.32 out of a .40

[lbothell]

So Iv been wanting a 32 for sometime but can’t seem to find one when the funds are available. I have a 40 that I haven’t shot much just bc I want a 32 and have been shooting other guns. The other day I started thinking why can’t I come up with a load so I can shoot .32 round balls out of my .40 flintlock.. I started experimenting and think I came up with something, now it was getting dark but I accomplished 2 bullseyes on the last two shots right before it got dark. The key I think was some .45 caliber pistol felt wads I picked up the other day. So i started with 20 grains of 3f and thick denim ticking (I don’t know the thickness I don’t have a micrometer) I put the felt wad on top of the ticking and depress it in the barrel like you would starting a ball, I then put another piece of the same denim ticking over that, put the ball on top, and use my starter. Once it’s started just cut your patch material like normal and send her home. This seemed to work exceptionally well, I know it’s probably hard to explain and I’ll post pictures once I get more time on the range. I figured this might help someone else out there who might be in the same spot as me. I love the little 32 but just can’t get one now, so with this I can now shoot the .32 but just do so out of my .40. Anyone else do this with success? If so what’s your method?? I might need to mention my barrel is a 1:48 not sure if that makes a difference or not I know it does with maxi balls but not sure if this is helping with all the thick patching

 

[64Springer]

You're using a patch that makes up for .08 inches difference between .400 inches and .320 inches?

I'm not seeing how that's going to work.

You'd have to swaddle that ball in a pillow to make it take the rifling.

 

[lbothell]

Well it’s working! Or at least at 15 yards it’s working

 

[smo]

Try some ticking folding in half … or double patched..
Just use plenty of lube & a good range rod too seat the load..

 

[lbothell]

So this is what I’m doing and it’s working very well, I could take head shots on squirrels at at least 15 yards(I’m going to try more distance when I get more time)I took some pictures of the process to help... thick patch, felt wad, press wad in, patch, ball, start with starter, cut patch send it home

 

[Col. Batguano]

I've shot 58 cal balls out of a 62 cal wheel lock pistol quite a bit. It works, but not all that great. Since I pretty much suck as a pistol shot I couldn't really tell how bad it was.

With all that swaddling though, that ball is going to have a hard time deforming enough to give you a good gas seal.

 

[nchawkeye]

Why not use the .40 and shoot them in the head?

 

[Phil Coffins]

At 15 yards a smooth bore will make tight groups, how’s the groups at longer distances?

 

[lbothell]

At 15 yards a smooth bore will make tight groups, how’s the groups at longer distances?

Going to do more testing on that when I get a chance. I only had a little time before dark but I will post my results when I get to stretch it out a bit.

 

[lbothell]

Why not use the .40 and shoot them in the head?

I do, I use my 45 to squirrel hunt with and take head shots when I feel like taking it out. I guess it’s bc I want a .32 but don’t have the money for one right now. Less lead less powder snd it’s kinda fun to make something like that work shooting a smaller caliber out of a larger bore. I don’t know I mean if it’s not your cup of tea then don’t do it but heck why not especially if it works

 

[1BadDart]

Nothing wrong with thinking out of the box. We'd still be dragging stuff around on sticks if someone hadn't thought "what if........."?

 

[lbothell]

I've shot 58 cal balls out of a 62 cal wheel lock pistol quite a bit. It works, but not all that great. Since I pretty much suck as a pistol shot I couldn't really tell how bad it was.

With all that swaddling though, that ball is going to have a hard time deforming enough to give you a good gas seal.

The felt wad is helping with that I believe, reason I’m suggesting that it is is bc I’m getting good compression and not a lot of filing

 

[Crooked Creek]

Interesting approach!

 

[Eric Krewson]

I love to see oddball ideas, sometimes they make a very important contribution to the M/L world, the Skychief load for smoothbores comes to mind.

 

[jackpine54]

If you can get the accuracy that you need then run with it. Looks interesting.

 

[lbothell]

Thank you guys for the encouragement! My goal would be head shot accuracy for a squirrel at 40yrds. I don’t need more then that only bc I don’t like to shoot past that I like to sneak up on em and I know it will already do that at 15 yrds. I know I can shoot accurately with the .390 round ball up to 100yrds but for the .32 I don’t need to do that. If it does it that’s bonus. Nice thing about being able to do it out of a .40 is the obvious less powder less lead but also cleaning a .40 is much easier being able to use a ram rod and not a toothpick hahah

 

[Brokennock]

So this is what I’m doing and it’s working very well, I could take head shots on squirrels at at least 15 yards(I’m going to try more distance when I get more time)I took some pictures of the process to help... thick patch, felt wad, press wad in, patch, ball, start with starter, cut patch send it home

Great picture series. Thank you for sharing it.
Maybe share some pics of the targets, and the dead squirrels.....
Even then,,, some will say it can't work. "You can't get a good gas seal," (apparently the wad and double patch are taking care of that), "it's too much windage for the patching to take up/the ball can't deform enough (which isn't how it is supposed to work, the patch engages the rifling) to engage the rifling." Again, the double patch and wad seem to be taking care of that.
Some of these people will be naysayers no matter what you do. Maybe they are just the same folks who can't get to bowhunting distance on an elk or mule deer so don't see how either could ever be taken with a smoothbore or lighter load in a medium caliber rifle..... they also can't get closer than 25 yards to a squirrel apparently.

Keep doing what you're doing, and I thank you for taking the b.s. and sharing with us.

 

[lbothell]

Great picture series. Thank you for sharing it.
Maybe share some pics of the targets, and the dead squirrels.....
Even then,,, some will say it can't work. "You can't get a good gas seal," (apparently the wad and double patch are taking care of that), "it's too much windage for the patching to take up/the ball can't deform enough (which isn't how it is supposed to work, the patch engages the rifling) to engage the rifling." Again, the double patch and wad seem to be taking care of that.
Some of these people will be naysayers no matter what you do. Maybe they are just the same folks who can't get to bowhunting distance on an elk or mule deer so don't see how either could ever be taken with a smoothbore or lighter load in a medium caliber rifle..... they also can't get closer than 25 yards to a squirrel apparently.

Keep doing what you're doing, and I thank you for taking the b.s. and sharing with us.

I will definitely share my results, and like I said before if it isn’t someone’s cup of tea then don’t do it but I know there are people out there in my situation that can’t afford another gun right now and this would be away to substitute that for a time, a 100 pack of .32 is cheaper then a new gun haha heck if you cast em yourself cheaper yet! Opinions are like butt holes everyone has one and sometimes they stink hahah

 

[ohio ramrod]

I was on a trail shoot once when a man who was shooting with us ran out of fifty caliber balls, the rest of the group was shooting 45's. He triple patched .440 balls and shot better than he had with his 490 balls.

 

[JamesT]

Interesting experiment I will give you that. Takes a bit of patience. I had a .40 that was an accurate squirrel gun but sold it because it didn't quite fit me. That being said I love the caliber for its inherent accuracy. That being said I absolutely love my new .32 but it is liking as much powder as the .40 ha.