.32 Traditions

[higene]

I have recently gotten back into muzzle loaders and black powder. I have a .32 Traditions which I am working on loads for. I have gotten good accuracy at the low end of the load scale. With 20 gr of 777 ff or Pyrodex the rifle shoots to point of aim. With 30 gr. the strike of the bullet is 6 to 8 inches higher. The groups open up a bit but I can live with that. (I save the Goex for the flintlock because it is so hard to get.)

I am guestimating 1200 fps at 20 gr of powder. With a 45 gr ball I'm guessing 145 fpe - or at or about a 22lr. I would like to see 1500 fps (225 fpe) or 1800 fps (325 fpe) - more in the neighborhood of a 22 mag.

1. How does one chronograph a BP gun without trashing the chronograph?
2. I was thinking of a Marbel's or Lyman tang aperture sights to be able to be able to adjust for the wide range in the strike of the bullet. Does anyone have any suggestions?
3. Can I shoot conicals in a 1:48 twist gun? What can I expect? What weight?

Your thoughts Appreciated.

Higene

 

[mykeal]

1. Either shoot on a windy day (crosswind) or set the chrony further downrange.

2. Haven't used the Marbel's, although I've heard good things about it. I like the Lyman on my percussion GPR but I rarely need to vary it much because it's a .54.

3. Yes. I'd load 30 gr or more, however. Should get better range, or rather better accuracy at long range. The rb is better at close range and lighter loads out of 1:48.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

And you need the extra 300 - 500 fps why? If you switched to heavier conicals, you will lower the MV, and have to increase the powder further. Unlike a similar .22, your cross section on a .32 round ball is larger in diameter. 20 grains of 3Fg is fine, thirty is pushing the max (imho). You may be applying a .32 as a solution to a .36 caliber problem, depending on why you think you need the speed.

Get a good quality rifle rest, and two big pieces of carboard. Set the cardboard about 2' apart at the distance you want your chrono to be. Shoot a round through both pieces while using the rifle in the rest. You then will know the probable bullet path due to the holes in the cardboard pieces. Set up the chrono between the cardboard pieces, with the screens aligned along the bullet path you established. You are now ready to chrono your BP rifle. The front piece of cardboard protects the chrono from powder bits and prevents the smoke from screwing up the reading (you may have to tape the bullet holes after each shot if you try this with a large caliber), and the back piece allows you to monitor your aiming to ensure you don't drift from center and endanger the chrono.


LD

 

[[email protected]]

I have one and shoot 30 grs Goex FFF and "0" Buck and .020 Teflon patch

 

[arcticap]

The TC sidelock manual provides some basic .32 sidelock velocity information for the round ball and the Maxiball .32 conical bullet.

http://www.tcarms.com/assets/manuals/current/Shooting_TC_Side_Lock_Black_Powder_Guns.pdf


Page 72 shows velocity data for the .315 dia. 47 grain patched round ball:

30 grains fffg - 1714 fps
40 grains fffg - 1929 fps
50 grains fffg - 2055 fps

Page 73 shows velocity data for the .32 caliber 103 grain lead bullet:
(Page 68 shows that a .32 caliber Maxiball weighs 103 grains.)

30 grains fffg - 1418 fps
40 grains fffg - 1628 fps
50 grains fffg - 1749 fps

If your barrel is longer than the 27" Seneca/Cherokee that generated the velocities above, then I would guess to add 50 - 100 fps extra per loading to compensate for it. Also compensate for the 777 powder by loading 15% less.

Among the reasons for shooting at higher velocities is to shoot flatter for a longer distance, to help buck the wind and to obtain better penetration on game.

 

[Claude Clay]

use rondogs target holder with plasticwrap/clear plastic type painters drop material instead of cardboard in front of the crono

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Among the reasons for shooting at higher velocities is to shoot flatter for a longer distance, to help buck the wind and to obtain better penetration on game

Articap, that's very valid for much larger calibers, but how far are you going to shoot a .32 and how big an animal are you going to hit that penetration is a factor? Maybe it's because I'm over 40 but I can't see launching it over 50 yards. Are you guys trying to do groundhogs at 100 or more?

LD

 

[arcticap]

There's a fellow on the MLF that has told the story many times about how he took a coyote at about 140 - 150 yards with his .32 Traditions Crockett rifle. He used some holdover and hit the coyote right in the ear and dropped him. It's the kind of story that a person doesn't forget hearing about, and he doesn't let anyone else forget about it either. He openly admits that the shot involved a lot of luck too.
If someone is going to take a hail mary shot like that they'd better load enough powder to at least reach what they're shooting at and hope to have a few foot pounds of energy left over for the ball to do its job.
I only have .36's myself, but they can produce similiar velocities using a heavier projectile but with only a little more powder.

Page 72:

65 grain .35 caliber lead ball
40 grains fffg -1894 fps
50 grains fffg - 2034 fps
60 grains fffg - 2150 fps

Page 74:

128 grain bullet
40 grains fffg - 1761
50 grains fffg - 1843
60 grains fffg - 2001

http://www.tcarms.com/assets/manuals/current/Shooting_TC_Side_Lock_Black_Powder_Guns.pdf

These aren't my pictures below, but they show what a .32 round ball does to a squirrel at close range.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

These aren't my pictures below, but they show what a .32 round ball does to a squirrel at close range.

That's my point I can't see well enough to pick an aim point on a rabbit or squirrel except at close range (under 50 yards)! So a load above 30 grains is just wasting powder, and other than a round ball wastes lead. Now, mind ya, a groundhog might be tough, so I can understand when hunting hogs you'd want a conical or lots of umph!

LD

 

[higene]

.32 Crockett Pistol

I put Lyman folding leaf sights with a Lyman white front dot on the Traditions Crockett rifle. I sighted it in and deemed it ready to hunt. My next .32 project involves a .32 Traditions Crockett pistol kit.

I won't bore you with the details. Today I browned the barrel according to the instructions I got here on the site. I'm pumped now. All I have to do is load it and shoot it. I will let you all know how it goes.

Patched .32 cast balls and greazy t-shirt patches.

Any advice would be appreciated.


I will get some pictures later.

Hi Gene




PS. tell me if this should be another thread.