.38 special for small game

BullOnParade

BullOnParade

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Up at the hunt camp (Northern Ontario) I keep my .357 mare's leg handy when working/hiking. I'd like to start taking more small game when they present themselves (as they often do).

I keep leverevolution .357's loaded, but I'm wondering if .38s might be fair suited for grouse and hare. I reload .38 for bullseye pistol shooting, what kind of chrono numbers would you want to stop something on the smallest end of game (bigger than a squirrel).
 
Dont need much for small game. I use 9x19 in a just right carbine for rabbit and grouse. 115gr fmj works great. Im sure a 38 going between 400 and 1200 fps should do just fine. Fmj doesnt tear up the rabbit if plunked thru the ribs
 
Keep this in mind:

"If you are hunting small game in an area where there is an open season for deer, moose, elk, or black bear, you may not possess or use a centre-fire rifle or shells loaded with ball or with shot larger than No. 2 shot (non-toxic equivalents include steel shot larger than triple BBB, or bismuth larger than double BB), unless you possess a valid licence to hunt deer, moose, elk or black bear as the case may be. This restriction does not apply south of the French and Mattawa rivers during an open season for deer that is restricted to the use of bows. A person hunting small game may not carry or use a rifle of greater calibre than a .275-calibre rifle, except a muzzle-loading gun, in the geographic areas of Brant, Chatham-Kent, Durham, Elgin, Essex, Haldimand, Halton, Hamilton, Huron, Lambton, Middlesex, Niagara, Norfolk, Northumberland, Oxford, Peel, Perth, Toronto, Waterloo, Wellington or York."
 
legi0n said:
load subsonics in 357 brass
Unique is a good powder for that

https://www.alliantpowder.com/reloa...owderlist.aspx&type=1&powderid=3&cartridge=28
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Admittedly I like the classics; I usually run olden calibers, hence 'Pet Loads' & 'Sixguns' usually have relevance. The powders can be out of date but the theories are usually sound.
Both Waters and Keith came across as pushing for a nice big meplat. Keith more so as he stated he had seen ground hogs run down a hole after a neck shot with big bore wheelguns...45 LC with the old round nose to aid thumbing into SAA loading gates smoothly didn't kill nearly as well as his flat nose style.
If a Keith style bullet will feed in your Mare's Leg ( it did in my 44 mag ML ), using it might increase your game count.
And I find Unique a touch dirty, but I love it. I never built SS with 2400, but it's another likely powder, Trail boss as well.
 
What velocity do your current .38 Special, bullseye loads chronograph, if known?
Snowshoe hare and grouse don't need a lot of bullet...or terminal velocity, to harvest. Provided you place your shots, carefully. Your current .38 Special bullseye loads, are likely plenty capable of getting the job done. From personal experience, I know that: any 125-158 gr. soft lead bullet, driven at least 750-800 fps, will easily take both game species. Jacketed soft points too. They don't need to be driven hard, either.
As tokguy already suggested, if you load the cartridges with a Keith-type, soft lead bullet, or RNFP with a wide meplat; terminal performance is excellent. Hope this helps.
 
Just for consistency's sake I probably wouldn't go extremely low. It's generally advised not to try to get too low with a jacketed bullet, as people have stuck them in the bore. And 600 fps would be "lots" with a good flat nose lead bullet.

Of course driving them a bit faster will give you flexibility for bigger game, and not ruin any more meat.

If you haven't already; you'll find it a lot easier to hit your target by doing some sight work. It was a few years back, but to get the wife's gun to shoot to POA, I pulled the rear sight elevator right out, and notched the rear sight a little deeper with a rotary tool (dremel type) and a couple of flat discs stacked. I also put a full size butt stock on as well. Works much better with a very small penalty in size and weight.
 
I've tried a few .38s in my rifle with no failures so far, but I'd still primarily be carrying these loads in a card while the rifle is loaded with .357 for poodles and Ursa annoying. My experience this past summer is that a couple times when I'm hiking and working, I come across a hare on the trail, when I'm holding nothing but .357 loads. So my plan is to single load one of these when I need them.

I am aware of the small game requirements, saw that on a thread here in the past year. Definitely something to be aware of, however the mares leg will probably not come out during big game season
 
A handy way to carry extra rounds is on a belt slider. Cowboy action shooters use these a lot, for spare rounds. Fast and easy way to grab a cartridge, when needed. I have a couple that hold 6 rounds each, of either .38 Special, or .357. Something like that would likely be plenty, for your needs. Maybe worth a look.
 
BullOnParade said:
I am aware of the small game requirements, saw that on a thread here in the past year. Definitely something to be aware of, however the mares leg will probably not come out during big game season
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Take notice that North of the French and Mattawa rivers, this restriction includes open bow seasons for big game... which include all units with bear seasons (August 15th opener) and archery moose (Sept. 10 - 25th openers depending on WMU). This pretty much negates the use of centerfire for small game unless you are licenced for the big game and allowed a centerfire rifle.
 
hoytcanon said:
Keep this in mind:

"If you are hunting small game in an area where there is an open season for deer, moose, elk, or black bear, you may not possess or use a centre-fire rifle or shells loaded with ball or with shot larger than No. 2 shot (non-toxic equivalents include steel shot larger than triple BBB, or bismuth larger than double BB), unless you possess a valid licence to hunt deer, moose, elk or black bear as the case may be. This restriction does not apply south of the French and Mattawa rivers during an open season for deer that is restricted to the use of bows. A person hunting small game may not carry or use a rifle of greater calibre than a .275-calibre rifle, except a muzzle-loading gun, in the geographic areas of Brant, Chatham-Kent, Durham, Elgin, Essex, Haldimand, Halton, Hamilton, Huron, Lambton, Middlesex, Niagara, Norfolk, Northumberland, Oxford, Peel, Perth, Toronto, Waterloo, Wellington or York."
Click to expand...

if he is at his hunting camp im sure he has tags for a big game animal and Ontario only requires centerfire rifles no minimum caliber for big game
 
I have had good success on small game ( ruffed grouse and snowshoe hare ) with standard .38 special loads using lead, round nose 158 gr. bullets. The key to not destroying too much meat is using a bullet that doesn't expand or have a flat tip. Use factory duplication style .38 handloads, bullets seated to a length that feeds consistently in your carbine and you will be happy.
 
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