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Thread: Muzzleloader Question

  1. #1
    Senior Member (too much time on their hands) Chicken Dinner's Avatar
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    Muzzleloader Question

    We took my Mom out to dinner tonight. She's been cleaning out the last of my step father's things and passed along to me a couple of his muzzleloaders. He was a huge black powder shooter and really got me into it. (The monthly silhouette shoot at my gun club is named after him as he dedicated so much of his time to BP shooting at the club.). Even though I was grown when they married, we were very close and I'm incredibly honored to have these keepsakes.

    The first is a .45 caliber TC pistol. Can't wait to shoot it and I think they just opened our ML deer season to pistols. It would be super cool to take a deer with a ML pistol.



    The second is a beautiful curly maple rifle a good buddy of his made for him. The only markings are his friends name and a date. It's got some nice gold inlay and some neat carving in the stock.



    Any advice on figuring out its caliber? The bore is definitely smaller than the .45 pistol.


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    Last edited by Chicken Dinner; 08-14-2017 at 05:37 AM.
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  2. #2
    Administrator Captain's Avatar
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    Damn sweet looking guns. Congrats.
    Prolly a 36 caliber.
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  3. #3
    Administrator BarryBobPosthole's Avatar
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    Aren't bore gauges rather cheap?

    Or only if you knew a gunsmith!

    BkB
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    pUMpHEAD SYSOp Thumper's Avatar
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    Just cram in whatever fits!
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    Senior Member (too much time on their hands) Chicken Dinner's Avatar
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    Well, a .45 conical doesn't fit which was the smallest I had lying around. (Of course, that didn't seem to fit in the .45 pistol - at least not with enough room for a patch - either interesting enough.). The smallest round ball I have is a .54 for my other sidelock and that definitely won't fit.


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    Administrator Captain's Avatar
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    Did no one see about where I said it was a 36 caliber?
    Hello! Is this thing on......
    A Government that pays people to do nothing destorys their willingness to do anything!

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    Administrator BarryBobPosthole's Avatar
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    Did somebody say something?

    BKb
    Viva Renaldo!

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    Senior Member (too much time on their hands) Chicken Dinner's Avatar
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    Yeah, thanks Law Dog. I just didn't want to let empirical data get in the way of a conversation. Now, I'll just have to find me some round ball in .36 and watch out squirrels.
    "When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro." Raoul Duke

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    Administrator Arty's Avatar
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    Squirrel hunting is a lot easier if you have a good pair of binoculars with you. Just don't lose'em.

  10. #10
    pUMpHEAD SYSOp Thumper's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BarryBobPosthole View Post
    Did somebody say something? BKb

    I thought that was static.
    "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness" - Mark Twain

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    Administrator BarryBobPosthole's Avatar
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    Viva Renaldo!

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    Administrator Captain's Avatar
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    It is possible that's it could be a .32 caliber so don't go loading up on .36 until you mic the barrel. .32 is RARE but some folks liked them for squirrel guns. My money is on .36 caliber.
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    Senior Member (too much time on their hands) Chicken Dinner's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Captain View Post
    It is possible that's it could be a .32 caliber so don't go loading up on .36 until you mic the barrel. .32 is RARE but some folks liked them for squirrel guns. My money is on .36 caliber.
    Here's a side by side pick of the muzzles. The .45 is on the bottom. I'd think there'd be a bigger difference for a .32. (Yes, I made sure they weren't loaded before I took the pic.




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  14. #14
    Administrator Captain's Avatar
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    Yea, that's gonna be a 36 caliber. Just remember the rule don't exceed the caliber with weight grain of black powder.
    i.e. 36 caliber no more than 36 grains of black powder, 45 caliber no more then 45 grains, etc...
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    pUMpHEAD SYSOp Thumper's Avatar
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    .100 caliber no more than 100 grains.
    "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness" - Mark Twain

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    Administrator Captain's Avatar
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    That's just a rule of thumb and it only applies to REAL black powder not the fake crap.
    I do have a 50 caliber that shoots dimes at 100 yards with 70 grains of fff black powder which of course breaks the "rule"
    But on a unknown rifle it's best to stay within the rule and work up if you see the firearm is safe within the rule.
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    Senior Member (too much time on their hands) Chicken Dinner's Avatar
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    Good point. I know I shoot way more than 54 grains in my .54.


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  18. #18
    Administrator Captain's Avatar
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    Black powder or pyrodex?
    A Government that pays people to do nothing destorys their willingness to do anything!

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    Senior Member (too much time on their hands) Chicken Dinner's Avatar
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    2f black powder.


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  20. #20
    Administrator Arty's Avatar
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    For real cap?!? Holy hell!
    I grew up dropping 90 grains down a .50 cal.
    So did my dad and oldest brother!
    Black powder. Not pyrodex
    Good thing. I ain't dead'

  21. #21
    Administrator Captain's Avatar
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    Most modern guns will have no problems at those pressures.
    The oldies you find around you need to keep to that rule.
    A Government that pays people to do nothing destorys their willingness to do anything!

  22. #22
    Administrator Arty's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Captain View Post
    Most modern guns will have no problems at those pressures.
    The oldies you find around you need to keep to that rule.
    10-4 then. These were new front-stuffers

  23. #23
    pUMpHEAD SYSOp Thumper's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Arty View Post
    Good thing I ain't dead.

    Well ..... you sure SMELL dead!!


    smiley-plugging-his-nose-from-a-bad-smell.jpg
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  24. #24
    Administrator Arty's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Thumper View Post
    Well ..... you sure SMELL dead!!

    smiley-plugging-his-nose-from-a-bad-smell.jpg
    Prolly just your upper lip.

  25. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by Arty View Post
    10-4 then. These were new front-stuffers
    I went back and checked my note on my .54 TC Hawken and my hunting load was 110gr of 2F. I dropped it about 25-30gr if punching paper or silhouettes at a turkey shoot. It totally makes sense to exercise caution with an older or unknown gun. I'm hoping I can track down the guy who built this and see what he recommends.



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  26. #26
    Senior Member (too much time on their hands) HideHunter's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Captain View Post
    Did no one see about where I said it was a 36 caliber?
    Hello! Is this thing on......
    Personally , I'd guess it might be a .36 caliber.. popular squirrel rifle.. "36" would be a big sonofabitch". You're welcome...
    If you turn a dog loose to hunt – you’d better to be ready to deal with what he trees.

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    Take a handgun cartridge in 38 and 40 cal to see it one of them fit the bore. Your 45 conical is probably around 454 to 457 dia. A 36 cal will take a 375 rb and the 40 runs the 395 dia.
    I shoot offhand and will run 45 to 72 grains out of my 45 cal percussion rifle. I usually settle on 55 to 65 grains depending on the day,amount of sun light and mood I'm in.

    The pistol pictured is a TC Patriot is it marked as such? If so a little trigger polishing and she'll shoot 4" groups or less depending on operator at 50 yards.

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