2024/2025 Squirrel Hunting Thread...........

ETipp said:

Congrats, Scott.

That shoddy ramrod will suffice until you can get an upgraded one. Being is constructed from metallic material, I doubt it would break or go through one’s hand. However, there’s no doubt it’s way undersized, rattles and is a very poor excuse for a ramrod.

Your options are:

1. Order and build up a hickory ramrod from TOTW. All you need is one end. They are easy to build up.

2. Order a brass ramrod from October Country or the Log Cabin Shop. I prefer to do business with October Country. Small business and great people that make their own stuff.

Personally, for that rifle, I wouldn’t consider a fiberglass ramrod.

If you choose to shoot .310 swagged RB and .018 pillow ticking, it will be a snug fit but doable with a hickory ramrod. Anything tighter and you will be best served with a brass ramrod.

The last batch of pillow ticking I got from October Country is great. After washing it and allowing it to dry, I lubed my self cut patches with TOTW Mink Oil. I go heavy on the lube and found that with a .310 RB, I can shoot several times and still reload easily. However, I prefer to run one or two damp cleaning patches with Windex on them down the bore after 2-3 shots anyway IF the situation permits. **Cut those moist patches a little smaller**. For whatever reason, they tend to bind up if they are the same size as the other cleaning patches. In fact, it would behoove you cut all cleaning patches a little on the smaller size. You will thank me later.

20 grains of 3F will most likely be your optimum charge.

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Thank you Ed. Will order the brass rod today for sure. Everything else I feel like I can work with for a bit before making decisions on further replacement.

I have read through some of the discussions on how tricky the cleaning patches can be and already acquired the jag tip everyone was recommending.

I’m also going to use the wisdom already available here for working up a load. I will be starting with Hornady .310 swaged balls, .018 pillow ticking, pure mink oil and 20g of Swiss 3F. Hoping that dialing in is a quick process so I can get out in the woods with it.

Enjoy your Saturday gentlemen!

snakebit said:

The rabbit hole you have entered is a deep one my friend! But, very rewarding. A little testors model paint on the front sight will help until you decide on sights. Like Ed mentioned, a brass RR is the route I went. I got a derlin one from TOTW for my 36 (Sadie), but she has a 39 inch barrel. Get a good patch worm. Cleaning patches I like them around an inch, and not too thick. A small 2 oz pump spray bottle from Walmart with Windex or denatured alcohol is handy for range or field for swabbing. I'd also recommend a nylon .22 caliber brush for cleaning the patent breach. That rifle will shoot better than you figure her out. Looking forward to your writeup after your first range session.

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If the rabbit hole leads to some rabbit stew I’m all good!

Got it and will add a few other odds and ends to the RR order. I do a very lightly wet windex patch between shots with my larger caliber rifles so will do the same with this one. I’m fairly meticulous with black powder guns and firmly believe that keeping everything very consistent from shot to shot is a key to success. I think that part is where a lot of centerfire shooters stumble when they switch over.

Look for a writeup a week from today. Unfortunately, a few components did not get here in time. One of the many hassles of living in MA. No local retail options at all. I can get balls, and once in a blue moon, CCI caps at Cabelas. That’s literally it…

ScottK said:

If the rabbit hole leads to some rabbit stew I’m all good!

Got it and will add a few other odds and ends to the RR order. I do a very lightly wet windex patch between shots with my larger caliber rifles so will do the same with this one. I’m fairly meticulous with black powder guns and firmly believe that keeping everything very consistent from shot to shot is a key to success. I think that part is where a lot of centerfire shooters stumble when they switch over.

Look for a writeup a week from today. Unfortunately, a few components did not get here in time. One of the many hassles of living in MA. No local retail options at all. I can get balls, and once in a blue moon, CCI caps at Cabelas. That’s literally it…

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How close to the Connecticut border are you?

snakebit said:

Like Ed mentioned, a brass RR is the route I went.

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I'm curious about these rods. Are they hollow or solid?

snakebit said:

How close to the Connecticut border are you?

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You up here too somewhere? I’m in central Ma. I can hit the NE corner of CT in about a half hour and Hartford in an hour or so.

longcruise said:

I'm curious about these rods. Are they hollow or solid?

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Yeah, me too, are they tapped on end
For a Jag, or cupped out, for seating
A round ball solid would be couple
More lbs of weight, just wondering???

They are solid brass and 10/32 threaded on both ends….

ScottK said:

They are solid brass and 10/32 threaded on both ends….

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Do you have it yet? Or on order?
Wondering about fit and length
For the Crockett rifle. I have a 36cal
Investarms Santa Fe, (But I'm about a Nat's Tail From ordering a Crockett)
Herd so many good things about them.

ScottK said:

They are solid brass and 10/32 threaded on both ends….

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What is the diameter of the rods?

ScottK said:

If the rabbit hole leads to some rabbit stew I’m all good!

Got it and will add a few other odds and ends to the RR order. I do a very lightly wet windex patch between shots with my larger caliber rifles so will do the same with this one. I’m fairly meticulous with black powder guns and firmly believe that keeping everything very consistent from shot to shot is a key to success. I think that part is where a lot of centerfire shooters stumble when they switch over.

Look for a writeup a week from today. Unfortunately, a few components did not get here in time. One of the many hassles of living in MA. No local retail options at all. I can get balls, and once in a blue moon, CCI caps at Cabelas. That’s literally it…

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I know that rabbit hole well. Many twists and turns, knowing more to come. The labyrinth of muzzleloading is great.

You will be very happy with your Crockett for sure. ETipp and Snakebit passed on some good info.

I do make my own cleaning patches now. When I first got my Crockett I had patch issues I found Allen's 7/8"x7/8" work well.

Best to ya. Looking forward to shooting results.

10 spot said:

Do you have it yet? Or on order?
Wondering about fit and length
For the Crockett rifle. I have a 36cal
Investarms Santa Fe, (But I'm about a Nat's Tail From ordering a Crockett)
Herd so many good things about them.

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On order but lots of info on the emailed confirmation (other than weight, strangely).

Diameter is 5/16. Length is 31 1/8

Gum Slough Muzzleloader said:

I know that rabbit hole well. Many twists and turns, knowing more to come. The labyrinth of muzzleloading is great.

You will be very happy with your Crockett for sure. ETipp and Snakebit passed on some good info.

I do make my own cleaning patches now. When I first got my Crockett I had patch issues I found Allen's 7/8"x7/8" work well.

Best to ya. Looking forward to shooting results.

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Thanks for that tip Fred and I’m looking forward to it as well. I have square patches of every size on earth in my centerfire cleaning supply box. I should be able to dig that exact size out.

ScottK said:

You up here too somewhere? I’m in central Ma. I can hit the NE corner of CT in about a half hour and Hartford in an hour or so.

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No, I'm in PA. My son lives in CT. If you ever got in a crunch for powder and caps. I could work out an assist.

ScottK said:

Thank you Ed. Will order the brass rod today for sure. Everything else I feel like I can work with for a bit before making decisions on further replacement.

I have read through some of the discussions on how tricky the cleaning patches can be and already acquired the jag tip everyone was recommending.

I’m also going to use the wisdom already available here for working up a load. I will be starting with Hornady .310 swaged balls, .018 pillow ticking, pure mink oil and 20g of Swiss 3F. Hoping that dialing in is a quick process so I can get out in the woods with it.

Enjoy your Saturday gentlemen!

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You are being very wise, grasshopper.

Scott, I have put hundreds of shots through my primary Crockett. As I have said, I swab between shots. I have had a total of 2 cleaning patches lost in the bore. One was due to turning it over and it was torn a little and had a hole through it, so that’s understandable. A worm got it out quick like. The second one I don’t have an answer for. It was not retrieve-able with the worm so I simply put a little powder into to flash hole, capped it and fired it out. Honestly, IMO, as long as you use the proper size patches, it’s not a problem. No more so than any of my big bores.

Tom was correct, not much more than 1” square for the cleaning patches. 3/4” is even better for the moist patches with Windex on them. Those should not bind up on you out in the woods while wiping between shots. Yet, you should have no problem with losing them down the bore. The main thing to remember, IMO, with a .32 is its best to go too small with the cleaning patches than too big. It will accept a much smaller patch than you would think. I can promise you that trying to use too big of cleaning patches out in the woods will make you say some bad words.

I simply do not see the fuss that many people have with a .32 caliber ML. After reading a few war stories, I too, was a little concerned at first. However, it didn’t take me long to find it’s not a problem for this ole boy. No problem loading it and no problem cleaning it.

I love my Crockett rifles. My primary Crockett has provided me with more fun and enjoyment than all the other ML’s I’ve owned combined.

As you can see, the patches on the left were cut a bit smaller for moist patches.

Still knocking them down with my 25 caliber.

emery said:

Still knocking them down with my 25 caliber.

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Heck Yeah!
Knock em down Emery!
Kicking it with that .25
Good Going

ETipp said:

What’s the mixture ratio you all use for permethrin? I’m getting ready to wash my camo then hang it on a line and treat it with permethrin. Need to do this today.

EDIT: Disregard. It’s been figured out.

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Years back I bought a quart bottle of Permethrin concentrate. Directions told what to do to get the usual strength found in the spray cans. I tend to be a bit "anal" so made the mix double strength. All I can say is that it worked as well as Permethrin I'd used in the past.

Well as it turns out I don't hunt any longer and haven't been out in probably 6 years. This is all due to health problems that would entail too much risk. But if it ever turns out that I find myself plinking squirrels again I'll be tick protected.

hanshi said:

Years back I bought a quart bottle of Permethrin concentrate. Directions told what to do to get the usual strength found in the spray cans. I tend to be a bit "anal" so made the mix double strength. All I can say is that it worked as well as Permethrin I'd used in the past.

Well as it turns out I don't hunt any longer and haven't been out in probably 6 years. This is all due to health problems that would entail too much risk. But if it ever turns out that I find myself plinking squirrels again I'll be tick protected.

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Health issues really bite. Seems a lot of us have a some going on. Some not as bad as others.
I truly hope you are able to Plink ya few squirrels some day.

emery said:

Still knocking them down with my 25 caliber.

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Good going, emery.

Gotta love squirrel hunting with a small bore ML. It’s da best ever was.

hanshi said:

Years back I bought a quart bottle of Permethrin concentrate. Directions told what to do to get the usual strength found in the spray cans. I tend to be a bit "anal" so made the mix double strength. All I can say is that it worked as well as Permethrin I'd used in the past.

Well as it turns out I don't hunt any longer and haven't been out in probably 6 years. This is all due to health problems that would entail too much risk. But if it ever turns out that I find myself plinking squirrels again I'll be tick protected.

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Thanks for the input, hanshi. I’ve been wondering about you. Haven’t seen you post much lately.