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Small caliber rifle
- Thread starter Aline
- Start date
Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:
It all depends on what you want to spend. If we are talking of a mass produced rifle that is very reasonable & cheap to shoot, quite accurate for the $ & etc., I would recommend the Traditions Crocket .32 caliber. You can get one at www.midsouthshooterssupply.com I had one & it would easily shoot 5 shots in a nickle at 25 yards right out of the box & a really nice lil gun for the $.
Custom Muzzleloaders & Custom Skinning Knives
Custom Muzzleloaders & Custom Skinning Knives
I would consider the H&A .36 underhammer. I am a newbie so I don't have anything to compare it to but it exceeded my accuracy expectations.
Union Creek
TLD
Union Creek
TLD
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2004
- Messages
- 14,767
- Reaction score
- 313
I've got the TVA 36 caliber Bobcat. It has a single trigger that was really course and heavy out of the box, but careful work has taken care of the roughness and lightened it up a bit. Sights are crude, but effective enough for head shots on snowshoe hares at 25 yards, if that's any kind of gauge of target performance. It does really well from a rest- easily less than an inch at 25 yards, but your marksmanship skills have to be pretty good to come close to that offhand with the stock trigger (even worked over).
Were I to do it over, I would get something else, and will probably do so anyway (even though I have to admit I am having a great time with the Bobcat). It's economical as an entry point, but if you start changing the sights and installing double set triggers, the price goes right up.
I'd look for something else in your shoes, if the shortcomings I found are significant to you. The Traditions Crocket 32 looks like it beats my issues with the Bobcat, as does their 36 caliber Hawken, and both are a lot more pleasing to look at. I may well go with the latter, since I have already invested in a good 36 cailber mould.
For pure economy you can't beat the little ones. My 36 caliber RB's weigh right at 70 grains, which translates into roughly 100 per pound of lead. 25 or 30 grain powder charges translate into roughly 200 charges per pound of powder. It takes a whole lot of shooting to go through two pounds of lead and a pound of powder!
Were I to do it over, I would get something else, and will probably do so anyway (even though I have to admit I am having a great time with the Bobcat). It's economical as an entry point, but if you start changing the sights and installing double set triggers, the price goes right up.
I'd look for something else in your shoes, if the shortcomings I found are significant to you. The Traditions Crocket 32 looks like it beats my issues with the Bobcat, as does their 36 caliber Hawken, and both are a lot more pleasing to look at. I may well go with the latter, since I have already invested in a good 36 cailber mould.
For pure economy you can't beat the little ones. My 36 caliber RB's weigh right at 70 grains, which translates into roughly 100 per pound of lead. 25 or 30 grain powder charges translate into roughly 200 charges per pound of powder. It takes a whole lot of shooting to go through two pounds of lead and a pound of powder!
Gray Beard
32 Cal.
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2003
- Messages
- 26
- Reaction score
- 0
Bass Pro Shop sells a real pretty .32 cal. buy Traditions. Check it out if you're interested. You can purchase Black powder guns thru the mail in most States:
Traditions™ Crockett Rifle
Small-game rifle comes in .32 cal. for great hunting fun. Long, lean rifle personifies all the positive features of a long rifle and at the same time gives you ease of carrying and quick shouldering. Double set triggers for ultimate accuracy. Fixed-tang breech for easy take-down. Has a 32" blued, octagonal barrel with fixed blade sights. Brass appointments. Hardwood ramrod. Imported.
Blackpowder Sales Restrictions
The sale of all blackpowder firearms is restricted by law in New Jersey, New York, New York City and vicinity, and Canada. (Pistol sales are further restricted in Michigan and North Carolina.)
Order
Qty Our
Price Item
Number Description Size
$299.99 38-898-461-01 .32 CAL
HARDWOOD STOCK
1:48 TWIST 32" BLUE BARREL
WEIGHT 6 LBS/7 OZ
LENGTH 49"
Traditions™ Crockett Rifle
Small-game rifle comes in .32 cal. for great hunting fun. Long, lean rifle personifies all the positive features of a long rifle and at the same time gives you ease of carrying and quick shouldering. Double set triggers for ultimate accuracy. Fixed-tang breech for easy take-down. Has a 32" blued, octagonal barrel with fixed blade sights. Brass appointments. Hardwood ramrod. Imported.
Blackpowder Sales Restrictions
The sale of all blackpowder firearms is restricted by law in New Jersey, New York, New York City and vicinity, and Canada. (Pistol sales are further restricted in Michigan and North Carolina.)
Order
Qty Our
Price Item
Number Description Size
$299.99 38-898-461-01 .32 CAL
HARDWOOD STOCK
1:48 TWIST 32" BLUE BARREL
WEIGHT 6 LBS/7 OZ
LENGTH 49"
Rocky Johnson
45 Cal.
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2003
- Messages
- 658
- Reaction score
- 1
I have the Traditions Deer Hunter in 32.cal, it has fiber optic sights, its accurate,but I like the looks of the Crockett beter.Rocky
Rocky Johnson
45 Cal.
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2003
- Messages
- 658
- Reaction score
- 1
Aline - My Traditions Deer Hunter in 32 cal. has a hard wood stock. I have had it for maybe five years. Rocky
Chuck Deaton
36 Cal.
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2003
- Messages
- 92
- Reaction score
- 1
Buy a 32 caliber barrel, a Small Siler lock, a double set trigger and some walnut and get crackin'. whittle out a stock that fits and fit the barrel, lock and trigger set. The guys on this site will give you endless good advice. You will end up with a non traditional gun but it will be your gun.
chickenlittle
40 Cal.
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2004
- Messages
- 100
- Reaction score
- 0
There are few reasons I wouldn't buy a .32 barrel for your Deerhunter. The barrel will cost darn near as much as the whole rifle. I would also be the Deerhunter barrel with a smaller hole in it. By my calculations, the .32 cal barrel will be about 3/4 pound heavier than the .50 cal. That would still be manageable. Also, if your deerhunter is like mine, it has a very heavy single trigger.
If you want a relatively inexpensive small cal percussion, I'd spend a bit more and by the Traditions Crockett ($246 at MidsouthShootersSupply.com). It looks pretty sweet. It would weigh about the same as a .32 cal deerhunter but it would have a 32" barrel instead of 24" and double set triggers. The longer barrel and set triggers will make it easier to aim at and hit the squirrel in the head.
I am tempted to get one myself but I'm set on a flintlock squirrel gun.
If you want a relatively inexpensive small cal percussion, I'd spend a bit more and by the Traditions Crockett ($246 at MidsouthShootersSupply.com). It looks pretty sweet. It would weigh about the same as a .32 cal deerhunter but it would have a 32" barrel instead of 24" and double set triggers. The longer barrel and set triggers will make it easier to aim at and hit the squirrel in the head.
I am tempted to get one myself but I'm set on a flintlock squirrel gun.
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