General discussion > Black Powder Shooting

.25 caliber Rifle

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timM:
I just finished admiring Gibsters .25 cal Rifle build. The thought of this small of a bore diameter is very intriguing.  I have no experience with anything less than .32 cal.  I would be curious about some basics connected to shooting a .25 cal. 

I know there is a lot of combined experience on this board.  Could I bate some comments connected to this?  ie.  barrel twist, bullet weight, velocity & powder charges, fowling between shoots, skinny ramrods etc.  Heck, I think I want one.
tim

Bill of the 45th:
Stonewall creek has Ed Rayle 42"swamped 25 cal barrels in stock.  They're 1 in 48.  Most of the sub calibers like smaller loads.  I have a Rayle 44" in 30 cal that likes 20 grains of 3F  with a tight patch.  It's still in the break in stage, so a little tough to load unless you use a range rod.  For hunting tree rats I'll probably work on an easier to load combo as I use a 44"x 1/4" Hickory ramrod.   A tighter patch leads to less fowling, and that's important for the smaller cal's.  These small cal rifles, really are sleek little beauties , a lot of fun to carry and shoot.

Bill

don getz:
While you are on the subject of small calibre guns, stop by our table at the CLA and look at the little southern mountain
rifle that my son John owns.   28 cal......John and I originally started this gun many years ago.  It has about a 44" barrel,
light swamped, with a small siler flintlock (tail has been rounded to make it look more appropriate)  Myron Carlson hardware.  After looking at the unfinished gun for too long, Allen Martin took it along home and finished it.....after you see it you will want to build one.   Also, we will be bringing one of famous "BARN GUNS" along, in the white.  Just to show,
John has it sold already to a local guy............Don

ironsights1:
I hunt squirrels with both a .29 flintlock and .30 caliber percussion, using 30 and 20 grains of FFFg in them, respectifully.  These calibers work great for squirrels.  You'll still need to take head shots if you plan to eat them.  I've got a .25 coming from Sitting Fox Muzzleloaders which I plan to introduce to those bushy tails yet this season.  I'll start out with 20 grains and see how that works, adjusting up and/or down from there.  I found a .235 Lyman roundball mold online after searching for several weeks.  A pound of powder and a pound of lead should easily last the entire season...and more!  Tom

Daryl:
These ultrasmall calibres would benefit greatly form a lube like LHV. Perhaps Shanendoah Valley LUbe or the new Hornady Cleaner and Preservative would be beneficial in this regard.  My own experience stops at short barreled (36" max) .36 cal, which showed no tendency towards dirty shooting at all.

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