.38 Cal for a newbie

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Grantmac

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Looking to get into BP. I'm not looking to hunt and I'd prefer something I can plink with all day on the cheap. I shoot smallbore silhouette and some of the BP games look pretty fun.
Currently there is a .38cal on the EE that otherwise fits the bill except they seem to be a little oddball as a caliber. From what I've been able to google they might work with a thick patch and 000 buck (appealing for cost) or .36 pistol balls with a thin patch.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
Grant
 
Grantmac: The rifle you're looking at was likely manufactured by Euro Arms. These Italian-made rifles were imported by Richland Arms in Michigan and sold under the "Plainsman" and "Alamo" brand. I believe Euro Arms was purchased by Pedersoli. Richland Arms went out of business, in 1994.
An acquaintance of mine owned one of the percussion "Alamo" model rifles, at one time. Fun little rifle. Great on small game. We thought the caliber was a bit oddball at the time too....since .36 was far more prevalent. But it shot well.
Your instincts on going to patched, .36 ball(.375" dia.) are likely right on. Only way to tell for certain is to slug the barrel....but If I recall correctly(This is at least 40 years ago...so not clear), bore was around .385" for these rifles.
That's about all the info I can provide.
Hope this helps. Al

ps: For a nice, all around small game or plinking caliber, I'd suggest also taking a look at either a .36 or even .40 caliber muzzleloader.
 
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This one is actually antique. So would need to be slugged.

36cal would be excellent but very hard to find from what I've seen.
 
I think for 38 cal, you probably want a .370 round ball with a .015" patch but you would be wise to measure the diameter of the bore first to confirm it is actually .380" Rule of thumb is .010" under bore diameter. I think 00 buckshot even with a thick patch would be quite a bit too small. For shooting black powder trails I think you would probably find 50 or 54 cal would be more suitable assuming you are shooting at swinging metal targets

cheers mooncoon
 
I'm with mooncoon. Slug the barrel first, before deciding on ball diameter. You mentioned that the rifle is an antique. Do you have any information on the Maker? Also: Is bore condition mentioned in the ad? This can sometimes be problematic, in antique firearms.

Unfortunately, you're not going to see too many .36 cal muzzle loaders offered by most manufacturers, these days. The popularity of the .45, .50 and .54's for hunting rifles pretty much killed off the demand.

There are any number of custom muzzle loader makers who do offer rifles in both .36 and .40 caliber. The downside though, can be cost. Luckily, there are DIY kit guns available at more moderate price. If you wish to follow that route. Many are better than 90% finished...merely needing minor fitting, sanding, etc. Worth considering.

Still, if one of these small bore rifles suit your needs, they can be found.



Al
 
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Balancing the cost to buy vs cost to shoot is definitely a factor for me that makes buying a new small rifle unlikely. Condition of the bore on this one appears good from the muzzle apparently.

Another factor is that I can borrow a 50 or 54cal if I wish from my partner who shoots more BP than I do. But she doesn't have a <41cal which would qualify for the "squirrel gun" shooting that takes place at her club. Plus I like to shoot significant volume.
Would .350" 000 buck be too small to plink with?
 
Grantmac: Whether the rifle will shoot .350" ball accurately, will ultimately depend on bore diameter. It may....depending on patch thickness. Worth trying. If not, you can save a fair bit of money by casting your own ball.
 
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slug the bore first; until you know the exact dimensions, you are just making wild guesses. I have owned several guns with bores that were considerably different from their official dimensions

cheers mooncoon
 
I have a 38 cal swaging press, makes 38 bullets all day.... been looking for a set of 32 dies, and maybe 6 mm , it’s a Pacific Press setup, so it’s been around for a while.
If you need some 38 wadcutters I could make some for you. I usually case 9mm 147 g and put them in the press, and squeeze them down to 38...not much difference, but easier then cutting and weighting every piece of lead for the press.
Cheers
B
 
My current plan is to keep an eye out for a larger bore gun with a trash barrel then sleeving to .36cal
That seems to offer the best blend between economical shooting (OO buck) and not fouling so quick like 32cal seems to.
Although if a 32cal fell into my lap I wouldn't say no.
 
quinnbrian said:
I have a 38 cal swaging press, makes 38 bullets all day.... been looking for a set of 32 dies, and maybe 6 mm , it’s a Pacific Press setup, so it’s been around for a while.
If you need some 38 wadcutters I could make some for you. I usually case 9mm 147 g and put them in the press, and squeeze them down to 38...not much difference, but easier then cutting and weighting every piece of lead for the press.
Cheers
B
Click to expand...

I also have a .38 Cal swaging set-up. My dies are C-H and make a .359" slug. The bottom punch creates a slightly concave base that would help the bullet to "bump up" should your bore be around .360" These dies produce pistol bullets that might work for you .....or not! PM me when you have more information regarding your actual bore size.
 
oldrodder said:
I also have a .38 Cal swaging set-up. My dies are C-H and make a .359" slug. The bottom punch creates a slightly concave base that would help the bullet to "bump up" should your bore be around .360" These dies produce pistol bullets that might work for you .....or not! PM me when you have more information regarding your actual bore size.
Click to expand...

Nice! I was beginning to think I had the only setup! Been looking for years for a 32 cal setup, for my press, if you know someone that has a set, or can make me a set, that would be great! 32 caliber ( I my opinion ) is one of the most over looked caliber that I’ve seen. They shot usualy better then a 30 cal ( my opinion) flatter then most, and you can build just about any load for them. Would also like a set in 6 mm....I think there can be made a lot more consistence, then casting( I’ve cast for years).
Cheers
B
 
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