Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders Current options for small bore M/L

After 18 or so shots from my 50 cal. w/ PRB's and 75gr of Pyrodex at bunnies last weekend I started thinking maybe a small bore would be a little better tool for the job (and a little easier on the shoulder). A quick search really did not bring up much. Nearly everything is 50 cal or bigger. I did see where there are a few old (and overpriced) Senecas and Cherokees but not much out there unless you go custom. Any suggestions? or am I just 20 years too late to the party.
FWIW: I prefer Hawkin or Kentucky style rifles, not interested modern inlines.

Upon digging a little more there is a Traditions Crockett in .32 Cal. Any experiences with this one?

Yeah, if I could look at it first to be sure all was good, I'd probably spend a bit too much for a TC Seneca in .32 or .36. I've heard .32 is sort of fussy ... do not know for sure. People said bad things about .17 caliber centerfires yet my experience has contradicted the predictions thus relegating them to urban myth status. I have a Seneca .45 which would be a pretty decent rar-bit gun with PRB. When I switch to 245 grain conicals it whops me hard enough to leave a bruise after a few shots. (Badge of honor, right?)

I have not been real impressed with the quality of the Traditions rifles I've handled so far.

You are 20 years too late to the best of the party. 15--20 years ago, there was a lot more variety in traditional sidelocks available.

call Track of The Wolf and see if they can source you a smaller bore drop in rifle barrel from Green Mountain for your existing rifle....or maybe just cut your powder charge way down in your .50...if you're just plinking or blasting jacks, who cares if you loose some velocity or a little accuracy...

Senecas can be had in .45
Contemporary flintlocks are readily available in.36 and .40

I need to try some lighter loads.........the load of 75gr with a PRB will shoot inside an inch at 50 yards so I have hard time giving that up.

I like the extra barrel idea, I'll have to see what I can find. Thanks.

Bought a pack of Buffalo Bullets (425gr? if I remember right) 20 years ago when I bought my rifle, I think all but 2 of them are still in the package! Take about getting your molars loosened up, 80-90gr of pyrodex behind one of those will really get your attention!

Other than the rifles already mentioned as far as I know a quality small bore is going to be a bit difficult to find at a moderate price. Track of the Wolf was mentioned and they frequently have small bores for sale but rarely are they what one would consider moderate in price. I stumbled on the Southern Mountain rifle in 36 cal. that I have used for the last 12-13 years for $300 and it has quite a stick of lumber on it. htredneck can attest to that. They're out there but a fella has to keep looking and be like the blind hog....and find an acorn once in a while.

32 cal. vs 36 cal.? For small game I think they're about equal. I've had several of both, obviously back when they were fairly available, and never had any trouble getting either to shoot and shoot well. Either required wiping after 2-5 shots to maintain squirrel head accuracy. One seemed as destructive on game as the other if body shots are taken. Just my opinion but I came to the conclusion it was head shots or none. After several years of fooling with both calibers I settled on 36 simply because I liked it better.

Decades ago Dixie offered a "Tennessee Squirrel Rifle" in 32 cal. I had one and it was a pretty decent rifle. A bit clubby for the style but more than minute of squirrel head accurate. I have no idea how available they are on the used market but given what's out there today if I came across one at a reasonable price I believe I'd jump on it.

Got a flyer from Dixie Gun works saying they "found" some of there old Mountain rifles in the whse. Some Are 32 cal. But I believe they are flintlock and might be kits. However I do not think they are cheap. These were well built rifles. I believe they may have even been built by Miroku in Japan. Thats what I was always told.

kaywoodie, I believe you're correct as to the maker. I had one of each, the Mountain rifle and the Squirrel rifle. Both shot well but both have long since went down the road for higher quality toys.

Dammit! Was just trying to send you pic of the add. Postimage down for
Maintenance. They are finished rifles, 32 and flintlock $895

Yeah, Sharps4590! I sold a bunch of them at the shop. I remember the first Mountain Rifles in .50 cal. had 7/8" across flats barrel. Easy to carry. Then They went to a 15/16" AF barrel making a much heavier rifle. The 32 Squirrels had a 13/16" AF bbl. i know someone was making replacement locks (Chambers?) for them! Good quality! Both flint and perc. Track of the Wolf was selling the locks.

DGW has their Cub 36 on sale for 625 right now.....

seeing several options now.....dammit you guys got me looking at these and I'm tempted myself now...

Some are $599!

I believe I do remember someone offering replacement locks but for the life of me don't remember who. Mine were both flinters and I never had any trouble with either lock. If my memory hasn't completely failed me Dixie offered a conversion from flint to percussion that required no more than unscrewing the flash hole liner and screwing in the drum & nipple and replacing the lock. I don't believe it was intended for frequent use.

The man ain't kidding!
He has one of the purtiest .36s in the state of Missouri. I keep holding out hope one of these days he is going to slip up and a couple of his rifles are going to migrate to my safe!

Yes sir! Dixie did offer the conversion kit!

Here's the Dixie add I received today mentioning the rifle!

In my TC Big Boar I shot 555 grain TC maxi balls over 120 grains volume equivalent of Pyrodex. It definitely came backwards and introduced itself. The best reason I could think of not to miss was so I didn't have to shoot again. I sold it ... wish I had it back 'cause it has been downhill ever since so far as accuracy.

Tom

What's the budget going to allow?