Can anyone suggest a make/model? This would be a plinker/squirrel gun, patch ball only naturally. I would like one of those types that the stock goes all the way out to the end of the barrel, I'm not sure what you call it. Price is a consideration but I don't want something that will end up getting replaced every couple years.

Thanks,
Ruger#1

Not a stock that goes all the way to the end, but otherwise, check this out. Underhammer on ebay They were decent guns.

Brent

Ruger, there are a couple of the small calibers around for sale such as the crockett (which I think Cabelas sells)and also some from Dixie. I've shot quite a few tree rats with muzzleloaders and even the really small calibers blow them all to hell. If you're thinking about hunting them for meat you'll have to confine yourself to head shots and with head shots it really doesn't make much difference between a 32 or a 45. I use a 40 for mine but was built by me as there are very few 40's made commercially. I've tried "barking" a few times but wasn't very successful at it. Oh yeah, try Track of the Wolf web site as they sometimes have a few used guns along with some pretty expensive custom guns.

What Muzzle said. I'd prefer the .36 as it can do duty on larger varmints too and is easier to reload(bigger bores handle fouling beter) Dixie sells kits too.......

As the others above have said...I too prefer the .36, very economical to shoot, but easier to handle the balls, a bit bigger...Damn that sounds too wierd-projectiles would be a better choice of words in this sentence! These are called fullstock rifles--Cabelas sells a dandy-The Blue Ridge Rifle. There are numerous others--look-up Dixie Gunworks, Navy Arms, The Gun Works, Tenessee Valley Mfg., etc. I have a super-accurate .36 pistol--TC Patriot. A very fun caliber, which requires tiny amounts of powder for large amounts of fun. Take care, Chuck

so chuck what your really trying to say is that you prefer big balls to little ones and biger ones are easyer to handle

Much thanks gents, I'll check the brands that you suggested and see what they have.

Ruger#1

Visit this site for great .32 / .36 BP info

stainless@underhammers.com

CVA Pensylvania rifle?? derf

Having one, I'd look for a TC Seneca or Cherokee. While prices may seem high, about $400, this isn't far from what they were in 1973 when I got mine. They are wonderful, great balance and accurate.

Hobie--I too have a TC Seneca, and a Cherokee for my daughter. These are truly excellent little rifles--but do not have the fullstocks our friend was interested in. On 2 of my 3 TCs, I have had a problem with wood cracking--the patriot deluxe wood was replaced by the company with an even nicer piece at no charge or hassle--but I understand that due to a fire, there is no stock available for the Cherokee or Seneca. Our Cherokee is cracked from the lock-bolt to the wrist--guess I will one day make a stock from a blank....Chuck

Ruger#1, check out the Dixie Delux Cub-comes in 36 and 40 caliber, flint or caplock. Nice looking litle carbine-length rifle.

Just went through a bad time with a 32 cal Traditions Crocket. The gun looked good but balls could not be kept on a 2'x2' target at 50 yards. I'd try a different brand other than Traditions,their workmanship is terrible. The dove tails for the sights aren't even cut square across the barrel.

Well, it's a couple months later and I thought I'd give an update. I decided on the Pedersoli "Frontier Rifle" from Dixie Gunworks in 36 caliber. I just ordered it this morning, I'll let you know how I like it next week.

Oh, is it ok if I use the same 777 ffg equivalent that I use in my 50 or do I have to buy 3f or 4f to get it to shoot right?

thanks
Ian

If you have them available try all of them. One more thing to try is the thickness of your patch. Some rifles will like a large diameter ball and a thin patch others will like just the opposite. I have 2 .54 cal rifles that both shoot a .535 ball with a .015 patch which makes for a tight combination. On the other hand I have had several .50 over the years and almost all of them preferred a .490 ball with a .015 patch. Who knows why they like one and not the other. Just try them out. Ox Yoke makes a lot of different patches with different thicknesses. Keep us up on how you're doing.

12FLVSS,

I personally use Pyrodex P or 3F in my .36. Not being a fan of 777, I'll make no other comment.

With the powders I use 25 gr. and a patched RB is plenty of oooomph for squirrel or rabbit, I would use 60 gr. for turkey or groundhogs.

What ever you decide on, you will, WILL, have lots of fun. Best of luck to you.

Got it in today, it's a beautiful piece for sure. I'd give it a very good - excellent for fit and finish. The only obvious flaw is the mould line on the hammer wasn't buffed out. The rest is all I could ask for.

I have come across one snafu tho. The manual that comes with it recommends a .345 RB with a .007 patch. I have checked the RCBS, Lee, Lyman, and Saeco sites for an RB mould with no luck. Can someone point me to a maker/retailer with a mould this size? I'd hate to have to pay the $125 I saw for a one cavity custom mould or use what I see as the only other alternative, a .330 RB with a .015 patch.

Thanks,
Ian

[ 09-11-2003, 12:38: Message edited by: 12FLVSS ]

Just go ahead and use a .350 ball with a .005 patch or even a .010 patch. You will be messing with all this to find the ULTIMATE load anyway. Every barrel is different. Some people even get wrapped up in which material to use even though both may mike out at the same thickness.

Remember, it doesn't have to be tight as the dickens to shoot well. They didn't load them that way back in the 1830s. Even bare balls will do for some tasks... (ok, no comments from the peanut gallery).

You can buy the .350 balls at your local BP emporium and also get the wonder lubed .36 patches. Try that first.

I wouldn't be surprised if Pedersoli makes an expensive mold...

Thanks Hobie, I have a box of .350 balls that I bought earier this week, but have .015 patches.... that is one tight combo. I also ordered a .350 Lee mould this past monday, thinking that it would be the one I would be using. Who knows, it may very well be. I called Dixie Gunworks today, didn't even think of it yesterday and they had what they call a "Kentucky" one piece scissor mould in .345 that I also ordered. What the heck... accumulating accessories are half the fun anyway I suppose. I have to pay a visit to the gun shop today anyway, my ball starter is too big (it's 45/50 cal) and my cleaning rod likes about 8" reaching the bottom of the barrel. Hehe. 39" is a lot of barrel.

Ian

You say it is "one tight combo", have you loaded and shot it? My point is that you don't know until you try how a combination will perform.

Some belittle them (in this day of in-lines and wonder sabots) but those molds will cast very usable bullets. I suggest loading sprue up. You'll never get it all off and loading it straight up you'll know just how it is oriented to start its flight.

Keep us up to date.

Oh, and you can try Track of the Wolf and October Country for even more goodies.

[ 09-12-2003, 05:21: Message edited by: Hobie ]

Yep, I been playing around some the last couple nights. No group shooting from a bench but just trying a couple different combos and seeing how they load and what the patch looks like afterward. In addition to the .010 wonder patches (thought they were .015s, was mistaken) that I have, I went to wal-mart yesterday and picked up some ticking that miked .018, and the cheapest thinnest cotton material that miked .007. I opened up a 00 buck shell I had and shot them (.320) with the ticking and the 350 balls with the thin stuff. The buck/ticking is a tad loose, can seat the ball easily with my finger and the shot patches are in such good shape that I could probably reuse them LOL. The 350/007 combination cuts the patch thru at every land with 15gr 777/ffg eq and at 20gr leaves a hole at the bottom of the patch. An ol gent at work that shoots patched ball exclusively says he ignores what the shot patch looks like as long as it groups like he wants.

later,
Ian

[ 09-14-2003, 20:52: Message edited by: 12FLVSS ]

Those .010" patches should shoot just fine.

I have a mold but also use the swaged Speer or Hornady .350" balls with the precut, Wonder Lubed .010" patches. They work well in my rifle (that's a big caveat that is to be expected).

Pedersoli products are pretty good and I expect it will shoot well once you get out there.

One other thing. If, by chance, it doesn't shoot as well as you think it should, don't be discouraged. First, you have to learn to load it consistently, something that you hear or read the cartridge reloaders talking about all the time but in the case of MLs you have to do it in the field or at the range... Second, the patched ball will be smoothing the barrel (depending on your patch material) with every shot.

Hope you get to shoot it this weekend.

http://www.leeprecision.com/catalog/browse.cgi?1063728573.4462=lubesize.html

Get one of these that is a little smaller than the ball size you want. Hone, drill, or ream it until the ball comes out the size you want. An expansion ramer is the ticket here. The ball will have little paralled sides when you are done but, it won't matter. If you are handy and have access to a lathe you can make a push trrough size die for a reloading press. Or, even just a hole in a piece of steel and push it trrough manually. Just figure what size drill bit to make the hole.

As for it cutting patches, polish the bore with a bit of steel wool to remove the sharp edges.

Have you tried 38 caliber hollow based wad cutters intended for cartridge reloading?

[ 09-16-2003, 20:18: Message edited by: scot ]

Well, got that "Kentucky" mould from Dixie Gunworks yesterday. What a piece of trash. The cavity was way off center in the block and it didn't close together properly. I suppose that's what I get for ordering something over the phone without seeing a pic of it on the web first. Here's the link .. The review there is mine. I guess it's more for a display case and not for someone that wants to actually make RBs.
I did get the .330 Lee mould in the same day and it works like a dream. Those with the thick ticking make a snug but not tight fit... I'll shoot them for groups tomorrow or the next day.

good shooting,
Ian

[ 09-17-2003, 05:25: Message edited by: 12FLVSS ]

Heck, I thought you'd ordered one of Dixie's "hair straightener" molds. Old Turner had started using hair straightening irons with a cherry to cut the mold a way back when and they are moderately good, especially for the price.

Those .330 balls with lubed patch that makes them fit snug but not tight (these are really subjective terms we're using, what's tight to you may be loose or snug to me, or not) will probably shoot much better than you might think.

You should be able to write a book on this (or magazine article), keep the thread on your favorites!

Hehe... this thread is becoming rather long without a whole lot of additional information isn't it, more a log of my trials and tribulations rather than good info that might interest others. I think I might just let it die rather than irritate others with it being in the top 5 constantly.

RE snug fit... I can almost start it with my thumb, just gotta nudge it in past the widest point with the starter. Still haven't shot them for groups tho.

Good shooting,
Ian

Guess I'm gonna eat a little crow here. RE that Dixie Gunworks mould, after I worked the mating halves with some 600 grit to make them fit better and worked the joint looser so I didn't have to use two hands to open and close it, it did make serviceable RBs, in fact I shot my best groups so far with them. Production is considerably slower than with a Lee mould, and without wooden handles you have to let it cool every 10 or 15 casts even with gloves on. Even so, I think unless I find another combination that shoots as well, it looks like I'm gonna be using it as is.

Ian

I found a used CVA Varmint rifle 32 caliber by putting an ad in the classifieds here and on another site.

I'm very pleased with the gun, it shoots 1" groups at 40 yds with the Hornady RB and 30 gr Goex FFFG.
Took a short walk in the woods Sunday and bagged my first squirrel with it. Shot through the lungs the RB passed straight through and didn't destroy much meat. I'm very pleased with the gun.
It decorates my reloading room wall between range sessions.

If you can get a custom bore .34cal groove .36, that is nice to practice with though a 36 will work with this. I used to have a 36 tc seneca (it is now a .40) when it was a 36 I bought a box of 158gn hollow base wad cutters from a friend for $2 and then suckers just barely caught the rifling in the bore, but that hollow base would expand like a true mini and fill the groove. If you had a .34 made these would most likely act like a target slug gun. With the right load. Just my .02