Found a Seneca

[Cleburne]

Have to share my joy, .... ran across a .36 caliber T/C Seneca at a small local gun show that appears unfired. Priced at $300.00, I got it in trade for another front stuffer and coin. Hope to bust some tree rats this season. Waiting for balls, patches, etc to come in this week from TOW. I'd enjoy reading the experiences of others with this fine little rifle. The only thing that would make this more desirable to me would be for it to have been made as a rock lock.

Cleburne

 

[Bob J]

Congrats on a great find! I have had my daughter's out only once; it shot well with 20 grains of Goex 3f and a .010 patch.

 

[Cleburne]

Thanks for the info. I'll try that load and see how it works.

Cleburne

 

[410-er]

Good find!My TC 36 would not shoot very tight groups with the .350 ball.With maxis it did very well.Then I tried .360 balls.Got all but 1 hole groups at 25yds with 40grs of FFFg and a .010 red stripe pillow.Single shot below group is after adjustment.

 

[paulvallandigham]

YOu need thicker patching for a .350 ball than whatever that is. Don't buy ticking based on the color of the stripes, PLEASE. When I was a Wally World a couple of years ago, they had at least two different bolts of ticking with "red stripes". My micrometer showed they were of different thicknesses about .005" difference. When buying fabric for patching, Take a Micrometer, or Caliper with you and measure the stuff. ( The same problem occurs with the 'Blue Striped" ticking, BTW. In fact, I found one bolt of Blue Striped ticking that was the SAME thickness as one of the two bolts of Red Striped ticking! :shocked2: ) So much for "color coding". :idunno: :hmm: :thumbsup:

 

[MikeChapin]

Congrats on the find. :thumbsup:

Back in the '80s I got a youth's model for my wife. She still uses it and loves it. I don't mess with it much because the pull is way too short for me.

She shoots 30 grains 3F with a .350 ball and .020 denim patch. For 100 yards she steps up to 40 grains.

 

[410-er]

Paul I tried .010,.015,.018,.020.patches with the 350 ball.Tried FFg and FFFg.She is a determined woman.SHE WANTS .360 with .010! :rotf:

 

[paulvallandigham]

Try using a filler of corn meal, farina, etc- whatever you have in the house-- don't go out and buy something just for your gun that you don't already eat!--- to act as a gas seal. The use of any gas seal will push all the energy into your PRB so that it upsets quickly in the barrel.

Then try this with the .350 ball, and 30 grains of FFFg powder. You choose the patch size, but I would use the .018 or .020" patch, well lubed. If the barrel is sealed properly with your patch, you should NOT have to use as much as 40 grains of powder to get one- hole accuracy out at 50 yards.

And, you should not have to use the .360" balls. The .350s will upset well enough, if they are cast from pure lead, and using the smaller diameter ball will also make it easier to load the gun faster for second shots at those squirrels.

As always, never assume the exact diameter of any barrel: measure it with calipers to know exactly what the bore diameter is, and then what the groove diameter is. The depth of the grooves is used in selecting the right thickness of the patch material. use a micrometer or caliper to measure the actual diameter of your lead balls, too. You might be surprised at what you are actually using, instead of what you might think you are using. :hmm:

 

[ebiggs1]

Looks good to me. I would leave it alone. You start messing with that other stuff and it's just a pain. You probably won't get any better group anyway.

 

[Greg Allred]

Mine throws fliers with less than 40 grain charges. With 40 gr FF it will shoot RB's and Maxi's into less than 2" at 50yds, and is devestating on ground squirrels.