.36 or.40 cal. difference?

Well, after a shooting session ,with my left handed Lyman .54 cal GPR., I`m convinced that I would be better off with a small caliber loader. I have had bypass surgery and i get chest soreness for a few days after I shoot my .54. I`m shooting .50 grs. in it , so really can`t load it down too much further. I have a .45 but here in Pa. you can`t hunt small game with it. So,is there much of a diffence in shooting a .36 verses a .40 as to loading problems and target shooting up to 100yds. Thanks in advance....

Very little difference, although some people think the .40 is more accurate. Here in LA the .40 is not legal for either big or small game, so check your local game laws. I have a .32, .40, and .45 among my smaller calibers (I sold my .36 years ago). The .32 does everything I want in small game and the .45 is the minimum I would use on deer. my .40 hangs on the mantle. :imo:

Possibly you have 2 problems there, buttplate style & caliber. If you were shooting something like a Lancaster style rifle with a larger buttplate it would spread out the load on the shoulder & etc.

However, as for the dif. of the .36 ot .40, the larger will make a lil bit larger hole & bucks the wind just a tad better than the .36. Either with loads of 30-35 grains of 3F Swiss is very comfortable to shoot. The .40 cal being a tad more versital (IMHO) as you can bump it up to around 2000 FPS if ya want to coyote or groundhog hunt & then drop it right back to 23-30 grains for target & shoot it all day long with comfort. Also a lil bit larger ball to handle helps me & the little bit larger bore is less easy to foul. (IMHO)

But 30 grains of 3F Swiss in a .36 or a .40 cal. is very comfortable to shoot in a Lancaster or Busks rifle & a kid can shoot one all day long & not get sore from it.

:thumbsup:

At first glance there doesn't seem to be very much difference between a .36 and a .40. If you consider ball diameter a .395 is only .045 larger than a .350. Almost insignificant. But that slight difference in diameter amounts to nearly a 50% increase in weight (64 grains for a .350 and 93 grains for a .395). Neither is going to create punishing recoil but I can't help but believe that the .40 has to deliver more energy down range. Just something to consider when deciding between the two calibres.

I shot a match with my 36 this past weekend. Half way thru the match, it was all over for me. My 36 would not knock down the plates on several of the longer targets. It is great for squirrels and varmints. That little ball is not the best for range work.

I own rifles in .36, .40, .45, .50 and .54. My favorite by far is the .40. A pleasure to shoot, accurate, not too bad in the wind and does not need too heavy of a barrel. On the other hand, OOO Hornady buck is cheap feed for a .36 and works well so you would not need a lead pot and .395 mold.

I second the suggestions regarding fit and shape being of great benefit.

You should try to attend several events and try out everything that you can to see what works for you.

(I am also from Louisiana and I noticed was an odd quirk in the law when I was there. What your barrel has stamped on the flat is what your gun is under the law -- regardless of what it really is. I know of several homemade guns stamped with .36 that get .395 balls stuffed down their gullets and I have seen one stamped .44 that would never accept a .440 ball no matter how hard you pounded. The way of many in the land of Edwards, Long and Laffite! -- go figure.)

YMHS,
CrackStock

Spanking steel is best done with .50 or above. I have cleaned a woodswalk with a .40, but I was dimpling the steel and have stopped using the small bores for those types of shoots.

CS

woods walker :}
i looked in the regs for pa. and didn't see anything about not being able to hunt small game with a 45 cal. :: if you have the page in the digest i would like to read it , i couldn't find any

I really like and prefer the .40.

It does everything the .36 does and does it better.

If 100 yd shooting is important, then I believe the .36 might be a little weak, especially in the wind.

You can stoke up the .40 to close to 2000 fps and that is moving right along.

The only draw back is the .40 ammo and acessories are harder to find (over the counter).

The .36 stuff is every where.

The deciding factor should really be what rifles you can find. There are quite a few .36 production rifles out there but very few .40's.

If you have to go custom or a kit, the Chambers Isaac Haines with a B weight .40 cal bbl is about as good as it gets.

Look for something that fits well that you can afford and enjoy.

Good luck

Leo

P.S.

OK I can't stand it.

If a small bore hunting is in your future - Look at the Traditions Crockett .32 - This little gun has to be the most bang for the buck that you are likely to find.

:imo: :thumbsup:

Hmm...ok..I am still a little confused..can one use a .36 for squirrels...and also use it for coyotes? Or...conversely, if one used a .40 for squirrel...would there be anything left of it?

Welcome to the world of Pa. Game laws!! If you think the M`loader laws are screwy,you ought to read the Blaze Orange Regs.!!!! Thanks a lot for the answers. I`m thinking pretty strong on selling my G.P.R..Really hate to do it but it is taking the fun out of shooting. Take care.

A .36 will take coyote easily. The .40 on squirrel requires a head shot if you want to eat the meat (although a friend likes squirrel brains and won't head shoot'm!). Even my .32 will put a large hole in a squirrel. As for using .40 and .45 for small game....why? If you can only own one ML rifle then maybe .40 is a good compromise (where legal). I tend to prefer my .50s for target and my .32 for small game and I am building a .54 for big game. My most accurate rifle is my .45 I built in 1978 with its old choked Green River barrel. The .395 ball is a small pill for deer hunting, although I know many swear by it; and old Davy is said to have killed over 100 bear with one....(close range shooting after dogs cornered or treed the bears)--but he had to finish many off with a knife!

he he he ! Yes, love them old folk lores. And he killed his first bear when he was 3 ! Bet the was H to potty train ! ha ha ! :crackup: Have to disarm him to take his diaper off ! :crackup: :crackup:

Far as that goes, any caliber on a squirrel requires a head shot if you want to eat the meat, unless you are eating just hind legs. 32, 36, 40, 45, 50 cal makes no dif., good clean head shots are head shots........
Thus any caliber is good for squirrels if you can make head shots only & practice makes perfect.

:results:

My daughter has a .36 Seneca that is such a pleasure to shoot, I have just purchased a .36 flinter that is being shipped this week, can't wait to try'er out Its a "Bean" style with a 42" H & H barrel. Sam Fadala writes highly of the .36. Those that have the .40s seem to lov'em. Either would be a good choice for small game, plinking, and offhand practice :imo:

I hope never to be without my .40

It's my favorite of all the calibers. I've taken everything from rabbits to deer with it.

The .40 is my favorite also. It is extremely accurate and I use it for about everything you use a rifle for here in Ohio. If I need to go to a smaller ball for squirrel, I use a .380 round ball and a thicker patch. the .40 is a versatile gun for target accuract and for hunting accuracy.
Ohio Rusty

he he he ! Yes, love them old folk lores. And he killed his first bear when he was 3 ! Bet the was H to potty train ! ha ha ! :crackup: Have to disarm him to take his diaper off ! :crackup: :crackup:

Click to expand...

As Ah remembers it, it sayed "killed him a bar, whan he was only thrree".
Everione gots that part mixd up. It warn't Davy who war thrree, he11, Davy war about 25, it war tha Bar what was only thre. :: ::

As fer tha .40 an tha .36 thang, Ah doesn't oun a .40 longriffel but ah built a .36 boys flinter. It are only 'bout 6 poundes with ah 32 inch 13/16 oktogon barral as Ah remembers it.
ah wood say that she kicks sumwhars betwien a .22RFM an a .223 wit ah 40 grain 3Fg load.

I have .32 and .36. Love them both for small game and plinking. I have a .45. Haven't shot it in years. .54 does most of my big game hunting.
But someone gave me a barrel. It says .40cal on it. I guess I will just have to build a rifle and see what it can do. Only problem, I have to move before I can start building. It will be the break-in project for my new home this winter.
In the meantime, if you need a new rifle and plan on 100 yards, I think the .40 would buck wind better. But at 50-60 yards, I would look at the .36. Both will cost about the same to shoot, powder charge and ball cost about the same unless you go to 000 buck for he .36.
Hard decision.............GET BOTH!!!

I'm still wishing that .380" was a common calibre.

Rat