OT-Whatever Happened to Small Bore Muzzle Loaders?

[Kansas Ed]

I remember back in my teen days, my uncle having a T/C Hawken in .36 cal, and my cousin having a Seneca? in .32 caliber. I think I could really get into one of those now a days, but no one seems to market them any more. Why? And are there still factions out there producing them. Inquiring minds want information.

Ed

[Blaine]

My buddy had that little Seneca .32.....what a COOL little shooter!!!

[44magHunter]

I was wondering about that the other day. I really with they made more in the 32cal range for squirrels. I can't find 'em in any place I look though.

[Lastmohecken]

The reason they are not found for sale, much is because they are not legal for deer hunting in most states, and in this modern day and age, deer hunters far outnumber small game hunters using muzzleloaders. You can however, still get lots of custom gunmakers to make up about any caliber you want.

The small calibers were very popular in the 1800 to 1840 or so, back east, because most of the big game was already getting very scarce, but small game was still plentiful. Also, economy played a part, for some wanders, as a pound of lead was a pound of lead, but you could make a lot more small caliber balls then large from a pound, and it also took less powder to send that smaller ball down range.

[jhrosier]

I remember the .36 Seneca rifle well, and fondly.
I shot one for a good number of years and found nothing would top it at less than 50 yards.
Beyond that, the wind was a challenge.
After many, many thousands of shots, the accuracy began to drop off.
Being slightly dumber than a doorstop, I sold it to a friend as a fixer upper.
Being smarter than a doorstop, he took it up to the T-C factory and they installed a brand new barrel for free.

It stands out as well, for being the only frontloader that I ever owned that prefered Pyrodex.
I won't say how much FFFg Pyrodex I loaded, but the ball would upset to take the rifling and leave the rifling marks from the ball cut into the target. It had a sharp crack when fired and was no doubt way past 1200 fps velocity.
It loaded easy with the patches prelubed with the old TC Maxilube and would shoot all day with only a dry patch down the bore after every five shots.

I miss the days of the 'traditional' sidelock muzzle loaders and have no interest in the modern inline guns.

Jack

[Chuck 100 yd]

My little Ohio flinter is just super accurate. I opted for .40 cal due to the use of a 3/8 " ramrod instead of the more flimsy 5/16 rods or metal rods needed in the .36 and under rifles.
The Log Cabin Shop supplied the parts for this one.
42" Green Mountain barrel, Duers Egg lock. what a SWEET rifle,holds a target like it is being held in a vise!

And .40 is legal in WA for deer.

[Kansas Ed]

That's a beautiful rifle Chuck. I sure would like to have a .32 or a .36 for squirrel, rabbit, turkey, varmint hunting. I think it would be a hoot...But the only one's I've seen are $600 and up. And now they are listing them as "rare". Surely there has to be more of them out there than what is showing up. I know my uncle spent a lot of time hunting small game with his .36, and my brother used it to compete in several black powder shoots. It would do everything that the big 50's and 54's would do, except that he had trouble splitting the ball on the axe head and breaking both clay pigeons. Normally he just ended up with one pigeon broke.

Ed

[TedH]

I always thought I'd have a blast squirrel hunting with a little 32 cal muzzleloader. Like you say, they've always been twice or three times the price of a 50 cal for some reason, and hard to find.

[Ysabel Kid]

A little .32 or .36 would be a great smoke pole to give to a kid or grandkid. Looks like I need to get one for YK's "Lil' Girl" and put a few aside for future grandkids!

[gamekeeper]

Check out "Traditions" muzzle loaders, they make a .32 percussion rifle.

THE 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, 1 in 48" twist, 6-3/4 lbs., 49" total length, octagonal barrel with fixed blade sights. Brass appointments. Hardwood ramrod. Imported.

[Mokwaw]

My friend in SE Illinois uses .32 flinter that he built himself for squirrel hunting. Very nice piece of work, he has built several for others who ask. If anyone is interested I will call and get permission to post his name and contact information. He is talking retirement in 2010 from the regular job, so he might be interested in building a few more.

[Hobie]

I have a .36 Seneca, it is what I mostly use for small game because it WORKS. One sees these on gunbroker fairly regularly. Also look for the Cherokee.

After that you are going for a semi-custom gun. Several makers produce them in several styles. They will be a bit more expensive than even the "collector" prices the Gunbroker sellers are seeking for the Senecas and Cherokees.

[pokey]

Check out "Traditions" muzzle loaders, they make a .32 percussion rifle.

THE 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, 1 in 48" twist, 6-3/4 lbs., 49" total length, octagonal barrel with fixed blade sights. Brass appointments. Hardwood ramrod. Imported.

if you don't mind imported, game keeper has it right.

here's a link,

http://www.cabelas.com/p-0058839216718a.shtml

[rjohns94]

Brad Emig makes a .36 and I am trying to get him to make me a .32. he is at Cabin Creek muzzleloaders

[AJMD429]

The reason they are not found for sale, much is because they are not legal for deer hunting in most states, and in this modern day and age, deer hunters far outnumber small game hunters using muzzleloaders. You can however, still get lots of custom gunmakers to make up about any caliber you want.

The small calibers were very popular in the 1800 to 1840 or so, back east, because most of the big game was already getting very scarce, but small game was still plentiful. Also, economy played a part, for some wanders, as a pound of lead was a pound of lead, but you could make a lot more small caliber balls then large from a pound, and it also took less powder to send that smaller ball down range.

That makes sense. I've always thought it would be fun to build a small-caliber flintlock just to shoot but probably not hunt with.

[Kansas Ed]

Thanks for the links and info. I didn't know about all these other makers. Will keep my search on now for those makers in GB and other sites.

Ed

[Rusty]

I've had all three and I can vouch for the .40 and the .36, but to me the .32 is just too small. Too hard to handle those little pills and clean that tiny bore.

A .36 with a maxi ball WILL drop a deer in it's tracks even though it might not be legal where you are.

.40 is the best of all worlds. Legal for deer in a lot of places, and it does work.

[AJMD429]

I've had all three and I can vouch for the .40 and the .36, but to me the .32 is just too small. Too hard to handle those little pills and clean that tiny bore.

It would be tempting to make one using a modern steel barrel in say .32-20 or such, and use SR-4759 like in the Savage ML-10... That would help a bunch with the cleaning problems.

[Ysabel Kid]

My friend in SE Illinois uses .32 flinter that he built himself for squirrel hunting. Very nice piece of work, he has built several for others who ask. If anyone is interested I will call and get permission to post his name and contact information. He is talking retirement in 2010 from the regular job, so he might be interested in building a few more.

Group buy time?

[Mokwaw]

Just off the phone with my Illinois friend, he says he would rather wait until sometime next year after he retires before taking on any new rifle building. He has one in the works now that he is doing for someone and doesn't really want to start another until after hunting season is done for the year. He did say he uses only the best parts he can get, and customer choice of caliber, flint or cap lock and wood. Cash in advance for whatever parts are needed then final payment for labor etc after the rifle is done. So you would be looking at close to $1000.00 or more depending on what you want for a custom built one of a kind rifle. He has built mostly .32 cal , but has also done a .62 cal Virginia rifle, and all caliber in between, mostly the Teneessee style. Any way that's all moot info for the time being at least.

[JReed]

Check out "Traditions" muzzle loaders, they make a .32 percussion rifle.

THE 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, 1 in 48" twist, 6-3/4 lbs., 49" total length, octagonal barrel with fixed blade sights. Brass appointments. Hardwood ramrod. Imported.

Great little guns we have one. Very accurate even better if you can find a supply of the .32cal TC Maxi's 30gr of 3F and you have a nice 100 yard varmint gun.

[Lastmohecken]

I have got a left handed TVM Early Lancaster flintlock on order in 54 cal, right now I am wanting a bigger caliber then 40, but in the future I wouldn't mind owning a nice left hand Tenn. rifle or maybe Southern Poorboy in 40cal. 40cal is one caliber of muzzle loader that I can legally hunt anything from deer to squirrel with in Arkansas.

[model55]

Have been eyeing things like this from sitting fox.You can look around at sites like this ,track of the wolfe and so on.http://www.sittingfoxmuzzleloaders.com/ ... 0Rifle.htm