.32 caliber muzzleloader
 

I'm thinking of getting a 32 caliber muzzleloader for small game. I'm looking at the Traditions Crockett rifle. Does anyone have any experience with this specific rifle? If so what are the pros and cons of this rifle(other than cleaning) pretty much everything I've read about it has been good. Just want others opinions. I'll be using a .310 ball.and patch with whatever load is accurate in the gun (most people have had good results with about 20 grains of 3f powder) Also I've heard conflicting reviews about cap size do does it use #10 or #11 caps? Thanks

Use the #11 caps on the Crockett. I don't have a Crockett, but I do have 4 .32 caliber rifles,(3 percussion and one flint). The .32 is a great small game round and inexpensive to shoot. In the early summer squirrel season I use only 10 grains of 3f for dime sized accuracy out to 25 yards. Can't see the squirrels much beyond that when the leaves are on the trees. The down side to the .32 is that the little balls are sometimes difficult to handle if you are all thumbs like me. I use a loading block to solve that problem. The little balls are also susceptible to wind drift if you try to stretch out your shots much beyond 40 yards. Many complain that the small bore is more susceptible to fouling, and that may be true, but it has always been my practice to swab the bore every 3 shots whether needed or not.

How does the 32 preform on small game. do you think that a 32 could be effective on turkeys. My primary interest is small game(squirrels/rabbits) but was wondering if it could take turkey too if I had the chance. I don't plan on taking shots past 25 yards or so. Ive always liked muzzleloaders better than today's firearms(especially the smoke cloud that comes when you shoot :-) plus roundball ammo is easier to find than modern ammo. Muzzleloaders are prohibited in my county. However there's a bunch of public land within driving distance in counties that allow them.

I had a .32 and it was fun. But if I was going to get another small caliber muzzleloader it would probably be a .36 cal.
Keep in mind the 32 fouls quickly. I used to shoot 20-30 gr of FFFg in mine.

The .32 with 20 grains of 3f powder and a patched round ball will give you .22 LR velocities of around 1500 FPS A 30 grain load with the same ball will bump up the velocities to the 22 magnum range. If legal in your state, the .32 will take squirrel and rabbits very easily. I would recommend head shots if you want something to eat. On turkeys out to 25 yards, head shots will do the job, or a shot in the pinion area (wing connection to the body) will drop a turkey in its place. I have dropped coyotes that average 35-40 pounds in my area with a single shot from my .32. I limit my shooting on coyotes to 35 yards.

Sound like the 32 is a pretty versatile caliber for small game turkey and the occasional varmint. Whats the difference between 32 and 36 caliber other than 32 being .310 and 36 being .350? I dont have the money for a 36 (TVM) I think a 32 will suit me just fine anyway. All I want to hunt is squirrels and the occasional "opportunity presents itself turkey".

The main issue is the twists are actually too slow if you want to replicate 22RF type energy. Speed up the twist just a tiny bit and you are golden. You can buy whatever one you wish and have the barrel lined. I know Hoyt does rebores but im not sure what else he offers. Rice or Oregon barrel offer some prefits for rifles like Renegades and Hawkens. Possibly Lymans too.

A guy on another board took a older Knight rifle. Then sent it off to have a 32cal or 36cal barrel installed. Very cool inline with i think a 1-38 or 1-32 twist. This allows you to drop back the powder charge quite a bit but maintain accuracy. In 36cal you could also get MMP sabots and shoot .31 cal bullets for slightly larger game.

That is part of the reason the 32cal Cherokee and Senacas are so highly prized now days and sell for top dollar. They are a 1-30 twist and shoot lighter loads excellent. You can take that same little squirrel rifle and load her up with one of the small maxis and flatten a turkey or yote.

What's the barrel thread on the crockett rifle. Looking at a 45 caliber barrel for it for deer(.45 caliber is the minimum legal caliber here in VA for deer) or would the stock be too narrow for the larger barrel.

Never mind about the extra barrel question. I'm pretty sure that the recoil would cause the stock to crack. So here's another question. Could I use .310 BUCKSHOT(#1.5 buck size) as round ball ammo? There's a 8 lb jar on Ballistic Products that has 1,280 lead buckshot for $40 vs Hornady .310 balls 100pk for $15. I'm trying to find a cost saving ammo as I am on an EXTREMELY tight budget. And would I need a .10 patch or .15 with .310 round balls.

The 1.5 buck shot will work fine in your .32. It is a little harder than pure lead, but works fine. As for patch material, you gun will decide what it likes best. Start off with .015 to see how it loads and shoots, then work up or down from there to determine what is best.

Thank you for all the advice. I'm kinda new to muzzleloaders. I got my first black powder deer last year with a 50 caliber inline. But I like the more traditional style better, which reminds me hows the recoil on a 50 caliber Hawken style rifle? I'm looking at one of them for deer hunting( specifically the Traditions Hawken Woodsman or the Traditions Trapper percussion pistol 50 caliber. Hows the recoil on a 50 caliber pistol like the one mentioned above? Sorry for all the questions and going off topic from 32 caliber to 50 caliber. I'm just trying to learn all that I can. Thanks

The fifty caliber guns don't kick much more than a 20gauge shotgun,although for me the Hawken style tends to slap me in the cheek. I prefer a straighter stock with no cheek piece. As for the Traditions Trapper 50 caliber pistol,I took a deer with mine last year at about 20 yards. I would not recommend shooting a deer much beyond 35 yards with the gun. With a load of 40 grains of 3f and a 490 patched round ball, the energy level is not there for clean kills beyond 35 yards in my opinion. Now I had a T/C scout pistol once that I loaded with 60 grains of 3f and a 240 grain ballet that took deer out to 50 yards, but It kicked like a 500 S&W.

Ok. So they don't kick very much then. That's good to know. I've actually never really shot a 20 gauge before. Only shot one once or twice and even then I don't really remember what the recoil felt like. I do however shoot my 870 12 gauge for deer and turkey so I guess I can handle the recoil. Here in VA we have a 50 grains of powder minimum for both rifle and pistol. I think I'll stick with the rifle for now until I can get comfortable with the idea of shooting a 50 caliber hand cannon. One more question. What would a good hunting charge for deer be out of the rifle with .490 patched round ball?

Many shoot 75-85 grains of 3f in their 50 caliber guns with patched round ball for deer. Your gun will determine which load and patching/lube it likes best for accuracy. The slower twist guns (1:60-1:72") generally require more powder to get the best accuracy. The common 1:48" usually like 75-85 grains for deer hunting accuracy and power. I no longer shoot a 50 for my deer hunting. where i hunt the cover is very thick and even a mortally hit deer can go 100 yards or more which would involve crawling on my hands and knees for hours tracking a hit deer. I now use either a 54 or a 58 for my deer hunting cause I want to drop the deer in its tracks. I aim for the shoulders, and usually break both with my shot so the deer does not go anywhere. I lose some meat, but it is worth it now to have to blood trail a deer in the heavy laurel.

As for loading 50 grains or more in your trapper pistol, I would advise against it. I believe, 40 grains is the listed max for that gun.

Thank you for all the advice. So if I get every thing right: use about 15-20 grains of 3f powder and start with a .15 patch for the 32. And use about 80 grains of powder for deer in the 50 caliber rifle and about 30-40 grains of powder in the pistol. Thanks again for the advice.

I just had an interesting thought on this. I wonder what the accuracy would be if you paper patched 30 cal varmint bullets.

Personally, for what the .32 is used for I think the round ball does the job that it was made for. I get superb accuracy with a patched round ball in all of my .32's. You just have to experiment with different powder charges, patch thickness and lubes to find what your rifle likes best. The .32 is not a long range gun. 50 yards is a long poke for a .32, and wind can bedevil those small pills at any range. I get mostly dime sized groups with my .32's at 25-35 yards from the bench which is better than I can do offhand with my aging eyes. Don't know how much more accurate you would need.