I celebrated Thanksgiving with a camping/range trip and the Crockett .32 made my day. What a sweet shooting little outfit it is. I had wanted one of these for a while but was unwilling to pay the freight for a new one. Then one day several years ago I walked up on a private seller, who I knew and had done business with before, at a gun show with one lightly used on his table. The price very fair so we made trade. Then two months later, dang if I did not find another one at the gun show from a different seller, slightly better condition but the same price! So now I have two, one to shoot and one to rest I guess.
I brought the first one for shooting and used .31 balls wrapped in .010 pre-lubed patches and the sights were right on with 20 grains of 3f black. I switched to 20 grains of some very old Pyrodex P and the loads sounded and felt weak and impact was low so I upped the charge to 25 grains and started hitting to the same point of aim as the 3f black. Although the accuracy at 25 yards was good I felt loading was a little too easy. I was able to forgo the short starter and simply thumb-start the ball-patch combo. I think I have some .315 balls somewhere or maybe try a thicker patch. But honestly, the .31 ball and .010 patch will work fine for 25 yard plinking and squirrel hunting. Strangely, and probably a testament to my eyesight, my off-hand groups were not much worse than my bench rested shots. I think I am minute-o’-squirrel accurate at any distance I have business shooting at one.
Later today I am going to up-scale things a bit and make smoke with the “Round Ball Twist” .54 Renegade. I won’t be getting away with 20 grain charges in it.
I brought the first one for shooting and used .31 balls wrapped in .010 pre-lubed patches and the sights were right on with 20 grains of 3f black. I switched to 20 grains of some very old Pyrodex P and the loads sounded and felt weak and impact was low so I upped the charge to 25 grains and started hitting to the same point of aim as the 3f black. Although the accuracy at 25 yards was good I felt loading was a little too easy. I was able to forgo the short starter and simply thumb-start the ball-patch combo. I think I have some .315 balls somewhere or maybe try a thicker patch. But honestly, the .31 ball and .010 patch will work fine for 25 yard plinking and squirrel hunting. Strangely, and probably a testament to my eyesight, my off-hand groups were not much worse than my bench rested shots. I think I am minute-o’-squirrel accurate at any distance I have business shooting at one.
Later today I am going to up-scale things a bit and make smoke with the “Round Ball Twist” .54 Renegade. I won’t be getting away with 20 grain charges in it.