I'm not really sure how to ask this. I have a CVA side-lock 'frontier-hunter' in 50 cal. shooting patched balls and I'm wondering if it is "possible" to shoot (safely), let's say, a smaller size ball (32 cal) with the appropriate amount of patches for barrel/ball seal? I hope this makes sense.
I ask b/c I would like to hunt small game with a ML but don't want to destroy them with a 50 cal, and I do not have the means to purchase another MZ rifle at the moment.
Thank you in advance for your replies.
littlekid

NO....dont try it! Get the right ML for the job or try shooting say a 200gr bullet with 50-60grs of powder out of the 50 and go for head shots. Your just asking for trouble the other way.
(BP)

Just load up a light charge, 40gr should get the job done on wabbits.

I had a half box of Pyro pellets to get rid of. Loaded roundball with a single pellet in my Omega. The kids had a blast shooting and the accuracy surprised me at 25yds. Should do ok on them waskely wabbits

Charlie

Kid...I asked myself the same thing about 30 years ago...It didn't work out, too many patches simply won't hold up to the pressure...

What I do is sight my rifle in at 25 yards with a half charge of what I use for deer hunting...I like my flintlocks sighted in about an inch and a half high at 50 yards and dead on with a half charge at 25...

Take head shots, no meat is destroyed...

I now have a .40 that I use with 25grs of Goex FFF for squirrels and such and a .54 that I load up with 80grs of Goex FFF for deer...

Hey Lil`Kid, there's really no danger in doing what you propose, but there's a practical limit.

A .32 ball in a fifty caliber bore would require triple patching with heavy denim for anywhere near a decent fit, and accuracy would not likely be great. Won't hurt to try for yourself though.

A .45 caliber ball (available in .440, .445, .451, .454 and .457) could be loaded with double patches and may shoot pretty well with a little experimentation with patch thickness and powder charges. Keep it light though or you will blow the patches. Something like 25 or 30 grains would likely do the job.

Or, as others have said, a 40 grain charge under a .495 ball should be sweet shooting at "head of bunny" distances and really won't tear one up to bad on a mid body shot.

The great fun of muzzle loaders is playing with this kind of stuff and seeing what you can make work for you.

Thank you for the replies. I've been using a micrometer to find suitable patching material for this endeavor, that I don't have to double or triple. So far I haven't found one, save for plastics; such as sabot cups, 20 ga. What do y'all think?

I think there's no way you're going to get a 20 GA plastic shot cup into your .50 bore.

You could try a 50/45 sabot with .451/.454/.457 balls and may get pretty good results. Or 50/44 sabots with 440/.445 balls. Or 50/40 sabots with .395 balls. The fun is in the trying.

28 guage may work for ya, or just try a reg .50 sabot and cut the petals off.

OK - Something I often thought of trying. Using a 50 cal sabot and just enough lead shot to fill the cup of the sabot and one or two wonder wads over the top to keep in place. This pushed by about 50 gr of FFg. I think that would be a pretty effective squirrel/rabbit load out to 20 or 25 yds.
Anybody ever try it?