Sign of the times: smallbores

[Habu]

That sad day has finally come, I'm seriously considering building a smallbore for myself.  But which one? 

Caliber is probably the first parameter I need to define.  Generally speaking, I'm considering something sub-.40 caliber.  The rifle will get used for general plinking, small game hunting (probably nothing larger than a small coyote).  I'm leaning towards something in the .36-.38 caliber due mostly to the winds we get around here.  Any suggestions on which might be better logistically? 

Barrel length is another consideration.  How much of a bother is a long smallbore barrel to load, clean, etc?  I've seen days when it was so hot and dry I had to flush the lock of my Bess just to keep it firing; will I be able to keep shooting a smallbore longrifle on a day like that without cleaning every shot?

Barrel size?  I'm probably not going to spring for a swamped barrel for an experimental rifle; I'd rather save the funds for the transitional project I've got in the works. 

Which barrel makers are not currently backlogged?  If it is not on the shelf, I don't want it.

Thanks!

[BrownBear]

I'll stay clear of speculating about your climate or any of the tech details including barrel makers.  However, I can report on lots of field time with both 32 and 36 caliber cappers for small game and plinking. 

I haven't shot anything as big as a coyote, but I've sure shot a lot in the wind.  I'm not a long range shooter either (i.e., nothing past 50), but I would have my doubts about the 32 for coyotes at long range unless you were shooting smoking hot loads.  Even then, there's the issue of wind drift.  Cross off coyotes and I'll throw a 32 alongside a 36 for small game and plinking out to 50 yards.  Go past 50 and poke at a coyote, and I'd be more comfortable with the 36 and a hefty charge.

On the practical side for small game, I'm taking head shots only so power isn't an issue with either caliber.  I've intentionally searched for the lightest loads that shoot well.  Coincidentally in my cappers, 20 grains of 3f or pyro p shoot equally well in both calibers.  For whatever reason I get less fouling with the p, but I'm not running super tight patch/ball combos in order to ease field loading.

I will offer one practical bit of advice, whichever you choose:  Like them or not, and pc or not, build yourself some loading blocks.  When you start handling those small balls and patches in the cold, especially with gloves, you'll lose more in the snow than you'll put down the bore without a loading block.

[bob in the woods]

Ref: straight oct barrels, I built a .32 with a 42 in 13/16 barrel, and found it too muzzle heavy. Just my opinion. I also built a .36 with a 3/4 in , 42 in length which was a joy to shoot. It was deadly on the raccoons which came looking for my chickens. Actually, the .36 is probably my favourite small bore cal.

[Daryl]

Dave R. used a long .33 cal flinter for the squirrel match at Hefley with a split hickory rod. He had no difficulty shooting the 25 round course of fire without having to wipe the bore.

 We've shot all our guns in very hot conditions without having to wipe the bore. I don't get the problem some have with hot weather - or wet weather, either. We shoot in both without fouoing problems.

 As to calibre, I'd stay with a .38 to .40 with coyotes on the list of game animals.  Maybe that means a .38 minimum with 75 yards as a safe max.  Even at that, broadside lung shots or head shots only. Of course, we all have our opinions, but then, that's what was asked for.  The size of the coyote would have some bearing as ours aren't the runty Texas dogs.  They'll run to 40 pounds fora big male. Weight isn't all of it, of course, they're all quite tough and will go a long way with a small hole.   

[wvmtnman]

I have been doing a lot of shooting with a .36 caliber lately.  It is a full stock OH style rifle, 13/16 42 inch Green Mountain barrel and a percussion Siler Mountain lock .  This last time I was concentrating on the 50 yard target, geting ready for squirrel season.  I was able to cover my groups with a quarter.  I am using 40 grains of fffg, .018 pillow tick patch lubed with bore butter and a .350 cast round ball. 
As far as cleaning, I see no difference between that and a 50 cal.  Shooting off hand is also easy as the 13/16 barrel is just right in weight for me.  However, for squirrel hunting, you will need to take head shots. 
The only bad thing about calibers lower than .40 is the sizes of roundball.  Usually there will be limited choices for each caliber unless you have a mold made. 
                                                                                 Brian

[Daryl]

Handling small balls in cold weather becomes rather tedius as well. Even the .40's seem too small when the temp dips.

[Dan]

A free opinion says .36 Cal.  I do not see a great deal of difference in ballistic properties between the .32 and .36, or even .38.  Larger bores are more tractable for handling and cleaning.  It is my considered opinion that any of the above will work on critters such as the 'yote and even bigger, BUT shot placement must be precise regardless.  I would anticipate a coyote sized creature would run off when lung shot with any of the above and likely expect short travel distance when heart shot.  CNS placement will render caliber to small significance...IMO.  I look to ease of use to resolve the question, not horsepower.

[Tom Cooper]

I am gathering parts together for a .40cal in the near future, I wanted the best of both worlds. The largest of the sub bores and the smallest of the large bores.

Hope that makes sense, as mine will be used for game as large as coyote as well.

[T*O*F]

Fouling is a characteristic of  surface area.  If you shoot an equivalent charge of powder in a smaller bore, the fouling will be heavier than in a larger bore because it has less surface area on which to distribute itself.  How it builds up is dependent on your patch lube, kind of powder used, the temp/humidity relationship in your area, and how fast you reload after firing.

If you use a hard lube like bore butter, it will lead to heavier fouling.  If you use a "wet" lube like LVH, spit, etc the fouling will be somewhat dissolved on loading where is can be shot out each time.

Fouling hardens with time.  If you are able to reload immediately after shooting, it has no chance to do so.  If you are on a woodswalk that doesn't allow reloading between stations, your fouling will harden and eventually require bore swabbing.

Just because a guy in a different part of the world is able to shoot all day without wiping doesn't mean you can.  The temp/humidity relationship differs from area to area.  Likewise, the time of year can also affect the above.

When you shoot, the components of your load become molten.  Once the projectile exits the bore, there is a negative pressure in the bore and cold air rushes back in.  This condenses those remaining molten components on your bore.  This is why "fouling rings" develop.  You have to be able to find the right selection of components to prevent this.  Until you do that, you will be subject to heavy fouling.

[Daryl]

TOF- we used to shoot at almost sea level right on the coast with high humidity and rain being an almost constant bother without fouling issues. The other extreme is up here when the humidity is in the 20% arena, still no fouling issues, so we've run the gammut. It even gets to the 100% arena here as well, where the pan is full of water, just from it being absorbed from the air and needs being wiped before re-priming.

 We shoot the same, all of us, without having to wipe at any time.  You are correct in mentioning loads, patch thickness and type of lube as having a direct effect on fouling.  I've found the people having fouling problems usually use a poor lube, not enough lube, too thin a patch or too small a ball. All are interconnected in having a clean shooting gun. Clean shooting is a mis-nomer here, as the fouling from the previous shot is there, just that there is no buildup between shots. You have hinted ort mentioned this atteched to wetter lubes. On the other ahnd, in warmer weather, I've found the heavy lubes, greases like bore butter and lube 1000 to shoot just fine all day without having to wipe. Time between loading gives notable differences in loading with LHV lube, less so with spit.  I havn't tested the others in this regard as I don't have any need for them. LHV does just fine if I want to go hunting and spit handles range duties with few or no challengers.

 My wife used to shoot a .36 Senica back in the 70's without having to wipe the bore, whether she used the little 128gr. slug or patched round ball. Rendezvous always saw her using round balls, of course, a .350" with .020" denim patch, spit lubed.  It was an easy load for her although she wasn't particularly robust at 110 pounds, back then.  Today, she, still slightly built, she shoots a .45 barrel on the same stock and hardware, with same patch and a .440 ball with LHV lube - good accuracy, no fouling problems, even in the heat and dryness of 35% humidity.

[Habu]

Thanks guys. 

I should have been more clear about my reasons for considering this, and some of my concerns. 

My two primary reasons are 1) economy of shooting and 2) lowering recoil for training.  Best accuracy load in my .54 with the current lot of powder I'm using is around 110 grains of FFg with a .530 round ball.  Great load, works for anything, but overkill for plinking at clay pigeons at 50 yards.  I'm working with a lot of kids these days (got drafted into helping with a Scout troop), and reducing the load to a point the kids can handle opens groups up too much. 

Ideally, I'd like to have a load that uses 1/3-1/2 of my current powder+lead combination.  That puts a .40 at the top end, with probably a .32 at the lower end.  Either would meet the recoil reduction goal.  I briefly considered a .25, but after seeing a guy break the wrist of his rifle trying to load a second shot (102 degrees, 30% humidity) I abandoned the caliber for what I have in mind.

Except when Stick went a little crazy and started the Squirrel Wars back on the MLML, I've never seen much point in hunting them; they are few and far between where I usually hunt.  Rabbits, jackrabbits, etc are far more typical.  Coyotes have been thick the last few years, so I shoot them when I see them.  A .32 should do the job with head and spine shots; the last three I got were taken with .22 and .32 acp handguns, inside 40 yards.  Weights were around 25 pounds each.

Around here (central plains, based in Nebraska) I've had good luck with Irish linen patches lubed with neatsfoot oil.  It seems to work to ease loading and shoot well under most circumstances from about -20 to around 100 F.   

Unless i buy a finished rifle, I'll probably use a 36"+ barrel.  That moves into concerns about breaking ramrods.  I can probably cheat and use a metal rod, but don't really want the weight.  I'll have to think about that some.

I suspect ultimately the caliber decision will be made by the barrel I find; I'll post this then post a WTB.  Thanks for the thoughts guys--we'll see how it goes.

[Pete G.]

I think it is hard to beat a 36. A five pound box of 000 buckshot contains 500 shots and sells for about half of what cast balls sell for. You can use a 5/16 ramrod which is plenty strong and readily available. Regardless of what barrel you end up with you might find that the small bores can be a bit fussy about what they like. I have one that is very particular about the lube it prefers, and another that shoots well with anything that goes down the barrel.

[northmn]

I shot 32's in matches for a while and became disenchanted with the caliber.  They are Ok but require head shooting small game as they are destructive.  Accuracy was mediocre unless I went to about 25 grains of 3f which is a pretty stiff load for a 50 grain ball.  The 40 for me was better all around.  The 40 is pretty economical and tends to be more accurate with lighter loads.  Its recoil with 30 grains is not really noticible to me in the 13/16 X42 barrel.  As to winds, no round ball is worth a darn in stronger winds.  40's are good up to some of the smaller varieties of deer, (100 lbs or so) and it is easier to load down than load up.

DP

[Candle Snuffer]

Howdy Habu,

I personally like the .40 as the lightest caliber I use, though I have seen many using the .36 caliber around here in northwest Nebraska.  Both would be economical to use, and I would have to agree that the .36 using the 000 buckshot (as Pete G said) does make the .36 more economical.

As a side note Habu,,, do you ever make it up my way for the Chadron Fur Trade Days Rendezvous in July?  Drop me a PM.

[Ephraim]

What is so sad about building a small bore they are just like every other cal. they just take some playing with and that is where the fun comes in. I just built a .32 with a gm. barrel Tenn. style flint I use 20 gr. of fff.g powder a .314 round ball with .10 patch. and off a rest at 25 yards it will shoot 4 shots you can cover with a dime the barrel is 3/4 in.
Ephraim