which small game rifle?

[Oquirrh]

I'm considering getting a small bore rifle. Mostly target shooting and some jack rabbit and snowshoe hare hunting.

 Any thing -- pro or con -- i should know about the following?

Traditions Crockett Rifle, .32-caliber, Percussion     

Traditions Small game, .32-caliber, Percussion     

CVA Squirrel rifle   .36-cal percussion

(I can also get the CVA in a .32 kit.)

Years ago, i owned a .36 and loved it to death. Lent it to a friend and, well, the winds of time...
   

[forest2]

what you should know, is the smaller the bore,, the heavier the barrel.

 The little .32's are fun,,but the .36 is better. If ya can find a .40,, then your getting in the sweet zone,,

[Dan Chamberlain]

I shoot a Pedersoli Frontier in .36 caliber.  It's currently a flinter, but originally it was a percussion gun.  I once entered a shoot with it where the shots were standing at 25 yards, closest 3 to the center X won.  My 3 shots were touching, about half an inch from the center X high.  But I did not meet the match rules because I had a misfire between my 2nd and 3rd shots so it wasn't 3 consecutive shots.   Still and all, that group pleased me greatly as it would have won hands down.  The Pedersoli product is simply a great and accurate rifle.  Worth the extra bucks.  I don't know about the Traditions products, but have heard good things. 

Dan

[Slamfire]

I like the .36, you can load it down to .22 long rifle ballistics, for edible game, and soup it up to .22 mag level for varmints.

[Saloon slug]

I love my Traditions .32. Cheap on powder .22lr- .22wmr performance + my five year old likes it also

[Elijah Gunn]

What size powder does a .32 or a .36 use? 3 or 4 F?
Thanks, Mark

[quickdtoo]

3f would be used in the small bores, 4f is only used for priming flintlocks, normally.

Tim

[wickerbill]

My vote is for a 40.  I have two 40's and a 32.  One 40 is an early Leigh Valley flint lock..  The other rifle is a half stock Tennessee swap barrel cap lock.  It has a 40 and 32.  The 40 shoots so good, I haven't shot the 32 in about four years.  I do load it down when i am hunting small game or it tares them up and is you load it up, it will kill a deer(if legal in your state).  From your post, it looks like your thinking about a factory rifle.  That's just fine.  I hove Friends who shoot nothing but factory rifle.  Me, I'm sort of a large fellow,  I cant find a factory rifle that feels right.  That's why they make different stuff.
Bill

[raynor]

With a .32 or .36 you can buy Hornady buckshot in 5 pound bags, it's swaged and very cheap.  With a .40 you'll need to cast or buy round ball per 100

A .32 will foul the bore much quicker than a .36 or .40 and may need to be swabbed between each shot for best accuracy. 

I'd vote for a .36 even though I'm in the middle of building a halfstock .40 right now.

I'll be building a fullstock .36 next, and a fullstock .32 after that.  I do like all three calibers, but my favorite is the .36

You may even consider a box of parts build from Track of the Wolf or any of the other companies that sell muzzleloader parts.  Might even think about having one built by one of the many custom builders,  some are very reasonably priced. 

[sharps4590]

I'll have to second exactly what raynor said.  I prefer the 36 over the others.

Vic

[william_75]

gotta admit the bug has gotten me bad also, been carrying a BP almost exclusively for the last couple of years, even got a SxS for spring turkey hunting. Also looking for a small bore for squirrels and such, Where is the best place to find a 32 or 36 caliber?   

[StrawHat]

I will admit right now I have no experience with a .36 or .40 rifle.

I do have and enjoy a .32 flintlock, so that is what I would recommend.

As for using buckshot for a projectile... well, lets say it did not work out so well for me.  My rifle prefers round balls and the shot was not to it's liking.

As to the weight of the rifle, yes it is all in the barrel.  And that helps with a steady offhand hold.

If you are shooting from the bench then the weight doesn't matter.

I have a couple of favorite loads, you can try these, it depends what you are trying to accomplish with the rifle.  One is a fun plinking load, the other was my groundhog load.

15 grains FFFFg with a patched round ball.

37 grains FFFg with a patched round ball.

I have not tried shooting conicals from my rifle.

Caliber choice is yours but regardless it should be a lot of fun.

Good luck

[ratgunner]

.32 Pedersoli is what I use.But thats because they had no .36 cal. in stock and didnt want to wait.

[manofthe45]

.32 Pedersoli is what I use.But thats because they had no .36 cal. in stock and didnt want to wait.

Let me guess you bought it at Dixon's.  I swear there are people that are waiting in line for the delivery truck to show up just to see if there are any 36 calibers.  Gotta love a store dedicated to BP.

[ratgunner]

 You are correct,Chuck told me they didnt make a .36 cal. at Pedersoli.But I knew better just didnt want to argue.They are very helpfull although opinonated.   

[manofthe45]

Now,now,now they only get opinionated if you mention an in-line.   That reminds me I need to run up there this week.  Better hand the cash and credit card to wife first.

[ratgunner]

Yeah, I know what you mean.I go there for one or two things and come home with more.LOL.  BTW I didnt mention inlines. ::)With the construction on the highway I wont be heading down anytime soon.It's nice just to look at the guns,kinda like a museum.

[manofthe45]

The construction should end soon for the holidays.  Old 22 doesn't take that much longer.  Grab the highway to Shartlesville and take old 22 from there. Almost forgot when you hit shartlesville pick me up so I can save the gas.  I am one of those idiots that bought a truck when gas was 99 cents a gallon.

[ratgunner]

LOL, will do.