In falconry, when we fly the small hawks and falcons, we call it "micro falconry". This got me to thinking about our hunting handguns this morning.

Are there any centerfire straight wall cartridges smaller than .38 that are still common?

Well, you have the 32 H&R and the 327 mag. But, if you want "micro" the 22 CCM comes to mind. You can also shoot 22 mag in the same barrel if you have a 'Tender. I don't know if you could call it common tho.

There's also the 30 M1 Carbine round. That's about the smallest common straight wall centerfire round I can think of. Slightly less common than that around here is the 25 A.C.P. That's about as "micro" of a straight wall centerfire as you're going to get.

Not to mention the 22 LR, but that's quite the rare round nowadays.

Yeah, I'm wanting to get away from rimfire though. That's why I asked about centerfire straight wall stuff. The rimfire stuff is just to hard to come by. A small centerfire caliber for small game is what I'm after. Something I can get components for and reload at will.

I just got back from my local gun guy, and he mentioned the 32 H&R also. Showed me the cartridge, and I looked up the ballistics on his computer real quick. It can shoot a 100gr bullet at just under 1100fps. It rivals a .38 at the muzzle! That's the kind of round I'm looking for! Could still use it on yotes out to about 50 yards. Heavy enough to use at close ranges on windy days. Components are relatively easy to find online. And it will shoot the 32 S&W and the 32 Long as well if need be!

Think I found my next build project!!! Now I just need to find another stainless Ruger Super Blackhawk. Wait... I gotta start WORKING again first!

327 Federal will shoot the 32 H&R, 32 S&W Long (32 Colt Long - same as S&W long with different bullet wt and configuration), 32 S&W short, 32 ACP. You probably would want to stick to the longer case; residue ring in chambers.

Doc

Thanks doc. We looked at the 327 Federal, and it is a possibility also. But the brass is a bit harder to get around here. The 32 H&R can be ordered from the local gun store, but they can't get the 327 Federal for some reason. I'm still looking in to both of these though, and haven't ruled out the 38 yet either. I'd prefer one of the 32's, but the 38 is still a possibility.

Great news! Found a place to get 327 Federal brass. I'm going to go this route as I have found load data that uses H110 and Titegroup. For the 32 H&R, I couldn't find anything with those two powders. I'm a BIG fan of using the same powder for as many guns as possible. By going with the 327 Federal, I don't have to buy any other types of powder than what I already have!

This is a big plus in my book, and is the deciding factor.

327 Federal it is!!!

My micro caliber is the 22 long rifle. My first handgun as a teen was my dad's S&W mod 17 that he bought in the 50s. Its the gun I learned to shoot with. 40 years later the mod 17 is still my gun of choice for plinking, training and small game hunting. Over the years I have owned several of them. Scoped and iron sighted. I have used the K-22 to bag countless squirrels, rabbits, pheasants, ruffed grouse and groundhogs. I also regularly shoot 22LR in a Ruger Mark II, TC Contender, and a NAA mini revolver. I even rip a few mags of 22s from time to time in my AR with my conversion kit. 22 ammo has been hard to find but fortunately I had a good stockpile before the shortage and I have found a few fair priced bricks at Walmart over the past year or so.

I have a love the 22lr as well, but centerfire it is not. Ammo is still scarce as hen's teeth around here.

Ditto.

That's exactly why I'm looking "elsewhere". Centerfire is reloadable, and I like to reload. 22lr is fun. 22mag is fun. I got no problem with either of them. But something I can reload is MUCH more readily available around here. 22's may come back around someday, and I've got a couple thousand rounds of long rifle and mag stocked away myself. I'll use them as needed. But for now, I want something small, centerfire, and reloadable.

327 Federal looks like it will be my Huckleberry!

I have yet to see a rimless cartridge fired in a chamber that is made for a rimmed cartridge..but it's possible, I suppose. The same for a rim fire cartridge fired in a center fire cartridge chamber.
I have a .256 Winchester on the contender..and the brass can be made in a 4 step process from .357 mag brass. The dies are forming dies from Redding, and that is three steps, the fourth is by running the thru a regular full length resize set. I have done this many times, works very well. The .257 60 grain flat nose works very well out to 100 yds, those are made by Hornady. I know you were asking for a straight walled case, but this is something you may consider. Rick.