.36 Caliber Fans?

[Nobody85]

I love my .36 southern rifle! It’s perfect balance and weight make it a dream to tote all day in the woods. It’s a little undersized for deer, but shot placement is key with much anything. The recoil is non-existent, but most all black powder recoil is, in my opinion. It’s just big enough not to stress the ramrod while loading. Fowling can be an issue even if the right lube is used, if not loaded right after each shot. Very easy on powder and lead. Great rifle all around.

 

[david w]

I can run this .36 all day, and night with my special patch lube. Last shoot was at least 60 shots, non stop!

View attachment 157479

What is your lube? Nice gun!

 

[Kansas Kid]

I favor the 36 for small caliber. Shot my best 100 yard groups with it also. TOTW house brand barrel and hoppes 9 plus.

 

[smoothshooter]

The only .36 I've ever owned is the one I have had for years. It's a flintlock SMR and as plain as day old bread. It's iron mounted and will always live with me. I shoot this little rifle a lot and it never fails to please. My marksmanship no longer does it justice but this little dude is flat-out, sho-nuff, old fashion, country accurate!

A friend and I took it out to his place and set up a one liter coke bottle at a bit over 80 yards. We shot standing off hand, seated and every other way without a rest, just us holding onto the rifle. Well, shooting 20 grains of 3F we just couldn't miss as long as we held high enough to compensate for the prb drop.
Here it is, all 6 lbs 4 oz of it.

Who was the maker on that one?

 

[ryoung14]

I have a 36 Seneca, a 32 Cherokee, and a 32 inline; all TC. Have always shot Pyrodex P in them. Below 30 gr they are a joy to shoot, very accurate, and can be shot dozens of times without swabbing. I generally use 20 gr Pyro P for the 36 and 15 gr for the 32 and use a .010 prelubed patch with a roundball.

Above 30 gr, they become bears to load and keep shooting. Broke the Seneca's ramrod trying to shoot 50 gr loads when I first got it. Hated that gun first time out. Now I love it.

Always puzzled me why TC recommended loads 30 gr and above for these guns, never mentioning how well they did with lighter loads.
Bob

 

[hanshi]

Who was the maker on that one?

Matt Avance at TVM.

 

[Robby]

I had one I traded away, big mistake! I'm making one right now that will never be traded. Love the .36, never noticed any excessive fouling after a long session, shoots the same first to last.
Robby

 

[hanshi]

The .36 is my favorite small bore. It has been accurate at 80 yards with only 20 grains of 3F. Of course the drop at that distance is considerable with such a low powder charge. Doesn't matter to me since the max distance I normally shoot is 50 yards and that's no problem at all for the .36.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

11BangBang Kibler SMR… .36 calibre, just finished a Kibler Kit

 

[tungstentony]

I thought that there was very few places where a .36 was legal for deer,

Michigan requires at least 35 caliber for deer. I really enjoy my 36 caliber pistol and would love to get a 36 caliber percussion cap rifle. 50 caliber black powder rifles are the norm here.

 

[kelljp]

TN allows 36 cal.

 

[david w]

I need to check current Arkansas regs. I believe it used to be 40. The only thing I've hunted deer with for the past 50 years is a 62 cal. I've been lucky no to spoil meat as my shots have been through the rig cage, through the heart and lungs, and out the other set of ribs!

 

[S.Kenton]

I wish you hadn't posted this one? now you stirred me up and I am wanting one!

Me too! I’d really like a traditions Crockett…

 

[kelljp]

I have never taken a deer with my 36 cal Senaca, but have developed a round to use if a juvenile develops an interest in black powder. I found some 200 grain maxi hunters conicals at TOW, with 60 grains of Swiss 2f. Maybe next year some kid will want to hunt ( I volunteer every year to take a child on our state's juvenile hunt weekend , with modern rifles). Hoping that BP interest will spark a future candidate !

 

[kelljp]

Not a direct answer to your question but I absolutely love shooting my little 32 caliber. Whoever said small calibers aren't much fun for target shooting doesn't know what they are talking about! As far as more fouling goes I never noticed but I swab between shots regardless of caliber. Economical, absolutely! With a mere 15 grain powder charge the 32 can be fired 6 or seven times using the same about of powder that a larger bore gun might use in one shot. A pound of powder last forever with a 32 or 36, not to mention those little round balls use hardly any lead if you cast your own. In my opinion it is the most " fun" gun that I own!

Exactly, most enjoyable rounds there are to shoot.
When my friends drop by to shoot their larger caliber rifles I normally reach for a 32 or 36 to take to the bench. A frugal person like me can stretch a lb of powder and lead a long ways with the small bore rifles.

 

[david w]

Exactly, most enjoyable rounds there are to shoot.
When my friends drop by to shoot their larger caliber rifles I normally reach for a 32 or 36 to take to the bench. A frugal person like me can stretch a lb of powder and lead a long ways with the small bore rifles.

I favor my 36 caliber, but when I invite guests, some of them like the big BOOM of my 62 caliber!

 

[kelljp]

This thread got me wondering how many I have. Think I've been buying too many, found 4 Senacas and 1 Cherokee in 36 caliber. They are like tater chips, can't stop at one !

 

[ThumperJones]

Man, I really like my .36 southern mountain rifle. Easy on powder, easy to carry, plenty of power for any kind of small game or varmints and mine is very accurate. I've never had a fouling problem that I'd say is any different than any other caliber. I don't use any fancy lubes, just spit cmost of the time or Obenaufs Leather Preservative. .350" ball, .020ish" patch, and 30-35gr of 3FG plain ole GoEx

 

[Col. Batguano]

Get the 36. You'll be happy with it until you decide you want a 32, or a 34, or a 38, or a 40, or a 45, or a 50
yadda yadda yadda.

Or another in the same caliber

You're well on the way toward the "justification phase" of gun buying, which is an issue for your heirs to figure out.

 

[1971fx]

Michigan requires at least 35 caliber for deer. I really enjoy my 36 caliber pistol and would love to get a 36 caliber percussion cap rifle. 50 caliber black powder rifles are the norm here.

. 36 CVA squirrel rifle