Shooting a 36 cal. for a first

[mountainman]

I know that there is probably other threads out there, just wondering if you guys know what is best for a load? like recommended powder charge for a 36 cal.?? barrel length is 41 and half inch in length made by Getz.

[Daryl]

My .36 cal Rice barrel likes 40gr. 3F GOEX, and either a .350" or .360" pure lead ball and .020" to .022" patch.
Loading with either, is quite easy. The .360" ball will actually elongate slightly with round ends due to the round
 starter knob and round ram-rod end. My rifle has a 5/16" hickory rod. Loading with either ball is not difficult.
I suggest you start at 35gr. and go from there.  If I was going to use my rifle for other than bunnies and trail walks,
as in coyote or wolf hunting,  I would experiment with up to 50gr. 3F for possibly flatter trajectory and better longer
range accuracy.

[Fyrstyk]

With my .36's, I start out with 35 grains of 3f and work up from there to find the load the gun likes.  three of my .36's have 1:48" twist barrels and shoot the 35 grain load real good.  Higher amounts of powder tend to open the groups up.  My family heirloom, Leman .36 has a 40" barrel and a 1:60" twist.  It likes 45 grains of 3f best.  It also does well with a reduced load of 25 grains out to 30 yards or so

[hanshi]

It really depends on what you shoot at and how far you shoot.  My .36 likes anything between 20 grns and 30 grns of 3F.  The 20 grain load is accurate up to about 80 yards but you have to pay attention to drop.  The 30 grain load isn't needed for squirrels and the like but is better for varmints.

[silly goose]

When I hunted squirrels with a .36, 20 gr fffg and a tight patch was all I needed for as far as I could hit them.  That load would cloverleaf at 25 yards and shoot completely lengthwise through a squirrel.  I didn't need anymore than that.  42" Green Mountain barrel.

[mountainman]

Thanks all for your comments. As far as what a gun likes the best as far as loads go, question is what are you looking for in that? Is it better grouping, or less unburned powder? or both?
Since my powder measurement isn't less than 40 grains, I'll need to figure how much blackpowder that actually is?

[MuskratMike]

If shooting a small caliber tight groups is all you need to know.

[Daryl]

Thanks all for your comments. As far as what a gun likes the best as far as loads go, question is what are you looking for in that? Is it better grouping, or less unburned powder? or both?
Since my powder measurement isn't less than 40 grains, I'll need to figure how much blackpowder that actually is?

Considering all of the powder is burned in the first couple inches of barrel, no matter the bore size, there is no, ie: zero unburned powder with any charge you are likely to use.
Accuracy is what determines the load to use. Use a load that gives you the accuracy you need for your purpose.
Note that most small bore guns, below about .69" need more power with an oiled or greased patch used for hunting, than what they like for a water based lube, commonly used
for target shooting.  My .69 shoots the same with oiled/greased or water based lubes with identical powder charges.
In my .40 and .45 cal rifles, they required 10gr. more powder to shoot the slippery oil patched loads. That oil was LHV.

[alacran]

I have a GMT A weight barrel in my squirrel rifle. It shoots great with 40 grains 3f Goex.  To knock down NRA center fire pistol silhouette rams at 100 yards requires 60 grains.

[Mike Brooks]

Depends on the twist, rifling style and depth, actual bore size, brand of powder and what ever the gun @!*% well pleases. There is no one answer, you have to get out there and shoot it.

[Lobo]

I have a .36 built by Jud Brennan. It has a swamped Getz barrel. I started out with 35 to 40gr's of 3ff with a patched .350 ball. Accuracy wasn't good. I talked to Getz and he said that barrel would shoot best with a 20 to 25gr load

[mountainman]

I have a .36 built by Jud Brennan. It has a swamped Getz barrel. I started out with 35 to 40gr's of 3ff with a patched .350 ball. Accuracy wasn't good. I talked to Getz and he said that barrel would shoot best with a 20 to 25gr load

That's seems to be my experience as well, the more powder I add it's seems not to group as good, if I drop the powder charge it groups better.. like 20 or 25 grains of 3f, since I don't have a powder measurement that small, I'm going by guess work, I can kinda compare, with my powder measurement how much less it would be by the lines.. I suppose I should buy one of those scales..

[Daryl]

Not sure what makes Getz barrels want to shoot less powder. Does anyone know what twist he used in the .36's?  Mine is 48", same as the .32 I had and the .40.

If you use patches that are too thin, then very light powder charges will shoot best for you.  If you use tight loads, you will shoot more accurately, and will find you also
need to use more powder- for shooting past 25 yards, that is, if you want to get the best accuracy from the gun.  If mediocre accuracy is good enough for your purpose,
then by all means shoot light loads & save on powder.

[Mike Brooks]

I have a .36 built by Jud Brennan. It has a swamped Getz barrel. I started out with 35 to 40gr's of 3ff with a patched .350 ball. Accuracy wasn't good. I talked to Getz and he said that barrel would shoot best with a 20 to 25gr load

That's seems to be my experience as well, the more powder I add it's seems not to group as good, if I drop the powder charge it groups better.. like 20 or 25 grains of 3f, since I don't have a powder measurement that small, I'm going by guess work, I can kinda compare, with my powder measurement how much less it would be by the lines.. I suppose I should buy one of those scales..

Scales....weight and volume are two different things.

[Mike from OK]

Thanks all for your comments. As far as what a gun likes the best as far as loads go, question is what are you looking for in that? Is it better grouping, or less unburned powder? or both?
Since my powder measurement isn't less than 40 grains, I'll need to figure how much blackpowder that actually is?

Own a set of dial calipers?

Measure the diameter and depth of your current 40 grain measure and use those measurements.

For instance... If it measures .500" diameter and .500" deep at 40 grains then a half inch hole at .250" deep would equal 20 grains.

Or a .250" diameter hole at .500" deep should be the same volume of 20 grains.

Knowing this will allow you to fabricobble a temporary measure out of disposable material until you find the charge that works best in your gun... Then you can make or buy a measure once you develop your pet load.

Make sense?

Mike

[Mike from OK]

I just checked my adjustable measure which has an inside diameter of .500"...

At 20 grains the depth is .412"

At 25 grains the depth is .512"

So if you drill half inch hole a half inch deep it should egual roughly 25 grains of powder... It isn't perfect because if you use a regular drill bit it won't leave a flat bottom.

Or you could drill a 1/4 inch hole one inch deep.

Should get you close.

Mike

[mountainman]

Thanks for the that input Mike, I'll have to try that. I don't know what an empty 30-06 cartridge is in diameter, but I took one of those to make a powder measurement, ( since I don't have any thing else ) I cut it down till I got it about the right size, now I'll have to check out your procedure and see how that compares, being that I was making guess work..

[mountainman]

And I got some shooting in today, I had to make a couple of adjustments, but the picture is on the last 2 shots, it was shooting about the 11:00 position, and then I ended with these 2 shots, I felt like it was grouping nicely, might try to zero in a little closer. I was using approximately 25 grains of 3F powder and .010 thick of shooting patches, ( pillow ticking ) and bear grease, and round ball .350

[Lobo]

Tap that sight over a might (front sight left or rear sight right) and you'll be makin head shots on them bushy tails.

[Fyrstyk]

If I recall correctly, a .38 special case holds about 25 grains of 3f.  Somewhere I saw a list of brass cartridge cases and their black powder capacities.  I know Dixie Gun works has a list published on page 565 of their2018 catalog.  The 38 special case holds 24 grains, the 45ACP holds 28 grains, and the 45 Long Colt holds 42 grains.  Hope this helps.

[Mike from OK]

Thanks for the that input Mike, I'll have to try that. I don't know what an empty 30-06 cartridge is in diameter, but I took one of those to make a powder measurement, ( since I don't have any thing else ) I cut it down till I got it about the right size, now I'll have to check out your procedure and see how that compares, being that I was making guess work..

Hard to say what capacity of that brass case would be since it's tapered. Just have to try it and see.

Mike

[Daryl]

.38SPL case holds 24gr. Old Eni. 3F
.38SPL case holds 21.5gr. GOEX 3F

[hanshi]

While my .36 really likes 20 - 30 grains of 3F, for some reason my .32 does very well with 40 grains.  IMHO, 40 grns is a bit much for squirrels and I'm looking to get it working in the same range as the .36 - my most used rifle.  The .40 likes 30, 40 and 60 grains of 3F in its GM "B"? weight barrel.  Thirty grains is my choice for small game in that nice rifle.  This .40 group was fired with 30 grains.

[Lobo]

I got my first flintlock, a .32 in 77. I don't remember how I settled on the load, all I know was I could shoot the eye out of a squirrel with 30gr's. When I got the .36 a few years ago I started with 35 to 40gr's which the gun didn't like.
Here's a string of fox squirrels with the .32....back in the day



Jud Brennan also built the .32 poor boy that I named "Sweet Pea", I still have it and it still likes 30gr's 3ff

[Lobo]

My Brennan .36 that I call "Slim Girl" if you held her you'd know the name fits.