Black powder small game

[bungiex88]

Looking at getting a flintlock or percussion rifle to use strictly on small game squirrels and rabbits. This is something I have no idea about. I have a Lyman 54cal flintlock for deer so I just need something for small game. Do they make them to shoot shot shell out of it or how does it work just a small bullet. Like I said I have no idea how this works I just got into flintlock hunting couple years ago.

[Smoke & Recoil]

You can use shot in any muzzleloader as long as you have no regard for the
rifling. You might want to consider a rifle for the purpose of using shot only or
find the Thompson Center .56 cal smooth bore as one example. Load as....
powder, wad, shot and lastly, over wad.

[Oliver Sudden]

There are muzzle loading shot guns out there that are very effective for small game. Performance on rabbits to pheasant is quite good. I've used a double barrel 12 gauge with complete satisfaction for years. Light weight and easy to clean too.

[Texas Reb]

Do the make a 28g muzzie?

[rodwhaincamo]

Two options. Either a small caliber barrel/rifle or a smoothbore barrel/rifle.

I have a Lyman percussion .50 cal Deerstalker and have every intention of a Trade Rifle barrel reamed to 28 ga and likely threaded for a screw-in choke until I get a .32-.40 cal rifle.

A rifled bore won't work well with shot beyond about 10 yds making it ineffective.

A muzzleloader doesn't use a cartridge unless maybe it's paper. They are loaded to be like one but with individual pieces. If you are willing to wait you could by a Lyman barrel in .50 cal and have it reamed to 28 ga.

Shot is better than a ball shooting up into trees.

[kraigwy]

Sorry, double tap

[kraigwy]

When I first moved to Alaska in '72 I was working on the Railroad and was sent to Healy to work.

Only place to live was in the Healy Hotel which I couldnt afford so I lived in a tent until I built a cabin.

Didnt have much money, and I was out of 22s, plus there was no where there to buy any.

I had a little replica cap and ball 36 cal Navy revolver so I used it to gather camp meat. Tons of snowshoe rabbits. It was fairly accurate and reasonable ranges and that little .380 ball didnt tear up a lot of meat.

It was either that or a high powered rifle. But the little revolver worked quite well.

Things have change since then but I still have that little gun but just shoot it for fun. For old time sake I still keep a supply of caps and powder just in case I have to depend on it to eat again (though now I have a lot better options).

[bungiex88]

So does anyone have a recommendation of which gun to buy for small game using shot shell.

[Zeroed]

I have a T/C Encore with multiple rifle barrels, 1- 12ga (shotshell) barrel, and my favorite, my Blackpowder 12ga Turkey barrel. I use this BP Turkey barrel (with choke), for turkey during the season, and I use it for small game, such as rabbit and squirrel. Even shot dove before. It is versatile as to the shot you can use. You could probably even duck hunt with it. I use #8 for small game and dove.

[rodwhaincamo]

Are you looking for a muzzleloader or breechloader? Or does it matter? You may want to look at what Dixie Gun Works has to offer.

[Hawg]

The Pedersoli 12 gauge SXS is hard to beat.

[Zeroed]

^^^That is sweet.^^^ 2 quick shots beats 1 single shot every time, especially if there's several hogs in a group.

[Hawg]

^^^That is sweet.^^^ 2 quick shots beats 1 single shot every time, especially if there's several hogs in a group.

It's very light and 100 grains of powder behind a .690 round ball packs a punch.

[Wyosmith]

What's the budget?

[bedbugbilly]

If you're looking for a rifle - a Traditions "Crockett" is a fairly decent .32 cal and excellent for rabbits and squirrels.

You could always put together a Pecatonica River under-hammer rifle using aa .36 calibre barrel - I have an under hammer in 36 cal that Deer Creek used to make and I've taken squirrels, rabbits and other smaller critters with it.

Unfortunately, there isn't a whole lot out there in smaller caliber rifles that are being made other than a custom rifle. You could easily build one though if you have the skills.

As far as shotguns - a nice single barrel in 20 gauge. If you want to spend the money -something like a Fusil de Chasse or a Northwest Trade gun with a 20guge/.62s caliber smoothbore barrel is a very versatile gun. I have a 20 gauge Fusil flint and It's a great small game gun as well as pheasants and I've even taken ducks with it many years ago.

Whn I was a kid, I used to hunt with a .36 Colt Navy and took a few squirrels as well as rabbits. Never took a rabbit on the run but when they are sitting, easy to dust them off.

[Gaucho Gringo]

Another option is buy a barrel that fits your stock or a rifle with a bad\rusted barrel. Then ream the barrel to a smoothbore. It was done back in the day all the time. Instant small gauge shotgun and you can still shoot roundball.

[Model12Win]

Hawg that's a beut, for sure and for certain.

Dave Canterbury of the Pathfinder School has many videos on using a muzzle loading 12 gauge (he uses a Pedersoli) in the field for hunting.

OP, I doubt you could do much finer. A Pedersoli and a neat horn and shooting bag would make a fantastic huntsman's kit.

[bamaranger]

I do not own a BP shotgun, but I do hunt small game a wee bit with a .32 CVA Squirrel Rifle. As mentioned, the .32 Crockett is a currently produced option. Since the OP is familiar with the handling and use (loading) of a rifle, my thought is to stay with the rifle and not go the shotgun route. The Pedersolli double shotgun is a fine rig, but pricey. The Traditions Crockett can be found as a kit for about $400.....recently saw them advertised somewhere in kit form at $369.

The .32 is definitly a SMALL game rifle. The tiny roundball is ideally suited for squirrel and rabbits, groundhogs, coons and so on. A powder charge of 20 gr or so will give many shots to the pound, and plenty of punch for little critters. If you can find a load, the .32 maxiball gives the .32 more punch, but accuracy may be so-so. I honestly think a .36 roundball might be a better GP pot gun, but try and find one these days that is not custom (and expensive). I'm working with the 105 gr Maxiball in my .32 CVA to give it a bit more punch, and to ease the loading process from patch and ball. Accuracy with limited shooting is OK, but my roundball shooting was not that hot either. The old T/C Seneca .32 was rifled 1-20" and intended for the Maxi, but those great little rifles are rare, and again, pricey.

[noelf2]

So does anyone have a recommendation of which gun to buy for small game using shot shell.

What do you mean by "using shot shell"? Shot shells are for breech loading shotguns, so NO, there isn't a flintlock or percussion rifle or shotgun that will shoot shot shells.

If you mean "using shot", you can put shot in any muzzleloading flintlock or percussion rifle or shotgun. A rifle will not work so well, as previously mentioned, because the rifling will put a donut pattern on the shot, and your distance will be poor (there will be a big hole in the middle of your pattern).

Here's some ideas:
http://www.cabelas.com/product/shoot...1.uts?slotId=1

or a cheaper option is to get a $100 used break action shotgun like an H&R Topper 20 or 12 gauge, and a percussion black powder breech plug from gunadapters.com if you want to use it as a muzzle loading shotgun. You can also get brass shells and load them with black powder and shot. Extra benefit is that it's still a conventional shotgun and can use modern shot shells.

[Hawg]

I don't get wanting to use a breech loader as a muzzle loader. If you want to use bp just load shells with it. That way you don't have to deal with the choke trying to load from the muzzle.

[Texas Reb]

Hawg,

When I was considering it, I didn't think about the choke causing problems until you pointed it out to me. At the time, it just sounded like a good cheap option. I also thought about loading the shells with BP, but I think that could get expensive in a hurry. With the cost of BP and the substitutes being 25 bucks a pound or so and I doubt you can get many shells out of that pound. There doesn't seem to be many options without spending a boat load of coins.



Noelf2,

Dave Canterbury is where I got the idea. I love watching his videos. I know he's TV personality, but I still like some of his ideas. He has the funds to buy what he wants though. He's still a very talented individual in my book.

[noelf2]

I don't get wanting to use a breech loader as a muzzle loader. If you want to use bp just load shells with it. That way you don't have to deal with the choke trying to load from the muzzle.

Yeah I know. That's why I mentioned brass shells in it too, but, he was asking about percussion or flintlock (I think).

When I was considering it, I didn't think about the choke causing problems until you pointed it out to me.

IMHO, it's not that big a problem. I use a double barrel 10 gauge muzzle loader shotgun that has screw in chokes. I use felt wads and they will spring right back to their normal dimensions when you get past the choke. If you find them after shooting, you can re-use them. You can also use paper or wax paper wads that, once you squish them on the powder or over shot, will spread out and work fine. It's the vegetable fiber wads and Nitro card (hard paper cardboard) wads that will get distorted going through a choke. I don't use those except for in shot shells and in cylinder bore guns.

With the cost of BP and the substitutes being 25 bucks a pound or so and I doubt you can get many shells out of that pound. There doesn't seem to be many options without spending a boat load of coins.

Use Pyrodex for your shells, and get it after hunting seasons from places like WalMart when they are practically tossing the stuff out for a song. Last year I got a couple jugs for $9 each, and a jug of triple 7 for $11. The year before that I got about 6 jugs of Pyrodex RS for $10 each. I don't care what price they dump it for after this season. I have too much. You can shoot pretty cheap, if you want to.

[Texas Reb]

Noelf2,

Thanks for the heads up. I didn't realize they sold it cheap after the hunting season.!If I see it, I will buy up all I can find.

[Hawg]

A 12 gauge uses an 80 grain charge. That's less than I use in a .50 caliber rifle

[Texas Reb]

Hawg,

Sorry, I wasn't comparing apples to apples. What I meant is that loading BP shotshells was more expensive than buying a box of regular shells off the shelf. I can get 12g shells for 5 bucks, however they ain't high brass quality shells.