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PA PATRIOT
10-25-09, 13:13
While looking over my ammo inventory I noticed a few cases of .32acp I had stashed away to feed my Kel-Tec P-32, since I doubt I would ever fire this much ammo Thur the P-32 I was in the market for a fun gun to blast away the balance of the inventory when I came across a caliber reducer sold by Sportsman's Guide which allows a 30-06 or a .308, 303 to fire .32acp ammo for $13.97. Now these polished steel inserts look like a standard brass case which allows a .32acp cartridge to be fitted in the rear and you would just load it like a standard cartridge to be fired. I picked up the 30-06 version and headed off to the range to see what I could except from the combo. Using a Winchester Model-70 30-06 with a 24" inch barrel I set up my chronograph at 10ft from the muzzle and fired 10rds for a average. The first thing I noticed is there was no recoil and a very low report which would be great for a first time young big game rifle shooter, Second I was thinking this would also be a great short range pest eliminator using a 60gr H/P or a 71gr FMJ. The first 10 shots over the screens with Winchester Silver tip H/P showed a average 947FPS which should shoot flat enough without much hold over adjustment out to 50yds. Groups for accuracy was checked at 25 and 50yds with groups ranging in the .65 inch at 25yds and a hair over .90 inch at 50yds. Not stellar results from a scoped rifle but they put you into average .22LR accuracy but with a heavier, expanding and much quieter bullet. Noise wise I would say CCI CB Long but this is with a 24"inch barrel so shorter barrels maybe a bit louder. I'll have to try it out on some pests that raid the cans at the hunting camp and report the results later. This also has application for taking small game during a SHTF were one would not want to waste or touch off a 30-06 while gathering food.

http://image.sportsmansguide.com/dimage/144006_ts.JPG?cell=320,320&cvt=jpeg
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=574604

tpd223
10-26-09, 16:13
You may find that this set-up gives greater velocity from a shorter barrel.

Even with the .22lr longer barrels often lead to total burn of the powder, thus the bullet loses any "push" and is coasting down the barrel.

I found years ago that standard velocity and regular "high velocity" .22lr loads had greater velocity from an 18" barrel than a 22-24" barrel.

Newer loadings such as the Stinger and Velocitor make use of different powders to give greater speed from these longer barrels.

If one were using a Scout type rifle for bugging out, or perhaps a lever gun, this adapter would give one the ability to pot small game without blowing it all over the place or having to handload reduced loads.

I recall seeing similar adapters for .22lr in a .223 chamber.

Thanks for posting your results PhilaPD.

PA PATRIOT
10-27-09, 09:57
Side Note,

Very minor buffing on the rim maybe needed to remove minor machining marks to assure positive gripping of your rifles extractor. It took less then 1 minute with a polishing head on a rotatory tool and it extracts perfectly. The insert will also feed from my rifles box magazine so buying another insert or two will give one quick follow up shots.

MarshallDodge
10-27-09, 10:27
That's a cool idea.

I have loaded some super light loads in 30-06 using 160 grain lead bullets and a small charge of Titegroup or Unique*. They are quiet and can hit a 4" circle at 100 yards. At 8 cents rather than 50 cents a piece they are very cheap plinking loads.

*Use caution when loading and firing these so that you do not get a squib.

PA PATRIOT
10-27-09, 11:08
That's a cool idea.

I have loaded some super light loads in 30-06 using 160 grain lead bullets and a small charge of Titegroup or Unique*. They are quiet and can hit a 4" circle at 100 yards. At 8 cents rather than 50 cents a piece they are very cheap plinking loads.

*Use caution when loading and firing these so that you do not get a squib.

I was doing the same for awhile using natural wool fiber to pack the powder against the primer and it worked well. I was able to keep a 168gr hard cast/capped bullet in a 2.5"inch circle at 100yrs. I'll be shooting the .32acp out of the 30-06 at 100yds in the next few days to see what they will do at range. As a joke I'll break out the Savage Model 10FP-LE2B which shoots insanely tiny groups and measure what the mighty .32acp can do out of the .308 insert.

PA PATRIOT
10-29-09, 12:56
I had a chance to hit the range for a very short time today and I decided just to take the Savage Model 10FP-LE2B 26"inch barreled 7.62x51mm due to time limitations. Firing a hot little .32acp a GECO 71gr FMJ (One of the hottest production .32acps I have ever come across) I loaded up all four of my inserts and zeroed at 50yds. My first 50yd group size fell to .73" for four rounds compared to the .90 I received from Winchester 60gr SilverTip H/Ps. Moving back to 100yds the first four shot group fired opened up to 1.86" and a second group at 1.79" from a precision rifle that routinely prints five Federal G/M 168gr .308's under .250" at the same distance. Report from the combo was that of a Crossman 760 pump air rifle (Best comparison I could think of ) and recoil was zero. I'll re-shoot the SilverTips later this weekend from the Savage to see if groups improve a bit. As of right now I would not hesitate to use this combo for pest control out to 40yds as the heavier weight H/P or FMJ (Head Shot Only) with the minimal report seems to outclass the .22LR on paper so far.

PA PATRIOT
11-12-09, 18:23
Some new shooting results for my new .308/32acp conversion inserts and a lonely .308 H&R single shot Handy rifle. I borrow this safe queen from a Buddie the day before he was going to trade it in to wards another gun and receive $50.00 allowance for it. I mounted a 16x scope, laser bore sighted and adjusted the parallax to 50yds, lubed up the contact surfaces of the trigger with a small amount of synthetic grease and cleaned the bore. First four shot 50yd group with Winchester 60gr Silver Tip H/P's where better then previous results of .90 I received from my Winchester Model-70 30-06 with a 24" inch barrel, this group measured .56 and a second group of .58 which is par with most decent .22LR's at this distance. Then I fired the GECO 71gr FMJ which dropped in at .63 and .86 with a called flier, fired a third group of .71 to finish the series. Now a year back or so I traded a case and a half of Remington 71gr FMJ to a buddy who had a Kel-Tec P-32 that would not feed Federal 65gr Hydroshok H/P's on a box for box even trade. I broke some out and decided to fire a few groups just to see if it would do any better then the other .32acp brands fired. My first group was fired and measured and the results were surprising, to my disbelief the group was a nice .43 with the second group coming in at .39, I had to fire five more groups taking rounds from five different boxes just to make sure I didn't have a one box wonder. All groups posted between .41 and .45 which is pretty sweet considering these are conversion inserts in a H&R Handy rifle. Actually the whole set-up was compact and with a smaller varmint scope installed and a little trigger work completed the crude Handy rifle would make a excellent furry critter gun out to 50yds. I going to keep this rifle paying what its trade in value was and throwing in two boxes of 9mm for his XD. Trash Can Raiders Beware, theres a new Sheriff in town.