Small game- .32 cal vs smoothbore

[Smokinfeathers]

I prefer a smoothbore coming from shotgun country, but also because they load a lot easier to me especially when have fired many times. I have 32’s as well but after a few shots even swabbing between it’s a pain to load for me!! Also like to be able load and shoot round balls on bigger game as well. I also mainly squirrel hunt an there are a lot more people living around us now where use to be just the family through here so I prefer shooting shot into the air over ball or bullet. I’m moving to a more secluded place over the next year lol!!!My 2 cents

 

[Kansas Kid]

Mainly big Fox squirrels here with a gray one here and there. They run for cover at just the sight of a vehicle or person. You got to hunt them like deer, find a likely spot and sit tight till they come back out and present a shot.

 

[Walkingeagle]

By "RED" squirrels, do you mean these little terrorists? Around my area, we refer to these as both Pine and Red squirrels.

View attachment 57290

Or the much larger FOX Squirrel?

View attachment 57292

Well...after posting I looked it up and it appears it's the former little Pine/Red squirrel. I also found this statement (with photos)...they should hand out air rifles instead of live traps!!! Clearly the City of Edmonton has too much budget if they pay people to relocate those nasty little chewers of everything.

The red squirrel can sometimes become a nuisance in urban areas. The City of Edmonton does provide humane wildlife traps for capturing squirrels on private property. Animal control officers will pick up and relocate trapped squirrels. For more information visit the City of Edmonton webpage.

Ya, that’s them. Can’t hunt anything within city limits so I do my hunting on public lands NW of the city.
Walk

 

[hanshi]

I began my hunting career with shotguns. But it didn't take me too long to get into rifles. I have both a .32 and a smoothbore and that covers everything for me. I shoot ball in my smoothbore, not quite exclusively, but almost. The only thing I'll use shot for is turkey. This makes the smoothbore a large game and turkey gun only for my use. I'm a rifleman and prefer both the .32 and .36 for all small game and varmints. If squirrel is your current primary target, get the .32. Later you can get a smoothbore - everybody should have one - if deer or turkey become of interest to you. In fact, where legal I prefer a rifle for turkey over a smoothbore. A smoothbore is wonderful fun and I like them, but you'll end up shooting a .32 much, much more than you would a smoothbore.

 

[Flinty Scot]

I have a .50 southern rifle, that I reach for for deer or woodchuck but, if for a versatile small game collector, I reach for an old .50 fowler. It's been converted to caplock, but is still one of the sweetest handling guns I've used.

 

[flintlock75]

Sorry if this has been asked before, tried to search but couldn’t find a discussion on it. Was wondering everyone’s opinion on buying a .32 cal vs a smooth bore flintlock for my first flintlock rifle for hunting specifically small game?

I mainly planning on using the rifle for small game (squirrel, rabbit, etc.). I like the idea of being able to patch a smooth bore for large game in the future. But it seems that a dedicated caliber might be a better option. I spend most of my time either hunting or fishing, and really fell in love with the idea of using a flintlock.

Let me know what you think! Thanks!

I have been in your position. I have several smooth bores and rifles. Both have there place. If you are shooting beyond 40 yards at small game a rifle works well. Something to consider; I was hunting birds and rabbits with my Brown Bess, loaded with shot. While walking on the trail I ran into a big grizzly. He did not see me as he was going the same way. I quietly stop backed off the trail and loaded a round ball over the shot, just in case. Only one shot but better than birdshot. I let him keep going and headed back to the truck. Two years later I was in the same area, later in the winter and had my .40 cal with me, similar situation , came up on a bear in the trail, all I could do was hope he did not see or smell me, the small .40 was no comfort.

 

[Walkingeagle]

Yup, them big brown critters live in my hunting area too. Along with their black couso, wolves and cougars. I tend not to fret over any of them too much. Just keep them in mind.
Walk

 

[Carbon 6]

Shooting squirrels in trees should really be done with shot. A ball goes a long way and can be deadly on it’s way back down.

In hill country I can shoot a squirrel out of a tree top and still be shooting at a down angle, or I can shoot up and still have a backstop. Safety of your target and beyond has nothing to do with the gun. It's the shooter's responsibility before they pull the trigger.

 

[dragnetbill]

By "RED" squirrels, do you mean these little terrorists? Around my area, we refer to these as both Pine and Red squirrels.

View attachment 57290

Or the much larger FOX Squirrel?

View attachment 57292

Well...after posting I looked it up and it appears it's the former little Pine/Red squirrel. I also found this statement (with photos)...they should hand out air rifles instead of live traps!!! Clearly the City of Edmonton has too much budget if they pay people to relocate those nasty little chewers of everything.

The red squirrel can sometimes become a nuisance in urban areas. The City of Edmonton does provide humane wildlife traps for capturing squirrels on private property. Animal control officers will pick up and relocate trapped squirrels. For more information visit the City of Edmonton webpage.

At my house "RED" is refered to as the $500 squirrel; while packing pine cones in her engine block he chewed through my trucks wiring harness for the coolant temperature sensor . It's only a $60 part and "easy" to install yourself according to my research at the time; directions all basically started something like this, "First, take the front end of the truck off to get access to the sensor............" No thanks; Labor was $440.
Needless to say, in my world there is no season and no bag limit on $500 squirrels.
In proof reading this post it appears to me that I might not be over this yet.

 

[Art Caputo]

Here in the Northeast, were I to own one longarm and my goal was to put food on the table, my choice would be a smoothbore. While I use my smoothbore for turkey and upland birds on occasion, my muzzleloader small game hunting is largely done in the late season where will combine squirrel and coyote(classed as small game in my state). For this, I use my 40 cal flintlock. Overall, I prefer shooting/hunting with muzzleloader rifles over smoothbores.

 

[Long monday]

It has been said but in my opinion it depends on how badly you want meat.
If meat is the goal, go with a smoothbore.
if sport is the goal and the meat is a bonus the riffle can’t be be beat.
We are planning a 70 hike taking only wool blankets, tarp and something to take game with.
I am a pretty good shot with my .32 but when I am counting on that meat for five days the pedersoli side by side is currently the plan.

 

[rodwha]

In hill country I can shoot a squirrel out of a tree top and still be shooting at a down angle, or I can shoot up and still have a backstop. Safety of your target and beyond has nothing to do with the gun. It's the shooter's responsibility before they pull the trigger.

Sounds like some really steep stuff

 

[Robby]

When shooting up at squirrels the same rules apply as to any shooting situation, make sure of your backdrop's.
Robby

 

[hanshi]

Out of habit I will normally move to where there's a limb or tree trunk behind the squirrel I want to take. It's rare that some sort of back stop doesn't appear.

 

[CapPopper]

Shooting squirrels in trees should really be done with shot. A ball goes a long way and can be deadly on it’s way back down.

That's one of the nice things about the 32..... If you could even get a ball to 200 yards it's only doing like 250 fps with around 9ftlbs of energy..... I mean I guess if you were extremely unlucky it may take an eye out..... But it's highly unlikely it would break a good piece of glass with this figures

 

[Carbon 6]

How about a 32 smoothbore.

 

[deerstalkert]

At my house "RED" is refered to as the $500 squirrel; while packing pine cones in her engine block he chewed through my trucks wiring harness for the coolant temperature sensor . It's only a $60 part and "easy" to install yourself according to my research at the time; directions all basically started something like this, "First, take the front end of the truck off to get access to the sensor............" No thanks; Labor was $440.
Needless to say, in my world there is no season and no bag limit on $500 squirrels.
In proof reading this post it appears to me that I might not be over this yet.

thank your stars that you didn't have a Prius! a lady friend had one exactly 1 week before the squirrels discovered the wiring harness was insulated with a soybean "ECO" based insulation. 12k in cost to repair.

on thread, i use my .32 flint for grouse mostly. shoot them right at the wing top and get the spine.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Sorry if this has been asked before, tried to search but couldn’t find a discussion on it. Was wondering everyone’s opinion on buying a .32 cal vs a smooth bore flintlock for my first flintlock rifle for hunting specifically small game?

I mainly planning on using the rifle for small game (squirrel, rabbit, etc.). I like the idea of being able to patch a smooth bore for large game in the future. But it seems that a dedicated caliber might be a better option. I spend most of my time either hunting or fishing, and really fell in love with the idea of using a flintlock.

Let me know what you think! Thanks!

Another nice thread resurrection guys.

I have a percussion BlueRidge Rifle in .32 caliber; very accurate, and very fun to shoot. I was amazed, when I first got the gun, at how little powder and lead the gun used during a day in the field, spent hunting. The .32 has a 39 inch barrel and is not overly barrel heavy, though as the years pass, I’m noticing the weight more and more. Finding a nice spot and quietly sitting and waiting for game to make an appearance is what I do most when taking the .32 out for squirrels. For rabbits, if they stop inside of 45-50 yrds, it’s usually a one shot kill. With today’s economic climate and lack of shooting resources, I’m seriously considering converting this little percussion into a flinter.

I have several smoothbores, I love smoothbores. If small game is on the list of activities for that day, my first inclination is grab a smoothbore. These guns are so incredibly versatile, they can be used for everything from doves to geese, and with a RB and a stout powder charge…they will take most any big game within a reasonable distance.

My fondest memories of hunts that I’ve taken have been rabbit hunts with my dad, both of us using our Brown Besses, and 1 ounce #6 shot.

Great Times…

 

[Tradbow]

Shooting squirrels in trees should really be done with shot. A ball goes a long way and can be deadly on it’s way back down.

Really?? You need to study ballistic reports. A 32 caliber round ball loaded with 25 grains of powder isn’t going to go far enough to do much more damage if any more than a hickory nut falling on your head than a ball shot a hundred yards away up into the trees.

 

[bud in pa]

If I had the money and wanted a smoothbore, I would buy a Rice smoothbore made out of 4140 steel, I believe, and have someone like Pecatonica fit it to their Tulle stock. Their barrels are about 2 pounds lighter then everybody else's barrels.