Curious if any FHC members have any experience with the smaller caliber muzzle loader rifles? Here's a few. Traditions™ Crockett Squirrel Rifle MLsmallgame2 I know I could ask on muzzle loader forums, but thought why not ask here? I like the idea, however impractical they seem. For now, watered down loads in the T/C Impact is all I can do.
had a .32 cva squirrel rifle about 30 years ago ,if you want to have cheap fun get one ,it was like the traditions in your post ,you get many shots from a pound of powder and you can get a mold for 20.00 if you have a lead source ,its a nice way to shoot cheaply and with all the shortages in the last few years muzzleloading supplies have always been available .
As for availability, I don't think I'll walk into a shop and buy one up here, they seem to be non existent. The places down there in the US that sell them don't ship to Canada apparently. Hard to wrap your head around the various laws sometimes lol. Far as I know, muzzle loaders are not really considered firearms down there. Up here they are (except flintlocks or antiques require no gun license). Anyone know the particulars on this? If I lived by the border I'd talk to a shop on the US side and see what they tell me. But I'm a fair jaunt north of there.
you could call track of the wolf ,they are in mn. so i assume they have handled export issues Track of the Wolf - Muzzle Loading & Black Powder Guns Kits, Parts, Accoutrements, Rendezvous Gear & Primitive Americana
Others have said TOTW sends stuff north of the border, but this particular rifle isn't listed on their site that I can see.
Never had a 32 , got a 36 from Cabela's many years ago. friend borrowed it for several years got it back recently, barrel shot, all rusted up ( add your own explictives) needs a new barrel at this point. Any way used for bp matches- small bore/ squirel rifle, had to be under 40 cal. Had to stay on it about fouling during a match. Never used for hunting as not sure if allowed in WI at that time ( shotgun/rimfire only for small game during seasons) rules might be different now, don't know. That was back about 93-95. It was quite accurate with a proper load.
Well guys, turns out there's a place in Saskatchewan that doesn't stock them, but can get them from their distributor. A touch on the costly side with the Canadian peso being what it is.
My mom has an old .32 cal percussion Kentucky rifle muzzleloader that she inherited from her uncle. He actually made the stock himself out of curly maple. She never would let me hunt with it when I lived with them for fear I'd break it, but I know now they take it out at least once a year for a rendezvous campout and shoot their historical society does. I've shot it several times, I'd would be a blast to use for squirrels.
A friend gave me a .32 cal CVA Squirrel years ago like unclefess described. This looked like it was a kit gun but the barrel is made in Spain. It was rusted up pretty good but after some elbow grease it was shootable. It's good cheap fun and not so hard on the shoulder as my .50 cal.
I found that the balls were just as accurate as the match grade projectiles and around 60g of this power hit the sweet spot for this rifle. I haven't shot this in a while but thanks to your thread - I think that's going to change soon !
Too bad about your rifle chris. You bring up a very good point about the fouling and what a PIA it is to clean these older style guns. If your are looking at a gun for plinking, I would sure get an in-line version that you actually spend more time shooting than you do cleaning. Gotta love the double trigger on these though !!