A day with a Cherokee
 

Took my T/C Cherokee .32 out today after reading Semisane's post on his powder pig. I put a 4 dot target out at 25 yds and shot my first 3 shot group with 25 gr of FFFg, .310 RB and pillow tick patch, olive oil lube. Not bad, what it normally did.
Then I bumped it up to 30 gr. Wow, all 3 balls touching. OK, shot 3 with 35 gr. Group got a little bigger, but could have been me. Now let's try 40 gr. Hmmmm, about the same as 25 gr.
Now I was alternating here between my .32 and my 50 cal so neither barrel would get too hot.
I moved the target out another 10 yds (to 35) and shot 5 shots using the 30 gr charge. Sequence of shots were #1 12 o'clock and 2" high; #2 just to the left-almost touching; #3 just to the right of #1-again almost touching; #4 cut hole #2; #5 right below the group about 1/4". The entire 5 shot group was just about an inch C-C.
Looks like 30 gr is this rifle's sweet spot. This is a new barrel too.

Nice going Bronko. A one-inch 5-shot group at 30 yards is "head of squirrel" territory for sure. I'm trying to get there at 40 or 50 yards. There are not a lot of .32's around and darn few shooting reports. So I had no idea at to the potential of this caliber. But the .32 shooters on The Muzzle Loading Forum say the little balls can do it.

You're correct. That is if they hold still long enough. The 30 gr load would probably be potent enough for turkey too. They come in in the fall too soon after the squirrels.
(can you taste bacon wrapped wild turkey breasts?)

Never tried it that way. I've always cut it into one-inch chunks, coated it with seasoned bread crumbs, and sautéed it in olive oil. Gonna give the bacon-wrapped thing a try. Our turkey season is in May.

nice shooting Bronco.

I put a turkey on my Brinkman Smoker one year and then put bacon over it and held the bacon in place with toothpicks. I slow roasted/smoked it in there. We had friends over that day and them pigs started on that bird and I never seen a turkey disappear that fast. That bacon kept the breast meat nice and juicy.

Do you pluck or skin. I am a firm believer in plucking. Even though its a lot more work.

30 grains of 3F is the most accurate load for my 36 caliber squirrel rifle. The group opens up slightly with a 40 grain charge, but it is still more than minute of squirrel(40 yards).

I like the 30 grain load. Was going to try it with ground hogs this summer, that is why I tried the 40 grain load. But it just didn't work out. Tom.

Dave, that's why I use the bacon. I skin so I need something to keep it juicy. And that extra smoked flavored fat from the bacon adds a great taste. (of course I got to shoot one first)

Remember that wild game is a lot leaner than its farm raised counterpart. You should try turkey roulade, I think thats spelled right. If you need a recipe I would be glad to share mine. Although I will admit I've only used it with the farm raised bird.

I have taken a turkey with my 32 squirrel rifle using 25 grains of Pyro P. I will be the first to admit it was a lucky shot at around 50 yards. I usually use the 36 but thought I would give it a try.

I plucked it and cooked it on the Brinkman smoker by wrapping it in cheesecloth and putting it on the lower rack with the butt portion of a ham, cut side down, on the top rack. I scored the ham so the fat would drip down on the bird and slow cooked it using soaked Hickory chunks for smoke. I had filled the cavity with fresh picked sage and a big onion and made sure that the water pan did not go dry. By the way our guests went through both the bird and the ham I have been cooking all turkeys the same way ever since and everyone loves them. A little labor intensive but I feel that it is worth the effort.

Its hard to beat them Brinkman Smokers for slow cooking. I soak my apple chunks in water for an hour before using. And then a couple hours in you get a dense apple smoke. And you're right about that water pan... don't let it go dry. When I make one and have the family over, that bird sure disappears fast.

We can not use a rifle to hunt them so I use a Knight TK 2000 shotgun. Although before the Knight I used to use a very old 12 gauge double barrel shotgun and shoot #4 magnums out of it. Sitting on my little stool one morning a nice tom came in and I accidentally touched both triggers.. WOW!! Actually the recoil sent the gun onto my back up finger. What a wake up call that was. To this day I have never double finger triggered that shotgun.

Hahahaha.....Dave. So you know how that feels. Now imagine being a 12 yo boy, about 80 lb soaking wet and using a 12 ga SxS double trigger like you had. Now imagine the basset hound pushing a rabbit that is coming straight at this youngster at 30 yds. He shoulders the shotgun, draws a bead on the bunny and KAPOOOOOW. Both barrels go off, rabbit is blown to smithereens and the kid is flat on has butt. I'm sure you surmised by now that that scrawny kid was me many many moons ago.