.32 small game rifle

[LAGS]

Recently I have been thinking about buying a .32 muzzleloader for small game hunting this fall and next spring.
Does anyone have any opinions on the rifle that are out there. ( If you can find one in this shortage )
I want to let my wife shoot it also because it is lighter and easier to handle.
What I would like is a Flint Lock , Full stock in like a Kentucky or Pennsylvania style.
My wife likes the Traditions Crocket rifle , but it is percussion and half stock.
Pedersoli has several models including the shorter "Cub " style that might fit my wife better.
Kibler does offer a Southern Rifle in flinter kit with a swamped barrel and I can get Fancy wood that is more to our liking over Walnut.
I have no experience with Pedersoli rifles or kits.
I have mixed opinions about Traditions Rifles.
And the Kibler kits that I have seen are excellent.
Who knows , I may just end up buying two rifles but would like some input from others on what is a good rifle and a good price for the quality.

[pietro]

.

.32 flintlocks:

https://muzzleloadingandmore.com/pro...ntlock-45-cal/

https://www.dixiegunworks.com/index/...Flint?view_all (Dixie Cub & Cub Scout .32 flintlocks)

https://www.jedediah-starr.com/close...id=14&offset=9

https://cabincreek.net/revspec/specials/

https://www.muzzleloaderbuilderssupp...riflekits.html

[Nobade]

If you want to build a kit, the Kibler ones are the nicest thing on the market at the moment. The Pedersoli rifles and kits are much less expensive but nowhere near the quality or historical correctness, though they do make a good serviceable rifle.

[LAGS]

I am very happy with the Pecatonica River Blunderbuss kit that I am finishing up right now.
I still have a Lyman GPR kit that I have to build.
And I have all the parts for 7 TC Renegades and Hawkins that I have to restore.
I just finished up a Traditions St Louis Hawkins Kit that I got in a horse trading deal.
It came out nice , and I Lictenburged the light colored stock.
Time is the only factor that keeps me from building another kit.
But the kits , even the Cheap ones allow me to add my personal touches to what I build.
I am more concerned with how the rifle shoots and fits me , rather than being Historically Correct

[waksupi]

Kibler is sure putting out a nice kit. Easy for anyone to put together. He is going to kill the custom business.

They aren't idiot proof though. One of our club members bought a kit, and managed to make a $600 rifle out of $1200 worth of parts. He should never be permitted to build anything more complicated than an ice cream cone.

[LAGS]

I could just take one of my used TC .45 cal barrels and see if Hoyt can Re Line it to .32 or even .36 cal.
But it would be a heavy barrel for the caliber.

[sharps4590]

It ain't the work, it's those darn decisions.....

[LAGS]

Now my wife had a suggestion.
She wants me to buy her a Traditions Crocket .32 and then since I want a flintlock , see if I can convert it to a Flint Lock since the breech is fitted with a drum.
That could be a possibility if I can find the right lock.
These decisions get harder since there are not a bunch of .32's out there and I can't find one that I can hold and see how it fits me, ( or her )
Of all the BP rifles that I have, the one that fits me best is a " Mowrey " 50 cal Ethen Allen that I bought new back in the '70s.
I call it " Thunder "
I think it is the drop in the stock and the hooked buttplate that makes it fit me well.

[taco650]

Kibler is sure putting out a nice kit. Easy for anyone to put together. He is going to kill the custom business.

They aren't idiot proof though. One of our club members bought a kit, and managed to make a $600 rifle out of $1200 worth of parts. He should never be permitted to build anything more complicated than an ice cream cone.

LOL! I've known a few guys like that who fancy their skill set is much higher than it actually is. Bottom line, know your limitations if you're building anything, including a black powder boom stick!

[LAGS]

If I end up buying another rifle kit it probably would be one that I can select the barrel I want.
Most of the .32 barrels I see in rifles or with kits are currently 1 in 48" twist.
Since I intend on shooting round balls , I think I would prefer a barrel with a 1 in 66" twist.
I also prefer a 13/16" straight octagon barrel over a tapered or Swamped barrel.
I like the Looks on both of them , but it is just a personal preference.
Any opinions on my thoughts ?

[uscra112]

LOL! I've known a few guys like that who fancy their skill set is much higher than it actually is. Bottom line, know your limitations if you're building anything, including a black powder boom stick!

The phenomenon has a modern name: the Dunning-Kruger Effect. Has been well known since the ancient Greeks.

[LAGS]

I call it my Peter Principal.
I rise to the level of my own incompetence

[nseries]

If I end up buying another rifle kit it probably would be one that I can select the barrel I want.
Most of the .32 barrels I see in rifles or with kits are currently 1 in 48" twist.
Since I intend on shooting round balls , I think I would prefer a barrel with a 1 in 66" twist.
I also prefer a 13/16" straight octagon barrel over a tapered or Swamped barrel.
I like the Looks on both of them , but it is just a personal preference.
Any opinions on my thoughts ?

LAGS, 1:48" might be a slow enough OR maybe the ideal twist for .32 roundballs. I'm by no means an expert...

T/C used a 1:30" twist in their Cherokee and that was to accommodate both conical as well as round ball use, as I understand.

[LAGS]

Looks like I may need to do some more research on the barrel twists for smaller calibers.
I may call Bob Hoyt and get his opinion.
So far his recommendation on barrel twists has worked out good for me.

[Nobade]

My Dixie rifle is a 1:48 and it shoots well with 25 grains. My TC Cherokee with the 1:30 barrel doesn't like anything above 15 grains. For squirrels that works great, like a 22LR but if I want more power the accuracy goes away quickly.

[mooman76]

The smaller the RB, the more twist is needed. I have 3, 32s and all have a 1-48 twist which is not a twist for conicals in this caliber. If you go with 1-66 you will have to load allot of powder to get it to stabilize. I have a dixie, a Traditions and an old one from the 1800s. The latter shoots real tight groups. Weighs a ton, but is a shooter. 39" 1 1/16 barrel.

[Edward]

The 32 does nothing the 45 can"t and the 45 is more versatile ! Weight is not an issue as 45 cal can be had as light as you want ,and if you hunt squirrel causes less damage with head shots/ barking .If you have trouble with that try bird shot because body shots on squirrels most often end up with meat loss where as the 45 will kill deer quite nicely (legal too) ! just another prospective/Ed

[LAGS]

Thank you gents.
This information is great and will probably save me from making a mistake on buying the wrong barrel.
Using bird shot was mentioned.
I thought about that , but shooting it in my .75 cal Blunderbuss.
But the Blunderbuss is really heavy , but I am still going to Try it for dove season in a few weeks.
I don't expect great results , but it will add a challenge to the sport.
Also going with a .32 over the .45 gives me a reason to venture into a new caliber, fill a empty spot in my safe, and have something my wife will be comfortable shooting.
I have used the two .45's that I have for rabbits.
They work good as long as you are not trying to shoot the bunnies or Jack Rabbits on the run.

[elk hunter]

Fifty plus years ago I wanted a 32 caliber squirrel rifle. I ended up building a Bedford County style rifle using a 30 caliber barrel I bought from Numrich. I don't remember the twist but it is sure death on a bushy-tail when loaded with 15 grains of 3 FG, a linen patch and a #1 buckshot. I always tried for head shots but a body shot anchored them with little damage and the ball was always found under the off side skin looking like a dime.

[Kylongrifle32]

Lags
The 32 Crockett I have is one fine shooting rifle. But then again all the .32's I have will shot minute of a squirrel head at 20 yards. My collection includes a Tradition's .32 short barreled deer hunter, a Cabela's 32 blue ridge flint, a 32 blue ridge percussion, and the rifle that get hunted the most a Tradition's 32 Crockett rifle.

One thing about a flint lock to consider that I learned and dislike. When hunting early squirrel season when they are cutting nuts in the trees. Shooting a flint rifle elevated up into the trees sends a lot of sparks and shard's falling back down into your face. So I have delegated the flint rifle to late season hunting when the squirrels are spending most of their time running around on the ground.