Flintlock Squirrel Rifle?

[Brokennock]

Don't forget to check your local game regulations to make sure there is no caliber restriction or maximum for small game.

 

[Brokennock]

Post doubled

 

[ohiochuck]

galamb
Yes these examples are what I am looking to find. Is (are) there books, etc. showing more examples of the silver inlays and wire? If anyone can post more examples please do, thanks!
I do appreciate ALL the comments thus far!!
More welcomed.
Ohio has no caliber limit now for small game hunting.
Thanks!
Jim

 

[MSW]

either should work well. being ham handed, I'm partial to the .36.

free advice, and no doubt well worth the price :grin:

 

[Crewdawg445]

.45 for me all day everyday. I've taken more squirrel with my .45 flinter than any other I own. I also have a .32 pedersoli scout and a .36 mountain rifle I built. Personally IMO .32 is a pain with a patent breech to clean. My .36 is also a good rifle but as I mentioned before, 99% of the time it's my .45 caliber that serves as a small game rifle and also larger game, duel purpose. I've also taken squirrel with my .50 and .54's which isn't ideal, but is possible with barking them or hitting them right in the head (easier said than done). To each his own, you'll find whathe works for YOU! :thumbsup:

Also don't count out a smoothie, I just finished my 20gauge trade musket that will ultimately be getting allot of woods time starting tomorrow. When it comes to versatility, nothing beats a smoothie. Don't worry about accuracy either, they ARE plenty accurate.

 

[galamb]

I am not aware of a book just dealing with wire inlay long rifles.

Your best friend would be Google when looking for pictures - and then lots of following broken links etc until you find something you can pattern.

Here's a link to the Clay Smith (contemporary) rifle - has lot's more pics and info.. (Clay)

 

[Shifty]

The only negative i have with the real small bore rifles is the small ram rods,i solved that issue for my 32 with a 5/16" brass rod drilled one end and installed a 32 cleaning jag and a very small sleeve on the other end so i could grab onto it.I know it adds a little weight but not enuff to hurt.
A friend of mine has built some 29 and i think 25 cal squirrel rifles and has no problems with them .
It is just what you want either a small bore dedicated squirrel rifle or a dual purpose 40 or 45 cal.

 

[marsh trapper]

.32 vote here. I have a pedersoli frontier/blue ridge in flint..30grns fffg goex and .310 prb..I think do 22 mag damage out to 50yards or so..I have had no problem with foulin using totw mink oil.....I want to try .315 prbs and see if damage is any different

 

[jackley]

I've had 22,32,40,and now I have a 36. They are all good. Never had problems with fouling or with wooden ramrods with any of them. Although the 22 was a turret breech. I would recommend any of them. And if you want dual purpose the 45 is a good choice.

Jerry

 

[Dean2]

I like my 32. It is interesting that there is this belief that 32s foul easily yet in hundreds of posts over many years you rarely if ever see anyone who shoots a 32 says it fouls easily. I have never had any problem with mine fouling either.

With a tight ball and patch, I can't see why they would realistically foul any worse than anything else. You are cleaning the fouling out every time you seat an new round. Even if you have to give the bore a swipe with a wet patch to clear a crud ring after 20 or 30 shots, so what. It takes all of ten seconds to do.

As to broken rods, my hickory ram rod has loaded thousands of balls and it is still the original one. A little care and attention is all that is needed. If you are ham handed and a clutz, go to a Derlin or brass rod.

The thing I really like about the 32 is it groups well from 5 grains to 60 grains. It is the least load sensitive rifle I own. Also, the light round ball looses speed very quickly. Even though 25 grains starts it out at 1200 fps it is out of steam at 300 yards, so for shooting squirrels in a tree the ball will not carry near as far as even a 22RF. That to me is a big plus.

 

[rr11]

Buy one of each and you'll know plus have extra guns to boot. :haha:

Yea I have done that in the past. That is why I have a .50, .54 and a .58 for deer. Since I am retiring soon I will have to restrict my self to one rifle. I am leaning towards a 36. But am still sitting on the fence and watching people who know more than me discuss this.

 

[TeutonicHeathen]

I would go with a .32 no bigger. You could also do a fowler as well for squirrel

 

[don hepler]

The reason fowling issues are mentioned, is often related to the ram rod. If you get a little extra fowling in a 54 cal., then you can lean a little harder on the ram rod. But, that doesn't always work with the 32 and a tiny rod. Another factor is the rifling. Custom rifles and custom flintlock rifles seem to have deeper rifling, than a gun like a TC Cherokee. I have a custom round ball rifled barrel and never have fowling issues, but some of the factory guns with shallow rifled barrel are a little more prone to fowling. Also the condition of the barrel can be a problem. I have a 32 Cherokee that has a pitted barrel (from the previous owner) and the only way I can shoot it, without fowling, is to use Black MZ powder. I have an alloy rod, for range use.

With all that been said. I would choose a .32 over the .36 or .40. Just pick a deep rifled barrel and keep it in good shape. Not a bad idea to have a metal rod close by, or in the truck, just in case.

 

[larry wv]

That makes sense as for some people having problems more than others with a 32. +2 on not using a wimpy rod with one. Good post :thumbsup: .

Larry

 

[faste350]

another vote for the .32. mine gives me great results consistently out to 100 yards on woodchucks. 30gr of 3f, .311 prb. no fouling issues at all. still using the hickory ram rod with no problems. what area of ohio are you in?

 

[Critter Getter]

I don't have a .32 yet......... But I can tell you, a .45 Virginia ( from Pecatonic River Muzzleloaders) that I have, is wayyyy too much gun for squirrel if you don't hit them in the head! The .45 is great as a dual purpose gun however as it is a legal caliber here in Iowa for deer hunting. I would go .32 or smaller. Greg.

[/URL][/img]

 

[Crewdawg445]

I have to respectively disagree... I've harvested more squirrel than I can count with my .45 caliber, all with very usable meat and pelts. One important aspect a larger caliber teaches you is to be proficient with using iron sights and to exercise patience in awaiting for a clear line of sight. As does a .32, but a .32 caliber ball can be just as destructive to their little bodies if one is lazy on shot placement. :thumbsup:

Beautiful rifle by the way!

 

[Critter Getter]

Thanks for the kind words about my rifle. Mike Brooks put it together for me. Maybe I need to play around with a reduced load for squirrel hunting. I shot this one with my normal deer hunting load of 70 grains of 3f and missed the head. Nothing left but entrails and a tail from the gun back with that squirrel in the pic. I have head shot other squirrels with another .45 I own and 60 grains completely takes the head off. I have a small caliber original percussion gun that is something smaller than a .36 ( around a .28-.30 I'm guessing) that I would love to fire up and hunt squirrels with!! Greg.

 

[Spikebuck]

The .45 is great as a dual purpose gun however as it is a legal caliber here in Iowa for deer hunting.

If I understand my Minnesota game laws correctly, if I'm in the woods with a legal gun AND ammunition for deer hunting AND it's an open gun deer season, I AM deer hunting. Meaning, if I was just squirrel hunting during a gun deer season (which in SE MN runs for about 6 weeks straight) with a rifle of .40 caliber + and round ball, but did not have a valid deer license, I'm in trouble. This law lets the Warden's act on the individuals who are poaching and will always say "Oh...I'm hunting Coyotes" or whatever they may have a license to hunt (coyote require no license here for MN residents). This is one reason my 20 GA smoothie is a preferred small game gun...with shot (if I am carrying RB for it, I'm hunting deer under application of the law). With shot it is not a legal big-game combination, so I'm OK. Or, one could use a rifle < 40 caliber, or a smoothbore < 45 with a round ball.

Net, also pays to know your State's game law applications to stay out of trouble.

 

[Crewdawg445]

Oh absolutely a full hunting load is WAY to much. I usually use a 40gr load for squirrel, sometimes even less depending on how I feel. It's a joy being your own hand loader!