What are some good choices for an affordable gun and ammo for small game like prairie dogs? I have an older 22lr six shooter but ammo is still kinda hard to find and expensive so i try not to shoot it much. But i do cast and reload so i am kind of interested in getting a smaller centerfire that would also work good for coyotes and such. I like the idea of a 327 or 41, but ammo and brass seem to be harder to come by. I seen a 30 carbine SBH advertised at a local shop but i am pretty unfamiliar with them as well. So my question is what do most of you guys use for the small work?

The smallest centerfire wheelgun caliber I own is the 357 magnum. It is pretty flexible as far as load levels and bullet weights/styles are concerned. The 30 Carbine and the 327 Fed are pretty close ballistically, but neither fills a void that the 357 can't already cover for me. I wouldn't mind having one of those single sevens in 327 tho, just for fun if get rich one day.

I believe I would go with a 357 Magnum. I would probably go with a 6" GP100 with a Weigand Combat Mount, and a 30mm MatchDot sight.
Cast Friendly,Cheap to reload for even with jacketed bullets.

Bob

.327 or .357

I dont have any 357 brass anymore, but i do have a few thousand bullets i cast that i can size as needed, and a bucket of 9mm brass. Maybe a SBH 357/9mm. That might be a good all around option with some cheap target shooting!

327 federal is gonna be my next one. Already getting components in order.

Since the 22LR became hard to come by my go to revolver has been my 38 Special. My load shoots 148 grain wadcutters 900fps very accurately out to 50 yards. If you cast it is cheap to load and cases last almost indefinitely at none magnum loads.
My 1968 Colt Diamondback

Decker, Those Diamondback`s sure are nice. My 4" .22 is pretty accurate while my Python shoots like a house on fire.......
"Great Gun`s"..................

+1 for the .38spl. everyone wants a 38 that they can stick in their pocket, so you can get used a longer barreled 38 for a song. some vary nice older .38s are out there waiting to go afield again. in theory the shorter space between the case mouth and forcing cone will make a .38 more accurate than a .38 out of a .357. add a human on the stocks and im not so sure.

bluecow, Perfect example of what you said about "nice older .38`s" out waiting to be shot.......

I would go with either a Single Six in 32 magnum or the new Single 7 in 327 & be able to shoot both 32 mag & 327. You can load it mild to wild & load it very, very cheap with cast slugs & it will handle small game up to fair size hogs with correct bullets.

Dick

Dick, I saw how you and your friends put their 32`s to work. Great cartridge.....

How about a 22 mag? Ammo would be easier to find and it would handle a desert dog nicely. I would guess you could buy ammo about as cheap as you could reload a 357 or 327. You could also use a good old 38 for that matter.