Dumb question: How loud is a .32 flintlock?

[ThumperJones]

I'm toying with the idea of picking up a flintlock rifle in .32 to hunt squirrels with. With the long barrels, and smallish powder charge, how loud are they? Say compared to a .22LR?

I'm familiar with short Lyman Deerstalker .50 caliber flintlocks, but never been around a smaller caliber muzzleloader.

I've been offered a decent deal on a real nice .36 caliber percussion, but id really be more interested in a flintlock. Would the .36 be a much better choice? Financially it certainly is on this rifle and situation.

Pardon the silly question. And thanks for any advice.

 

[Carbon 6]

Noise depends on a lot of factors.
Larger barrels and larger charges make bigger booms. Then you have the supersonic crack of a projectile exceeding the sound barrier.
Percussion caps also have their own loud crack.
A small bore flintlock fired with a charge that keeps the velocity subsonic can be somewhat quiet. It's usefulness however may be little more than a pea shooter, and as you lower the charge to make it quieter you risk a squib.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

I have had both .29's and .32's. I had loads worked up around 15-18gr for them for squirrels and they were still noisier than a .22lr.

 

[Kansas Jake]

If you can get decent accuracy, a load around 10 grains of 3f will be around a 22 short, but you will have quite a bit of drop beyond 25 yards.

 

[Melnic]

Question, How small of a load would you begin to worry about filling up a patent breech and still get compression on the load when the ball is seated?

 

[Carbon 6]

Question, How small of a load would you begin to worry about filling up a patent breech and still get compression on the load when the ball is seated?

My perspective is that once you load below the patent breech it's just like shooting out a dry ball. You can't compress that either.

 

[ThumperJones]

I've done all of my small game hunting for the last 25 years with match grade air rifles so noise is something I can't help but notice and think about. I'd load for accuracy, not noise reduction regardless. Just wanted something for comparison and yall helped me out. Thank you!

 

[robinsroost]

I have a Traditions Crockett, a .32 caliber caplock, and with 20 grains of 777, it makes less noise than a .22. Keep yer powder dry...……...robin

 

[Straekat]

Noise depends on a lot of factors.
Larger barrels and larger charges make bigger booms. Then you have the supersonic crack of a projectile exceeding the sound barrier.
Percussion caps also have their own loud crack.
A small bore flintlock fired with a charge that keeps the velocity subsonic can be somewhat quiet. It's usefulness however may be little more than a pea shooter, and as you lower the charge to make it quieter you risk a squib.

The decibel level might seem relative, unless it's a muzzle going off within inches of your (or someone else's) ear. During the ACW, troops in the second rank were drilled to step forward and slightly to the side with the right foot, so the muzzle and lock were NOT next to the ear of the man directly in front. ACW (aka "War of the Rebellion") re-enactors have been told to do the same, although that doesn't seem to be part of 18th century drill.

 

[hanshi]

I wear ear protection when shooting but not usually when hunting. A long barrel does put the blast farther from the ear than any .22LR. While smokeless loads have a much sharper crack than BP loads, BP loads have a more "concussive" sound especially inside an enclosed space. A .32 or .36 flintlock with 20 grns or even 30 grns of BP doesn't sound as loud as a .22LR. The limited exposure to the sound in the woods while hunting squirrels, IMHO, is negligible.

 

[Rifleman1776]

The second loudest ml rifle I have ever encountered is my wife's .40 cal. percussion with a 25 gr. charge of Swiss 3fg bp. Don't ask me why this is. Tis a puzzlement to me. The loudest you ask? It is a bench rifle a guy I see shoots twice a year. I don't know caliber or charge used but the recoil is such the ground shakes and knocks things off benches for 20 feet around him.