.22 caliber Percussion Muzzle Loader question

[Grimord]

I recently acquired a .22 caliber percussion muzzle loader. I couldn't resist the novelty of it. What would be the best projectile to shoot from it, a round ball (without patch) or an air rifle pellet? I saw on line some air rifle conical type slugs that weigh 30 grains and appear to have a groove that could be grease filled. It could be a great squirrel hunting round. If anyone has any experience with such a small caliber gun please chime in. I would like to hear of your experiences with them.

 

[TreeMan]

Wonder if you could pull a few bullets from some 22lr ammo? I guess that depends on your bore size.

 

[bubba.50]

Is this a side-hammer or other type that is permissible to discuss here or is it the one that looks like a bolt action .22?

 

[1950DAVE]

Could you post a pic with more details? I built a .27 smoothbore from a rusty .22 cal barrel. I use wasp nest with lube to shoot .25 RB . Powder measure is .22 LR brass X 2. I have a .22 pistol barrel I am thinking of building into shooter so I am interested in your post.
Dave

 

[Britsmoothy]

Err, can I be the first to say I recommend 4f

 

[TreeMan]

Err, can I be the first to say I recommend 4f

You’ll blow your face off with as little as 4grains of 4f!!!

 

[William Lincoln]

Look you can buy 22 lead bullets from North American Arms in Utah. They are the
people that make the little "companion" muzzle loading pistols. They make the best
22 lead bullets for muzzleloading I have found, and are fair priced.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Look you can buy 22 lead bullets from North American Arms in Utah. They are the
people that make the little "companion" muzzle loading pistols. They make the best
22 lead bullets for muzzleloading I have found, and are fair priced.

Hmm. They load into a chamber. That chamber maybe slightly larger bored than the barrel.


I'd be tempted to go with heavy pellets and ball.
Definitely concoct a lubrication method to keep fouling soft.

 

[William Lincoln]

You could call NAA and get specs ,but they are made for muzzleloading and
compressing a charge. Some pellets would also work but can be thin in places
whereas the lead bullets from NAA are made for ramming home. Check all
your options.

 

[Treestalker]

Err, can I be the first to say I recommend 4f

Stop it, just stop it, LOL!

 

[Rifleman1776]

Pics sure would help. There were (maybe still) small caliber, like .22", called parlor rifles. These were shot indoors for amusement, like darts. I recall reading they used an unpatched round ball for projectile.

 

[Rudyard]

Hmmm Haveing made a 290 cal Baltic /bird/squirrel gun & found it fun. A 22 feeding on air rifle pellets should be fun too fouling might be a problem. But I once made a chareciture Jager with oct to taper & swamped round 177 flint rifle (For my sisters teddy bear ). A friend borrowed it to shoot mice at a colliery where he worked .Must try get a pic for the forum . Rudyard

 

[Britsmoothy]

Pedersoli so one or two parlour guns around 177cal.

 

[jdesro]

Not sure if this is the rifle the OP is talking about, but there was a .22 that recently sold on GBroker I was keeping an eye on. Looks pretty sweet if you ask me.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Not sure if this is the rifle the OP is talking about, but there was a .22 that recently sold on GBroker I was keeping an eye on. Looks pretty sweet if you ask me.

View attachment 64275

I bet they are good fun and I bet they can get some speed up even if it is only short lived.

 

[hanshi]

Long ago I used to kill squirrels with .22 round balls, something called BB caps. If they took down squirrels with nothing but the prime to power them I'd say rb would work for small game in a muzzleloader of that caliber.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Look at BB Shot (0.180") or #4 Buck Shot (0.240"), which is too big.

SHOT (pellet) SIZES | The Muzzleloading Forum

 

[Grimord]

Not sure if this is the rifle the OP is talking about, but there was a .22 that recently sold on GBroker I was keeping an eye on. Looks pretty sweet if you ask me.

View attachment 64275

Yes, this is the gun that I was lucky to have my offer accepted. I went on the Pyramyd Air web site and saw some elongated conical type pellets that were 30 grains and have a groove in them that could be filled with grease. Once I get the gun I will get some round balls and some of those pellets to see which shoots the best.

 

[Zonie]

You’ll blow your face off with as little as 4grains of 4f!!!

I know you said this, "tounge in cheek" but the original suppository .22's were loaded with 3 grains of powder in the "short" and 5 grains of powder in the "long" and the "long rifle".

Of course, they were sealed breech guns so a grain or two to make up for the leakage past the percussion cap might be needed. That would make for a 5 or 7 grain powder load.
7 grains!
That would make for 1000 shots per pound of powder.

If this is truly a muzzleloading rifle, the projectile will need to be smaller than .22" to load down the barrel. According to Dixie Gunworks Catalog there once was a "TT" size shot that measured .21" that would be ideal but I think "TT" shot ranks in the "unobtainium" department now.
A 5 mm ball would be .197" diameter and there are steel ball bearings that size but they would need to be patched with cloth to protect the bore. Maybe some .010 thick patching? 5.5 mm diameter bearings are also available. They would be .216" diameter which doesn't leave much if any room for patching.

 

[Danny Ross]

How do you measure 3-7 grs of powder??? A pan charger? I am just curious. DANNY