Who uses a .40 for small game?

[Rat Trapper]

Who is using a .40 for small game? What's your load for small game and can you post your findings?

 

[roundball]

In both a 32" GM .40cal I used to have, and now a 38" Late Lancaster .40cal built by Matt Avance/TVM, I just used "the caliber" for a powder charge: 40grns Goex 3F / .018" precut/prelubed pillow ticking / .395" Hornady & Eddie May round balls...love it !

Zeroed at 25yds, it just eats a single ragged hole, and that from a seated hunting position, no bench...barely hunted it, only took one shot so far.

 

[BillinOregon]

Dang it Roundball, you're giving me a terrible case of the "gottahaves," and I won't be able to sleep ...

:wink:

 

[roundball]

Dang it Roundball, you're giving me a terrible case of the "gottahaves," and I won't be able to sleep ...
:wink:

Beautiful .40cal Lancaster from TVM for sure...retirement present for myself...LOL.

For economy, in using it to practice off-hand shooting a few days ago, I found the muzzle wouldn't hold as steady with its 13/16" x 38" barrel, compared to other longer/heavier 42" barreled calibers.
Its excellent as it is for carrying / still hunting but I'm going to temporarily add a bit of weight for off-hand practice at the range with a 3/8" solid brass ramrod...should be here in a few days.

 

[George]

My first BP gun was a .40 caliber flintlock rifle. I waited 6 years to be able to afford a second-hand one, and it was worth the wait. That was 38 years ago, and it's still serving me well. It was my only gun for a long time, and I used it for all my squirrel hunting. It frightened the squirrels so, they would climb trees every time they saw me bringing it into the woods. It has a 42" Douglas barrel, 13/16", straight, 1:66" twist, and has always been very accurate with any load I put in it. Here's a target shot a long time ago when I was working up a small-game load. It is with 40 gr. FFFg Goex, but I eventually settled on 25 grains for squirrels, and it shoots at least this good with that.

I use Hornady swaged .395" balls and 0.010" linen patch with lard/beeswax lube. I was probably using Wonderlube when this target was shot.

Spence

 

[BillinOregon]

Beautiful rig Spence!
Roundball, you surely know how to give yourself a present.

 

[PJC]

That is a beautiful rifle. It will serve you well for many years. I had a 40 and sold it to a good friend then purchased a 32 cal. Nothing wrong with the 40. I just decided to go with a 32 for squirrel and 45 for deer.

 

[roundball]

Roundball, you surely know how to give yourself a present.

Spent the last 3 years selling off a lifetime accumulation of modern shotguns, rifles, scopes, reloading equipment, etc, as well as my half stock Flintlocks, to set myself up with just a few nice long guns for retirement...that officially starts at the end of this month.
:thumbsup:

 

[jethro224]

retirement...that officially starts at the end of this month.

Lucky dawg. Enjoy it! :thumbsup:

 

[hanshi]

40 grains of 3F here, too. Good load and accurate.

 

[roundball]

Spence, PJC, Hansi...some very nice looking .40cals and gear showing up in this thread
:thumbsup:

 

[nchawkeye]

I use a .40 as well...After using 40grs FFF for years I decided to drop down to 25grs of FFF as most shots are inside 35 yards and with 25grs it shoots flat inside of that range...

Here is my Bob Watts gun I bought in 1977...

 

[smo]

Fantastic looking weapons Guys. :thumbsup: Roundball, Congrats on your up coming retirement. I'm sure you are looking forward to it. :thumbsup: By the way that's some great looking.... Brass on that TVM .40 cal you have there Sir. :wink: :grin:

 

[Rat Trapper]

Some nice rifles and targets. Hope others will jump in and add some posts and pictures.

 

[roundball]

Roundball, Congrats on your up coming retirement. I'm sure you are looking forward to it. :thumbsup:

Yes, looking forward to it...but I also figure it's going to be a challenge to just "stop" after running flat out for a half century...
:hmm:

 

[Robby]

As much as I would like to try my .40 for deer hunting, its illegal here. Never the less I like learning and have enjoyed your trials with the .40 in double balling. The accuracy and tightness of impact point is very impressive! I love my .40, but for now its a strictly small game gun.

Robby

 

[roundball]

Same with mine...mainly got it for post-retirement economical year round range plinking.

Your .40 is beautiful...how does that single trigger do...is it pretty light?

 

[Robby]

Thanks Roundball, Yes it is a very light and crisp trigger. I have never measured the actual pull in pounds, but I do spend a great deal of time trying to get it just right, including revisiting it from time to time in case there has been any changes due to wood shrinkage. Now I have to try double balling it. After getting it right, it should be heck on milk jugs! Thanks again!
Robby

 

[sky hawk]

I'm still working up a load. With .389 RB's I found 45-50 gr. 3F worked better with .015 patches and 40 gr. worked better with .018 patches. I've got some .395 RB's on the way with some .010 patches to test.

So far, I'm not getting the ragged holes posted in this thread. My best groups are more like 1.5" or so at 25 yds. Hopefully I will be shooting some squirrels in the next week. There are a ton around my squirrel hunting spot this year, and it's stew-making time. We'll see how she does.

 

[roundball]

I've got some .395 RB's on the way with some .010 patches to test.

Be interesting to see how that does...to be honest, I'll be very surprised if you're happy with those thin .010" patches.

The ragged hole groups you mentioned usually come from using thick patches giving tight PRB combinations, for example:
.018" to .020" patches with .395"-.397" balls.