General discussion > Black Powder Shooting
Sign of the times: smallbores
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
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