Accuracy variables .32 crockett

[mudcreek]

I have read great reviews regarding the accuracy of a .32 crockett. I aint gettin it. Best i can get is .310
Hornady ball with .112 patch. Greased with bore butter. 2.5 inches at 28 yds. Any suggestions?

 

[gesthuntn]

I got a Crockett for Christmas but haven't had a chance to shoot yet. Maybe try a thicker patch. .18 or .20.

 

[Zonie]

I have read great reviews regarding the accuracy of a .32 crockett. I aint gettin it. Best i can get is .310
Hornady ball with .112 patch. Greased with bore butter. 2.5 inches at 28 yds. Any suggestions?

Well, except for your putting the decimal point in the wrong place, a .310 diameter ball and a .010 or .0112 thick patch should work just fine, assuming the rifling grooves in the barrel are not very deep.

(.112 " would be about 1/64" less than 1/8 of an inch).

 

[Bassdog1]

Mud what type of powder and how many grains. Try 15 grains of 3f and a .015 patch. As far as lube try wetting a few patches( I use Hoppes) and then squeeze most of the lube out of them between some paper towel folded several times to absorb extra. I do this and then use my vise to squeeze them lightly between the jaws. 30-40 at a time depending on how many I plan to shoot that day then store them in a cap tin.

 

[mudcreek]

Using fffg powder, anywhere from 10-20 grains, 5 shots at a time,
10 gr, 11 gr, 12 gr etc. Best results were with 15 gr. Shooting off a bench with one of the cheaper led sled rests. Changed out the front sight to fiber optic. Could the bore butter lube it up so good that the rifling isn't doing anything? Cause that bore butter sure is slick.
Probly just my old eyes, I guess.

 

[Carbon 6]

Using fffg powder, anywhere from 10-20 grains, 5 shots at a time,
10 gr, 11 gr, 12 gr etc. Best results were with 15 gr. Shooting off a bench with one of the cheaper led sled rests. Changed out the front sight to fiber optic. Could the bore butter lube it up so good that the rifling isn't doing anything? Cause that bore butter sure is slick.
Probly just my old eyes, I guess.

Wow, I would change almost everything.

You are probably over lubing, ditch the bore butter.
Never could get one hole accuracy with a fiber optic sight, how much target does it cover ? It's darn near impossible to get groups smaller than your sight coverage.

I think your powder charge is too light.

Best use I have ever found for a "led sled" was as a boat anchor without a rope attached.
Good sandbags work much better. Unless your gun is scoped, you can't get good eye alignment using a lead sled.

 

[Bassdog1]

I have not had good results in small caliber using wet or real greasy patches. That does not mean that there are not guns out there that will shoot with them I just have not found one yet. How deep is the rifling on your rifle. If it is really shallow try just barely lubing the patch.

 

[Carbon 6]

Where are you finding your fired patches ?
Are they all near each other ?
How close to the target ?
Are they scattered randomly ?
What is their condition ?
Sometimes bore buttter can stick the patch to the ball if they are over lubed. especially with light loads. Not too good for accuracy.

 

[flntlokr]

I have found that the tiny calibres don't like a thick patch much. I don't know how deep your rifling is, but I have found my .31 pistol likes patches on ly about .008. detergent and water lubed, quite wet, 15gr of FFF. I use the same patches in my Seneca .36, and they seem to work ok. Easier to load than the horse blankets as well.

 

[Dr5x]

I have read great reviews regarding the accuracy of a .32 crockett. I aint gettin it. Best i can get is .310
Hornady ball with .112 patch. Greased with bore butter. 2.5 inches at 28 yds. Any suggestions?

i think there is a .32 caliber buck shot. It's in the book somewhere but you can compensate with a slightltly thicker patch. Try loading with a sheet of thin paper between ball and patch then try two sheets.gradually using a tad more thickness. This will cause outrage in some quarters but minimize that goo you are using for a patch lube. Try lightly moistening your patch by laying it briefly on your tongue. We don't want it wet, just damp.
Report what results these changes and experiments might have. The smaller calibers are nit pickier so slight differences in loading can make a big difference on target. Also give the barrel a quick wipe with a damp patch between shots.
Confused / My work is done here. Repot back those small caliber rifles can be amazingingly accurate but it takes nursing.
Dutch Schoultz

 

[Critter Getter]

That's an interesting idea Dutch, I have never used a patch paper combo before but it makes sense that the paper should grip the ball better I would guess and stabilize it more. I learn something new everyday even at my old age! Greg

 

[Dr5x]

That's an interesting idea Dutch, I have never used a patch paper combo before but it makes sense that the paper should grip the ball better I would guess and stabilize it more. I learn something new everyday even at my old age! Greg

BY SHIMMING WITH THIN SHEETS OF PAPER BETWEEN BALL AND PATCH WE CAN LEARN WHAT VERY SLIGHTLY THICKER PATCHES MIGHT AFFECT OUR GROUPS. TEN IF 3 SHEETS OF THIN PAPER PLUS OUR CLOTH PATCH GIVE US SATISFACTION, WE CN TAKE A COMPRESSED MEASUREMENT OF THAT COMBINATION AND THEN GO LOOKING FOR SOME CLOTH THAT MEASURES THE SAME.

DUTCH

 

[Bassdog1]

I used the paper between the ball and patch to help me develop a load for a 40 cal percussion recently and it worked very well. I save the paper that comes packed in the toes of new shoes as well as the paper they are wrapped in. I have also used it to wrap 45 caliber buffalo bullets to get a better grip on rifling. Someone posted that tip on this forum and it has worked quite well.

 

[BullRunBear]

I use a .310 ball and .015 patch over 15 to 20 grains 3F Goex. Loads fairly easily. I lube the patches with Hoppe's 9 Plus but VERY lightly. The patches feel almost dry. The Crockett with that load is pleasingly accurate, even with me shooting it. For what it's worth, I prefer Hoppe's 9 Plus or even saliva to Bore Butter.

Thanks to Dutch for suggesting paper between ball and patch when working up a load. I never would have thought of that.

Jeff

 

[Melnic]

I had such a hard time centering the ball on the small patch that I changed to cutting the patch at the muzzle.
I"m spit patching (cut in a long strip and put in my mouth as I'm loading the powder.)
I use a lee molded .311 patch and I recall 16gr 3f. mine does about 1" group at 25 yards from the bench

 

[Stantheman86]

I use cigarette paper to patch .575 round balls, maybe a similar concept for .320 buckshot

 

[peashooterJoe]

Mine liked the Moose milk patches dried, did not like the Bore butter patches. .310 ball and pillow ticking patch. Peashooterjoe

 

[Dr5x]

Mine liked the Moose milk patches dried, did not like the Bore butter patches. .310 ball and pillow ticking patch. Peashooterjoe

BY saying you have a pillow ticking patch is meaningless to me Joseph.It is the thickness when crushed between Ballard bore.
The very name, Bore Butter puts me off, perhaps unfairly, I tells me it's probably quite slick.
I once thought slicker was quicker and tried to keep mt patch lube really slick. BUT in my experiments to eliminate high and low hits dead center I knew there was a variation in the slickness induced by my lubrication. As the experiments proceeded I noticed that the DRY, LESS LUBED, THE PATCHING WAS THE TIGHTER THE GROUPS WERE.
FURTHER THOUGHT INDICATED AS THE POWDER BEGAGN TO BURN AND PRODUCE gas the slick ball Patch combination would begin to move and probably be out of the barrel before the powder had had its fulll effect. The less slick the greater the resistance to movement and a better efficiency between the gas buildup.

Modern cartridge ammunition gets that resistance as it has to force the rifling into the projectile.
The Moose Milk you mention is used to dampen your wiping patch for the between shot wipe BU it seems to be proving my point.
It'shard for me to answer questions when I don't know if you have read through my eBook or not. as I don't know what you know.
Dutch Schoultz

 

[Bledfor Days]

i think there is a .32 caliber buck shot. It's in the book somewhere but you can compensate with a slightltly thicker patch. Try loading with a sheet of thin paper between ball and patch then try two sheets.gradually using a tad more thickness. This will cause outrage in some quarters but minimize that goo you are using for a patch lube. Try lightly moistening your patch by laying it briefly on your tongue. We don't want it wet, just damp.
Report what results these changes and experiments might have. The smaller calibers are nit pickier so slight differences in loading can make a big difference on target. Also give the barrel a quick wipe with a damp patch between shots.
Confused / My work is done here. Repot back those small caliber rifles can be amazingingly accurate but it takes nursing.
Dutch Schoultz

I opened up a 12 gauge 00 buckshot shell and measured the shot. I was using it to slug the bore on 30 cal. unmentionable rifle. I imagine it would go down the pipe with a thin patch.

 

[Bassdog1]

Ballistic products sells buck shot in many sizes including 1 1/2 which is a .310 ball that many have had good success with.