Crockett .32 Squirrel rifle kit. Any good?

[Tacoma]

30+ years ago, I built a CVA Frontier rifle kit. I remember enjoying the process quite a bit. I also remember that the quality of the kit was pretty decent as was the final products accuracy with mini balls. When I got out of hunting 15 years ago , I foolishly traded the rifle off for an outboard.
So my recent acquisition of a .45 cal "Alamo" rifle has got me thinking that another rifle kit might be a good way to supplement my winter to do list. The rifle would have no "purpose" other than to add to my plinking collection /occasional plinking. I'm thinking something easy to shoot and in the sub $600 range would fit the bill nicely.

Anyway, Traditions Crockett rifle has caught my eye but the reviews on the kits are less than stellar.
Anybody have any experience to share with this gun (or a comparably priced alternative)?

 

[Armored farmer]

I have a CVA squirrel rifle in .32. It was a kit gun that i put together in the mid 80s. It is fun to shoot and I have taken many squirrels with it.

I also have a .40 cal percussion rifle. I truly believe the .40 shoots cleaner than the .32. I have heard others say this too.

My humble advice:
Check out these kit suppliers.
www.longrifles-pr.com
www.deercreekproducts.net
www.flintlocks.com
www.trackofthewolf.com
www.MuzzleloaderBuildersSupply.com

There are others including one often advertised in muzzleloader magazine. I think it is Tennessee Valley arms, or something like that.

Look through these suppliers. I think if you choose one of these, your kit may be more challenging, but you'll end up with a better quality rifle for about the same amount of work.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

Tennesse Valley Muzzleloading?
http://www.tennesseevalleymuzzleloading.com/

(I think Tennessee Valley Arms and Tennessee Valley Manufacturing are similar names.)

 

[Armored farmer]

Tennesse Valley Muzzleloading?
http://www.tennesseevalleymuzzleloading.com/

(I think Tennessee Valley Arms and Tennessee Valley Manufacturing are similar names.)

Yes, that's it. I have heard they have good kit guns.

 

[rdstrain49]

Finally figured how to post pictures.
My Pedersoli Kentucky. It's marked .44 cal. and does indeed shoot a .440 PRB. Seems that all of my other .440 shooters are marked .45 cal.




And the LePage. This group was shot at 25 yards (first group as I recall) and prior to making a new front sight for it. Now Mr. LePage shoots to point of aim.

 

[Tacoma]

Thanks Folks, I'm going to research some other kits and/or perhaps a different caliber as well.

 

[Armored farmer]

I really like the .40, and I understand that .40 is very popular among serious target shooters. But for my last build I chose the .45 because that is the smallest caliber allowed for bp deer hunting here in Illinois.

You might consider that too.

 

[Tacoma]

I really like the .40, and I understand that .40 is very popular among serious target shooters. But for my last build I chose the .45 because that is the smallest caliber allowed for bp deer hunting here in Illinois.

You might consider that too.

Thanks for your input. Hunting is no longer a concern for me but I do like the fact that going to 45 cal opens up some additional choices of kits. Additionally, since I already have a 45 cal rifle, it makes feeding a new one all the simpler.

 

[Armored farmer]

Th

Thanks for your input. Hunting is no longer a concern for me but I do like the fact that going to 45 cal opens up some additional choices of kits. Additionally, since I already have a 45 cal rifle, it makes feeding a new one all the simpler.

That's definitely a plus.
It's really hard to eyeball the difference between .390 and .440. It would be nice to just need one size.
My .45 shoots really clean too.(.32 and .54.....not so much)

 

[midland man]

how much powder would I use in my 45c to take squirrels with using a roundball?

 

[Armored farmer]

Oh, i would start off the bench with about 40 gr of 3f, and shoot 5 shots.
Add 5 gr and shoot 5 more.
Repeat
Keep good notes. Compare your groups. Wipe the bore between groups of 5. Take note of the fouling also.

Mine shoots good with 55gr. 70 gr is a stiff hunting load.(.45/70)

 

[D. Buck Stopshere]

For squirrels, a .45 caliber rifle should be OK at 45 to 55 grains of 3 FG. Like a .40 caliber, you're likely to be "barking the squirrel" anyway.
I bark squirrels with my .40 caliber flintlock longrifle with 45 gr Swiss 3FG.

 

[D. Buck Stopshere]

"Rdstrain49", .45 caliber single-shot pistols and rifles were/are marked ".44 caliber", for merchandising purposes, even though they take a .440 or .445 RB.

In a catalog like Dixie Gun Works, it sounds more "romantic" to call it a ".44 Kentucky Rifle (or Pistol)" than to say, ".45 Kentucky Rifle (or Pistol)".
I fell for it in high school when I was looking at the sleek ".44 Kentuckian", which took a .440 RB in Dixie's catalog in 1963. Back then, having a "Kentuckian" in .44 caliber was the cat's meow, with its long(?) 33" barrel and gun blue finish and European walnut stock with brass furniture.
And I had all $133.00 + shipping! I look now at my latest buy, a Jack Garner Fowler in 20 gauge with 42" barrel and curly maple stock, Jim Chambers lock, and I see how far I have come in 53 years.

Just like the first years of the Ruger Old Army, called the .44 caliber, then towards the end, boxes were marked .45 caliber.
You can't always rely on replica/repro firearms to be historically correct

 

[Panzerschwein]

Anyone shoot one of these small bores for groups or plinking? A handsome peace they are, for sure. I'd love to have one even though squirreling isn't that common for me.

 

[Tacoma]

Just following up on this one (some 100 days later.)
Well, I retired at the end of April and needed a "fun" project. Found the Crockett 32 Squirrel Rifle kit at a sale price of $365. I really like the lines of the rifle and the price was too good to pass up. I have one coming this week. I'll get back to you all with my impressions one I get into it.

 

[eastbank]

i have found these thompson center small framed cap locks to be be the best small caliber mass produced rifles made, i only wish they had made them in flint lock. if you hunt for them they are out there, i bought the .45 at a small gun show for 325.00 in ex condition from a dealer several month ago. i now have all three calibers that they were made in, a .32-.36 and .45. they are light and well made and as we also must use at least a .45 caliber muzzle loader season for deer, i use the seneca .45 for late season spot and stalk with the .45 maxi-ball over my .50 calibier muzzle loader. eastbank.

 

[Hanshi]

I owned, shot and hunted with a Traditions Crockett for many years and found it was phenomenally accurate and fun/cheap to shoot. Mine accounted for plenty of squirrels and various targets worth plinking. You can't go wrong with a Crockett.

 

[Tacoma]

Thanks for the encouragement , Gents! I look forward to the project and finsished product. ( Who knows, I may just take up squirrel hunting gain now that I have time too.)
Eastbank, your pictures just gave me an idea. I think I need to add a patch box to my build.

 

[midland man]

I want a flintlock 32 caliber rifle the one at Dixie gun works has on sale http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?cPath=701_713_714&products_id=5908 I want to try squirrel hunting with this one!!

 

[Dog Soldier]

The .40 Caliber BP rifles were very popular back in the day. The .32 requires a very slender "whippie" ram rod and fouls quickly. The .40 caliber is often referred to in today's lexicon as the Black Powder .22-250. It is a flat shooting accurate caliber when properly loaded. I have a TVM South Carolina style rifle by Matt Avance.

 

[eastbank]

i have put alum ram rods on two of my small framed rifles and will get one for the third one . the rods that came with them are just to flimizy. eastbank.

 

[Dog Soldier]

You are a very knowledgeable hunter and shooter. Back in my younger days I used metal and fiberglass rods. I did not know about using a rod guide to protect the rifles crown. I ruined the crown of a .32 Dixie Squirrel rifle. I put a lot of hours in the saddle to buy that rifle.

 

[eastbank]

i have a ball starter with a 6" shaft and after the ball-bullet is down the barrel 6", i wrap three fingers around the muzzle and hold the ram rod between my thumb and forfinger as i seat the bullet. i also believe all ram rods will cause wear on the barrels crown over time and should be wiped off often. i use a longer range rod for target shooting and wipe it off between shots to help keep crown wear down. eastbank.

 

[Tacoma]

You are a very knowledgeable hunter and shooter. Back in my younger days I used metal and fiberglass rods. I did not know about using a rod guide to protect the rifles crown. I ruined the crown of a .32 Dixie Squirrel rifle. I put a lot of hours in the saddle to buy that rifle.

I understand the need to protect the crown on any rifle. Wondering if you were you using a steel rod? I was thinking that the aluminum rod supplied would be pretty gentle on the crown.

 

[Dog Soldier]

Tacoma glad you ask. eastbank's post #24 makes an excellent point. He points out how important it is to wipe the rod clean. When carbon builds on a rod it becomes a carbon file. It seems to me the soft aluminum rods are more difficult to clean . The fiber glass rods are on my"No" list.