.32 vs .36 caliber?

[Rat Trapper]

Bore butter/wonder lube has always allowed me to shoot with out wiping the bore.

 

[smoothshooter]

Not much difference until you try pushing the range. The 36 is likely to reach out further with less wind drift, but that's not what I'm using my little guys for.

So which is better, and why? I'm interested in a small bore percussion muzzleloader for plinking and squirrels. What are the pros and cons of these two calibers? I'd like to shoot patched round ball out of the gun.

And part two of the question: what is the maximum range of one of these guns with a typical hunting load? Not maximum shooting range at game, but rather maximum distance the ball will go. I won't shoot squirrels out of trees with a .22 rimfire due to proximity to town. I'm assuming that a .32- or .36-cal ball with an appropriate load of black powder will be dangerous only to a few hundred yards even if fire upwards at a 45-degree angle...or am I unrealistic here?

The back section of the older Lyman reloading manuals used to have a table showing the maximum distance a lead sphere will travel when fired at an optimum angle. It showed everything from bird shot to larger balls. I think it may have even showed maximum distancess for high-powered rifles, but I could be mistaken on that last.

So which is better, and why? I'm interested in a small bore percussion muzzleloader for plinking and squirrels. What are the pros and cons of these two calibers? I'd like to shoot patched round ball out of the gun.

And part two of the question: what is the maximum range of one of these guns with a typical hunting load? Not maximum shooting range at game, but rather maximum distance the ball will go. I won't shoot squirrels out of trees with a .22 rimfire due to proximity to town. I'm assuming that a .32- or .36-cal ball with an appropriate load of black powder will be dangerous only to a few hundred yards even if fire upwards at a 45-degree angle...or am I unrealistic here?

A .45 can be loaded down a lot to shorten range.
35 grains of 3F black powdert will do more than you might think.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Nice thread resurrection