I got my Crockett kit gun

[Fly]

Going to start on my new .32 cal Crockett kit, this weekend.I plan to shoot
prb in it.But I saw were TOW has a Lee .32 cal maxie mold.Anyone ever
shot these threw this rifle?http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/1201/LEE-32-MAXI-6C

Fly:bigsmyl2:

[GARD72977]

I don't think the 1/48 twist is gong to like a maxie ball. Im sure some one has tried it.

[Bent Ramrod]

I have a Pedersoli .32 rifle I got from Cabela's that really likes the Maxi Balls. I don't know if the Lee has the same diameter as my Thompson/Center mould, but mine seat easily with the thumb, and when lubricated in all the grooves with mutton tallow/beeswax, don't need patches or wads. I've fired 35 shots without any cleaning and no deterioration in accuracy.

[Fly]

Does your rifle have 1 in 48 twist also?

Fly

[Hanshi]

With a .32 you will be shooting squirrels, rabbits, maybe coons and coyotes at the top end. for this work a prb (46grns) is all you need. It's easy to get very high velocity with these little rifles and that's all you need. If you want to shoot deer or hogs get a bigger gun. My Crockett is a dedicated squirrel getter.

[HARRYMPOPE]

my Crockett shot my 32 Maxi into about 1.5" at 50 yards.it was nice as it bucked the wind pretty well compared to the small RB at longer ranges and i could hit steel gongs at 100 yards.Accurate molds offers the TC .32 maxi as well from my sample.

I enjoyed shooting the little 32 more with the Maxi than RB.Of course i like shooting cast bullets of all types in anything. Just because someone thinks only RB is "proper" for it shouldn't stop you.


Get the Maxi mold and have fun!

[james6600]

About a month ago it was hot out and I was using Wonder lube 1000 (I think thats the name Track of the Wolf sells it) and my barrel was warm from shooting PRB's, anyways after shooting 3 or 4 maxi's with both grooves lubed and no felt there was liquid lube in left in the barrel and I started getting failure to fire. If it is hot where you are or you are going to shoot multiple shots in a target situation I would use a beeswax type lube instead. PRB will tear a squirrel up on a body shot a Maxi will be worse, for head shots or varmints Maxi's are fine. I cant comment on accuracy as my twist is different.

[Fly]

Have any of you shot that maxie from that Lee mold?

Fly

[Bent Ramrod]

According to the catalog, the twist on my rifle is 1:48. I didn't even realize Lee was making the Maxi Ball mould in .32 caliber when I was looking for one.

I'm getting better accuracy with patched round balls now that I'm implementing Dutch Schoultz' system. With a round ball, there are a lot of variables to sort out and optimize. But the Maxi shot well right away, with 20 gr FFFG Goex.

I still want to shoot round balls, eventually, but accuracy-wise, there is a ways to go yet.

[Boerrancher]

Fly I have the lee mold on order. Has been for about 2 months now. When it arrives I will fill you in on how it shoots. I know mine loves the T/C maxi and on a calm day will shoot MOA out to 75 yards and possibly farther. From what I gather the Lee looks a lot like the T/C so they ought to be close as far as accuracy.

For tree rats use a PRB cast from a 50/50 alloy or harder and you will be fine unless you shoot one length ways, then don't even bother to go pick it up. I am heading out as soon as I sign off with min to get supper so enjoy the Crockett it is a great little rifle.

Joe

[Fly]

Thanks, I will post some pic,s when I get threw with this gun.Rust blueing the barrel
takes a while, stock is staned, but I,m going to have to heat & bend the hammer to
get it to hit the nipple.That sucks but oh well.

Fly PS, Joe do you by chance know the bore size?

[bedbugbilly]

I bought a used Crockett this past spring. I really enjoyed shooting it. I was using a .311 RB with 28 gr of FFFG - shot well at 25 and 50 yards.

And then . . . to start with, I've been shooting BP for 50+ years and have built a number of custom rifles. That's my background before I tell you my "tale of woe".

I was experimenting with different patch thicknesses. The rifle was shooting well - I alwasy use a spit patch between shots. As I was in the process of seating a ball, I all of a sudden had a problem. I had introduced the powder charge and I had the ball about two thirds of the way down when all of a sudden, I could go no further. To say that the ball was "stuck" would be an understatement. Not a problem . . . I got a wood mallet and attempted to gently persuade it down to seat it. It wouldn't move. OK . . . I've pulled a lot of balls so I put a ball puller on the end of my ramrod . . . felt it thread in to the small ball . . . and it would not move at all. Normally, a shot of WD40 down the barrel would lube it enough to pull . . . nope. This tihing is stuck! Long story short, my brass ramrod end, that is pinned to the fiberglass rod, ended up pulling off of the rod! Now I not only have a stuck ball, but a stuck ball screw and ramrod end. By this time, I was past the point of being not only frustrated, but PO'd.

I pulled the nipple and dumped the charge. Take the barrel off and go to my shop. I have no problems with breech plugs - I've installed a lot of 'em. This should be a simple removal and I can then hammer this ball, ball screw and ramrod tip out. Well . . . the best laid plans. I'm sure do to liability, these breech plugs are installed by Atilla the Hun. It wouldn't surprise me if they even use locktite on 'em. Not only is it tight, it has a weird clean out screw screwed in to a flat of the breech plug. I got that out . . . carefully clamped the barrel in tthe vise and tried to turn the breech plug out. This thing won't budge.

While the Crockett rifle is a nice shooting little rifle and a good value . . . there are some things that just aren't traditional on it . . . i.e. breech plug installation. Since this gun was "used" . . . I now wonder if there was a bad spot in the bore. Nothing was evident when putting a cleaning patch up and down . . . no apparent "bulge" or any indication of damage.

Long story short . . . I still have the barrel sitting out in the shop with the bore well oiled down. My plans are to cut the breech off someday so I can get the ball, ball screw and ramrod tip hammered out. If the bore is good, I'll rebreech it, convert it to a drum and nipple and make what changes I need to on the lock and hammer geometry. This will shorten the barrel so the wedge underlug will have to be moved and the rib shortened. Or . . . if I can run across a decent 3/4" barrel, I may re-barrel it.

I don't pass my experience along to discourage anyone from getting a Crockett . . . they are fun to shoot . . . a .32 offers a lot of cheap shooting and is great for squirrels and other little varmints. A lot of fellas have one and love 'em. I really enjoyed what shooting time I had with mine and at some point, I'll get it all fixed and shooting again. At this point, I'm suspecting there was a spot in the barrel that for some reason wasn't apparent but caused the major "hang up" that I had. Not knowing the history of the rifle I purchased . . . it could be a lot of things.

Good luck with your kit . . . you'll have a nice little rifle when you're done.

[fouronesix]

You're right, many breech plugs on repros are tight- probably sized for a swage fit when made. Add to that the inevitable rust and bingo- nearly impossible to remove. So hard in fact that even with the proper designed breech plug wrench and barrel vise, almost always, at minimum, distorts the corners of the plug... if not worse. About jags on wood ramrods. Sooner or later they'll break or come off. Cross pinning the jag is one thing to always do and may help. The other is to have and use a steel range rod.

As to the stuck ball. If it is/was that tight might as well shoot it out along with the jag. A steel range rod could be used to drive the jag and ball down to the powder then shoot into soft dirt and maybe recover the jag. Although a jag is cheap compared to a marred barrel and/or breech plug. Or better yet when the ball gets stuck that tight in the first place just drive it on down using a steel rod then shoot it out.

As to the Crockett causing the problem. I doubt it. Likely just the nature of the small bore along with some hard fouling. Matter of fact after thinking about it, I've seen lots of badly stuck balls, especially in the smaller calibers where a mallet is required to finish seating them. The last one about 6 mo ago I watched a guy stick a PRB in a small bore long rifle about half way down. He just left the wood ramrod in, and with gun in both hands, rammed the end of the ramrod into a concrete bench until the ball was seated. How he didn't splinter the rod I'll never know.

[Fly]

Well one thing I had in building this kit I have never had with any other.The hammer
was 1/8 inch from hitting the nipple.I had to heat & bend it to get it right.There quality
is something they need to address.

Fly

[waksupi]

Don't worry about the stuck ball. The fiberglass ramrod would ruin the barrel shortly, anyway.


I bought a used Crockett this past spring. I really enjoyed shooting it. I was using a .311 RB with 28 gr of FFFG - shot well at 25 and 50 yards.

And then . . . to start with, I've been shooting BP for 50+ years and have built a number of custom rifles. That's my background before I tell you my "tale of woe".

I was experimenting with different patch thicknesses. The rifle was shooting well - I alwasy use a spit patch between shots. As I was in the process of seating a ball, I all of a sudden had a problem. I had introduced the powder charge and I had the ball about two thirds of the way down when all of a sudden, I could go no further. To say that the ball was "stuck" would be an understatement. Not a problem . . . I got a wood mallet and attempted to gently persuade it down to seat it. It wouldn't move. OK . . . I've pulled a lot of balls so I put a ball puller on the end of my ramrod . . . felt it thread in to the small ball . . . and it would not move at all. Normally, a shot of WD40 down the barrel would lube it enough to pull . . . nope. This tihing is stuck! Long story short, my brass ramrod end, that is pinned to the fiberglass rod, ended up pulling off of the rod! Now I not only have a stuck ball, but a stuck ball screw and ramrod end. By this time, I was past the point of being not only frustrated, but PO'd.

I pulled the nipple and dumped the charge. Take the barrel off and go to my shop. I have no problems with breech plugs - I've installed a lot of 'em. This should be a simple removal and I can then hammer this ball, ball screw and ramrod tip out. Well . . . the best laid plans. I'm sure do to liability, these breech plugs are installed by Atilla the Hun. It wouldn't surprise me if they even use locktite on 'em. Not only is it tight, it has a weird clean out screw screwed in to a flat of the breech plug. I got that out . . . carefully clamped the barrel in tthe vise and tried to turn the breech plug out. This thing won't budge.

While the Crockett rifle is a nice shooting little rifle and a good value . . . there are some things that just aren't traditional on it . . . i.e. breech plug installation. Since this gun was "used" . . . I now wonder if there was a bad spot in the bore. Nothing was evident when putting a cleaning patch up and down . . . no apparent "bulge" or any indication of damage.

Long story short . . . I still have the barrel sitting out in the shop with the bore well oiled down. My plans are to cut the breech off someday so I can get the ball, ball screw and ramrod tip hammered out. If the bore is good, I'll rebreech it, convert it to a drum and nipple and make what changes I need to on the lock and hammer geometry. This will shorten the barrel so the wedge underlug will have to be moved and the rib shortened. Or . . . if I can run across a decent 3/4" barrel, I may re-barrel it.

I don't pass my experience along to discourage anyone from getting a Crockett . . . they are fun to shoot . . . a .32 offers a lot of cheap shooting and is great for squirrels and other little varmints. A lot of fellas have one and love 'em. I really enjoyed what shooting time I had with mine and at some point, I'll get it all fixed and shooting again. At this point, I'm suspecting there was a spot in the barrel that for some reason wasn't apparent but caused the major "hang up" that I had. Not knowing the history of the rifle I purchased . . . it could be a lot of things.

Good luck with your kit . . . you'll have a nice little rifle when you're done.

[flinter62]

fouronesix, Check touchhole liner it may go thru breech plug.

[fouronesix]

flinter62,
That's a good point and may apply to certain patent breech designs, but why are you advising me about a touchhole liner when bebugbilly has the stuck jag and stuck breech plug???

[Fly]

I can't do worth a dam on photo's but!
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i384/Fly61/DSCN0216_zps572753ba.jpg (http://s1091.photobucket.com/user/Fly61/media/DSCN0216_zps572753ba.jpg.html)

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i384/Fly61/DSCN0220_zps396d9468.jpg (http://s1091.photobucket.com/user/Fly61/media/DSCN0220_zps396d9468.jpg.html)

I rust blued the barrel, the stock a little darked than I like,but the brass set's that off better than the pic shows.

Fly

[OverMax]

Cute little 32 Fly. Still waiting on that 32 Seneca or Cherokee to come my way. At this point? it looks like it will be in my next lifetime probably. Anyway. Hopefully you'll give us a down range report on this one's targeting abilities? I'm curious how it will behave with home rolled Black?

[Fly]

Well the mold is going to be here Wednesday & I will try & get her dialed in, & post pic,s.

Fly

[Fly]

Welp the mold came in yesterday & I casted a few up.First time out.30 yards, top target first shots, bottom target
was my last six & I must have pulled that last shot.My cast balls, & home made powder.I need to shift that front
sight a tad.But this gun will be a tack driver for sure.

30 yds first 10 shots & just wanted to see the grouping.Now the work will be on patch thickness trigger pull &
sight adjustment.Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm I,m happy so far.

Fly
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i384/Fly61/DSCN0223_zps9c9dd336.jpg (http://s1091.photobucket.com/user/Fly61/media/DSCN0223_zps9c9dd336.jpg.html)

[dondiego]

I just brought home a Crockett .32 today. It has a metal ramrod! What is the consensus on the metal ramrod? What was the load you were using Fly?

[Fly]

I hate that ram rod that comes with the gun.I made my own.I will post a pic on that.
I started with 20 grams my black powder & .015 pillow ticking patch, for that's what most recommended.It works great for me.

It seems to be a shooter.The only thing I don't have down is that set trigger.I have
a lot of guns that have set triggers & I love them.But mine is some what lose.I have
to point the gun to the ground to get it to engage.Maybe some one out there can give
some advice.

But it is a shooter for sure.
Fly

[OverMax]

Gee's that little ball is accurate. Good investment made there Fly.

[Boerrancher]

Fly, those triggers can be a pain on those rifles. Best advice is follow the trigger adjustment instructions that came with the gun. There are 2 adjustment screws that need to be adjusted properly to make the trigger function. Once you have them both where you want them put some super glue on them to keep them in place.

Best wishes

Joe

[Fly]

Thanks Joe I will mess with it & see what I can do.
Fly

[Newtire]

Scuze me but I'm not sure what you mean by the "Dutch Schultz " system. I saw the link and pushed the button and read something about there being some sort of "system"... No mention of a product or did I miss something? All I see is "send $19.95".

[johnson1942]

please fill me in on the dutch schultz system. he is very very old now but still sells his way of patching. is it possible that in a breakdown of the system it is just useing cotton denim as a patch or is their more?

[mooman76]

Dutch Schultz is a guy that developed a system of finding the best loads for your ML to find the best accuracy you could get out of it. He spent allot of time and years doing so and made a small booklet he sells so you can do the same without all the time he spent. I have heard it praised allot and never heard a bad word of it or his system he developed. They all say well worth the money spent.

[Maven]

johnson, et al., You'll have more success researching Dutch Schoultz' accuracy system if you spell his name correctly: SchOultz. Look at this: http://blackpowderrifleaccuracy.com

[Newtire]

Thanks Maven. Guess we get spoiled here getting and giving out our stuff for free.

[Maven]

Newtire, Years ago I purchased his system and found some of his advice was right on the money. You see my new Green Mt. drop-in bbl. for a T/C Hawken needed a thicker patch than the factory bbl's. I had. Dutch, via e-mail, told me to use a .018" patch and my [accuracy] problem was solved. However, I wasn't then and am not now a big fan of his dry lube patch idea, although I did try it.

[mooman76]

I guess I should get off my butt and quit procrastinating and get a copy. He said when his copies run out he's going to sell via the Amazon over the internet.

[Bent Ramrod]

There is no occult knowledge in Dutch Schoultz's system. Rather it is a progression of optimizing the variables in your loading, shooting, and fouling management technique in the order of which ones are the most critical and which ones are the "nuances" that shave the last little bit off your groups after you have the important stuff squared away.

A lot of the problem is that a person loading a shot that will maybe hit the end of a bucket and one loading a shot that will certainly hit a charcoal briquet look, to the tyro, like they are doing exactly the same thing with ramrod and powder horn. I noticed a lot of good shots couldn't tell me what I was doing wrong, or what they were doing right. They couldn't analyze it, they just did it. If you're optimistic, like I was, and decide to bypass the more forgiving large bores and go directly to a "squirrel rifle," the learning curve tends to be steep. I heard plenty of "Gee, I bought my kid a .32 caliber and it drives tacks when the wind is quiet. I don't know what's wrong with yours."

I know I spent a lot more than $20 in powder, lead, patches, moulds, caps and frustration before I got smart and ordered the notes. As an added bonus, with the purchase, he's open to any e-mail questions you might have on your particular problems.