T/C Seneca .36 caliber

[PARidgeRunner]

I recently purchased a used Seneca .36 cal for squirrel hunting in PA. The rifle is in excellent condition and shoots quite accurately. I have shot it a few times and 30 grains of FFF seems work best. I received some patches with the gun, but I am not sure of the thickness. It loads hard. What size patches have you found to work with this caliber? I am using Swiss powder.

 

[Jim K]

In my .36 I shoot 30 gns 3f Schuetzen, .350 balls with .020 pillow ticking patches. Congratulations on the Seneca. Nice rifle.

 

[Gtrubicon]

I use .350 ball with .015 patch lubed spit, mink oil and most recently dawn and water mixture. The dawn and water is working for me. Forgot to mention this is in a TC Cherokee.

 

[PARidgeRunner]

Thanks so much for your reply. Appreciate the info. Best wishes.

 

[Duk]

.350 ball 30 gr of 3f and .018 pillow ticking is a good combination for my sececa.

 

[GregK]

I use 0.010 patches for ease of loading in both my 36 and 45 Senecas

 

[Ohio Rusty]

Buy a micrometer. You can measure patch thickness of all materials for the rest of your life.
Ohio Rusty ><>

 

[Ditt44]

My Seneca (15xxx serial) likes 30g of 3F although I keep trying to convince it that 20g is plenty I use .350 balls and started with a .010 patch when I got the rifle but the .015 is the best accuracy at this point. The barrel was not shot much at all from what I can tell and had a couple sharp edges that I had to polish up a bit which made the .015s load without snagging.

My .32 Cherokee loads easy with .010 and a .315 ball but is more accurate with a .310 ball and a .018 patch. I think if I found a good .012 patch the .315 balls would be the best combo at .327.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Buy a micrometer. You can measure patch thickness of all materials for the rest of your life.
Ohio Rusty ><>

Of course the $30 digital Vernier calipers are accurate enough for most of the measurements we do from 0.005" for paper up to 6". The calipers can measure inside and outside diameters as well as depth. Batteries are cheap at the $1.25 stores for 4.

 

[rpatmuck]

I purchased a Senica back in the mid 70s and used it for squirrel hunting. I used a 350 round ball and 25 grains of 3 F with a twelve thousands thick patch. I normally ran a cleaning patch down the bore after each shot. Head shots were the goal and most of the time that was achieved. I had pecan bottoms to hunt and a creek with lots of oak trees mixed in. Those hunts were better than deer hunting to me. I used a .45 cal. to hunt deer. My kids grew up eating what we brought in from our hunts. I am 80 years old now and cant hunt like that any more but i still have the memories of good times hunting with my muzzle loading rifles.

 

[Gordoncourtney]

I purchased a Senica back in the mid 70s and used it for squirrel hunting. I used a 350 round ball and 25 grains of 3 F with a twelve thousands thick patch. I normally ran a cleaning patch down the bore after each shot. Head shots were the goal and most of the time that was achieved. I had pecan bottoms to hunt and a creek with lots of oak trees mixed in. Those hunts were better than deer hunting to me. I used a .45 cal. to hunt deer. My kids grew up eating what we brought in from our hunts. I am 80 years old now and cant hunt like that any more but i still have the memories of good times hunting with my muzzle loading rifles.

What only 80 I am 81. UK London I shoot squirrels with a 177 or 22 bsa pcp Scorpio. I cannot shoot real guns as police won’t give me a permit so they hang on the wall. Exercise is bows and arrows at 40 yards , got a USA ionex bow off eBay uk As I say just be happy. I paint a lot to pass the time of day 100 yard garden full of trees, not so many squirrels this year , shot one a day last year, bugger to skin though but oh so tasty ha ha

 

[Gordoncourtney]

What only 80 I am 81. UK London I shoot squirrels with a 177 or 22 bsa pcp Scorpio. I cannot shoot real guns as police won’t give me a permit so they hang on the wall. Exercise is bows and arrows at 40 yards , got a USA ionex bow off eBay uk As I say just be happy. I paint a lot to pass the time of day 100 yard garden full of trees, not so many squirrels this year , shot one a day last year, bugger to skin though but oh so tasty ha ha

I meant to add can we have more on squirrel shooting with .36 balls. I have a .36
Ml loader double rifle on the wall , they call them pea rifles this side of the pond, but so little on them like accuracy and range , let alone knock down power dead interested in .36 talk. Many thanks

 

[PARidgeRunner]

I purchased a Senica back in the mid 70s and used it for squirrel hunting. I used a 350 round ball and 25 grains of 3 F with a twelve thousands thick patch. I normally ran a cleaning patch down the bore after each shot. Head shots were the goal and most of the time that was achieved. I had pecan bottoms to hunt and a creek with lots of oak trees mixed in. Those hunts were better than deer hunting to me. I used a .45 cal. to hunt deer. My kids grew up eating what we brought in from our hunts. I am 80 years old now and cant hunt like that any more but i still have the memories of good times hunting with my muzzle loading rifles.

Thank you for your post and best wishes to you, my friend. You stated that you are 80; I am sure you have many fond memories of time in the woods. I am 82 and while I realize my days in the woods chasing squirrels and deer are probably numbered, I am sooo grateful that I can still hunt. Watching a new day being born as you sit in the woods with a rifle on your lap is a special tonic for the soul.

 

[Ditt44]

^^^^ Nothing better than a cold crisp morning sitting against a big oak tree watching and listening to the world wake up! Probably the best soul food one could wish for, and miss the most when you can't be out there!

 

[Gordoncourtney]

^^^^ Nothing better than a cold crisp morning sitting against a big oak tree watching and listening to the world wake up! Probably the best soul food one could wish for, and miss the most when you can't be out there!

I went to catch a rat , too clever to be caught, but a stupid brain squirrel went to jail. I kept him for a couple of hours , then released it . Wife was upset , poor squirrel , yes but nice and fat and tasty , I’ll shoot it in time ha h

 

[Gordoncourtney]

Not seen my pet fox in 10 days, guess a car got her, no road sense, but I live in hope she found a boyfriend and has traveled .

 

[ETipp]

^^^^ Nothing better than a cold crisp morning sitting against a big oak tree watching and listening to the world wake up! Probably the best soul food one could wish for, and miss the most when you can't be out there!

Absolutely correct. Couldn’t have said it better.

 

[JDBraddy]

Just recently bought a .36cal and .45cal Senecas, have never shot anything but round balls, my 36cal Senica seems to like 30gr FFFg Swiss, .350" RB with 10oz denim patch pre-lubed with 1:6 Ballistol:water. That being said...

I also have a .36cal Rice barreled Hawken comming, and am curious about using Conicals. Have no concept what style/ weight mold to buy, Maxi/mini, do you use patches with Conicals? What difference can I expect in performance etc...

 

[Ditt44]

JD... are you one of those anonymous "jerks" who outbid me via online auctions in the last week or two on some .36s???

 

[JDBraddy]

JD... are you one of those anonymous "jerks" who outbid me via online auctions in the last week or two on some .36s???

No, worse. Bought the lifelong dream collection of an aging friend, selling off his stuff. Many had never been fired, and where never listed online.