.36 cal rifled vs .62cal smooth

[Greebe]

So I have the flintlock and barrel swap finished on my .54 cal Hawken Rifle, and been tweaking it a little to get it to shoot the way I want, but I am still wanting to get a kit to build for Christmas.

Originally I was going to get a .62 cal smoothbore fowling piece, but now I am wondering if I should get a .36 cal rifle first.

The reason I wanted the .62 smoothbore was to be able to use it hunting with both PRB and shot. To me that seems like great versatility.

However I usually shoot more than hunt and started thinking that maybe I would be better off right now with a .36 cal rifle. That way my powder and supply of lead will go much further.

Already having the .54 caliber flintlock rifle, the .36 might be a better compliment then the .62. Plus I want to be able to afford to shoot more often and the .62 will definitely limit my shooting because of the extra resources it uses.

I am curious though if the .36 cal is very useful for hunting. I am sure it can be used on most small game, but what are its limits. How accurate is it, and at what ranges can it be shot?

What do you guys think?

Thanks,
Greebe

 

[longrifle78]

A 36 is a fine caliber, with the right load & within range it will work on anything smaller than deer. I don't have any trouble hittin soda cans at 75 yards with mine. The big advantage of small bores is you can get over 200 shots from a can of powder & 110 balls to the pound with a 36.

 

[gunmaker43]

Decisions, decisions---Kind a like a buffet isn't it. What to choose 1st....I lean toward the light weight in this case, you have a .54 which will knock down anything in the country. So a small bore mostly target rifle would be a good pick. You might think about a .40 cal. as it allows the use of a larger rod, plus the ball goes about 90 gr. light loads for rabbits etc. and something stouter for metal targets on a woods/trail walk. Just my thoughts, go with what pleases you. ...Tom

 

[BrownBear]

Owning all three, I'd sure be inclined for the small caliber in your shoes. There's just not enough dif between the 54 rifled and 62 smooth shooting ball, if that will be your principal use for the 62 smooth. If you would use a lot of shot with no regard for ball (read it as "mostly shotgun") then yeah, it would open doors left closed by the 54- wingshooting to squirrel bopping.

Frankly I bet you shoot the 36 a whole lot more than you ever shoot the 54, to boot. I could probably hold all the .595 balls I've ever shot through my smoothie in a coffee can, but I'd need a truck to hold all the small caliber balls.

 

[Flash Pan Dan]

I'm with Tom Knight on this one, If I were you I'd consider a 40. I don't know where you are but in my state a 40 is legal for deer. And it has been an effective caliber for that purpose for me.

 

[robinsroost]

You did not say which state you live in. I lived in Florida for 26 years, before moving to Tennessee. A .40 cal is legal to use for deer, in both states, but a .36 is sure a lot of fun to shoot. I have a .54, a .50 and a .32. Of the three, the .32 is the most fun to shoot. So, if you want to hunt deer, use your .54. If you want to hunt squirrels or rabbits, or just want to make smoke, go with the .36. You will not be sorry..........Robin

 

[Ft. Jefferson]

Sounds to me like you've not built very many longarms. If so, then the 36cal, with a straight, octagon barrel will be a much easier build. A fowling gun will always have a tapered oct-round barrel and that type of build is not for beginners. Lots o' luck, Buzzard

 

[stinkyfeet]

You can order 000 buckshot in bulk and guess what its a .350 ball and works in the 36 cal perfectly. Great caliber but not legal for deer. The 40 will work for both if legal in your state. Even a 45 is great for both is you dial down the load to 30-40 grains of 3f. The 45 is legal in every state I have ever been to but I plan to order a 36 barrel for my pedersoli frontier 45 flinter. Then have both calibers

 

[hanshi]

My stable houses a .32, .36 and a .40. All are good but you seem to be looking for something inexpensive to feed that's fun to shoot and good for anything short of deer. That's a description of the .36.

 

[Thing]

I have a 36 cal with a 42 inch barrel . Got it from TVM many years ago. I have taken , rabbit, Groundhogs, squirrels, fox, coyotes.. Just about anything under the size of a deer. For squirrels you can go as low as 15 or 20 grains of powder.
I use 30 in mine due to many recoons ,fox. and coyotes in my area. The 30 to 35 grain will take them all . Although a little much for squirrel. Target work is your choice of load whatever the rifle will handle accurately. I have shot 5 grains out of mine to see what would happen. I used a coffe cup lid at 18 yards . The shot noise sounds like SWISSSSSWSH but it ht, the cup lid each and evrey time. I have even used 5 grains of black powder and 30 grains RS pyrodex on top of the 5 grains of powder . The black powder wil set off the pyrodex just as fast as all black powder and not fould the barrel so quickly . The small bore of a 36 like any other small bore will foul quick;y if not cleaned between shots. The above mentioned load eliminates a lot of this fouling and a added benefit is the ease of cleaning as the pyrodex which is the bulk of the load cleans up quickly Just compress the charge hard, as the pyrodex needs to be compressed for a quick ignition. Just some thoughts for your next build.

 

[nkbj]

Love my .62 smoothie and still want another .36, this time medium twist.
:idunno:

 

[Greebe]

Thanks everyone for the responses. I think that going the small caliber rifle route might be the best option for me right now. I can use the .54 for deer hunting, so having a rifle for small game hunting and cheap shooting would be more productive I think.

I had it narrowed down to the .36 but then you guys had to go and through out the .40.

I am leaning towards the .36 because it seems like you would get a fair bit more shooting out if it for your lead and powder. To me that is really the most important in these days when it is getting harder to buy shooting supplies.

Is being able to use a 3/8" ram rod really enough of an advantage to make the .40 more desirable than the .36?

The fact that I can get 30 or so more lead balls to the pound with .36 cal seems like a plus, but I would entertain the .40. I could hunt deer with the .40 where I live, but why not just use my .54?

Thanks everyone for your responses.
Greebe

 

[Greebe]

Thanks it is nice to know that you can vary the loads that much with a .36. That is where the .36 would be nice is that it can get more than 3 times as many shots as the .54cal

 

[majg1234]

I have a 40 and a 36 the 40 will do everything the 36 will and a little more I've taken a large doe with mine.one is no more prone to fouling than the other (depends on load and lube)Both are good/sweet calibers but if I had to get rid of one it probably would be the 36,BTW Tn says a 36 can be used on deer :idunno:

 

[Greebe]

I guess another plus to the .40 is that the barrels are a little lighter.

I want to find something around $500, which I know severely limits my options, but cash is very limited right now. Really shouldn't even be entertaining the idea right now.

Anyways here are some of the ones I am looking at. Any suggestions.

TOTW Colonial Longrifle
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Cate...-FLINT-PARTS-LIST/KIT-LA-COLONIAL-13-40-FLINT

TVM Early Virginia http://www.avsia.com/tvm/virginia.htm

or one of the Sitting Fox
http://www.sittingfoxmuzzleloaders...r Boy Rifle/K2 Appalachian Poor Boy Rifle.htm
http://www.sittingfoxmuzzleloaders...oy Rifle/Southern Mountain Poor Boy Rifle.htm
http://www.sittingfoxmuzzleloaders...irrel Rifle/Tenn. Poor Boy Squirrel Rifle.htm

Thanks,
Greebe

 

[Stumpkiller]

Definately go for the rifle first. If you wanted the smoothbore more you would have posted on that forum, instead. (Take that Sherlock Holmes). ;-)

I spend more time with my 16 bore flintlock than my .54 rifle - but I like hunting and grouse scaring. If I were just plinking cans or punching paper I'd use the rifle more.

 

[fire-n-brimstone]

I am a smooth bore fan. I don't believe there is anything in the woods it won't take. i have a 54 rifle and i don't shoot it much at all preferring my 62 over it.

Andy

 

[hanshi]

I've never had any issue with the ramrod in my .36. You already have a rifle for deer, and anything else you want to shoot with it, so a .36 makes a LOT of sense. 20grns of 3F will do anything a .22LR HP will do; go up a bit and it'll handle (literally) anything smaller than deer, and if legal, "can" take even them.

 

[user 13289]

Yeah, TN does allow 36 for big game. Not sure how they ciphered that one, but it's on the books. There is also the 38.

 

I would go with the 62 smoothie. Not like its much better on big game than the 54 but that you have a prayer of hitting flying birds. If ur not a bird hunter, then 36 cal it is.