Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Small Game Muzzleloader squirrel gun

I've been thinkin about picking up a muzzleloader rifle for squirrel hunting. Scoped 17hmr and 20ga Ithaca are still fun but sometimes ya just need to step back and take it all in every now and then.

Anyone else hunt small game with a BP rifle?

I'm really thinking about going flintlock but I already shoot a 54cal T/C Hawken repro so I have most of the tools needed for percussion (other than stuff that pertains to bore size). Due to state law it has to be either a 32 or 36cal shooting roundball only. I'm edging towards the 32 cause if I can't find any ball I can pinch in 000buck. And from what I've read in my books unless your shooting conicals 32 and 36 are rather close.

I was also wondering on the flintlock, for a small caliber rifle you should use FFF, could one either use FFF for pan powder or use FFFF for the main charge?

thanks


just saw on the hornady website 00 is 32cal and 000 is 36. Now I really don't know which to get!

I DON'T USE A FLINTLOCK BUT I HAVE A T/C SYSTEMS 1 IN A .32 CAL. I PLAY WITH FOR SQUIRREL AND SMALL GAME! SHOOTING A LITTLE 70GR. CONICAL. ITS A BLAST!!!!!

I'm not familar with the t/c systems 1, I was thinking about getting a 32cal barrel for my 54. I think dixie might have one. Plus it'd be a great way to practice for deer season.

found one green mountain barrel in dixie that should swap into my t/c with minimal fitting at half the price of a whole rifle.

I got tired of packing two horns around one for my 54 FF horn and one for my .40 FFF horn. So I tried FFF in the 54 didnt notice much difference, But it did seem like it burned a little cleaner. I have used FFF for pan powder in my .40 and it is ok. FFFF is faster but FFF will do. I havnt heard of anybody using FFFF as a main charge.

I dunno about wich 32 or 36 you are looking at getting. but my TVM kit, can be switched. just swap the locks, unscrew the touchhole and screw in the drum/nipple. Its not made for swapping on a regular basis but I have swapped back and forth without a glitch.

mud bogger thats something I didn't think of, different lock sizes. I'll have to look into that.

I've never shot a small bore muzzleloader, but everything I read said FFF, I was just testing the waters on not carrying two horns if i go flintlock. I'm leaning towards percussion right now. Don't know if the lock on my 54cal T/C would be compatable with the barrel, Green Mountain was the barrel I was looking at, Said it'll fit, didn't say anything about the lock though. I'll check it out.
thanks for the reply.

wish I could use 40cal, Then I'd try it out on some yotes too. Just don't think a 32 or 36cal ball could do it efficently.

I got to thinking about the T/C rifles. and where the nipple screws in is kind of a block. And I do not believe that this can be taken off the gun.

My .40 has a drum coming off the barrel that the nipple screws into and the drum can be unscrewed.

Im not sure about your drop in though.