.36 caliber Thompson Center rifle

[richhodg66]

Just got one. One of the few things I have no molds for.

What's a good bullet design in these rifles? Wanting to squirrel hunt with it next Fall.

[freakonaleash]

.35 Round ball

[gmsharps]

.350 RB or the 36 cal maxi

gmsharps

[mooman76]

TC did make a 36 cal conical mould but they are hard to come by these days.

[Mk42gunner]

Patched round ball worked fine in the one I shot decades ago. Squirrels for all they are tougher than rabbits aren't so large as to need a conical.

Robert

[mooman76]

I use to hunt them with a pellet gun.

[big bore 99]

Can't beat a patched round ball. If you want any meat left, learn to bark them. Hit right in front of their nose. Even a round ball will tear them to pieces.

[richhodg66]

Looks like a .350 round ball is it. I found a few of what look like Maxi Balls in my Dad's stuff, but never did find a mold, so he must have gotten rid of it.

Got a couple of gun shows next weekend, I'll hold off til I see what shows up there.

[T-Bird]

I shot a pile of squirrels with my .32 Cherokee with prb when I could still see the sights. I tried to head shoot'em. BB44 is right, even a 32 prb will damage a lot of meat.

[sharps4590]

Is your rifle the Seneca? Only TC made I ever owned I wish I had back. It wasn't my current Southern Mountain flintlock but I liked it. 20 grs. Fffg and the mentioned .350 PRB is all you'll ever need for small game.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I have a TC Seneca in 36 cal.
Shoots PRB great.
I had a TC 36 Maxi-ball mold, the rifle didn't like it, so I sold the mold to another member here.

[Nobade]

36 cal is nice since you can buy .350" buckshot and not have to cast for it. A box lasts a long time.

[Beerd]

A 25 pound sack of 00 buck will last a LONG time!
..

[richhodg66]

36 cal is nice since you can buy .350" buckshot and not have to cast for it. A box lasts a long time.

What buck shot is .350? Is it 000? 00 is like .323 if memory serves me correctly.

[shdwlkr]

rich
hornady 000 buck is .350 other brands might be .360
hope this helps

[waksupi]

Ballistics Products carry the buckshot.

[Chris S]

I have had a T/C Seneca in 36 cal for a long time, bought it new. I found early on that any slug you may cast for your 38/357 etc., will also fit in the Seneca. I like a 148 grain wadcutter in mine. Dead soft lead only.
Chris

[richhodg66]

I have had a T/C Seneca in 36 cal for a long time, bought it new. I found early on that any slug you may cast for your 38/357 etc., will also fit in the Seneca. I like a 148 grain wadcutter in mine. Dead soft lead only.
Chris

I had been wondering about just this possibility. Goodness knows I have a multitude of .38/9mm molds. Thanks for sharing.

I assume you cast these of pure or very soft?

[Dak47]

I have been humming & hawing between a .32 or .36, the buckshot commonality I think will seal the deal for the .36, so much good info here......

[Chris S]

"I assume you cast these of pure or very soft?"

Yup, use only your most pure lead...dead soft.
Chris

[Tom_in_AZ]

As others mentioned, patched round ball and bark em.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[curdog]

I was thinking that a .360 sized wadcutter worked for what you are wanting to do.................Curdog

[richhodg66]

I have a very light .38 Wadcutter mold somewhere, something like 60 grains. I doubt I still have any bullets cast from it, but it might make for a nice small game getter.

[gunther]

It's a bad time to be looking for store bought boolits, but, 38 hollow base wadcutters will amaze you. A friend with a background in 58 muskets bought a TC Seneca a long time ago. That gun with hbwc's was as good as it gets out to 50 yards.

[richhodg66]

It's a bad time to be looking for store bought boolits, but, 38 hollow base wadcutters will amaze you. A friend with a background in 58 muskets bought a TC Seneca a long time ago. That gun with hbwc's was as good as it gets out to 50 yards.

I think I have a few commercial hollow base wadcutters to try . Did your friend patch them at all or did the hollow base bump up on firing enough by itself?

[Hanshi]

A round ball is as good as it gets for squirrels and other small game. That's all I've ever used in the .36 and the .32. Use a lighter powder charge if you're worried about tearing the critter up too much.
https://i.postimg.cc/3RcZyhQM/PICT0577-2-1-1.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

[Tar Heel]

Still have my Seneca! Love that rifle.

[nightwolf1974]

If you can find some buckshot online....mostly everything is scarce now.

[swamp]

If you have trouble finding 350 round balls, I use them for my Seneca and for my buckshot loads. Always plenty on hand. Let me know if you need some.
swamp

[Hanshi]

Cast .350" or buckshot will work just fine. While I've mostly used a .32 for squirrels my favorite is now a .36. The .36 should be used either for head shots or mid body shots; too much damage if the hindquarters or shoulder area is hit. My .32 did no more damage than the .22LR HPs I used to use. Start with light charges and go up until you get squirrel head groups at 35 yards. Began at 10 grains of 3F (or equivalent sub charges). My .36 really loves 30 grns but 20 grns is just as accurate at 35 yards and more in line for small game. And why in the world try to "bark" bushytails with that tiny ball when a head shot is easier and always results in either an instant kill or a clean miss. I spent one afternoon a few years ago shooting plastic coke bottles at 80 yards with my .36 squirrel load (20 grns). As long as I allowed for the 4" or so drop at that range I hit it every time.

[eastbank]

i had all three calibers,32-36-45 in the small TC,s(all in ex condition), i was offered big buck for them and sold two the 32-36 and kept the 45 at,s legal here for deer.