.40 crockett?

[azmntman]

What would you think of a wild hair I got to have my crocket .32 bored out to a .40? I have always wantd a .40 but cannot afford one, I seen a few posts of a guy does boring cheap (and well done).

Also I have heard a .40 PRB is a very accurate gun? comments?

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Well, you do what you want to do. :grin:

My .40 is very accurate with a 1:48 twist. It's not the caliber, but the quality of the barrel making and the twist combined with a good lock that makes any rifle accurate, ... oh and finding the right loading. I am going back to the range when we get a bit more of a thaw, and use the Dutch Schoultz system to get my .40 even better.

LD

 

[Patocazador]

Personally, I like the idea of a "cute" little .32 rifle but realize that their usefulness is limited. A .40 would be more practical and be more of an all-around caliber. Adequate for deer under some hunting situations yet still small enough to be used on small game.

If you get it re-bored, please post the results.

 

[robinsroost]

Photocazador may be correct. A .40 cal muzzleloader is legal to hunt deer with, in Florida, but why fool with such a sweet little rifle? I started with a .50 cal kit, that I built, then later added a .54 cal flintlock, and a .32 cal Traditions Crocket. That little pea sized ball, loaded with 20 grains of 3Fg, will slap knock a squirrel out of a tree, or shoot the eye out of a bunny......Robin

 

[hanshi]

The Crockett, IMHO, is perfect as is. But if it really blows your skirt up thinking of re-boring to .40; I say "go for it". It would make a very nice .40 or even .36, for that matter.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Probably a good vehicle for that mod but what'cha intend to do for irritating little bushytails? :wink:

 

[rodwha]

What size patch do you guys generally use in your Crockett?

 

[BrownBear]

I'm using ticking with the .311 LEE ball. It didn't really come together accuracy-wise until I started using TOW mink oil tallow with that combo. Heaviest charge I've ever shot out of it was 25 grains of Goex 3f though. Right now I'm shooting 15 grains, and seriously contemplating a drop to 10 grains. Plenty flat to beyond 25 yards with only 15 grains, and on snowshoe hare it still destroys the front shoulders if I drop down into the neck by accident. That little .311 ball is still bigger than most expanded 22 slugs, so it doesn't have to be going fast at all to do a bunch of damage.

 

[azmntman]

I will keep it, would just then go get another .32 so I just save for a .40. I have a real nice cva .36 too, need to get the time to take it out and work up a load.

I use .310 and .015 ticking and 10 grains pyro P or T7 but am gonna start using goex. I feel the gun should be more accurate so will play again soon. I can hit a small match box every shot at 25 yds but feel that close they should be touching. And ya 10 grains decapitates bushy tails and more is a waste in my opinion.

 

[AZbpBurner]

Good decision to leave the .32 as-is. Now, you might consider going straight to .54 cal. I shoot .40, .50 and .54 rifles, and found that .54 is the easiest to work up accurate loads, and the most forgiving over a range of powder weights.

All my .54's make me look like more of an accomplished rifleman than I really am.

 

[azmntman]

I have two .54,s no .40 yet

 

[crockett]

AZ- 40 is deer legal in many states. I wrote to the mfg but never heard back. My thought was a rate of twist that would allow a short conical or "ballete" which would help make the 40 a little better on the deer but a twist that you could drop down the powder charge and it would work on yotes and squirrel- sort of an "everything" gun.

 

I say no to it. the 32 has nothing on the 40 when it comes to the small stuff to smaller big game. And the 40 is kinda questionable on deer. I say stick with the 32 and just get another rifle in 45 or higher.

 

[mooman76]

If I was to change it, I'd go with the 36. No real reason, just because I want a 36 and they are not so common these days without a lot of $$$.

 

[satx78247]

Personally, I do NOT consider (based on 40+ years of hunting w/ML) adequate for WT.

IF I was going to do such a reboring project, I would go to a bore-size that will utilize lead 00 or 000 buckshot as a PRB (OR a 148 grain HBWC in .357cal,that is intended for reloading .38SPL cartridges).

Fwiw, I used to have a LH .36 percussion rifle (built for me by a gunsmith in Union City, TN) that collected many a Northeast TX bunny or squirrel for the pot. = Downright CHEAP to shoot, too, using little BP & 000 buck (or a HBWC) by the 10 pound sack was cheap to buy, too. = That Tennessee "Poor Boy" was DEADLY on small-medium game.

Best wishes, satx

 

[azmntman]

I have a .36. 000 buck is good as a prb for a .36?

 

[jamesthomas]

Instead of a re-bore I would just buy a .40 caliber barrel with the same profile. That way you will have 2 guns in one, just change out the barrel when you want to.

 

[izzyjoe]

That's probably the best solution to buy a second barrel. And I personally would'nt even consider a 40 for deer, for varmints who cares, but for deer I want a bullet with enough size to make a clean quick kill.

 

[satx78247]

Depending on the actual measurement of the particular brand of lead 000 Buck, an UNQUALIFIED YES to that question.
(Diameters of buckshot vary depending on maker. - "Mic" a few until you find a product that's fully suitable to your rifle's bore & then buy a "lifetime supply" of same, CHEAP. = A ten pound sack should work!)

yours, satx

 

[Bugflipper]

A 1-48 twist (standard on most 40s) will stabilize up to a 145 gr .401 swc. A much shorter ballet would have no trouble. To shoot the 175 gr .401 swc or .401 190 gr big lube accurately you need a 1-36 twist which use to be the common twist on the old originals. The .409 430 gr needs a 1-12 twist after resizing. A 40 makes a fine deer rifle with enough lead behind it, heck it makes a nice caliber for anything in North America with enough lead.