Considering a .40 caliber

ETipp · May 25, 2024

Seeking information on a .40 caliber. I have zero experience with one and if I get one, it will be for squirrel hunting. My thoughts are if it is downloaded a bit, it might not tear up a squirrel too much. I've heard that a .40 caliber is suppose to be pretty darn accurate, which is a must. I'm looking for good accuracy out to 30 yards, maybe more. Good accuracy as in 1" groups or better.

It will not be used for big game and it must not be a flintlock.

Powder charge?

Round ball availability?

Thank you

William Hagewood · May 25, 2024

ETipp said:
Seeking information on a .40 caliber. I have zero experience with one and if I get one, it will be for squirrel hunting. My thoughts are if it is downloaded a bit, it might not tear up a squirrel too much. I've heard that a .40 caliber is suppose to be pretty darn accurate, which is a must. I'm looking for good accuracy out to 30 yards, maybe more. Good accuracy as in 1" groups or better.

It will not be used for big game and it must not be a flintlock.

Powder charge?

Round ball availability?

Thank you

My limited experience was with a .40 cal flint and it was highly accurate at 30 yds with 35 g of 3f Swiss. I used .390 round ball and they are readily available online if you don’t cast your own. Being a small caliber, I did have to clean more

BruceHH · May 26, 2024

Accuracy is a process of getting your ball, patch and load right - no matter the caliber. The 32 or 36 caliber would be better for squirrel hunting as they would not destroy as much of the body. For what you seem to be looking for, get a .32 caliber.

ETipp · May 26, 2024

BruceHH said:
Accuracy is a process of getting your ball, patch and load right - no matter the caliber. The 32 or 36 caliber would be better for squirrel hunting as they would not destroy as much of the body. For what you seem to be looking for, get a .32 caliber.

I've had a .32 for going on 2 years now. Killed 59 squirrels with it last year.

Eric Krewson · May 26, 2024

I took my .40 squirrel hunting several times, it was winter, the squirrels were wired and moved when the pan flashed, I only killed one squirrel. Loaded down, I hit the squirrel in mid body and blew him up, not enought left to clean. If I was good enough to make head shots things would have been different.

longcruise · May 26, 2024

Forty seems to be highly thought of by many competitors. But that's only the accuracy side of the coin. I have never shot a squirrel or rabbit with a muzzleloader of less than 50 caliber. Most of those went very well in terms of meat damage. And that seemed to be all about shot placement. I've shot grouse and rabbits with head and neck shots that damaged no meat using 50 and 54 big game loads. But, on another extreme example I shot a snowshoe that was facing away with a 50 cal and 70 grains that was the ultimate in bad shot placement! I picked it up by an ear and it had been so badly torn up that held at eye level one of the hind feet touched the ground. If I'd hit it in the back of the head as intended it would have been for dinner.

RiverRat · May 26, 2024

My target gun is a custom 40cal Tennessee. It is my money gun and it never fails me in the accuracy department when I do my part.

nchawkeye · May 26, 2024

.40 caliber is fine, drop down to 25-30grs powder and take head shots.

ETipp · May 26, 2024

nchawkeye said:
.40 caliber is fine, drop down to 25-30grs powder and take head shots.

My old eyes are not that good anymore. I’m lucky to even hit a squirrel anywhere.

Hermit Tim · May 26, 2024

My .40 is a cap gun. As everyone else said, this is an insanely accurate caliber. Mine has a GR Douglas round ball barrel that is 28 or 29 inches long. I generally load it at about 25 grains if I'm small game hunting. I have often shot 40 grains plinking in the back yard. Use my own homemade patch lube, 395 balls, and thin patches. With a low charge it would be fine for head shots or barking. I've often wondered if I put 60 grains in, and screwed up and made a body shot, would the ball just pass through without flattening and not destroy too much meat. I too am on a quest for a flint .40 long rifle. Might get a .36 though. If ya ever make it down into Tennessee you're more than welcome to shoot my .40 if you want.

Jeff Latz · May 27, 2024

I have used .40 caliber rifles over the years. I just did target work with them. Using 60 grains of fff and a 395 ball they would give good target accuracy out to 100 yards. Forty grains of fff worked well at closer ranges. Most of the time I used a .15 thousands patch. I have been using .40 since the 1960s and have found the caliber a good competitor on the target range.

rick1964 · May 27, 2024

I am all about the 40. Makes a good all around gun. Great in a SMR style. Load it down to 30 grains for close squirrel hunting. I’ve tried 32/36/40 s all on squirrels. A body shot can destroy meat with all of them. So I stick to head shots. Some times you miss or hit a front leg. I mean even with a 22 who shoots squirrels in the body on purpose? I find the 32 hard to load the small patch and ball. 36 is better to handle /load. 40 is ok to load. And can load it up to 65 grains for target or a bit larger game. I have used a double patch double ball load on deer in an early season. Hunting squirrel and antlerless deer. Took a few ground hogs with it and several coyotes. Load up in the 65 grain. So much versatility !

ETipp · May 27, 2024

I have found that I do not destroy much meat with my .32 if I keep the charge lowered some. There was a definite increase in damage done to squirrels anytime I increased the powder charge. The noise level also increased. Now using 15 grains of 3F Swiss.

I shoot squirrels any place I can get a good shot on them other than a deliberate rear end or rear leg shot. I do my best to hit somewhere between the front shoulder and the head but that’s not always possible.

I am very fond of a .32 caliber for squirrel hunting. However, we are extremely limited in availability nowadays, in terms of percussion squirrel rifles.

No flintlock for this ole boy. Not for a serious, all weather, hunting rifle that will be used often. I would, however, kind of like to have a flintlock for fun, target type of shooting.

longcruise · May 27, 2024

ETipp said:
No flintlock for this ole boy.

How dare you!! Blasphemer!

Just kidding, I've never gotten on that train either although I intend to. If it's not for me I'll dump it.

ETipp · May 27, 2024

longcruise said:
How dare you!! Blasphemer!

Just kidding, I've never gotten on that train either although I intend to. If it's not for me I'll dump it.

I amended my post.

ETipp · May 27, 2024

Hermit Tim said:
My .40 is a cap gun. As everyone else said, this is an insanely accurate caliber. Mine has a GR Douglas round ball barrel that is 28 or 29 inches long. I generally load it at about 25 grains if I'm small game hunting. I have often shot 40 grains plinking in the back yard. Use my own homemade patch lube, 395 balls, and thin patches. With a low charge it would be fine for head shots or barking. I've often wondered if I put 60 grains in, and screwed up and made a body shot, would the ball just pass through without flattening and not destroy too much meat. I too am on a quest for a flint .40 long rifle. Might get a .36 though. If ya ever make it down into Tennessee you're more than welcome to shoot my .40 if you want.

That’s a generous offer. I thank you.

longcruise · May 27, 2024

ETipp said:
I amended my post.

That's pretty much my view on it.

nchawkeye · May 27, 2024

Sorry, your original post mentioned accuracy as in one inch groups or better, that is about the size of a squirrel head. If you are not capable of doing that with a rifle, why have one for target shooting?? Get a Kibler fowler and blast away...

ETipp · May 28, 2024

nchawkeye said:
Sorry, your original post mentioned accuracy as in one inch groups or better, that is about the size of a squirrel head. If you are not capable of doing that with a rifle, why have one for target shooting?? Get a Kibler fowler and blast away...

Typical, very typical.

ETipp · May 30, 2024

Jeff Latz said:
I have used .40 caliber rifles over the years. I just did target work with them. Using 60 grains of fff and a 395 ball they would give good target accuracy out to 100 yards. Forty grains of fff worked well at closer ranges. Most of the time I used a .15 thousands patch. I have been using .40 since the 1960s and have found the caliber a good competitor on the target range.

I’ve read much about the great inherent accuracy of a .40 caliber. Thus my rational for the thread. I still haven’t ruled one out.

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