pluckit

I took the little Traditions .32 caliber Deerhunter squirrel rifle back to the range today to see if I was just lucky to shoot just under a half inch 3 shot group with it at 50 yards last week. I'm afraid I was. It does show some promise if I can figure it out. The first 2 targets were shot with the same load as last weeks super group, 30 grains Pyrodex RS under a .310 Hornady round ball patched with a .015 cotton patch and olive oil lube. That patch and ball combo stank!


I shot 4 more rounds at target #3 with the same combo as targets #1 and 2 and said enough is enough. So I switched to some old shirt patches I had cut up a long time ago and olive oil for a lube with 20 grains of FFF Goex and a CCI Mag #11 cap and shot 3 more times at target #3. The group for that load is circled.

That group looked decent so I decided to try 3 more shots with the same load, lube, patch, and ball.

The group was holding pretty good so I tried one more time.
I don't know what happened with the first shot though.

I should have left well enough alone but I wanted to try some pillow ticking for patches. Shots 1 and 2 were with the old shirt patch. Shots 3, 4, and 5 were with pillow ticking. You be the judge. I say I'm good until I run out of that shirt material.

Semisane

Some guys are like that. They'll give the shirt off of their back for a good group.

It looks as though you have something going there. Playing with different patch materials and lube is something I enjoy. You always learn something even when a combination doesn't work out.

I have a supply of .008, .010, .013, .015 & .017 patches. Send me your mailing address in a PM and I'll send you a dozen or two of each to try.

cayugad

It looked like a lot of fun anyway. Sometimes these rifles will shoot crazy one day and great the next.

bronko22000

I've found the little .32 to be very finicky. Before you go out next time why don't you try weighing a volume of powder (say 20 grs) and then weigh a few more charges with that weight. Then do the same for a couple other charges. Remember, you're only dealing with low charges here so a 2 grain difference in a 20 grain charge is a 10% difference whereas with a big 50 cal using a 100 gr charge, that same 2 gr is only a 2% difference. I really think weighing your charges may improve your grouping.

pluckit

Bronko,

As I was measuring powder loads I was thinking about that issue. I tap the powder measure to settle the powder and refill until the powder measure will not take any more. As I was doing this I thought about what the difference in volume between loads may be. And at such small powder loads, how big of a difference that could make. I thought it could be significant. I have an electronic scale and I will try weighing ouy some loads some time.

pluckit

Semisane,
Thank you for your offer. I don't mind scrounging around for old material to use for patches. It's fun to cut up an old shirt and use for patches and then see how well it works. The only problem is when that material is gone you will have to start all over again. I don't have a micrometer so I never have any idea how thick my patches are. I guess I should get one some day.

pluckit

cayugad,
As I believe I stated in my first range report on this rifle, it is a lot of fun to shoot. I like shooting it more than a .50 caliber simply because of the lack of punishment it delivers to your shoulder.