Virg461
Member
Folks,
For Christmas I received a Traditions Crockett .32 rifle. I thought it would be a lot of fun to try using a muzzleloader on squirrels. I've always enjoyed hunting them with a .22, so I thought this would add even more fun to it.
I don't think I've ever posted in the BP forums, I'm usually over in the rifle forum. I'm not very experienced in muzzleloading, out of all the guns I own, this is only the third BP gun (the other two are a Pietta 1858 .44 pistol and an inline .50 I've used for deer for years).
I am using .31 Hornady balls, and have tried patch material varying from .010 to 0.016. I am shooting 777, and have tried 10gr up to 25gr.
No matter what combo I try, the best groupings I can get at 25 yards are 2 inches. This was with 15gr and 0.016 patching, off a steady rest. Nothing I try seems to improve the situation. Interestingly, varying the powder load doesn't seem to change the POI very much.
Am I expecting too much in terms of accuracy out of these rifles? I can shoot dime size groups with most of my .22's at 25 yds, even with irons. I've always considered that the level of accuracy you need in any gun used for squirrels.
I had read good things online about the accuracy level of this gun, but then again everyone's gun shoots MOA on the internet .
Suggestions? One thing that has surprised me is how easily this gun is loaded, even after several shots. Makes me wonder if my patches are too loose. My ball and patch sizes are in line with what's recommended by Traditions. I've ordered some 0.315 balls to try, and some commercial patches (everything so far has been cut from old cotton dress shirts and greased with olive oil). Will "store bought" patches really make much of a difference? Is my patch too thin? My only frame of reference is my inline 50, which uses sabots. It's a whole lot more difficult to push a sabot down that barrel than it is to push these patched balls down the Crockett.
I appreciate any advice you can give. As it stands, I'm not real interested in trying to hunt with it. Hopefully I can find a combination that works.
Thanks!
For Christmas I received a Traditions Crockett .32 rifle. I thought it would be a lot of fun to try using a muzzleloader on squirrels. I've always enjoyed hunting them with a .22, so I thought this would add even more fun to it.
I don't think I've ever posted in the BP forums, I'm usually over in the rifle forum. I'm not very experienced in muzzleloading, out of all the guns I own, this is only the third BP gun (the other two are a Pietta 1858 .44 pistol and an inline .50 I've used for deer for years).
I am using .31 Hornady balls, and have tried patch material varying from .010 to 0.016. I am shooting 777, and have tried 10gr up to 25gr.
No matter what combo I try, the best groupings I can get at 25 yards are 2 inches. This was with 15gr and 0.016 patching, off a steady rest. Nothing I try seems to improve the situation. Interestingly, varying the powder load doesn't seem to change the POI very much.
Am I expecting too much in terms of accuracy out of these rifles? I can shoot dime size groups with most of my .22's at 25 yds, even with irons. I've always considered that the level of accuracy you need in any gun used for squirrels.
I had read good things online about the accuracy level of this gun, but then again everyone's gun shoots MOA on the internet .
Suggestions? One thing that has surprised me is how easily this gun is loaded, even after several shots. Makes me wonder if my patches are too loose. My ball and patch sizes are in line with what's recommended by Traditions. I've ordered some 0.315 balls to try, and some commercial patches (everything so far has been cut from old cotton dress shirts and greased with olive oil). Will "store bought" patches really make much of a difference? Is my patch too thin? My only frame of reference is my inline 50, which uses sabots. It's a whole lot more difficult to push a sabot down that barrel than it is to push these patched balls down the Crockett.
I appreciate any advice you can give. As it stands, I'm not real interested in trying to hunt with it. Hopefully I can find a combination that works.
Thanks!