.31 Pistol Balls

[GrayBear]

I have a little Remington-Clone five shot. It's a fun plinker. When I bought it three or four years ago I purchased a package of whatever the proper sized balls were. I'm running low and the shop I bought from is gone.

Now, the question is, I've been told a .31 BP pistol works quite well, at least for plinking and pest control, shooting 00 buckshot. I can get a big bag of shot pretty cheaply where I buy my ML shotgun supplies.

Anybody tried this?

I'm currently looking for another .31 pistol for my wife and for two .32 caplock rifles for the two of us and I've heard the rifles will also shoot 00 buckshot? A bag of buckshot would beat casting balls for all those pest and plinker guns.

Thanks,

GrayBear

 

[WV_Hillbilly]

Actually what you are needing for the .31 revolver is "Single-Ought" buckshot (which is #0). That is .320 diameter and works VERY well in most .31 caliber revolvers. "Double-Ought" buckshot (#00) is .330 diameter and too large to be used in these guns.

Now as for the .32 caliber rifle...
You can try the #0 which is a tight fit at .320 diameter, or you could go for the #1 buckshot which is .300 diameter (gonna need a very thick patch). Neither of these options are the best fit, but of the two, one of them may work better than the other in a particular rifle.

The cost savings are substantial when using the Hornady 5lb bags/boxes of buckshot VS. an expensive box of 100 round balls. But you need to use what loads easily, shoots accurately, and is safe in your particular pistol or rifle. Don't get too discouraged about the rifle, as you will load & fire it MUCH less than you would the revolver; and the extra cost to get the best fitting round balls to achieve better accuracy is probably worth it.

If you're casting, I believer LEE used to make .311 and .313 round ball moulds--one of which should be just about perfect for a .32 caliber rifle. It's still a much better solution to buy the #0 buckshot for the .31 caliber revolver use. Anytime That way you can save your casting time and effort for the harder to find calibers. BTW, the buckshot are very consistent diameter, and though they are alloyed for use in shotguns, they are still plenty soft enough to "bump up" in the revolver barrel.

Sometimes you can still find those little bronze type pincer moulds that cast a round ball and a conical for the .31 caliber revolvers. I saw them at the N-SSA Skirmish back in May selling for $10, but I'm on the other side of the country from you.

I hope you don't have inflated expectations of the .31cal revolvers and the .32cal rifles if using these for larger game or varmints. To put things into a conventional perspective; a .31cal revolver is about on par with a .22LR out of a pistol, and the .32 rifle is about like a +P+ .22 Magnum rimfire rifle. That's not to say that these guns aren't useful IF their limitations aren't exceeded. Just don't expect miracles from them and you won't be disappointed.

Hope you get things figured out and that I did more to help you than confuse you...

Regards,
WV_Hillbilly

 

[GrayBear]

Thanks, you helped a lot, WV_Hillbilly. I have a CVA Bobcat .50 percussion rifle and a .50 Kentucky-style percussion pistol for more serious business. I cast .490's for both guns.

The .31 revolver is a plinker as a .32 longrifle will be when I can accumulate one. Both guns will mostly poke holes in tin cans and in paper with maybe some ground-squirrel pest control work from time to time. I'll maybe get molds to cast for the .32 and shoot Single 0 Buck in the revolver.

Thanks for your time and for the cogent answer.

GrayBear