.32 power comparison

[marsh trapper]

Ive read on this forum Alot of folks say the power and damage of the little .32 is that of a 22 mag and some say its that of a 22 lr ..I know powder charges and barrel length matters but since most seem to have better luck with higher charges so lets say 30 grns what the ballistics at fifty yards per say ..and does a .310 .315 .319 ball make any affect? Sorry so long just really only like smallbore smokepoles

 

[necchi]

That's the unique thing about a muzzle loader.
You can make the 32 a duplicate of a 22lr or a 22mag by changing the powder charge and/or ball size.
Generally a person seeks accuracy with his firearm, the choice of ball size/patch-lube/charge variables is what leads to accuracy with each individual, his loading regime and rifle.
I guess my point is that you can't compare the 32 to any individual 22 rimfire round,, you'd have to compare it to all of them by using different load variables,,
Get it(?) The mighty 32, a versatile little round. :wink: :v

 

[Zonie]

That's an interesting question but right off the bat I don't see how the two calibers can be directly compared.

The .31 cal ball pokes a hole in things that has almost 99 percent more area than a .22. (A .22 diameter hole has a area of .0380 square inches. A .31 diameter hole has a area of .0755 square inches).

This larger hole does a lot more damage just because of its size.

If we use modern sorts of comparison like velocity and energy, which is what most people think of when they are trying to compare firearms it also is difficult to do.

The .310 ball weighs about 45 grains so it is pretty close to a .22 longrifles 40 grain bullet.

You mentioned using a 30 grain powder charge?
If we are using GOEX 3Fg powder, that will push that little .31 diameter ball up to 1940 fps with a energy of 376 foot pounds at the muzzle.

That compared with a High Velocity solid bullet (40 grain) .22's muzzle velocity of 1325 fps and 156 foot pounds of energy at the muzzle is no contest.

The 1940 fps is very close to a .22 WRM's 2000 fps and 355 foot pounds at the muzzle.

Roundballs lose a lot of velocity as they fly downrange so I ran some numbers figuring 50 yards is a good distance to look at. After all, this is a small game rifle and bunnies are damn hard to see at 100 yards.

The .310 diameter ball, leaving the muzzle at 1940 fps will slow down to 1127 fps with about 127 ft lbs of energy. That's about the same as a .22 High Velocity at the muzzle and even if the .22 doesn't lose any velocity as it flies downrange we still have the greater destruction the larger ball will create to think about.

All of this explains why for most .32's, small game hunters use much smaller powder loads like 10-15 grains. After all, they want to end up with something to eat. Not something that is auto-gutted and tenderized beyond description. :grin:

 

[htredneck]

I have yet to meet a squirrel or rabbit that complained because they were shot with a .32 instead of a .22. They were still just as dead...

 

[marsh trapper]

Thank u all esp zonie all my questions were answered

 

[BrownBear]

My experience has been that with only 20 grains of 3f, a .311 ball is considerably more damaging than a 22 mag. And 10 grains of 3f is still considerably more damaging than a 22LRHP.

I've come to the conclusion that it's because a .311 ball starts out with a hole that big, while the smaller rimfires have to go in a ways before they have any hope of expanding so large.

I've been working down the scale of powder charges on my small calibers for quite some time, while comparing results with a lot of shooting with rimfires and some old classic CF small game cartridges. A whole lot of critters have been whapped in the process.

 

[marsh trapper]

What kind of .32 do u shoot brownbear

 

[hypo]

I squirrel hunt with my 32 alot its the only gun iv used for small game in the last year and a half and I shoot .315 balls with 18grs of pyro and it will really mess up a squirrel if you dont pull a head shot I sometimes load mine down to about 8 grs but really like 18 because it shoots the best in my gun and it is enough to take hogs up to about 90lbs within 25/30 yards also im shooting a hand cast .315 outta 34 inch barrel with pillow ticking patches lubed with deer tallow.

 

[marsh trapper]

Geez uve taken hogs with ur .32??? ..did it work good .? I always wondered on slighly larger game what kinda damage a .32 would do

 

[azmntman]

...wellll in AZ they are legal for bull elk? Id stay with minimum of .50 myself and usually carry my .58 for elk, bulls and cows. I believe a well placed .32 would certainly kill one but doubt it would be recovered unless an eyeball shot?

 

[Sean Gadhar]

:surrender: Can't find my own old post.


I posted this awhile ago so I'm a bit hazy,but if I can remember right :hmm:

I shot this at 30 yards with 20gr. of powder might have been 30gr.

Any way my kids shot the heck out of this spinner for years with .22LR and .22mag and only ever made the tiny dimples you almost can't see. The one shot from my .32 went about 1/2 through



sometimes a photo tells a lot!! I don't go underestimating my "Pea Shooter" after seeing this spinner nearly holed :shocked2:

 

[Billnpatti]

Just plug your data into this program and it will tell you all about what the different balls and different charges will give you.
http://www.ctmuzzleloaders.com/ctml_experiments/rbballistics/rbballistics.html

Scroll all the way to the bottom to where it says "Click here to open a web application without having to download anything" Click on that and put in your data. You just need to know your ball weight and velocity.

 

[John Wasmuth]

hogs, deer, turkey. tthe .32 is a potent little ball and i use my crockett for a lot of game.not saying everyone should, but keep your shots realistic and it will do whats needed.

 

[Sean Gadhar]

ff Micanopy did you ever notice that that photo of Micanopy (High Chef) looks a heck of a lot like Billy Bowlegs? Both were leaders of the Seminoles in Florida during the Second Seminole War. I'm guessing they were kin, because they sure look like twins.

 

[John Wasmuth]

indeed they were related, maternal side. :hatsoff:

 

[hypo]

Yes sir got one about 80/90 lbs at around 20 yards pulled a neck shot and he dropped also shot a very big hog something around 180 lb hog last year with my 32 that was a easy 70 yards away pulled a head shot she ran at least 125 yards but it worked.would I do it again? Probably not but I just had to see what my little 32 would do.so far its been my favorite gun and caliber.

 

[faste350]

i shot 38 woodchucks this fall with my .32 cal. load was 30 gr of 3f, 310 & 311 rb. shots were from 10 yards out to 90+ yards. pass through on all except 3. 2 were hit length ways while down feeding at about 40 yards, the other was a monster, huge chuck shot at 75 yards through the front shoulders, dropped in its tracks. many were shot in the 60 - 70 yard range. no shortage of powder with that load and accuracy is really good and no fouling issues. been hunting for 45 years and that is the most fun i have ever had. i'm thinking if i start when the snow goes off that maybe 100 might be possible for the year. we'll have to see.

 

[Sean Gadhar]

In Colorado You would have to eat all those chucks. Marmots are game animals with a daily limit of two and four in possession :youcrazy:

Oh and you can hunt :hmm: fall Turkey with a M/L rifle But Not a .32 they are afraid it is too weak to kill a Turkey "must be a minimum of 38 grains with Manufacturer's rating of at least 110 foot LBs at 100 yards from the muzzle." By my reckoning that would take a 40+ Grain load of FFFg & still might not make the mark :surrender: Thought about trying to get there, but that seems hefty to me.

 

[Grimord]

I have been hunting squirrel, rabbits, chucks and called in coyotes with my .32 guns for years now. I agree, that head shots are best on squirrels and rabbits. I have never recovered a ball, all have been pass thrus. I load a .311 ball over 20 grans of Pdex P, and the load chrono's out of my 42" Pennsylvania barrel at 1960 FPS. I've taken chucks at 75 yds. and coyotes at 50 yds. The little .32 is fun to shoot, economical and deadly. I also use .36's for small game, but must admit that i really enjoy the .32.

Fyrstyk

 

[Sean Gadhar]

Just about everyone I have let shoot my .32 gets that grin on their face.

Something about them is just flat out fun!