Best small cartridge for a handgun/rifle combo

I would think 9mm or .40 S&W would be very dooable here.

The best is a .22 LR.
"...357/38 but..." Depends on the bullet and its velocity. Use a .38 vs a .357 too. Then you'll have a problem finding a rifle that cycles .38 Special well. Most .357 levers do not.
The real issue is finding the hand gun chambered in whatever. That, and the chances of both firearms shooting the same ammo well are slim to none.

I have a 5.7x28 in both rifle and handgun. The rifle is OK but demanding - Excel Arms Accelerator, with some aftermarket work. The pistol, and FN is ideal out of the box but pricey averaging $1,200 per gun. Both are extremely accurate and fun to shoot. The pistol is my "bug out" gun complete with 3 - 20 round (supplied with gun) and 1 - 30 round magazine.

Stationary Smell said:

I like 22 hornet but I think a revolver chambered in it would be hard to find.

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Yeah, like neigh on impossible!
What do you mean by "small game" - edible or varmints? I ask because a .22 Hornet, unless you load it down, is going to make a heck of a mess out of edible "small game" such as rabbits, squirrels and grouse - unless you can always shoot them in their heads. On the other hand, using various .357s and .44s, I've snipped the heads off more blue and ruffed grouse than I can remember. It legal here during the season, and there's no finer meal than blue grouse fried on a Coleman stove in a deer/elk hunting camp tent.
But if the "small game" you're talking about is only varmints, why do you care about how large of a "bullet" you're using?
Never-the-less, I repeat - you're not going to find a .22 Hornet revolver - which by the way, would be LOUDER than you can believe.

.22 WMR, that's my favorite small cartridge for use in a revolver alongside a rifle or carbine chambered for the same cartridge.

.308 Norma said:

Yeah, like neigh on impossible!

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Taurus Raging Hornets are out there. I bought one when they were in production, and bought another about 3 months ago for my brother, there were 3 on Gunbroker at the time. Not easy to find, but not impossible.

The downside to the Raging Hornet is the case thrust issue. Learn how to load and manage your way around that, and it's really a treat.

I will say, despite having many "pairings," I honestly don't believe there is much sense in the idea behind companion rifles and handguns. The gap for barrel length just isn't sufficient enough for me for most cartridges on your list. If I'm packing two firearms, then there needs to be a sufficient difference between the two, otherwise, why carry both at all? The numbers look very different on the page, but in reality, there really isn't much difference at the business end - if I carry my Raging Hornet, I would never carry my CZ along with it - as I really can't do much with the rifle which the handgun can't. A 243win, on the other hand, makes a nice companion for my Hornet. If I can't reach it with the revolver, then the rifle needs sufficiently more range. The difference for killing game with a 357mag revolver vs. a rifle is only about 50yrds of improved accuracy... The gap between PCC's and semiauto pistols in 9mm, 40, or 45acp is even smaller still than the revolver cartridges... Not enough difference to matter to me.

32-20 Winchester (32-20 WCF) would suite your purposes. This cartridge has been used for your very purpose for over 100 years.

Stu

Varminterror said:

Taurus Raging Hornets are out there. I bought one when they were in production, and bought another about 3 months ago for my brother, there were 3 on Gunbroker at the time. Not easy to find, but not impossible

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Yeppers, I forgot about those Taurus Raging Hornets.

If there is finally a carbine available in 327 magnum, that would probably do a good job.

I have never shot small game with a hundgun other than a 22. However, I shot them with my 7.62x39 hunting rifle (Chinese SKS) frequently when I was younger. It made nice neat holes all the way through them without meat damage. I guess handguns are different.

I really need to get myself a 4" revolver in .22 WMR for the heck of it. Anyway, if one is considering rimfire, the boost of speed and flat shooting a bit further out (.22 WMR rifle vs. handgun) is something to consider.

Some old numbers from a few years ago with different guns all in .22 WMR.


Zastava Mini Magnum 16.25" bbl

Hornady VMax 30 grain = 2359, 2287, 2322 fps
Remington 40 grain PSP = 1996, 1880, 1885 fps
Winchester Super X 40 grain JHP = 1907, 1888, 1875 fps


Ruger Single Six 9.5" bbl

Hornady VMax 30 grain = 1683, 1749, 1711 fps
Remington 40 grain PSP = 1461, 1375, 1383 fps
Winchester Super X 40 grain JHP = 1403, 1404, 1295 fps


Henry H001M Lever Action 19.25" bbl

Hornady VMax 30 grain = 2393, 2256, 2324 fps
CCI Choot Em 40 grain JHP = 2035, 2017, 2020 fps
Hornady Critical Defense 45 grain = 1867, 1883, 1801 fps


Keltec PMR 30 4.3" bbl

Hornady VMax 30 grain = 1585, 1572, 1579 fps
CCI Choot Em 40 grain JHP = 1221, 1251, 1236 fps
Hornady Critical Defense 45 grain = 1195, 1330, 1266 fps

I have "matched sets" if you will in .22LR, .22WMR, 9mm, .357 Mag, and .44 Mag. As long as you reload for the center fires, any of them can do for small game with lighter loads.

Right now your best option is probably the Armscor .22 TCM weapons. A 1911 format pistol and a bolt action carbine. The magazines even interchange. Cases can be made from fired .223 blanks and you don't get much cheaper than that. Since the carbine is a bolt action, you can download to .22LR levels with no problem.

I have a Henry .22 WMR a Henry .22 LR, and a 6.5" Ruger single six with both cylinders so I can carry either (These are among others haunting the safe in both calibers, etc). The lever gun/single action sidearm just goes together nicely.

Henry is putting out a lever gun in .327 this year, that with a Ruger chambered in .327 should serve you well. Not sure about the rifle yet but the revolver will also let you shoot 32Mag, and 32S&W Long. I like a wadcutter for small game, cuts a clean hole and is usually a clean kill.

.38 wadcutter loaded light is fine on small game and that is a good option.

If you were open to a Thompson Contender their are many barrel options there also for the rifle side of the house and being a single shot you don't have to worry about it chambering the more difficult rounds.

Stationary Smell said:

I'm looking for a handgun/rifle combo chambered in the same cartridge. Any suggestions? I want something small that could take small game. I like 22 hornet but I think a revolver chambered in it would be hard to find. I think 17 hmr or 22 mag would probably be the easiest to find but I was hoping for something reloadable. My other thought was 357/38 but that seems like a large bullet for small game?

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An H&R handi rifle in 357/38 would pair well with a 357 revolver. The 38 would work for small game. I really like mine though I've only shot 357 in it.

While everyone needs a .22 Single Six and a good .22 Rifle, the recent rimfire shortage really made me rethink relying too heavily on the combo. I'm in the 38/357 camp now and will never look back. I've got lots of handguns in 38 & 357 but my lone rifle is a Ruger 77/357 and I dearly love it. They just returned it to production so they are available and cycle 38spl just as well as the 357's. Hard to beat.

I often carry a Marlin levergun and Ruger SA revolver in 38/357 when in the woods. It's a good carry combination IMO.

If you are looking for very light a .22 Magnum us a good choice.

I have a Beretta CX4 Storm that's set up for the 92FS mags. The carbine barrel puts
respectable power on the 9mm.

stu1ritter said:

32-20 Winchester (32-20 WCF) would suite your purposes. This cartridge has been used for your very purpose for over 100 years.

Stu

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Absolutely!

The 32-20 is hands down my favorite cartridge. I use it for a variety of things including shooting in Cowboy Action Matches to dispatching skunks and other pests on the ranch.

It is a bottleneck cartridge but I don't find it any harder to reload the straight wall cases. Just takes a extra moment when resizing it to avoid dinging the case mouth. The bottleneck makes it a most excellent reliable feeding rifle round.

However the bad news is trying to guns chambered in it. My long gun is a Cimarron 1873 carbine which is what gets used here on the ranch.

My only 32-20 handgun is a EMF Single Action revolver. It is not a easy revolver to pack as it has a 7 1/2" barrel. One of the guns at the top of my list is a Colt Police Positive or S&W with a 4" barrel as it would make a great combination.

Another choice is the 32 Magnum.

Ruger makes the Single-Six single action revolver in both blue and stainless steel. They have offered it in two different sizes of grip frames. The ones I have are lightweight and it is easy to forget that I am packing one.

Marlin made a lever action rifle in 32 Magnum. I have no first hand experience with it. My impression is they were not in production very long and the ones I see for sale are high priced.

BSA1 said:

Another choice is the 32 Magnum.

Ruger makes the Single-Six single action revolver in both blue and stainless steel. They have offered it in two different sizes of grip frames. The ones I have are lightweight and it is easy to forget that I am packing one.

Marlin made a lever action rifle in 32 Magnum. I have no first hand experience with it. My impression is they were not in procuction very long and the ones I see for sale are high priced.

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I agree a .32 Cal combination is a good choice but like you said, they are hard to come by. That's why I suggested the .357 Magnum instead. It's a shame the .32 Cal has not really been widely accepted here in America.

The .32-20 is a long time favorite for this sort of thing. I did this a long time ago with a Browning 53 and Uberti SAA. Loads can easily be tailored to the game. The .25-20 is also a good one but your revolver will have to be a custom.

ArchAngelCD said:

It's a shame the .32 Cal has not really been widely accepted here in America.

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You made me smile, ArchAngelCD. My dad, and my granddad before him were both "anything .32" guys.