32 flintlock

[Crow#21957]

Anyone have good luck with 32 flintlock and do you hunt with it? I want to build one but don't want to put my time and money into a problem child.

 

[deerstalkert]

i built a smr in .32 . just sold it. it was fine shooting.
also built a .30 in flint. it shoots great but my old arthritic fingers play hob with those tiny balls when loading. i get plenty of exercise bending over to pick them up, after dropping them into the snow!

 

[Crow#21957]

That's funny because I'm right there with you.

 

[TDM]

That's funny because I'm right there with you.

Crow, I’d advise at least .36 or .40 for that very reason. .50 balls look small to me now.

 

[eggwelder]

Have a flint gun in .22. It`s just for fun though. Use air gun pellets and it will sometimes punch a hole in an oil drum lid i shoot at

 

[TDM]

Have a flint gun in .22. It`s just for fun though. Use air gun pellets and it will sometimes punch a hole in an oil drum lid i shoot at

Hats off to you, my fingers wouldn’t cooperate on that.

 

[eggwelder]

I`m still a young guy here for the most part. That’s me in my avatar…lol the beard is 35 years older than me

 

[TDM]

I`m still a young guy here for the most part. That’s me in my avatar…lol the beard is 35 years older than me

More power to you then! I was young once too.

 

[Sean E Bug]

I don't hunt but i do shoot my 32 cal rifles the most. cheap and fun. takes a little work to get a good shooting load and small calibers tend to play by different rules than larger ones. I have not had one yet that was a problem child.

 

[Grimord]

I hunt with my .32 flinter during the early squirrel season here in CT. It is a very accurate gun and I have no problems with fouling like some others seem to have. I swab the bore after every 5-6 shots just out of habit, it really isn't necessary. The small balls are sometimes difficult to handle, but I have made a ball block so I don't have to fiddle with balls and patches in the field.

 

[woodsnwater]

Ball board for sure and a swamped barrel. I wish mine was coned to make it even easier.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

I hunted with a flint .32 for many years. It was very accurate. I also hunted with a .29 for a while too, another accurate rifle
Many people say these small bores foul out quickly, bu I never had any problem. They would load and shoot all day.

 

[TreeMan]

I’ve had two .32 rifles. One flint and one percussion. Got rid of both of them due to some of the reason’s mentioned above. The balls are hard to handle but to me it was the cleaning that I didn’t like. It takes tiny shooting and cleaning patches. Using a muzzle protector on a range rod is impossible. I bought custom brass ramrods for both of mine which helped. I’m gonna stick with a 45 cal or my smooth bores with shot if I want to shoot small game. I thought about a 36 or 40 but other than spending money they don’t offer much more than what I can do with a 45.

 

[Stevens3240]

I own several nice muzzleloaders in various calibers. My favorite is a custom .32 caplock. It is extremely accurate with 25 gr. 3f. I cast .319 RB. I also use Hornady #O buckshot which works very well. A 5lb. Box which may have been discontinued will last many years. I’m in my 60’s and have not found handling the .32 rb or cleaning to be a problem. I think you will be very happy owning a .32.

 

[Greyrider]

I had a 32 just sent it off to make a 40 smoothie. Liked hunting squirrels with it but could only get 3 shots and the third one was hard alway thought I was going to break my rod. Don’t know it I should have went to smaller ball or what. First ball loaded easy and never had a problem with the small balls with the loading block. I know the 40 I can use for more and I have a 36 I used to use. I get 6 or 7 shots out of it.

 

[amicalola]

I stayed away from .32 for most my life because of what I “read about it “.

Got my first.32 two years ago. All the stuff I read wasn’t true in my experience. I’ve since bought a SECOND .32 caliber flintlock.

Easy as any to clean, no issues reloading and I can shoot 40 shots and not have to swab barrel (I haven’t shot more than 40 yet at one time, high tech “spit” lube)), the ramrod diameter is no more of an issue than any other ramrod (quick 6” strokes near muzzle), the balls are no big deal to hold (if that cold I use a loading block). 1/2 steel plates “ting” and “move” at 50 yards, but much less authority than a .40 cal obviously.

I wish I had bought one earlier. Absolutely you will be shooting “on the cheap”, lead lasts forever, seems to want 35 grains FFF for optimal accuracy though.

It still is best to head-shoot squirrels, it can tear one up at times. I enjoy target shooting and don’t feel I’m sacrificing anything inside 50 yards.

My experience and opinion. I have several flintlocks in many calibers. Get whatever you want obviously, but don’t discount it either.

 

[Ferret Master]

I have both a percussion and a flintlock. I solved the fouling problem by keeping the powder charge under 20 grains, using swiss 3f and polishing the bore with either 3m red scouring pad or oooo steel wool. I polish all my barrels. Makes a world of difference. The flintlock is also conned. Makes it a lot easier to load but does not seem to affect accuracy one way or the other. Mike Beliview has a video on polishing bores.

Ferret Master

 

[APG]

I recently acquired a .32 caliber flintlock rifle and I'm at the getting to know phase of it. You know, working up a load and getting use to those Itty bitty lead balls. Loading block helps. At this point I don't see any real issues other than not being able to go to the range every day.

 

[Ferret Master]

+ 1 on head shots on Squirrels and you can buy your bulk buckshot from Ballistic Products.

 

[david w]

More power to you then! I was young once too.

I remember being young....barely!