Caliber question.

[Daryl Pelfrey]

Im going to build a flintlock soon I hope. I dont deer hunt anymore and already own a 32, 50 and working on a 36. My question is what caliber do you like? Im thinking a 42 in  7/8 in.  40 caliber. I will punch paper and maybe occasional squirrel and coyote hunt. Whats your opinion on 40cal.?
  Thanks.  By the way I want to mention I havebeen a HVAC  tech for 37 yrs. Was an instructor quite awhile back at IVY TECH.
If any of you need any advice r help on hvac give me a shout. I like helping others.

[Old Salt]

While I do not build guns, I am avid shooter, I like the 40 cal. as an all around shooter.

[Nordnecker]

I really like a .40. I have 2 of them. One is a Rice squirrel Bbl, the other is an old Don Getz 13/16 straight Bbl. One is light and pretty, the other is solid as a rock. If I had to choose I'd want both; one to carry, the other for accuracy.

[Daryl Pelfrey]

Nordecker,, would you go with 13/16  or 7/ 8 it will be 42 in. Im thinkink 7/8 to keep the barrel more ridgid  or should i shed some weight with the 13/16?
 Thanks

[Top Jaw]

This question comes up every so often and the 40 usually comes away with high marks. I would echo that. I love the 40 Cal. The question is usually phrased should I get a 36 or 40 Cal. Since you mentioned building a 36 is it too late to make it a 40?  I and many others in previous threads would recommend that leap - especially if you have a 32 already.

[mountainman70]

Ditto the 40 cal. I have a light,slim 40 cal with a 3/4 Ed Rayle barrel. Full stock bl walnut,the wood weighs more than the barrel. Great offhand and bench rifle. Have built several 13/16,7/8, 15/16,even a 1" 40 cal/ Like it well.Good luck with your build,and welcome to the forum. Dave F 

[WadePatton]

Methinks we start with at least one per caliber class, one each 3x, 4x, 5x.  Then decide which way to slide or gaps to fill.

I'm about sure that a 40 won't do much of anything your 36 wouldn't do.  But I'm all for you getting into the 40-class.  I'm working on one very slowly (after necessities are squared away-as in firewood and supplemental income).  Then I'll build me a 30. Then I'm done for me for a while.  Until I do a 60 class which might be a fowler of 20g, or a rifled moose-thumper as Daryl prefers to tote.

But then moose aren't much of a problem around here. 

[WKevinD]

I'm a fan of the .40 over the .36 just for the fact that I can use a 3/8" range rod, I'll keep a 5/16" in the pipes but to push a ball or swab a bore I'd rather the 3/8" rod. Other than that .32, .36, .40 are all about the same to me.

Kevin

[bama]

I like the 40 over the 36 only because 40 is the smallest caliber that is legal for dear here in Alabama. For target it gets a little iffy at 100 yards and has trouble knocking down a bear siloquete at that range. I would not shoot a dear over 50 yards with one but out to 50 I would not hesitate. My wife shot a 47 1x at 100 yards offhand on the big bull with a 36 so they can do the job target wise also. I built a 13/16" x 42" 40 caliber SMR and it was a very nice handling and pleasant shooter.

[bob in the woods]

I'm a fan of the .40 cal , but prefer a swamped barrel. That said, you might want to think about building a nice fowler instead    

[flehto]

My squirrel LR has a .45  X  7/8"  X42" bbl  and many people who mount it think it's too muzzle heavy although I have no problems shooting it.

I head hit the squirrels so cal isn't an important  factor if  w/in reason......Fred

[hanshi]

Being a fan of the .45, that would be my choice.  But I gotta say the .40 is nice.  I have a .40 with a 38" "B" wgt tube; and while it has some solid weight, the swamped barrel makes it wonderfully balanced to shoulder.  That .40 has shot impressive groups at 100 yards.  I've never hunted with it in all the years I've owned it; I use it for targets and itls accurate.

[oldtravler61]

  Ok time to mess with yeah. I just had fun shooting a .38 caliber. Made by Charlie Burton. Very accurate rifle. Might be a thought.  Oldtravler

[Huntschool]

I like the .40.  Years ago I had Getz make me a Transition profile .40 with 1:66 twist in it.  I built a rifle around it and have shot the daylights out of it.  Yes, 1:66 is pretty slow for a .40 but the barrel shoots 30 or so grs. of 3fffg right on the money at 25 yards. 

I can also shoot much heavier loads that are deer killers.......

Just me sayin.....

[Daryl Pelfrey]

Im going to finish this one in 36 since its going to be percussion. The 40 will be flint. Trying to get my skills up before doing the flint.I will have to post pics of the fowler I made a couple years ago.

[Daryl]

Daryl, I've shot most calibers from .32 to .69 on targets - informally and at rendezvous. I would say the .45 or .50 is the best for punching steel plates at rendezvous.

If shooting paper past 50yards, I'd give the .50 the nod.

I really liked the .40 as an  accurate shooting rifle, but did lose some 'points' because the deaf guys with me, didn't hear the little "clink" of it's 94gr. ball.

The .45 does hit harder and the diffference can be heard over the .40.  The .50's 185gr. ball is very decisive. 

Around here, the .54's really shine, but not as brightly as my old .69.

The .36 and .32 were worse for losing points, of course and not as good shooting at 50yards and beyond, as the larger bores.

An old timer here used to be @!*% hard to beat, especially when we were shooting at gongs at 200meters.

So- pick a calibre and learn to shoot it.

I would suggest .45 or .50 if going with a flinter.

[Huntschool]

Daryl:

I agree the "pip squeak" .32 and .36 don't offer much noise or target motion down range but my .40 1:66 twist with 80-90 or so grs can be heard and seen to hit gongs at 100 yds no sweat.....  I guess I was or have been lucky as we generally have a forward observer to check hits....

No question regarding the .54 and above......  When it comes to that I really like my .54's.  Accurate and can be loaded to ring a gong.....

JMHO

[Daryl]

That old timer used a .45 for those 200yard gongs. Roger Fisher, our friend now passed, also used a .45 to win at 200
as well as being his chunk gun for our postal matches.  Thus, a .45 can do it, but a .50 or .54 is much more decisive.
That hole inside the X ring, is Roger's - a standing shot, at 200yards.