Mouse Loads

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High Desert Hunter
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Mouse Loads

Post by High Desert Hunter »

I am looking forward to trying out some mouse fanny burp loads in the Marlin 32-20. While most of the people I know who shoot are obsessed with distance, speed, and capacity, I am obsessed with enjoyment. When they hit steel at 50 yards, you have to listen closely to hear the ding. Anyone else like plinking with lighter loads in their rifles? Last time it was Bullseye, this time around I am giving W231 a go.

Dave
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Re: Mouse Loads

Post by Bronco »

I also love to play with mouse loads.
When I go shooting 80% or so are and 20% are hot loads that keep me in tough of the serious stuff.
I've been using WST, in the 357 and 44 mags, which I got a lot of years ago when I could not find any Bullseye. Liked it better than Bullseye and never went back when it became available.
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High Desert Hunter
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Re: Mouse Loads

Post by High Desert Hunter »

I’ve been trying to find a load that will push my 187gr WFN from 38 special cases in my Flattop 357 (NM). I have a decent load for magnum cases, but I am swimming in special cases.
1894cfan
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Re: Mouse Loads

Post by 1894cfan »

Yup, I like mouse gas loads a lot also! Try about 2.5-3.0 grains of 231 with either your regular 32/20 bullets or the Hornady .310 dia. balls. I use something close to that in my 30/30. Check out the Marlinowners light loads in 30/30 sticky in their reloading section. Might give you some ideas for your 32/20.
Last edited by 1894cfan on Sun Apr 03, 2022 4:38 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Malamute
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Re: Mouse Loads

Post by Malamute »

I load some round ball loads in other chamberings, 30-30, 348 and 45-70. The 30-30 loads are great for yard loads and small game up close. My load is 3 grs Unique with Hornady .310 or .315 round balls lubed with lee liquid alox. I use a tiny tuft of dacron pillow stuffing over the powder to keep it near the primer, otherwise I get erratic ignition. They make great grouse and bunny loads and kill rattlesnakes with headshots exceedingly well up close. I also whacked a trophy class bull mouse in my yard one night with that load. He had been stealing my bird seed. I took exception to that behavior.

Ive started using Red Dot for the extra-light loads, I understand it isnt as position sensitive as Unique in a large case. I literally bounced a 45-70 round ball load off a rattlesnakes head once without the tuft of dacron stuffing, so went to using it regularly afterwards to get better ignition.
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High Desert Hunter
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Re: Mouse Loads

Post by High Desert Hunter »

I've loaded RB in the 45/70, may have to try it in this one! I will have to keep an eye out for some WST, but for now Bullseye and 231 should work.
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Scott Tschirhart
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Re: Mouse Loads

Post by Scott Tschirhart »

I've gotten away from any light loads in centerfire cartridges. It just seems more practical to get out the Single Six.
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Sarge
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Re: Mouse Loads

Post by Sarge »

That's about where I am. I've got a Henry 22 that is sighted for CB Shorts at 25-30 paces and stays loaded with a magazine full of them- around 20, as I recall. It clobbers all manner of nuisance critters quietly and with surprising effectiveness.
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1894cfan
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Re: Mouse Loads

Post by 1894cfan »

Sarge wrote: Sun Apr 03, 2022 8:44 am That's about where I am. I've got a Henry 22 that is sighted for CB Shorts at 25-30 paces and stays loaded with a magazine full of them- around 20, as I recall. It clobbers all manner of nuisance critters quietly and with surprising effectiveness.
Ditto with my 39a, except I usually use Quiets.
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Sarge
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Re: Mouse Loads

Post by Sarge »

I never carry a 22 when deer hunting and if I'm also carrying a handgun, it's stoked with full loads. So I'll work up a quiet, cast bullet load for the 35 Remington. Once in awhile there is something that needs whacked quietly.

Years ago I had my youngest son stationed on the edge of field, to shoot his first deer. I was about 20 yards behind him in the woods, about 10 foot up a tree on a platform I'd built on the crotch of an old Oak. About 30 minutes had passed when I heard Mark give out a low whistle. I looked his way and saw him pointing at the tree I was in, then circled his fingers over his eyes like glasses.

He was signaling 'raccoon' and sure enough there was a BIG boar coon climbing up in the tree with me. I was hunting with a hot-loaded 45 Blackhawk and didn't want to light one off. As soon as the coon got close enough, I gave him a kick and sailed him out on the ground with a thud. He jabbered and started right back up my tree. I pulled the Blackhawk and yelled a Mark to get behind a tree. Mr. Coon climbed right up and got kicked out again. I got him square that time and thought I broke my toe. It was about like kicking a frozen turkey with a fur coat. He hit with a bigger thud that time and lumbered off through the woods, coon-cussing us for all he was worth. Mark was laughing loudly at this debacle from his front row seat below.


Image
I figured the hunt was over but within 20 minutes, we each had a doe on the ground.
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Grizz
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Re: Mouse Loads

Post by Grizz »

i like the idea. but those loads won't cycle my 30-shot pistols. and i don't have the patience to convert my 22Lr rounds to round ball. but that does seem like fun to turn the Model 39 into a BB gun!

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1894cfan
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Re: Mouse Loads

Post by 1894cfan »

Grizz, yup it is fun! I can't tell you how many squirrels I've taken over the decades I've been shooting them. In town I used the CBs, then when I moved out to the country (sorta) I switched to the Quiets, both solid and segmented. Even taken some 'coons and crows with them.
mickbr
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Re: Mouse Loads

Post by mickbr »

Im a fan of these type loads too but in a 357 carbine. Mostly use bullseye, WST, Clays and 231.
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Malamute
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Re: Mouse Loads

Post by Malamute »

I think a 357 carbine would make a good reduced load gun. I have a .360 round ball mold I need to get busy with and make up some extra-light loads. Ive tried 38 short colt loads with 125 gr cast and I think 3 grs Red Dot, but they make more noise than I cared for as an extra-light load. Maybe I need to go down in the powder charge a bit, but they are factory level i believe, 700-ish fps in a pistol. Not sure how far down I can go and not stick a bullet in a 20" barrel.
"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat." -Theodore Roosevelt-

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Nath
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Re: Mouse Loads

Post by Nath »

Slightly different but I was getting rats in the back yard so I worked up a 410 load with just 1/4oz load of #8 shot with toilet paper for wadding and Alliant green dot. Worked well and the neighbors didn't fuss over it.
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Scott Tschirhart
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Re: Mouse Loads

Post by Scott Tschirhart »

I sat several times with my brother on his deer lease. He would routinely shoot squirrels with his full power .270 Winchester. It really did not seem to bother the deer at all.

Might be a regional thing. But I have deer that come out to see me shooting my pistol at times. In Raton it is not unusual to have a range session paused by an elk or pronghorn coming onto the range.
High Desert Hunter
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Re: Mouse Loads

Post by High Desert Hunter »

Scott you're absolutely right, last summer I had a pair of does watch me shoot my 300 Win Mag at the 600 yard steel up there last June.
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Re: Mouse Loads

Post by Rusty »

I have an H&R Handi rifle in .30-30 Win. I worked with it for a while using a .310 cast ball seated with several drops of melted candle wax on top. Before I seated the ball I opened up the flash hole and used a magnum primer. I didn't have any problem punching holes in a 1/4" piece of plywood at 20 yards.
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Grizz
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Re: Mouse Loads

Post by Grizz »

High Desert Hunter wrote: Tue Apr 05, 2022 7:00 pm Scott you're absolutely right, last summer I had a pair of does watch me shoot my 300 Win Mag at the 600 yard steel up there last June.
Loggers in Alaska constantly see deer show up to where they are falling and limbing trees. They eat well. And the deer eat well from the fresh produce.

Rusty, that sounds like fun, gonna try it out some day, thanks for that.
Last edited by Grizz on Sun Apr 10, 2022 2:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
campsalot
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Re: Mouse Loads

Post by campsalot »

I have a 73 clone in 32-20 (rifle - 24" barrel). I throw the minimum charge of trail boss (from the Hodgdon data) with the 115 gr rnfp. Out of the 24" barrel it is very quiet.
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Tycer
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Re: Mouse Loads

Post by Tycer »

campsalot wrote: Sat Apr 09, 2022 11:01 pm I have a 73 clone in 32-20 (rifle - 24" barrel). I throw the minimum charge of trail boss (from the Hodgdon data) with the 115 gr rnfp. Out of the 24" barrel it is very quiet.
I have a pound. Never opened it. Might have to try that.
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High Desert Hunter
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Re: Mouse Loads

Post by High Desert Hunter »

The mouse loads were a lot of fun, not as accurate as the full power loads with AA-9.

Dave
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Re: Mouse Loads

Post by High Desert Hunter »

I also have a new mould on order, a 115gr offering from Arsenal Moulds. Between this and my Sharps, I should be busy casting for a while.

Dave
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