[ReDnEcKbOhUnTeR]

i got a 32 caliber cap and ball gun off my uncle and im gonna try and shoot some groundhogs here asap with it... does anyone have any suggestions as to powder and amt of poweder to use...???

 

[long hunter]

I would start with a load of 35gr of 3f Goex and a patched round ball

I am asuming this is a rifle not a pistol?

 

[tobyje]

Mine is very fussy with patch placement. Ball must be centered perfectly. I switched to cutting the patches at the muzzle and it improved greatly. I have a Paris barrel and my best load is 30 to 35 grains of 3F with a Hornady .315 ball, .018" pillow ticking. .311 balls won't shoot and .319 balls won't load. I went to thinner patches and that didn't work at all. I use a liquid lube and can shoot about 20 shoots before fouling becomes an issue.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

Powder and ball combo's for those little calibers depends a great deal more on twist and barrel length than in larger bores. a short barrel gun like the old CVA squirrel rifle, a max of about 20 grains of 3f is about all the short barrel can consume before the ball leaves the muzzle.

A long barrel of course can get performance out of a bit more powder.

35 grains is probably about the max optimum load for PRB's in anything 32 caliber.

In my little 32 in line, I use an empty 38 Special case for a powder measure. That barrel is only 24 inches long. It will put 5 of 5 on a postage stamp at 25 yds.

 

[410-er]

Whats the name on that 32?
I have the TC Cherokee and it likes .010 red pillow with 20grs of FFFg and a RB.Some guys use only 10grs for squirrels.
The 32's are sweet little guns.You will be surprised at the damage they do!

 

[ReDnEcKbOhUnTeR]

its a traditions, i was shooting on saturday with 35 grains of FFFFg and a RB, i never heard of anyone shooting FFFFg in the barrel, we use it for flashpowder in flinters but my uncle claims he was shooting FFFFg out of it so thats what i did..

 

[zimmerstutzen]

That's a little hot for my tastes.

 

[410-er]

I agree,I'd never use FFFFg for a charge!

 

[ReDnEcKbOhUnTeR]

would you guess recommend the same amount just in FFFg or drop down to like 20?

 

[410-er]

Depends on if you want groups or power.I have found 20grs of FFFg PLENTY of power.I'd play with it if it were me and start at 10grs and increase by 5grs and see what groops I get.Also do the same tests with patch sizes of .010,.015,.018 or even .020.Depends on how the bore was cut.I'm guessing you use .310 RB's?
Each gun is different and we can only make sugestions on what to try.Results will depend on your gun.That the fun of muzzy shooting!
This might help.

http://www.goexpowder.com/load-chart.html

Load charts for the 32 are about 3/4 the way down here.

http://www.tcarms.com/assets/manuals/noncurrent/Shooting_TC_Side_Lock_Black_Powder_Guns.pdf

 

[zimmerstutzen]

That chart from GOEX is nice, but the velocity and power per charge can vary greatly just on barrel length. ie a 36 inch barrel can get as much as 30% more velocity out of the same charge from a 22 inch barrel