Have been shooting a .32 for some years and would like to try something smaller....with new powders there should be less fouling....are there any liners or other ways to shoot smaller....would like to stay with the sidehammer style.....thanks Hal

The only ones I know of are parlor pistols by D. Pedersoli that use a percussion cap as the propellant.

I'm sure you can buy liners, perhaps from brownells, and then install them in the caplock of your choice. If that's not feasible, you may need to make the whole thing from scratch. Buy a lock, stock, trigger, barrel and breech and build it yourself.

I personally know of one .28 caliber Kentucky percussion rifle.About 6 shots were all you could fire before it needed cleaning.It used a .250 ball and his powder measure was a .32 S&W long case.He used it mainly for squirrel hunting.

I don't know how popular they were in the Kentucky period
and probably very few originals remain.

When a Kentucky rifle shot slick or rusted out it was usually rebored and rerifled,maybe 4 or 5 times before it was retired.

WC

Wasn't 5.7mm Velo-Dog a black powder cartridge?

The velo-dog may have been black powder loaded,I can't tell you for sure at the moment.

There was literally a handfull of sub .28 caliber black powder cartridges.

The way I received the question,he was asking about muzzle loaders.

WC

I know, I was just trying to be funny. Actually, there have been several craftsman who have designed and made extremely small guns, including shotguns that would fit in the palm of your hands that shot led dust, rifles and pistols that would shoot the smallest grade of shot, only one at a time, loaded down the barrel over loose powder. I wish I had a link to a sight that showed some examples.

Thanks for all the help....looking at sliding a barrel liner down a 50 or 54 bore....not much writen on this as far as twist and length...trying to get this all done in a TC Hawken format. Would also like to get one that shoots a already made round ball, some kind of buckshot,etc.....thanks Hal

Janehal: I would recommend relining your .32 as the easiest way to get a smaller caliber. A fellow with a very positive reputation in the blackpowder cart./muzzle loader barrel and reline business is named Bob Hoyt. He is in Fairfield, Pa. and his number is 717-642-6696. A reline would essentially be a drop-in for your rifle. Mr Hoyt makes complete barrels, including .25 and .30 so probably makes relines in those calibers too. He has a superior reputation for quality . I have no m/l experience below .32 to offer, but I'll bet he does. Good shooting, ned

I too, assumed the Q was about ML's.



The .22 WCF, which became the .22 Hornet, was originally a BP load. Also, the original .22 rimfires were all BP rounds, starting with the .22 Short in the early S&W revolvers!



I see no reason why a small caliber ML wouldn't work, but it'd have to be wiped beteen each shot, (as they all should!!)

I once knew a fellow who created a 22 Boot pistol from scratch in MATCHLOCK. The local RCMP couldn't believe he was serious about registering it. How times have changed in only 20 or so years! derf