Messing with my squirrel load again

Took the Crockett out yesterday and again today to try a few new combos. Previously I tried .319 hand cast balls against the .315 hornady balls I’ve been using. Both with 7/1 dry patch using .018 ish pillow ticking. 20 grains fff Swiss. At 25 yards not much difference in either load. Set up today at 40 yards and realized my eyes aren’t good enough for the little 2 inch circle targets I’ve been using. Didn’t even fire. Dang old eyes.

Moved to 32 yards and was amazed how much the groups opened in just 7 yards! .315 balls were all still within the target 5/5 but the .319 balls opened up too much. 3/5 dead squirrels.

Then tried the .315 balls with tracks mink oil lubed pillow ticking. That combo was also a no-go. Cleaned lube out of barrel and Shot three more with 7/1 dry patches and right back on target. Pretty happy with this combo but I’ll keep playing to make sure there’s not a better match out there.

Just ordered some thicker mattress ticking and some pocket drill to try next. I’m getting her all dialed in. I’ll keep you posted with results

I just ordered a Crockett and been reading what other’s have said about their loads. Most people seem to be using smaller balls and thinner patches. Does your load require a hammer to get down the barrel?

I do have to use a short starter but can push it down. Each one is different but mine like things pretty tight.

Seems like you can find multiple combos that will work for squirrels at 25 yards. Stepping back a bit things do open up for me. This is why I keep trying different things to see if I can wring out as much as I can. You just have to keep changing one thing at a time until you find what works. For my rifle, I haven’t found a grease or wet lube that I’m happy with. I just keep going back to dry patching and then working on other things. Sooner or later I’ll finally settle on a combo and stick with it. For me, looking for better combos is half the fun of these things

I am going to have to try some Ballistol water dry patches.

Bassdog1 said:

I am going to have to try some Ballistol water dry patches.

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that really tightened my groups with this rifle. Hope it works for you.

Well greased and wet patches worked best in my Crockett. The prb loaded snug but not that tight. A .311" ball and ticking patches worked great.

I tried some 310 and 311 balls early on but moved to larger balls that seemed to group better in my Crockett. I still have a few 310’s laying around somewhere and may give them a try again as well. Judging from the widening of groups with .319 balls I might have hit the upper limit of “tight” at .315. I’ll keep working on loads and will throw some .310 balls back in the mix as well. I’d like to find a greased patch that works for me as it would cut down on some of the wiping between shots. Just haven’t been able to find one that works well enough yet.

One small problem I have is that the patched round ball grabs my short starter. I cut the patch at the muzzle. When I push with my starter the patch ends surround the tip of the starter and make it hard to pull out. I've learned to push the ball and patch down just a little, remove the starter and fold the patch ends over the ball. Then I push down with the short starter and things work fine. It just isn't a very fast way to do things.

@Stub, you are pushing your patched ball too deep into the muzzle leaving too much patch above the ball. You want the top of your ball to be just below the crown of the muzzle. Shorten that little stub on your short starter. When you cut the patch, you want to see the top of the ball surrounded by patch material. The stub on my short starter is concave to match the ball and just push the ball in far enough so my patch knife doesn't cut into the ball. Then there isn't enough patching to catch on the starter.

I think the problem is my patch knife not being sharp enough. I probably need to use a razor. At one point , I sit the patch and ball on the end of the muzzle and layer leather over them and gave a good rap with a rubber hammer. So the ball was now flush with the muzzle. After cutting the patch there was just a little ragged patch above the muzzle. When I pushed with the longer side of the starter there was just enough material to pin the starter against the bore and make it hard to pull out. I did this several times with same results. My starter end is advertised for a 32 but doesn't offer much clearance from the bore.

New thought- maybe my bore is tighter than most of yours. My patch is only .0119 and the balls are .310. If I have the ball level with the muzzle when I cut the patch then put it down with the short side of the short starter, there is almost enough patch to cover the top of the ball. It must be so tight that the patch is stretched over the ball top. Once when my short starter stuck, the ball pulled off and I had to use pliers to get the stem out. I’ve never had any other gun load so hard.

I have a different squirrel problem. I have an abundance of 'em in my front and back yards. However, even though I live in a rural area it is also a housing development, So, I dare not shoot my MLs. When just outside of my dog fence, they are about 12 feet from my chair on the porch. I shoot them with a NERF gun and, even when hit they look at me as if to say "why did you do that?" and return to eating my bird seed. I've considered asking all my neighbors to move their houses, but I suspect that would receive only intense laughter and braaaaack. Those little tree rats are so brave [and smart] that they will stand eyeball to eyeball with my Shih Tzu dogs [them outside, dogs inside the fence] and a foot apart. I'm old; maybe I should be the one to leave. .... Polecat

I am just getting started with a CVA Squirrel rifle in .32. Currenyl using a .310 ball and pillow ticking which is probably in the .015-.018 thickness. It is a very snug fit to get started. 10 grains Swiss 3f is very accurate at 25 yards. Much more practice to be had.

If you're having trouble with a jag "grabbing" patches and pulling them out, you're jag is probably a bit too big for your barrel and patch thickness. I had that problem and had to significantly reduce the diameter of the head on my jag. Suddenly, things got a lot easier -- including cleaning by flushing with the bucket method. Prior to sanding/filing down the jag, I had some real trouble getting the cleaning rod back out of the barrel -- I mean real trouble.

Dale Lilly said:

I have a different squirrel problem. I have an abundance of 'em in my front and back yards. However, even though I live in a rural area it is also a housing development, So, I dare not shoot my MLs.

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I feel your pain. We're rural, but I still don't like to open up on the squirrels when our nearby neighbors are at home. My wife tried one of those big strong stream water guns (with an ammonia mixture in it), but she got a cheap one and it was hard for her to pump. I think a better one might work well. I prefer to scare them with my bow, although it's probably just as effective to stand and wave the bow and arrow at them while yelling.

Otherwise, when they really exceed the limits of the "encroachment agreement" I feel we've reached, I get out the AR-15/22 with the scope set to 6x, set up in our upstairs bathroom window with a sandbag, and just execute them. This results in the remaining ones withdrawing back beyond the agreed perimeter. A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. I do plan on using the Crockett rifle for this -- but not from the sniper nest in the upstairs bathroom.

I live on acreage and we have lots of hardwoods. Unfortunately for me we haven’t had much of a mast crop the last few years. Had a freak late freeze last year. Most of the squirrels headed for greener pastures. This year is looking good so I imagine I’ll be able to pop a few around the place. I have a picnic table out in the woods about 100 yards from the house. In the fall I like to drink my coffee out there with my weapon of choice. In a good year I can take quite a few before having to go to work or start chores. This is one of the most relaxing times I get these days

Stub said:

One small problem I have is that the patched round ball grabs my short starter. I cut the patch at the muzzle. When I push with my starter the patch ends surround the tip of the starter and make it hard to pull out. I've learned to push the ball and patch down just a little, remove the starter and fold the patch ends over the ball. Then I push down with the short starter and things work fine. It just isn't a very fast way to do things.

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The short part of my short starter is very short. Barely puts the ball into the barrel. This, and a very sharp patch knife, will probably help you. Around the house I use a very sharp case pocket knife and I sharpen that knife almost daily. I carry it everywhere. A good sharp knife sure helps with the patch cutting

Why not just sand down the short starter so the patch doesn't grab it? The only function of a starter or ram rod is to push the ball. It doesn't have to be tight against the patch and sides of the barrel to do this, and there is no reason for it to be held by friction with the patch material.

Stub said:

One small problem I have is that the patched round ball grabs my short starter. I cut the patch at the muzzle. When I push with my starter the patch ends surround the tip of the starter and make it hard to pull out. I've learned to push the ball and patch down just a little, remove the starter and fold the patch ends over the ball. Then I push down with the short starter and things work fine. It just isn't a very fast way to do things.

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Are you using the nub of the short starter or the five inch rod? The proper way is to use the nub to seat the ball flush and then use the longer rod to push it down further. Then you take your ram rod and ram it home.