Griff wrote:I know, I know! Let's call it a 38Spl.
You win the prize...
The point was, I wanted to grab a light and handy 'might pop a few rounds at the gongs when I go for a walk' levergun, and noticed I've been leaving my rimfires (leverguns and others alike) in the safe recently, due to the higher cost and irreplaceable nature of 22 LR ammo these days.
So, I grabbed the 358/38 Rossi, and a handful of light loads, and went out for a walk. As I was walking, I was musing about how
although I wasn't carrying a rimfire, the little gun was pretty good at doing most of the things I really want a gun to do when I grab a rimfire. A might overpowered for some tasks, but not in a practical sense; the last time I shot a chipmunk and wanted to save the pelt was, well, never. These days, ammo prices have made it so that a many-times-reloadable light 38 Special reload isn't all that more costly than a good hollowpoint 22 LR round, and definitely competes with a 22 WMR.
The only thing that would be even BETTER - - - would be the same rig in 32-20.
(
especially if I had a little Ruger SP-101 companion-gun in the same chambering).