.45cal patched round balls out of Traditional Muzzleloaders

roundball

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Who routinely squirrel / deer hunts with .45cal patched round balls out of Traditional Muzzleloaders?
 

DarrinG

Six Pointer
Being fairly new to traditional muzzleloaders, isn't a 45 a little big for small game? Or do you just download the charge? Seem the ball would still be pretty big for a squirrel. I'm hoping to find a 32 flinter sometime in the near future for squirrel hunting.
 

roundball

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Being fairly new to traditional muzzleloaders, isn't a 45 a little big for small game? Or do you just download the charge? Seem the ball would still be pretty big for a squirrel. I'm hoping to find a 32 flinter sometime in the near future for squirrel hunting.

Speaking only for myself, I decided buying anything smaller than a .45cal was tying up too much money in a very tiny limited purpose caliber. The only part I ever bothered cooking were hindquarters anyway, so I always just took head/shoulder/chest shots as they were presented.
 
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nchawkeye

Old Mossy Horns
I used to, back in the '70s and '80s when all I had was a .45...I loaded 40grs FFF for squirrels and only took head shots, my normal load for deer was 75grs FFF...When I made my .54 in the late '80s, I converted my .45 to a .40...
 

DarrinG

Six Pointer
Speaking only for myself, I decided buying anything smaller than a .45cal was tying up too much money in a very tiny limited purpose caliber. The only part I ever bothered cooking were hindquarters anyway, so I always just took head/shoulder/chest shots as they were presented.

Makes sense.
I enjoy spending frosty mornings on a hardwood ridge chasing squirrels, so a smaller caliber will fit me well as I believe I will get a lot of use from it. I've been searching (not hard, but looking) around for a 32. I'd like to have a flintlock but it seems more of the mountain style rifles around and affordable are percussions. A few years ago Traditions actually made the "Deerhunter" model in a 32 caliber but dropped it from the lineup. Low sales in that model and caliber I suppose. Gonna keep looking for a TC Cherokee or they also made a Seneca in a 32. CVA made a model called the "Squirrel" in 32 as well. Maybe I'll luck up and find one in good shape at a reasonable price before next fall.
 

Longrifle

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I haven't used it in awhile but I have a CVA Kentucky in .45 that I use to carry regularly. Tack driving little rifle...
 

D. Buck Stopshere

Six Pointer
For squirrels, I sometimes use my "Heavy Hitter". A T/C Renegade fitted with a discontinued Green Mtn drop-in barrel in .32 caliber. It weighs 9 pounds, so not great for "long walks in the woods".

I should just break out my T/C Seneca or Cherokee. There, with extra barrels, I have a choice of .32, .36, and .45 caliber.
 

roundball

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Who routinely squirrel / deer hunts with .45cal patched round balls out of Traditional Muzzleloaders?

Had a good $100 worth of traditional .45cal ML stuff I wanted to give away for free, found a good home for it, thanks all
 
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