36 or 40 cal

[northmn]

Also I mentioned taht in MN a 40 is legal for deer and a 36 is not, a valid point.  In my area when I started shooting in the 1970's a squirrel rifle was a 36.  The next step up was the 45.  I built about the first 32, using a Douglas barrel, to be seen at our matches and the first 40.  It was fun to be different and I was able to sell a couple of 32's for that reason.  The little 36's did give some headaches at closer ranges in competition, but whether the better shots used larger bores or they did not stand up as well at longer ranges I do not know.  A larger bore holds its velocity better and a 40 can be laoded pretty hot and give over 2000 fps muzzle velocity and still be fairly accurate.  Wind is a variable, and in some winds a 58 will not hold up.  On small critters like ground hogs, wind can play hob with either a 36 or 40.  Neither a 36 or a 40 is what I would call a long range gun and 75 yards would be a good poke on a ground hog.  Some have been killed further away but with iron sights and a roundball that is a good poke.  Flip a coin.

DP  

[B Staley]

I ask myself a similar question sometime back, should I buy a 32 or a 36 after kicking it around several days and looking at all the pros and cons I bought the 40......B Staley

[longcruise]

Small game and targets, the .40 would be better for all the reasons Roger & others noted. For knocking over a target at 200 yards, I'd be wanting something a lot bigger than a .45.

Having "officiated" several silhouette shoots, I can attest to the inability of a .45 to knock down the 200 meter rams.  Have seen plenty of hits with .45 but never a knock down (we count hits that don't knock the ram over).  A .54 shooting at about 1600 to 1800 fps at the muzzle will do the trick about 25% of the time.  Is somewhat dependent on the placement of the ball on the ram.

[Herb]

I built one .36 and shot it only about a dozen times sighting it in.  I have built 8 or 10 .40s, and the larger ball is easier to handle and load.  Also, I use a 3/8" ramrod in the .40 caliber, which is less likely to break than a 5/16"rod.  I think the .40 is easier to load, with the larger ball, and larger ramrod.

[stone knife]

I'm liking the idea of a 40 cal seems to have the best of both worlds for me. I have plenty of deer guns and you don't get to shoot that much deer hunting so i want this for small game, get to shoot at more game or stumps just having a good time with it.

[northmn]

I'm liking the idea of a 40 cal seems to have the best of both worlds for me. I have plenty of deer guns and you don't get to shoot that much deer hunting so i want this for small game, get to shoot at more game or stumps just having a good time with it.

Of course there are always the small bores like a 32 or my 25   Which may mean another gun

DP

[Standing Bear]

It has been my experience when selecting a caliber that one should select the larger of those being considered.  .40!
TC

[SCLoyalist]

I shot a .40 for years then recently switched to a .36.   Both are more than adequate for squirrels.   The .40 may have a slight edge ballistically for paper punching out at 100 yds, but on a good day I can keep most shots from the 36 in the area of a sheet of typing paper at 100 yds.    They both use modest powder charges to produce muzzle velocities in the 1800 to 2000 fps range.   Roundball for the .36 can be had at a pretty low cost if you buy 000 buckshot (.350 dia) in quantity, or, if you cast your own, your lead definitely goes farther (65 gr/ball versus 90 gr/ball).

[Kermit]

It has been my experience when selecting a caliber that one should select all of those being considered.

[Dave K]

I have shot and owned every call. up to 40 and beyond. For plinking, toss a coin, they are all enjoyable. I have taken groundhogs with both 36 and 40cal. Neither groundhog complained and both were taken around 60yds. After some periods of range time with a 62cal. I can't say it is fun after about 10shots to call it a plinking cal. with anything near a hunting load. The 32, 33, 36, 38 and 40cal. are a joy to spend the day chasing paper targets, squirrels and getting good shots a groundhogs. Besides, who wants to limit themselves to just one cal. You will find that some are better at different activities than others, but none is a do-all cal. Some will work fine, but the other is a better choice.

[stone knife]

I have a 32 caplock does that count i think the 40 is the ticket for me, then a 50 after that

[hanshi]

Sounds like a winner, stone knife.

[northmn]

As to economy.  The 36 and under can shoot buckshot, but purchased round ball are not that expensive for anything up to a 40.  If one casts, they are very economical.  As to powder charges, the smaller bores like the 32 seem to start at about 25 grains for accuracy and the 36?  The 40 will do OK with about 35 up close depending.  Due to the 32's penchant for a hotter charge I found them to be in the class of a 22 mag HP.  At longer range round ball's velocity drops pretty quick so they do have quite the carrying power.  When I tested my 25 in wet pack against a 22 HP I noticed the 25 seemed to have a large hole almost on impact and taper off where the 22 penetrated a little more to get the same type of expansion,  the 22 of course penetrated a little deeper.  The pure lead in a round ball is pretty nasty up close.   All of the small bores are cheap to shoot, but a 40 will travel father than a 32, so for squirrel hunting that may be a consideration.

DP

[Daryl]

I really do enjoy shooting the little Tenn. .32 flinter I bought from Jim Chambers a while back. Some of our targets are out from 90 to 109yards and the little rifle rings them more times than not.  I'd like to be able to say the misses are the rifle's fault, but there are times the shot 'breaks' and the sights are high, low, on one side or the other.

With a load that shot 50% larger at 50 yards than the one I finally ended up with, the rifle gave me a  3" rest group(single bag) at 100 yards on an 8" bull. I was happy with that, considering tghe load used wasn't as accurate the load as I finally accepted as being the best. It took a number of targets to decide that load, but overall, it averaged 1/2" better.  If that load allows me to shoot a 2" rest group at 100yards with that little 42gr. ball, I'll be not only astonished but MOST pleased.
If I was going bunny hunting, I'd probably grab the .32.  If going out for anything that's legal in vermin category, I'd take the .40.

The little calibres are fun.  Our new range has a nice mature bush trail walk that we are designing for squirrel rifles - .40 and smaller. By mature bush, there is little undergrowth, nice open lanes for shooting and lots or fairly large Spruce trees with some Fir.

[stone knife]

As to economy.  The 36 and under can shoot buckshot, but purchased round ball are not that expensive for anything up to a 40.  If one casts, they are very economical.  As to powder charges, the smaller bores like the 32 seem to start at about 25 grains for accuracy and the 36?  The 40 will do OK with about 35 up close depending.  Due to the 32's penchant for a hotter charge I found them to be in the class of a 22 mag HP.  At longer range round ball's velocity drops pretty quick so they do have quite the carrying power.  When I tested my 25 in wet pack against a 22 HP I noticed the 25 seemed to have a large hole almost on impact and taper off where the 22 penetrated a little more to get the same type of expansion,  the 22 of course penetrated a little deeper.  The pure lead in a round ball is pretty nasty up close.   All of the small bores are cheap to shoot, but a 40 will travel father than a 32, so for squirrel hunting that may be a consideration.

DP

I have plenty of lead, so when I find the right dia. ball I'll get a mold and cast my own.

[Leatherbelly]

  Go with the forty. The "B" weight in a 44" length sure holds dead solid. The one I have shot was a J. Kuntz Lehigh. I wouldn't be shy of shooting whitetails with this caliber, if the right shot presented itself. Plus bunnies, grouse and chipmungks!
  I think the forty is an all around more versitile caliber then the smaller ones. I like the small ones too, but for one gun to cover the "small game" bases, I'd go with the forty.JMHO tho!