SQHunterGray
32 Cal.
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Anyone use a .32 for small game? What do you think of it? What gun makers do you recommend?
Thanks,
-Marc
Thanks,
-Marc
-
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.32 for squirrels?
- Thread starter SQHunterGray
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glenn mcmurray
32 Cal.
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I use a .32 cal T/C Seneca with patched RB. 20 grains of 777 3F gives me a very accurate load with pleanty of power. I have mine sighte in at 25 yrds.
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I'm real pleased with the accuracy of the Traditions Crockett. Lots written on it here at the site.
I use an old .32caplock with a Douglas barrel and Robbins lock & trigger. At 25 yards 15 and 30 grains fffg shoot to the same POI and the heavier load shoots on 50 yards. Headshots only with both loads for squirrels. I shot a truckload of squirrels, one beaver and 1 deer over many years. The small deer was taken with a heart shot with the 30 grain load at 35 yards and dropped within 35 yards. The ball broke a rib, drilled the heart, broke a rib on the off side and stopped under the hide. That load runs @ 1650 fps @ 10 ft. Faster than 12 ga. buckshot. No lectures please. I don't gripe about what others wound or miss. As far as I can tell a .32 is like shooting a HV 32-20 WCF. Wonky
nchawkeye
58 Cal.
I've killed enough deer with #1 and 00 buck to believe you...You're right, it works...
I have seen game killed with both. The 36 and the 32 don't make a whole lot of difference on small game unless you load them up real fast. Then the 36 will tear more meat up. If a song dog walks by, the 36 is the much better choice.
Add in the fact that 60 grains under a 36 conical will handle anything that walks this continent except the big bears with proper shot placement. It isn't legal most placesfor big game, but it is highly effective with a conical. The 32 is an ok load but is much more limited than the 36.
I am thinking about relining a revolver to 32 for small game, general woods carry, and for target. I have all the parts except the actual barrel liner already waiting. The idea of a caliber that allows me to use the same ball as my 36 rifle keeps me from commiting! The ball is .350, so about .345 would be perfect. So far, I have not found an appropriate barrel to do that. The idea of a large frame revolver with almost no recoil in a small game caliber sounds really nice for target practice and general woods carry.
Neither one is a wrong choice!
Add in the fact that 60 grains under a 36 conical will handle anything that walks this continent except the big bears with proper shot placement. It isn't legal most placesfor big game, but it is highly effective with a conical. The 32 is an ok load but is much more limited than the 36.
I am thinking about relining a revolver to 32 for small game, general woods carry, and for target. I have all the parts except the actual barrel liner already waiting. The idea of a caliber that allows me to use the same ball as my 36 rifle keeps me from commiting! The ball is .350, so about .345 would be perfect. So far, I have not found an appropriate barrel to do that. The idea of a large frame revolver with almost no recoil in a small game caliber sounds really nice for target practice and general woods carry.
Neither one is a wrong choice!
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I'd be real specific about ball diameters in 36 cal rifles and revolvers. My rifle uses a .350 ball while my revolver calls for a .360 ball so it can swage down to fit the chambers.
Your revolver should call for a .375 ball I believe. That is if it is a 36 anyway. That is why I siad I need to find a barrel before I cut my chambers. .335 lands to about .345 grooves would be about right for the barrel if I understand correctly for using the .350 ball. I would increase the size of the chamber until I got best accuracy on one chamber and bore the other 5 to match. The only limit is saying small enough to get a good cut in on the ball to seal the chamber. .345 may be a little too big.
I have a TC Cherokee .32cal and have used it for squirrel and rabbit at times. Back problems have kept me from hunting the last few seasons so I am really itching for a small game hunt with my .32cal.
From time to time I read about people using "0" buck in their .32's instead of regular .310/.311/.315 round ball. Anyone who has tried this care to elaborate? From what I can tell the "0" buck is sized to .32cal, so would you still need to use a patch or would you simply load the ball as you would a conical? I have been tempted to try this for a few years now in my Cherokee, but without some first hand reports on how well it works and proper loading technique I have not committed myself to it yet.
From time to time I read about people using "0" buck in their .32's instead of regular .310/.311/.315 round ball. Anyone who has tried this care to elaborate? From what I can tell the "0" buck is sized to .32cal, so would you still need to use a patch or would you simply load the ball as you would a conical? I have been tempted to try this for a few years now in my Cherokee, but without some first hand reports on how well it works and proper loading technique I have not committed myself to it yet.
I have a .32 with a Douglass bbl. and it shoots the .320 buck great but I have a friend with a Vincent with a Green Mt.barrel and the buck is too tight. Every barrel is different so it would be worth a try in any .32 to see if it will work.
paulvallandigham
Passed On
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All Round balls are intended to be patched. Some are loaded " bare" in smoothbore muskets, only because the bore dimensions of the barrels could vary so widely, and there was no time to clean the bores on a battle field. The lead balls provided were purposely sized under size for the bore, so that they could still be shot as the bores began to get tight from powder residue. Some of the guns actually showed better accuracy after a number of shots had been fired to dirty the bore for the size ball being shot. This was, at best, an
Unintended consequence", and not something planned. Warfare at the time period use muskets as massed cannon fire, where point the gun was all that was desired, to lay a line of fire down that would mow down ranks of troops facing your own lines at as little as 50 yards distance. Aimed fire was not desireable or appreciated. The muskets had NO rear sights. Aimed fire could ( and did) prove to be particularly dangerous to Officers who rode horses behind their lines of troops and gave commands to field grade officers of lower ranks who were forward of their position.
"0" Buck is .32 caliber. No.1 buck is .30 caliber. If the .32 caliber buck proves too tight for your barrel, then try the #1 buck balls, and a thicker patch. They should work.
Unintended consequence", and not something planned. Warfare at the time period use muskets as massed cannon fire, where point the gun was all that was desired, to lay a line of fire down that would mow down ranks of troops facing your own lines at as little as 50 yards distance. Aimed fire was not desireable or appreciated. The muskets had NO rear sights. Aimed fire could ( and did) prove to be particularly dangerous to Officers who rode horses behind their lines of troops and gave commands to field grade officers of lower ranks who were forward of their position.
"0" Buck is .32 caliber. No.1 buck is .30 caliber. If the .32 caliber buck proves too tight for your barrel, then try the #1 buck balls, and a thicker patch. They should work.
You mention matching the rifle and revolver, wouldn't it be easier to have a rifle that uses a patched .375 ball? I guess it would be a .38 caliber rifle, I know at least one state (I forget which) lists .38 as a max for small game or min for big game. I just think it would be easier to build a rifle to use the .375 balls then modify a revolver to use the other.
sharps54
sharps54
OK after quite a bit of searching the only thing I could find about a rifle that will take a .375 caliber ball is this story. I guess redoing the revolver might be cheaper. :redface:
Runner
TOW recently sold an old dixie pedersolie plainsman rifle in 38cal which would shoot the375 ball these were made in the 70's they were a copy of a cecil brooks half stock.the price was $309 they were made in 38&45cal finding one would certainly be a quest
TOW recently sold an old dixie pedersolie plainsman rifle in 38cal which would shoot the375 ball these were made in the 70's they were a copy of a cecil brooks half stock.the price was $309 they were made in 38&45cal finding one would certainly be a quest
