000 buckshot for .36 cal

[rabjr]

Yeah I wouldn't use this as a good example. As I said the first 5 shots from this gun was Hornadays and the second 5 home made, It could be I was just getting settled in shooting it. :idunno: If I had time I would have shot another 5 Hornadays but cleaning the gun after each shot for 15 shots and messing with another gun, 3 hours goes by fast. They did hit about the same place height wise as the home made ones though. I will try both again with a thicker patch and see what happens next time I go.

 

[buzz]

swampy who cares about scientific
sounds to me they are a close match
and will be worth some smoke time
cant wait to take my new 36 cal out for her first dance
bob

 

[ozark57]

I just got back from taking my little gal out for her first dance. I decided to start off with 35gr of 3F and just have some fun at 25 yards. The first 5 shots from a bench were with Hornady 000 and .016 bear greased patch. I swabbed with a damp then a dry patch between shots and it was so humid, made sure the pan and flint were wiped every shot. I was a little concerned at the ease of loading and may do better with a tighter patch, which I'll try next time. But the 000 shot into just over a 2" group at the top of the paper about 4 or 5" above where I was aiming.

I was surprised my next 5 shots were RC's molded balls with a sprue and they shot the same 4 or 5" high except all went into a tighter group. :idunno: Just under an inch and a half.

There was a member there and he says to me, "I am impressed, I didn't know those Flintlocks shot so fast, I expected a delay but damn there sure ain't no delay. Sounds like it goes right off..." :grin:

My Rich Pierce flint sparked everytime. :thumbsup:

So I then decided to use 5 more of RC's balls and shot a target off hand I'll be sending Jethro shortly.

Really nothing scientific here, I think both balls may benifit from a tighter, probably pillow ticking at .018 patch. I guess I'll try that before filing the rear site down but I did like the ease in loading for something thats just surposed to be a fun gun anyway, and fun was definately how to describe today. :thumbsup:

I shoot .36's more than anything else. I would try backing off to 28gr.FFFg and see what you get. This will drop your POI some and may be a little more accurate.

 

[David W.]

I just got back from taking my little gal out for her first dance. I decided to start off with 35gr of 3F and just have some fun at 25 yards. The first 5 shots from a bench were with Hornady 000 and .016 bear greased patch. I swabbed with a damp then a dry patch between shots and it was so humid, made sure the pan and flint were wiped every shot. I was a little concerned at the ease of loading and may do better with a tighter patch, which I'll try next time. But the 000 shot into just over a 2" group at the top of the paper about 4 or 5" above where I was aiming.

I was surprised my next 5 shots were RC's molded balls with a sprue and they shot the same 4 or 5" high except all went into a tighter group. :idunno: Just under an inch and a half.

There was a member there and he says to me, "I am impressed, I didn't know those Flintlocks shot so fast, I expected a delay but damn there sure ain't no delay. Sounds like it goes right off..." :grin:

My Rich Pierce flint sparked everytime. :thumbsup:

So I then decided to use 5 more of RC's balls and shot a target off hand I'll be sending Jethro shortly.

Really nothing scientific here, I think both balls may benifit from a tighter, probably pillow ticking at .018 patch. I guess I'll try that before filing the rear site down but I did like the ease in loading for something thats just surposed to be a fun gun anyway, and fun was definately how to describe today. :thumbsup:

I shoot .36's more than anything else. I would try backing off to 28gr.FFFg and see what you get. This will drop your POI some and may be a little more accurate.

There are a few other factors, too. It partly depends on what brand of powder. I use 24 gr. Swiss in a 40" H&H barrel with a Ballistol or cutting oil (dry) ticking patch. Windex swab every five shots. I have found no difference in accuracy between 000 buck and Speer swaged (softer) balls. I have never used roll-your-own balls, so I can't say what differnce that would make. I target between 25 and 50 yards, my average distance for tree rats.

 

[rabjr]

I was going to use Swiss in this gun and still may as I found a can of 3F Swiss. But I decided to just take the Graff 3F I use in most everything else. The barrel is a Flintlock Const. Custom 34" Tapered barrel. It was consitantly high and group size very well could have been my fault as it was hard to find the exact aiming point everytime, my fault I should have had an orange sticker or something better to see than just a line drawn with a pen. I didn't think I would have a problem at 25 yards but I did more than I thought.

I was thinking of taking the Swiss next time and seeing what starting with 20 gr's and a .018 patch will do.

 

[MikeC]

I found my .36 likes 40 grains of either KIK or swiss FFFg, .350 ball and pillow ticking. I typically lube with spit, mink oil when hunting.

 

[vern faulkner]

I use 000 buck in my .36 and 0 buck in my .32. I don't view the (possibility) of it being a tad harder than "pure lead" as any problem on squirrel size game. A head shot result is the same with either. I also use wheel weight lead which is known to contain antimony or some other hardening product and have no problems with it. On larger game such as deer I use the pure stuff :2.
Vern

 

[rabjr]

I found my .36 likes 40 grains of either KIK or swiss FFFg, .350 ball and pillow ticking. I typically lube with spit, mink oil when hunting.

From what I saw, mines probably not to far off from that. I have to take some blame for not using a better target to see but even still it showed it wanted to put the balls in the same area.

My original thoughts was to try to work with a 10 or 15 gr load, strictly at 25 yards to keep noise levels down, so I can shoot a few out back without neighbors fussing. Whether I end up doing that I don't know yet. Yesterday was the first time I got to put a few balls through her so I just figured 35 gr load was middle of the road and a good place to start and see what it could do. I saw what I wanted to see really, the gun functioned beyond my expectations 15 shots, no flash in the pan, the lock sparked well, instant ignition. It's a shame L&R dosan't make their Manton lock better but in the hands of a good lock smith, these little locks can be made to be flawless, the dang thing is as quick as any cap lock. I swear it's damn close and I couldn't be any happier.

So it's all going to depend on what I'm thinkin before I take her out again. :hmm: I may just go full throttle with 000 and home made balls or I may try loading it down or both if I have the time. :idunno:

I know I got cycle year for rabbits here, there must be 6 or 8 out in the yard any given time.

 

[buzz]

what kind of powder charge are you using in that 36 cal??

 

[rabjr]

First time out I just went with 35gr of 3F Graff.

 

[Big Iron]

My Pedersoli likes 35 grs. of Swiss 3FG. I have been using Speer .350 balls. I am using a .015 patch. I'm getting 1/2 inch groups at 25 yards off the bench. The groups open up if I go to 30 grs. or 40 grs. The lube is T/C Wonder Lube.
I haven't tried anything lighter yet as the gun is new to me.

Each gun is a law unto it's self.

Also, you can order Swiss on line.

BI

 

[rabjr]

Yes I know you can order Swiss online,done it, I just don't really care for the price. And I stated above I do have a can of 3F I will try at some point. I also have to take some of the blame for not having a better seeable target, I just took printer paper and made an X from corner to corner figuring that would be ok at 25 yards but soon found it wasn't easy to aim at the same spot everytime. That won't happen again.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Here are photos of a Hornady 000 buck (the dark, shiny one) and a Hornday .350 swaged ball in the vise and after being squeezed togather. No question that the buck is harder. The buck is certainly cheaper and seems more uniform as well but does it shoot as well? I know some people cast balls out of wheel weights and say they shoot just fine but one man's "just fine" is another's piss poor.

 

[RocklockI]

Zoar it is 10 ga. from Loyalist Arms, Blair Higgins ,Canada .

Here is the .36 lefthand flintlock .

 

[RocklockI]

:grin:

This was two weeks ago 35 yards 47gr FFF a thin patch very easy loading 000 Horady buck offhand .

The big holes at the belly button where out of my Bess two touching two fliers :grin:

 

[rabjr]

Here are photos of a Hornady 000 buck (the dark, shiny one) and a Hornday .350 swaged ball in the vise and after being squeezed togather. No question that the buck is harder. The buck is certainly cheaper and seems more uniform as well but does it shoot as well? I know some people cast balls out of wheel weights and say they shoot just fine but one man's "just fine" is another's piss poor.

Thanks Joe, that confirms what I had been told about the 000 Hornadays. Obviously I did not spend much time with them yet but they pretty much shot into the same place as molded .36's and I can't blame the wider group on their hardness yet as it was most likely my shooting. I can't wait to get back to the range with better targets now. And it will be interesting what a thicker pillow ticking will do too. I'll have to see if I can't get back to the range next week. :hmm:

 

[longcruise]

Here are photos of a Hornady 000 buck (the dark, shiny one) and a Hornday .350 swaged ball in the vise and after being squeezed togather. No question that the buck is harder.

Thanks for doing that test. Makes me think it might be wise to get a .350 mold and do some comparisons.

I tried hard balls long ago in a .50 with poor results. Soft balls might improve the little .36.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

:grin:

This was two weeks ago 35 yards 47gr FFF a thin patch very easy loading 000 Horady buck offhand .

The big holes at the belly button where out of my Bess two touching two fliers :grin:

Perfect example, looks to me like the Bess grouped about as well as the .36 did.

 

[RocklockI]

there is only one .36 hole on that target . My buddy shot has 1858 remington revolver at it too .

three bess shots a cylinder full and one .36 hole between the horns .

 

[Roy]

My best 100 yd target was shot with hornady buckshot out of my .32
3 shots