I currently load .223, 357/38, and have dies for 300 BLK (but no firearm chambered for it).
I am interested in getting back into the T/C single shot handgun game for hunting. I had one years ago with a 14" .223, 10" .357 Mag, and a 10" 22LR barrel set. This time around I am thinking about getting a rimfire of some sort, another .357 (maybe a Maxi) and/or something else. I am wanting to stay with 10"-12" barrels for better portability and a less muzzle heavy handgun.
I am undecided between a 10" 22LR or 12" 17HMR for my rimfire barrel. Which would you recommend for squirrel to groundhog sized animals in the handgun platform? This barrel would most likely be kept with open sights and shots limited to the lesser of 30 yards or where I felt comfortable.
I have thought about getting a 44Rem Mag barrel instead of the .357. The stouter recoil aside, the only negative I see is that I would have to get set up to reload for a different cartridge. Would the 44RM give me a large enough difference in terminal ballistics to make it a better choice for deer inside 75-100 yards? Would going with the 300BLK (since I already have dies and brass that can be converted) be a significant advantage to either of them? I prefer this barrel to be 12", if I can find one at a good price, and will wear a low power pistol scope.
I am sure we can all agree that the muzzle blast from a .223 in a 12" barrel is obnoxious at best. I remember it being horrendous in the 14". As such, I have thought about getting a 10" 22 Hornet barrel. I would like a twist fast enough to stabilize some of the 45-55gr varmint style HP bullets designed for the .223 to get better energy and a BC advantage over the RN style typically found in the Hornet. Do you feel this could even be a replacement for the rimfire barrel?
I appreciate all thoughtful responses, even if they do not directly answer my questions. Other chamberings I have contemplated include the 32-20, 327 Fed Mag, 30 Reece (and a few similar designs), 256 Win Mag, and 218Bee. Would you choose any of these over what I have mentioned above? Why?
I am interested in getting back into the T/C single shot handgun game for hunting. I had one years ago with a 14" .223, 10" .357 Mag, and a 10" 22LR barrel set. This time around I am thinking about getting a rimfire of some sort, another .357 (maybe a Maxi) and/or something else. I am wanting to stay with 10"-12" barrels for better portability and a less muzzle heavy handgun.
I am undecided between a 10" 22LR or 12" 17HMR for my rimfire barrel. Which would you recommend for squirrel to groundhog sized animals in the handgun platform? This barrel would most likely be kept with open sights and shots limited to the lesser of 30 yards or where I felt comfortable.
I have thought about getting a 44Rem Mag barrel instead of the .357. The stouter recoil aside, the only negative I see is that I would have to get set up to reload for a different cartridge. Would the 44RM give me a large enough difference in terminal ballistics to make it a better choice for deer inside 75-100 yards? Would going with the 300BLK (since I already have dies and brass that can be converted) be a significant advantage to either of them? I prefer this barrel to be 12", if I can find one at a good price, and will wear a low power pistol scope.
I am sure we can all agree that the muzzle blast from a .223 in a 12" barrel is obnoxious at best. I remember it being horrendous in the 14". As such, I have thought about getting a 10" 22 Hornet barrel. I would like a twist fast enough to stabilize some of the 45-55gr varmint style HP bullets designed for the .223 to get better energy and a BC advantage over the RN style typically found in the Hornet. Do you feel this could even be a replacement for the rimfire barrel?
I appreciate all thoughtful responses, even if they do not directly answer my questions. Other chamberings I have contemplated include the 32-20, 327 Fed Mag, 30 Reece (and a few similar designs), 256 Win Mag, and 218Bee. Would you choose any of these over what I have mentioned above? Why?