.32 Caliber Experiences

[Daryl]

Exactly, hanshi.

[Neven]

My .32 JP McCoy a great shooter only thing better would be if it was flint

[Chemman]

Hello all, I am really looking forward to shooting a .32 (top rifle, not cat)  I inherited from my father.  I have never shot a flintlock but have been shooting guns and reloading ammo since I was 6 years old(50+ years).  I have some older 3F and 4F genuine black powder I want to take this .32 out tomorrow and shoot.  I have some fresh Graf's black powder being shipped out today.  Should I wait?   
 
I have a small collection of 121gn round balls I thought I would start with.  Read somewhere that 1 gn per caliber as a rule, so maybe start with 25gn 3F and flashpan half full of 4F?   Are there miniballs for .32?

At this point I really can't help answer the OP's questions but maybe in a couple days I will be able to add more to the topic. 

FYI- Top gun, the .32cal, is a kit of unknown origin my father assembled with a Green Mountain barrel and a MSM Hawken style double set trigger. 
       The lower is a .45 cal and I don't know much except it is a Green Mountain Barrel and a Davis double set trigger. 

Chuck

[Daryl]

Hi Chuck - you will need round balls for the .32.
121gr. balls sound like .44 cal. to me.  .32 round balls, ie: .310" to .311" should weigh around 45gr. in pure lead.
Pls, do not think of using slugs - and no, no one makes slugs or slug moulds for that rifle.
Patched round balls are what a flintlock is designed for.
Starting at 20 or 25gr. is a good thing. The REAL black powder you have is likely fine. My .32 shot best to 50, even 100 yards,
with 35gr. 3F GOEX. Yes - I use 4F in the pan, but 3F works almost as well. 4F is faster, though many guys think not. This shows
the difference is actually very close.

[Chemman]

Oops my bad, 46gn on the .312" and 126gn .441".  Never have shot black powder and I know I inherited slugs for the .45.  Asked just to see the answer you gave Daryl on the .32 slugs.   

I am really wanting to go shoot the .32 particular, I know it will be fun.  The range I shoot at is a mile from my house but drove by there yesterday and there was about 18" of snow on the ground and it will be about 20F by the time I will be able to go out. 

Thanks Daryl

[Craig Wilcox]

The snow on the ground is good!  1} you can find your patches easily, and 2) you can spot un-burnt powder quickly.

Kind of envious, wishing I were going shooting.  Today is the first in a long time to NOT wear a jacket.  I do have on thermals and a flannel shirt tho,

[MuskratMike]

Has anyone shot Ballistic Products #1 1/2 buckshot (.310") in their 32's?
 I know it has a small amount of tin added to it but I think it is only 3%. A whole bunch cheaper than buying Hornady's. 2 cents apiece vs 10 cents apiece, I am just concerned about using a slightly hard ball in a small caliber. Looking for some feedback from you squirrel shooters who have .32's
I might have asked this question allready if so just chalk it up to another "Muskrat" senior moment.

[Bassdog1]

I have shot it with absolutely no problems in both my 32 Cherokee and Seneca. Patch thickness varies between the two but great accuracy at squirrel range.

[Dphariss]

Has anyone shot Ballistic Products #1 1/2 buckshot (.310") in their 32's?
 I know it has a small amount of tin added to it but I think it is only 3%. A whole bunch cheaper than buying Hornady's. 2 cents apiece vs 10 cents apiece, I am just concerned about using a slightly hard ball in a small caliber. Looking for some feedback from you squirrel shooters who have .32's
I might have asked this question allready if so just chalk it up to another "Muskrat" senior moment.

I used to use Buckshot in my 32 Douglas barrel 50 years ago.
If I were going for precision at 50-60 yards I would find a good HV load for it. It will likely shoot best with 30-40 grains of powder at this distance. It will still be more wind sensitive than a 45 or a 50. A good RB rifle with the right load and patch lube should shoot all touching at 60 yards if the weather cooperates and the shooter is up to it.
Often best accuracy is found with a relatively high friction patch lube like teflon or water soluble oil/water mix with the water evaporated away. I think I used to use 1:5 oil:water. Patches have just a slight oil feel when dry. But this will require wiping every shot. Sperm Whale Oil (not the oil refined from blubber) was actually higher friction than Neatsfoot or Tallow and would also soften fouling. I expect this is why it was popular in the past. But its off the market now forever.

Dan

[Daryl]

Has anyone shot Ballistic Products #1 1/2 buckshot (.310") in their 32's?
 I know it has a small amount of tin added to it but I think it is only 3%. A whole bunch cheaper than buying Hornady's. 2 cents apiece vs 10 cents apiece, I am just concerned about using a slightly hard ball in a small caliber. Looking for some feedback from you squirrel shooters who have .32's
I might have asked this question allready if so just chalk it up to another "Muskrat" senior moment.

If you can load it, you can shoot it.

I found the Hornady buck shot that was .320"was too hard to load with any of my patch materials, yet pure lead cast balls .320" loaded easily with 10oz. denim (.0225").
This turned them into little elongated bullets with both ends rounded. They were VERY accurate at 50yards with 40gr. 3F GOEX. The .311" balls shot best with the same
patch and 35gr. 3F GOEX.

[Chemman]

So got to the Blue River Sportsman's range about a mile form where I live and someone was kind enough to have used a frontend loader to do a wonderful job moving  the 18" of snow from everywhere, bravo!  I have to agree Craig, awesome day with all the snow.

Got the 32 out and realized i had left the push rod in the kitchen.  Glad it is on a mile or so.  First shot with a clean barrel was within 4" of bull at 50 yards.  First time shooting dad's gun.  Second shot had a hard time pushing the round down the barrel, and had to recock and fire for an ignite on the 6th try, no sparks.  Gonna have to re do the flint I am sure and missed the targer bu a foot, high and to the right.  3rd shot same hard to push down and no spark.  Like a neophite and pyro I am, found a cigarette half burned, lit it with wife's lighter and touched off the pan, mistake!  Pulled away blackened concussed hand which was half frozen already, won't be doing that again.  Escaped with only a scratch though.

So i need to figure out a little better flint to steel setup.  Probably have some flint from my Oklahoma arrowhead collection, had a habit of keeping anything resembling pretty flint so...

[Daryl]

www.trackofthewolf.com sell flints.  Measure width and length and they will have them.
"October Country" also sells flints, seems to me.
Lucky to not be burned badly. Yes- lesson learned.
Another good thing, is to not cock fully, until the pan is closed.  The act of bringing the cock to full bent position
might jar off the hammer from full cock. That can end up in a severe burn as well.
Napping (chipping the edge) the flint is something you must also learn. I suspect if you Googled it, you'd find a video on
napping flints.

[hanshi]

That happened to me years ago and I spent weeks picking little bits of burned powder particles from my palm with a needle.  !@*%&@ if I didn't get the all, though!

[Daryl]

I learned it from Taylor when he saw me cocking to full bent before closing the frizzen.
He got burned when it happened to him. Thankfully, his warning prevailed.

[Chemman]

Yup hanshi, used the dissecting microscope to disect powder residue out of 3 places on my thumb and Texas salute digit. 

After looking at some napping videos on youtube pretty sure that I am lacking enough napping.  Lol.  I will probably find me some good flint here in Colorado or nearby to try my hand at fabricating some flints.  Used to make some pretty decent arrowheads some years back. 

I don't see any indication of a manufacturing stamp on the lock, trigger is MSM.   The frizzen is quite stiff to open and close, is that normal?

[bob in the woods]

If the frizzer is very stiff , lubing may be the simplest solution; or a cleaning . 

[Brian cox]

Hello,
I have a Dixie Tennessee Mountain Rifle in .32 that is a squirrel killer. Sitting at the bottom of an Oak ridge, I get my daily limit. I really like the sights - I can see them - Guess that helps. I use a 30gr load of 3f Goex black powder. .310 ball with a tight patch. I have to use a short starter to get the ball going down and use a synthetic rod, so I don’t break the wooden one, while in the woods. The rifle is a pleasure to shoot. Clean up seems to take a few more patches than my larger caliber rifles, but I have never really counted. I just run them until they come out clean. This rifle will be converted to a Flint when I get a couple of projects done around the house and have the extra funds to get a L&R lock for it. I have been saying that for quite some time. Until then, it is my go to small game rifle.
 

[hanshi]

What's the stock wood?  I kinda like the coloration.

[Wingshot]

Hello,
I have a Dixie Tennessee Mountain Rifle in .32 that is a squirrel killer. Sitting at the bottom of an Oak ridge, I get my daily limit. I really like the sights - I can see them - Guess that helps. I use a 30gr load of 3f Goex black powder. .310 ball with a tight patch. I have to use a short starter to get the ball going down and use a synthetic rod, so I don’t break the wooden one, while in the woods. The rifle is a pleasure to shoot. Clean up seems to take a few more patches than my larger caliber rifles, but I have never really counted. I just run them until they come out clean. This rifle will be converted to a Flint when I get a couple of projects done around the house and have the extra funds to get a L&R lock for it. I have been saying that for quite some time. Until then, it is my go to small game rifle.
 
I recently acquired the same rifle. I’m also planning on converting to flint and had to have some work done on the existing caplock to keep it safe. Just did some load work up over the weekend.

[Levy]

You know, seems like I remember DGW saying that the stocks were made from cherry wood.  They may be, but it definitely doesn't look like any cherry that I'm familiar with.  My son has the same gun (well used ).  James Levy

[Berksrifle]

If I remember correctly the stock is Japanese Cherry.

Ken

[hanshi]

Looks good and shoots good; what's not to like?

[Brian cox]

I read that it is Cherry. It is a bit more brown in person. I'm not a photographer so it did come out interesting in the picture as opposed to true to life.. It was made in Japan by Miroku. Its a great woods gun and canoe tripper when scouting new haunts in the Adirondacks.

P.S. Wingshot - that is a nice group.

[Daryl]

Sorry, fellas. I do not share your enthusiasm for that 25 yard group from a rest position. It is not really a good offhand group either.
Now there are likely good reasons for this.
Sights, weather, powder charge, patch.
All can have a positive or negative effect on the group size.
What I see in this equation is the patch thickness being VERY poor.  With a .311" ball, it is easy to load a .018" to .022" thick denim patch. That one will put 5 shots into a quarter sized hole at 25 yards, shot from a rest. When younger, that was the size of normal offhand groups.
I am not saying this to put anyone down, but as a teaching lesson, to eliminate mediocre performance objectives nd to get guys striving to always attempt for improvement.
On page 1 Robin Henderson posted an excellent offhand target. That's what to strive for with your rest shooting. When you accomplish that, doing it offhand is the new goal.

[Brian cox]

Yup. Robin Henderson's target is excellent - no question. Can wingshots group be improved? Not a question. Striving for perfection and not accepting mediocracy as a life goal - yes. Lesson about patch thickness - very welcome. That is why I am on this site - trying to learn all that I can about what I love to do.
I give kudos to Wingshot for posting his target. I didn't put one up.  It can be very intimidating to do so, given the quality of the individuals who frequent these pages. But - nothing ventured - nothing gained. Valuable lesson learned. Time to set up a few targets and see what I can do.