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Thread: 32 flint or cap

  1. #1
    Boolit Master lead chucker's Avatar
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    32 flint or cap

    Hi guys. Just sold a 243 win that i never shoot so i have the cash to get my 32 cal BP rifle. With such a small caliber what is more practical flint or cap. I like the flint and have had good reliability with the 50 cal. Is the 32 particular or problematic with the flint verses the cap? Any advice would be appreciated. On a different subject do you guys leave your BP rifles out in a un heated shed or building or in your truck the night before hunting so that the barrel doesnt sweat when you take it from a worm building in the morning to the cold out side.
    Dont pee down my back and tell me its raining.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master

    Hickory's Avatar
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    I like flintlock guns, they are easier for me to shoot then a caplock gun.
    While hunting, I don't bring an unfired muzzleloader inside where it can draw moisture.
    Political correctness is a national suicide pact.

    I am a sovereign individual, accountable
    only to God and my own conscience.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by lead chucker View Post
    Hi guys. Just sold a 243 win that i never shoot so i have the cash to get my 32 cal BP rifle. With such a small caliber what is more practical flint or cap. I like the flint and have had good reliability with the 50 cal. Is the 32 particular or problematic with the flint verses the cap? Any advice would be appreciated. On a different subject do you guys leave your BP rifles out in a un heated shed or building or in your truck the night before hunting so that the barrel doesnt sweat when you take it from a worm building in the morning to the cold out side.
    i've had and well used both ignition systems with .32 bore rifles. caplocks are not for me and all my trad ml guns are flintlocks. there's nothing problematic with any trad ml caliber, from .25 to .79, but each gun is unique in one or more ways that you get to learn as it's used. smaller bores can require more attention to fouling control as the layer of bp residue can be of the same thickness whether in a .32 or .62 bore, and therefore more restrictive to the little holes. depth and type of rifling plays a part in both load and fouling control, as well. a .32 flinter is a fun gun, but for me it served lesser of a purpose than a larger bore. i sold off the .32 and had the .36 reamed to .40, and then life was much better. but that's me, not you.

    i don't "climatize" any gun, ml or cf, but i do allow them to get to ambient temps and swab their bores before their first load and firing.

    a jack garner southern inspired .36 turned .40 - a very sweet shooter that's my number one for woods walks, or even hunting tree rats ...






  4. #4
    Boolit Master arcticap's Avatar
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    Since you're asking, I only shoot cap guns myself so I'm biased.
    And my smallest caliber is a .36.
    That may be because I also enjoy the .22 rimfires.
    However, I have enjoyed shooting BP smoothbores down to the .410.
    They give the option of using either PRB's or loads of shot.
    And cap guns also allow for the use of sub powders such as 777 (3F) which may be closer to using 4F.
    Many cap guns can also be converted to use musket caps or 209's for those who want to experiment
    with other sub powders that need a hotter flash and may burn cleaner in the small bores.

    I have always left my loaded deer hunting BP guns out in the cold to protect the load, and I cover the
    muzzle with a balloon after loading. I live in NE with a freezing weather ML deer season.
    Last edited by arcticap; 07-13-2018 at 06:03 PM.

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master

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    It doesn't sweat going from warm to cold. Only cold to warm. I see no reason why a different caliber in flint would be less reliable than any other caliber. If flint is what you like, then get flint.
    Aim small, miss small!

  6. #6
    Boolit Bub
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    Wow that is one fine looking rifle rfd. I do enjoy my 32 crockett cap that I purchased from you a few years ago though. It is dead on accurate out to 40 yards, southern woods squirrel range. Reliable ignition too. Has harvested many many bushy tail and a few cotton tail as well..

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master


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    Greetings Another flinter here. No ill regards against the cap lockers either.. This is a preference situation.
    Once you start shooting a flinter and figure out the fun little quirks you will be very happy to carry it.
    One day the percussion caps will be gone from most stores. But hard rocks can always be found in many creeks and other places.
    Mike in ILLinois
    "Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
    Male Guanaco out in dry lakebed at 10,800 feet south of Arequipa.

  8. #8
    Boolit Buddy MAGA's Avatar
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    I just ordered a Crockett percussion myself

  9. #9
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    the crockett .32 is a darned good rifle for the money.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master RU shooter's Avatar
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    In my area there aren't any caps to be found anywhere . So they would need mail ordered so I've always been a flint lock guy . If you can buy caps locally take your pick both have worked well for many many years . For me though a flint rifle is easier to clean than a cap gun . Stick a toothpick in the flash hole add some water swab a few times dry oil and I'm done
    As to your other question during deer season here in Pa it's always cold after I load up I'll bring it into the "mud room" which is just an I unheated totally enclosed porch . If I know I'll be going back out the next morning I'll just leave it in the case in the car.
    If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck!

  11. #11
    Boolit Man
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    RU Shooter,
    Have always had difficulty finding percussion caps here till recently. If I`m just plinking or going after something like rabbits or goats I use Kids toy cap gun caps on #11 nipples. Very cheap $1 for a pack of 72 compared to $20 for a tin of 100 #11 percussion caps.
    They are reliable with commercial or home made black powder and grip on the nipple. Only difference is it pays to carry a pin as sometimes the plastic cap can be pressed into the nipple and just needs picking out.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master RU shooter's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tasbay View Post
    RU Shooter,
    Have always had difficulty finding percussion caps here till recently. If I`m just plinking or going after something like rabbits or goats I use Kids toy cap gun caps on #11 nipples. Very cheap $1 for a pack of 72 compared to $20 for a tin of 100 #11 percussion caps.
    They are reliable with commercial or home made black powder and grip on the nipple. Only difference is it pays to carry a pin as sometimes the plastic cap can be pressed into the nipple and just needs picking out.
    You mean those red plastic caps that are in a ring of 6 . lol, I haven't seen those since my childhood ! Never would have thought they be hot enough to work . Good to know though if I ever stumble across a perc. rifle that's super cheap . All we can use percussion guns for in Pa is small game anyways deer season is flintlock only .
    If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck!

  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master Nobade's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tasbay View Post
    RU Shooter,
    Have always had difficulty finding percussion caps here till recently. If I`m just plinking or going after something like rabbits or goats I use Kids toy cap gun caps on #11 nipples. Very cheap $1 for a pack of 72 compared to $20 for a tin of 100 #11 percussion caps.
    They are reliable with commercial or home made black powder and grip on the nipple. Only difference is it pays to carry a pin as sometimes the plastic cap can be pressed into the nipple and just needs picking out.
    You must be able to get better ones than I have been able to find. I couldn't even get them to fire my underhammer. They are also very corrosive. I just order a case of caps at a time from powder valley or elsewhere and it keeps me going for a long time.

  14. #14
    Boolit Man
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    Quote Originally Posted by RU shooter View Post
    You mean those red plastic caps that are in a ring of 6 . lol, I haven't seen those since my childhood ! Never would have thought they be hot enough to work . Good to know though if I ever stumble across a perc. rifle that's super cheap . All we can use percussion guns for in Pa is small game anyways deer season is flintlock only .
    RU Shooter
    Yes the red plastic ones for kids cap guns. Where I live in the South Island of New Zealand there were not any Black powder suppliers (AK`s and AR`s yes) unless you belonged to one of the few clubs. Not in my area anyway. So thinking outside of the box began to make my own powder and then thought I`d try kid`s cap gun caps just to see if it would work and cripes me they worked. I use them all the time on my Zouave, Hawken's, Mountain rifle.

    Nobabe
    Corrosion has never been an issue, I always boil out and clean my BP guns after every use. Never any corrosion issues with nipples either.

    Home rolled Balls, Powder ,patches and kids caps makes it a cheap day out

  15. #15
    Boolit Grand Master Nobade's Avatar
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    Nice! Yep, you must still be able to get the good old type caps. The ones I have found in the US have been dumbed down and are nothing like what was around when I was a kid.

  16. #16
    Boolit Man
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nobade View Post
    Nice! Yep, you must still be able to get the good old type caps. The ones I have found in the US have been dumbed down and are nothing like what was around when I was a kid.
    Just pulled a packet out. They are called Star-Caps made in Taiwan with 72 caps in rings of 8, just cheap and nasty. For use by children 3yrs and over.... well that figures.

  17. #17
    Boolit Master arcticap's Avatar
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    There's a new product to make your own percussion caps & priming compound.
    The priming compound needs to be mixed & added to the home made caps that can be punched out with the provided die.
    There's a youtube video showing the process on the product page linked below.

    https://sharpshooter-22lr-reloader.m...sion-cap-maker

    Their website has another video showing how to mix the powders for the priming compound.
    And the website states that they ship internationally.

    Prime All priming compound: https://sharpshooter-22lr-reloader.m...iming-compound

    Home page: http://22lrreloader.com
    Last edited by arcticap; 07-13-2018 at 07:50 PM.

  18. #18
    Boolit Buddy MAGA's Avatar
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    My Walmart just started putting out hunting stuff

    I almost bought an entire case of CCI #11’s

    $4.96 a hundred

    That’s cheaper than I can buy online not counting the hazmat fee

  19. #19
    Boolit Master lead chucker's Avatar
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    Thanks for the info guys. I think im set on the flint. Now im second guessing whether i want the 32 or 36. The more i read bout the 36 it might be a little more versatile. The only thing i will be shooting with it is cans paper and snowshoe hair.
    Dont pee down my back and tell me its raining.

  20. #20
    Boolit Man
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    Quote Originally Posted by lead chucker View Post
    Thanks for the info guys. I think im set on the flint. Now im second guessing whether i want the 32 or 36. The more i read bout the 36 it might be a little more versatile. The only thing i will be shooting with it is cans paper and snowshoe hair.
    I always found 50 cal to be versatile. Hard wheel weight roundball and 40-60gr powder for small game. Soft roundball 80-100gr powder for Goats , pigs ,Deer.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check