.32 Muzzle Loader Test

[Fastleo]

I have been gathering the needed items to break in my unfired t/c Cherokee. I have a Lee 311 rd mold pillow ticking patches and 3f pyrodex. A member here has sent me his Lee molded maxi balls and I have since acquired a original t/c 32 maxi ball mold so I will be comparing them as well. I hope to get to the range tomorrow to get the ball rolling. I plan to post pictures to show my progress ( if I can get the pictures loaded). If you guys would like to see something or have any suggestions let me know.

Andy

[rodwha]

I've been feeling a .32 (Crockett) needs to find its way to me. And I've wondered just how much thump a conical would give one and how far it might shoot well to.

What distance(s) do you intend to shoot at?

Will you be using a felt wad with the conicals?

[Fastleo]

I’m planning on shooting at least 50yds. I don’t have access to felt wads so I won’t be testing them this time out.

[BPJONES]

I have a 32 Cherokee as well that is unfired. Maybe one of these days!!

[beemer]

I built a 32 flint lock in 2009, it's been shot maybe 30 times, life got in the way and now that I'am retired I intent to go back at it. I fired it off a rest a few times and got groups I could cover with a quarter, still need to finish regulating the sights. It's a fun rifle.

Dave

[shdwlkr]

the thompson center Cherokee likes .310-.315 round ball lead bullets. Main difference is how thick of patching material you are using. thompson center moulds for the .32 caliber Cherokee #7330 - .32 cal, 47 gr .315" Round Ball, #7273 - .32 cal, 103 gr Maxi-Ball

[AntiqueSledMan]

I have a Pedersoli Pennsylvania in .32 and my son has a Crockett,
but we each carry our CVA Squirrel Rifles when chasing rabbits.
Much easier to navigate through the brush with the Squirrel Rifles.
For anyone who hasn't played with small bores, they don't know what they're missing.

[Hanshi]

I'm a big Crockett fan. Their excellent small game and varmint rifles. I was surprised and impressed when I tested my Crocketts power. Those balls are tiny but penetrate a 3" sapling without going to top powder charges. .32s are the cats "meow". Same thing for the .36 as well. I got both!

[Fastleo]

Just got back from a short range trip. I shot about 30x. I came to a interesting conclusion on the Lee versus T/C maxi ball comparison. Although the Lee molded bullets shot ok groups they were 3” low and 3” left of the point of aim at 25 yards. The t/c maxi balls were about a inch lower than the round ball group and shot clover leaf groups. Just the fact that I can use the same point of aim that I do with a patched round ball makes the decision to shoot the t/c molded maxi balls a easy choice.

My initial impression is very good with this Cherokee so far, at 25 yards with patched round balls and the actual t/c maxi balls. I used 30gr of goex 3f( my first time shooting real black) for the rb and the maxi. Running a dry patch between shots kept most shots touching. I’d love to post pictures but this site won’t let me

[rodwha]

I'm wondering about the Lee shooting like that. You had mentioned prior that you had no wads. My .50 cal without a wad keyholed at 50 yds hitting about a foot left and several inches low compared to a ball. With a wad they were just under the bull and nearly touching. Might be a poor seal. But then if you aren't needing a wad then that might well settle it anyway.

[Fastleo]

There flying straight

[rodwha]

I don't truly understand what exactly is going on with slightly undersized projectiles. Clearly whether or not it flies straight had everything to do with the gas seal. I'm wondering if mine were flying straight enough at 25 yds too and whether yours would show signs of tumbling further out. Mine also flew out to the side as yours did. Maybe they would behave if they had a wad. Dunno. Just wondered about the similarity.

[Cheeto303]

Track of the Wolf has a Lee 6 cavity .32/TC Maxi ball mold. I got one a couple of years back for my CVA Squirrel rifle and love it. I'd of preferred a 2 cavity mold but with 6 cavity it doesn't take long to make up a lifetime supply. Trackofthewolf.com LEE-32-MAXI-6C. They also have a LEE-515-347-6C for the .50 Smith carbine. The molds cost $53.99 + S&H.

[Fastleo]

Cheeto,

A member here sent me bullets cast from the Lee mold, it’s similar but not the same. I have pictures of the Lee and the real t/c bullet side by side but am having trouble loading pictures. I can text or email them to someone that can. I’m glad I acquired the real mold as my gun prefers the actual t/c bullet.

[rodwha]

Since photobucket crapped on us I've been using post images dot com. But it hasn't worked on every forum. I'll give it a trial run and see if it works here. If so you can use that or send it to me and I'll post it. In 3, 2, 1:

https://s17.postimg.org/i0b1bhjf3/IMG_2456.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/4w5gysrd7/)

Since it works here you can use it. Once your image is selected and run touch the pic which brings up a few new "buttons" above it. Chose the first (share) and then scroll to the second from bottom called hot link for forums. Click on that which automatically saves the link for you to paste.

[Cheeto303]

Cheeto,

A member here sent me bullets cast from the Lee mold, it’s similar but not the same. I have pictures of the Lee and the real t/c bullet side by side but am having trouble loading pictures. I can text or email them to someone that can. I’m glad I acquired the real mold as my gun prefers the actual t/c bullet.

I would love to find a TC or Lyman mold at a reasonable price but that is asking a lot these days. The last .32 TC I saw on fleabay was a buy it now for $200.00.I got lucky and my CVA Squirrel likes the LEE. I have TC molds in .36, .45, and .50. Just need a .54. I would like to see those pix though.

[Fastleo]

212475

T/c is on the left

[Fastleo]

212476

[rodwha]

I would have guessed the Lee was on the left by the nose shape. It looks much like the REAL. I had no idea Lee had made a Maxi style conical. Interesting.

Any idea what these weigh?

How about the twist rate and groove depth (deep or shallow) of your barrel? I ask as I'm curious how it compares to the Traditions Crockett (the only affordable new option these days).

[Fastleo]

I’ll have to re weigh them but i want to say there around 107gr. I believe my Cherokee is 1-30 twist. I have no clue as to the depth of the rifling

[rodwha]

Do you know the thickness of your patches you use with your ball? Curious as to whether or not it's a deep groove meant for PRB or a shallow groove meant for conicals and such.

Do you know the diameters of your two conicals?

[Fastleo]

I’ll measure the Mexican balls tonight. My patch is 3/4” squares.015

[rodwha]

With a .311" ball and 0.015" patch it's certainly a deep grooved barrel meant for PRB unless you are using a mallet to seat them.

[rking22]

Operation from memory here so... on my 36 Maxi the front ring is groove dia and the bottom 2 are snug fit to the lands. I lube with my fingers to not disturb this feature. Wondering if the lee is all one dia and how you applied lube, my method is kinda messy :)

[Fastleo]

With a .311" ball and 0.015" patch it's certainly a deep grooved barrel meant for PRB unless you are using a mallet to seat them.

I’m just using a standard short starter. Not a lot of pressure needed to get it started

[rodwha]

I'm not familiar with small bore rifles but on PRB larger calibers the grooves often run about .08-.1". Lyman shows their .50 cal barrels to be .502" lands and .510" groove for conical/sabots or .520" for PRB. If yours is a .32 call PRB barrel I'd assume your groove diameter is likely close to .340", which is a part of why I'm curious about conical diameters.

Ultimately I want a Crockett and have read that with a PRB it's generally not considered by most to be effective for longer shots on things such as coyotes, though a couple of guys have said theirs most certainly were. I figure a conical, much as I do with my .50 cal PRB gun going from effective on medium game with a ball to being effective on large game if I use my 320 grn REALs.

I've also wondered about a .32 conical working on our Hill Country deer that are the size of medium dogs with long legs. Not sure I'd try it though as it seems likey to be at the very limits of what might work (much like a .32-20). Our does often run around 80-100 lbs on the hoof.

[quail4jake]

Hey, Fastleo, did you get that T/C mold OK? Did you figure out the alignment pins?[smilie=s:

[Fastleo]

Hey, Fastleo, did you get that T/C mold OK? Did you figure out the alignment pins?[smilie=s:

Yes sir I did. I got pins for it and it casts great making bullets at least as good as I can cast. I posted few pictures of them. Thank you again for giving it to me it means a lot.

[quail4jake]

Yes sir I did. I got pins for it and it casts great making bullets at least as good as I can cast. I posted few pictures of them. Thank you again for giving it to me it means a lot.
Happy to see you put it to good use, best of luck!