loads like this so I am assured that all the powder lights at once.

Another thing to consider is that the 32 special is ideal for cast bullets. It has a 1 in 16 twist and that works out very well with cast bullets. You can load a good cast bullet up to darn near max with no problems in the 32 special. Of course cast bullets are also ideal for light loads. Check the Lyman reloading manual for such loads. You may go to http://www.pennbullets.com/32/32-caliber.html to view a nice 32 cal cast rifle bullet with prices. He will ship up to 4000 bullets for under $10.00 USPS Priority Mail. I'm sure other cast bullets are out there also. :)

[~z]

On the flip side, if you want a deep penetrating bullet to run through a pistol, the 35 cal bullets loaded into a cut down .357 case or a .38 spec do a fine job for hogs. Just seat so the cylinder will close and work your loads up slowly. Very good for heavy sided hogs at close range (back up gun).
~z

[Vern Humphrey]

Generally speaking, pistol bullets used in rifles are mostly either plinking loads or special-purpose.

I shoot a 198-grain cast bullet originally designed for the .357 Magnum in my .35-Brown Whelen, but hold velocities to around 1600 fps. By contrast, I shoot 225-grain Nosler Partition Jackets from this same rifle at about 2,800 fps.

.32 pistol bullets in .30 caliber rifles at moderate velocity will often shoot well and make a nice load for small game or even coyotes.

[Clark]

I have got some great groups shooting 158 gr XTP .357" bullets in a 35 Whelen rifle , with 10 gr. of pistol powder.

[goon]

Yes, this can be done. In my case I loaded 86 grain .310 bullets from a 7.62x25 (The round the Tokarev fires) into 7.62x39 casings. I did this to make reduced power loads for a new shooter who was recoil senstive. Really, anything that will fit in the casing and fit down the bore properly is worth a shot.
Tomorrow I'll be loading some 7.62x54R with some 123 grain bullets for some lighter practice/plinking loads. Shooting is supposed to be fun, not punishing.
I may have to try some 86 grain bullets from the '54R next.

As for the .45 caliber difference, don't they make conical .457 diamter bullets for percussion revolvers? Might work in a .458 bore. Worth a shot maybe?

I have never tried loading them "up" though. As has been stated, this would cause the bullets to fail (fragment). I would also be concerned that they may strip out of the rifling. IIRC, pistol bullets have thinner jackets. Might not stand up to being driven at twice or three times the speed they are made for.

[pete f]

I made up some loads, many years ago for the 148 grain DE wadcutters, DO NOT USE HOLLOW BASE WADCUTTERS IN A RIFLE> in a 35 rem. loaded to 850 or so fps they were absolutley deadly small game bullets out of a marlin 336 A I played a bit with the powder charge (i got them out of an older speer manual) until the POA was pretty close to my 220 grain hardcast deer loads. nickel sized groups and very very low report made them real fun to shoot snowshoes and fox with, as well as training rounds for my wife.




From EXPERIENCE. DO NOT SHOOT HOLLOW BASE WADCUTTERS OUT OF A RIFLE. THE WALLS OF THE BULLET WILL START TO DRAG PART WAY DOWN THE BARREL AND THEN THEY WILL STICK AND THE TOP OF THE HOLLOWED CAP WILL POP OPEN, VENTING GAS AND ALLOWING THE HOLLOW BASE TO REMAIN IN THE BARREL. THE NEXT SHOT WILL BULGE YOUR BARREL.

[drinks]

Short, light bullets have a low B.C. they lose velocity quickly.
If you had a .30-30, you could use sabot loads for quite high velocity with sabots containing .22 bullets.
The under diameter pistol bullets have a very low chance of being accurate.
Most likely a waste of time.