Ordered the pea shooter parts

[MikeChapin]

I have had a Dixie Ashmore lock setting around for twenty years or so and a set trigger about the same age and thought "What a waste should do something with this". I also have a .311 mold I picked up for my wife's .32 about 25 years ago. The rifle died in a fire so the mold has just been setting around. Can't have that.

What more can be said, I ordered the rest of the parts for a .32 pea shooter. I wanted something light so I ordered a 36" 3/4" across the flats Green Mountain barrel. Ordered the plain maple stock blank from Muzzleloaders Building Supply that will be cut for the 3/4" bbl and a 5/16 ramrod.

This should keep me off the streets this winter.

 

[fho]

Mike2005;
IF YOU WANT A REAL PEA SHOOTER CALL ED RAYL AND GET A 25 OR 30 CALIBER BARREL 36 OR 42 INCHES LONG. YOU SHOULD HAVE A FUN PROJECT.
Olie

 

[guncobbler]

Ollie - Do you have some pictures or targets to post of your small caliber guns? GC

 

[khwils]

.25, .30, everytime someone talks about these small calibers reminds me of the gun DGW used to sell. In their catalog in the late 70's/early 80's, it was a .22 cal I believe. Ole' Turner said it had a turret that twisted out to the side of the barrel. You would load the into the front of the turret, I believe he said it only took 4 or 5 grains of powder with the naked ball over the top. The ball supposedly elongated as it was shot as the barrel was slightly undersized. I always wanted one but never ordered it, now I can't find one - kinda like chicken lips - heard of it but never seen one! I've been looking ever since - no luck. Kurt/IL

 

[pondoro]

My 4H club has a couple of 32 rifles. They are cute, and the kids like 'em a lot. Somehow the hole in a 32 muzzleloader looks smaller than a 22 rimfire, even though all of our 22s have thick target barrels.

 

[MikeChapin]

Got confirmation on the order from TOW and found I screwed up somewhere. The barrel they are sending is a 15/16" .32. I looked at my order form and evidently I hit the wrong button when I was ordering.

The 15/16" barrel with a .32 hole would be great for doing bench pressing but don't really think would want to shoot it all day. I'll have to give them a call this morning and see what I can do.

 

[fho]

Guncobbler:
No I don't have a targets yet as Blahman hasn't finished the gun. Blahman is going to bring it to Swampy Acres and I will get a chance to shoot it them. May have pictures to post.

I have a 32 caliber sideslapper that I shot for a long time. It shot very good but as I am getting older I don't shot as good.

Olie

 

[MikeChapin]

Mike2005;
IF YOU WANT A REAL PEA SHOOTER CALL ED RAYL AND GET A 25 OR 30 CALIBER BARREL 36 OR 42 INCHES LONG. YOU SHOULD HAVE A FUN PROJECT.
Olie

Didn't want that .311 mold to go to waste, Olie.

From the small experience I had with my wife's old .32, I know they can be quite picky about the load and patch combo. How picky are the .25s and .30s.

BTW: Got ahold of track and they are shipping the 3/4" inch barrel Monday. I just need to send them back the other when it comes in. Shipping on the barrel is a small price to pay for fat fingering the keyboard.

 

[fho]

Mike2005:
I didn't have a trouble with my .32. I shot 25grs.of 3f and a patched .319 round ball. I think the barrel was a Montana Barrel, don't know the twist,maybe 1 turn in 48. It shot very good.

I shot squirrels and shot target with the same load. You shoot a squirrel in the head and he will fall out of the tree.

Olie

 

[MikeChapin]

By picky I mean that it had one load that it shot well and much deviation off that the group would widen out. In my .36 I generally shoot 30 grains for 25 and 50 yards and step up to 40 grains for 100 yards. The 40 grain load will print higher on the 50 yard target but with no dicernable spread. This rifle has a 1 in 48 42" Sharon barrel.

When I was looking for a load for my wife's .32 it shot lousy until I hit about 20 grains. Much deviation either way would cause the groups to spread. With that load it was a tack driver. That particular rifle was a CVA Squirrel Rifle and had a shorter barrel. That may have been part of the problem.

 

[fho]

Mike2005; I shot my new 25 caliber flint on Sunday for the first time. It shoot great and I had a ball, most fun in a lond time. I shot it with 35 grs of 3f and a .256 round ball. I cut the powder charge down to 30 grs of 3f and it shot good. May cut the powder charge down more to 25 grs. This gun was not sighted in as Blahman just put sights on it. I hope that Blahman gets it done soon.
Olie

 

[Zonie]

Sounds like a mighty stiff load to me.
The ball only weighs about 25 grains so just for comparison if it were the same powder/ball ratio the 35 grain load would be about the same as putting 320 grains under a .535 (.54 cal) 229 grain ball.

No telling what sort of chamber pressures your making.

Of course, it's none of my business, but I think a 10 to 15 grain load would be a little safer.
Even the old .22 rimfire (which was a black powder cartridge) only had a few grains of powder in them. :hmm:

 

[MikeChapin]

I'll go with Zonie on the load. It sounds awfully stout for that caliber. When I get the rifle built I will probably start at about 15 grains and work my way up to the tightest group. Then will play with the patching to see if it tightens up further. I'm hoping it will cloverleaf at 50 yards like my other rifles.

Got most of the parts for the rifle including the right barrel. TOW back ordered the nosecap but no biggy. I usually put that on last anyway. The 3/4" barrel feels very light compared to my others. It will be like shooting a .22. Got notification that the stock will be shipped on Friday. I cleaned up the brass castings. Can't wait to get started putting it together.