.32 Cal Inline Update

dbowling said:

Don't know why everyone is saying .36 is to large for small game , I squirrel hunted with a Hopkins/Allen underhammer .36 for a couple years and it was no worse on squirrels then the .32 Deerhunter I have.. the only time it would tear a squirrel up was when loaded hot and a hit thru the shoulders would tear them apart, but a hit thru the ribs would just put a nickel sized hole..
I squirrel hunt with a .40 no problem so a .36 is far from too big.. it gives you the option of reduced loads for squirrels/rabbits and hot loads for groundhogs, raccoons, and even coyotes with a maxi-ball.. they are also a lot less fiddly when trying to load in the woods or out in the field, when fingers get cold or you have gloves on the .32 is hard to hold on to..
Also I have a Bill Eyre Squirrel rifle in .36 that was specifically built to hunt small game.
Also a .32 with over 15-20 gr. of powder looks like a grenade going off when hitting a squirrel also so in that case its too large for squirrels.

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You are right that you can use the .36 and do fine. I just don't see the need for a larger caliber for squirrel than the .32.

Also a .32 with over 15-20 gr. of powder looks like a grenade going off when hitting a squirrel also so in that case its too large for squirrels

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Yup right again. With most of the .32's out there they are 1 in 48 twist and to get the accuracy I want you do need to push them. They are known for being finicky. But with a 1 in 30 twist you don't need any more than 15 to 20 grains to shoot very accurate and it don't tear them up. I have even shot 10 grains at it was not too bad. The ,32 with a fast twist and low powder charges is more like shooting a standard velocity .22Lr or even target grade ammo. I used to love hunting them with a .22 but never liked using the high/hyper velocity ammo as it too can tear them up.

The whole point of this endeavor was to get a .32 caliber built in a production type inline rifle that was economical. That is what most of us wanted, and some of us have built. In my opinion Traditions asking us " What about a .36 caliber" is like saying "We already thought about this caliber so maybe they will settle for that instead." It will probably appeal to some yes, but again not what I want.

As for their statements about "Re-Tooling" well I could understand that if they did not already have a .32. Boring the blanks would be the same but the change to a 30 twist is the "tooling change" where as they don't have a .36 cal at all that I know of so the boring of the blank would require a "Tooling change" too. So which tooling change would cost them more? I'm not a machinist so don't know but either way seems to me some tooling change would need to take place either way. Maybe they already have the tooling for the .36 1 in 48, who knows. If that is what they say they will build because they do have it then best of luck to them with it. I just don't want that.

X2! :yeah:

Don't get me wrong I like the .32 and would definitely buy a inline if it was available for under 300.00..but if it doesn't happen I would also buy a .36 inline and be just as happy maybe more so for the above reasons I stated..My little .32 is great to carry around and very cheap to shoot and pretty accurate even though a previous owner let a little pitting get in the barrel.

Not to worry guys, I will make sure the the .32 cal inline happens, in a configuration that makes sense. I know the owner of Traditions has some large projects in the pipeline that keep him busy, so I think it is taking time to get the engineers freed up enough to draw us up what we want. Also, I don't want to rush this project, but I will be at their headquarters at the end of June. I will make sure to pass along any updates I receive.

muzzle-loader said:

Not to worry guys, I will make sure the the .32 cal inline happens, in a configuration that makes sense. I know the owner of Traditions has some large projects in the pipeline that keep him busy, so I think it is taking time to get the engineers freed up enough to draw us up what we want. Also, I don't want to rush this project, but I will be at their headquarters at the end of June. I will make sure to pass along any updates I receive.

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Thanks for the update! :yeah:

muzzle-loader,

Any updates on this endeavor?

Thanks,

I'd love to buy a 32 cal inline. I wonder if Traditions or someone else would make a sabot for it in 25 cal? Now that would be sweet if feasible.

Banerbird said:

I'd love to buy a 32 cal inline. I wonder if Traditions or someone else would make a sabot for it in 25 cal? Now that would be sweet if feasible.

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A sabot for a .32 sounds interesting but I would settle for PRB.

Banerbird said:

I'd love to buy a 32 cal inline. I wonder if Traditions or someone else would make a sabot for it in 25 cal? Now that would be sweet if feasible.

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I too will stay with PRB if they do it. Wish they would get on it too as Squirrel season is coming fast. Hint Hint!

I don't really see the need to use a sabot in the .32 as they are short range rifles, But if that's what you want maybe you can talk MMP into it or get some backing from Muzzle-loader to assist. They would be mighty Tiny Sabots too , you should see the one for .36 cal that MMP makes for the .312's. I doubt Traditions makes any sabots, they probably get them from MMP or Harvester. I suppose that a guy could try to go Sabotless and size something to fit but they might wind up with bullets on the heavy side. Conicals would be next, there are guys that could make a mold if you so chose to go that route.

ShawnT said:

Banerbird said:

I'd love to buy a 32 cal inline. I wonder if Traditions or someone else would make a sabot for it in 25 cal? Now that would be sweet if feasible.

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I too will stay with PRB if they do it. Wish they would get on it too as Squirrel season is coming fast. Hint Hint!

I don't really see the need to use a sabot in the .32 as they are short range rifles, But if that's what you want maybe you can talk MMP into it or get some backing from Muzzle-loader to assist. They would be mighty Tiny Sabots too , you should see the one for .36 cal that MMP makes for the .312's. I doubt Traditions makes any sabots, they probably get them from MMP or Harvester. I suppose that a guy could try to go Sabotless and size something to fit but they might wind up with bullets on the heavy side. Conicals would be next, there are guys that could make a mold if you so chose to go that route.

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I'm thinking that a 36/32 or 32/25 would be a sweet coyote ML setup. MMP lists the 36/32 combo with an 85 gr XTP and 50 gr powder at 1900fps. I'd be curious what a 32/25 combo with a 35gr Gold dot or even the 36/32 with a 60gr GD or XTP could realistically get up to for varmints. Or do I have too much time to think about these things? I have contacted MMP on a 32/25 sabot and they're not interested due to forecasted low interest.

I have a Knight LK-93 in .36 caliber. Still don't have a load quite worked up for it to my liking. I also keep getting side tracked with something else. I have shot the 100 grain XTP and the 100 Grain Rainer and I have the 60 grain XTP and 85grainers too. I have yet to Chono anything yet as well. I wanted to use it as a Coyote and groundhog gun. The .32 was more of my first interest in the small bores. Now I have a New UL to get ready for this season too. Too many projects with so little time. Hope to spend some time with the .36 after some of this heat breaks.

I wish I had a place of my own so I could set up in the back yard to shoot when I want.

Sorry for the delayed reply, but there have been some things going on with Traditions that have set back any potential of this muzzleloader this fall. Apparently, they had one of their stock fixtures break, causing a 4-month delay on some of their traditional guns. Because of this, I am going to resume the discussion with them at SHOT, when I have more time to talk in person and come up with other alternatives.

From what I gathered so far, coming up with a faster twist than 1:48" may not be economical, as blanks are generally ordered in 5,000 quantity increments. With that in mind, would 1:48" twist be satisfactory, or is the faster 1:30 or 36" needed? Let me know, as I have a long list of notes on this subject to discuss. One way or another, we will get something like this manufactured by one of the manufacturers.

muzzle-loader said:

Sorry for the delayed reply, but there have been some things going on with Traditions that have set back any potential of this muzzleloader this fall. Apparently, they had one of their stock fixtures break, causing a 4-month delay on some of their traditional guns. Because of this, I am going to resume the discussion with them at SHOT, when I have more time to talk in person and come up with other alternatives.

From what I gathered so far, coming up with a faster twist than 1:48" may not be economical, as blanks are generally ordered in 5,000 quantity increments. With that in mind, would 1:48" twist be satisfactory, or is the faster 1:30 or 36" needed? Let me know, as I have a long list of notes on this subject to discuss. One way or another, we will get something like this manufactured by one of the manufacturers.

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Shame to here about the stock fixture. So that sounds like they buy their blanks from another manufacturer? I guess I assumed they made their own.

I can understand their reluctance to do a fast twist as they already use the 1 in 48 on the Crockett. I already have a 1 in 30 twist rifle I had built and I like the ability to shoot lower powder charges and still be accurate. 10 grains of Pyrodex P gives me 1070 to 1100 FPS so that is in the same range a Target Grade 22LR ammo and 15 grains puts me in the 1270 to 1300fps range for more like standard to high velocity 22LR. Makes for a very economical load that is still accurate for head shots on squirrels and not blow them apart. So personally I still would like to see the fast twist happen. While I don't have the 1 in 48 twist. I have had some friends and family that did and said they could be finicky to get to shoot and also needed more powder to do so.

Having said that.. I would guess that a 1 in 48 twist Inline rifle would still sell to those that don't have an inline .32cal or the desire to build one. I would have to think more about it and see what the rifles overall configuration end up being before I would buy one since the twist would not be what I really want. Not saying no but would have to think more about it. If it is 1 in 48 and ended up a heavier rifle than I like for this type rifle, I would probably pass and build another one.

An inline .32 with 1 in 30 twist (or very close to it), light weight, True sealed Bolt action (not bolt/plunger combo) or break action, that carries like a fine .22LR with a decent trigger and I'm there with CC# in hand.

I would buy a 1:30 in a heartbeat.

Banerbird said:

I would buy a 1:30 in a heartbeat.

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Same here. 1 in 48 I would pass on.

1:30 for me too. I can wait another year, not a big deal.
My gut says this is unlikely to happen but we can hope while we wait!

I cant beleave in the last 4 years everyone asking for a 1:30 twist .32 inline that no company will venture into building one! I know I hear oh the retooling is to expensive but they don't have a problem with coming out with a new model .50 cal every year. Why would they come out with a .36 in 1:48 , .36 is to big and 1:48 does us no good unless your shooting heavy conical and 35 grains. I guess it's like the .50 everyone knows we need to go to 1:26 or 1:24 for accuracy with the newest bullets but they keep bringing out new ones in 1:28. Sorry for my ranting, but I've wanted one for years hell I'd build one if I could get a 1:30 .32 barrel. Good luck guys and thanks for the help....Jeff

Your rant is AOK. A lot of forum members feel as you do. I personally believe there would be a good market for a 1:30 .32 inline. I would love to squirrel hunt with one.

They certainly CAN build one, they just choose not to. I agree with the others, its frustrating. I'm certainly not a gunsmith, but it doesn't seem like a big deal to me to take a simple version like a break open ML, and just use a .32 barrel instead of a .50

I'd buy one in a second if they were available and reasonable....which sounds more and more like it ain't gonna happen.

Well I looked all weekend and I give up im going just build one! Well actually 2 I just bought 2 cva .50 firebolt ulta mag stainless steel. I got one for $100 and a unfired one for $125. I'm ordering 2 barrel liners from tjs 1 .32 in 1:20 twist for hotter loads with around 90 grain bullets for groundhogs,fox,and coyotes. 1 .32 in 1:30 for squirrels and rabbits. My idea is the barrel liners are .505 the cva barrel in .50 is .502 at the rifling. So a quick pass with a barrel liner drill and I'm good.take out bolt and breech plug fill and push barrel liner epoxy through from the breech end with one of those cleaning tools that screws into your breech plug. Then the liner is 25 inches the rifle usable barrel is 25 1/4 so slide in liner almost all the way leave 3/16 sticking out breech and use breech plug to seat care to just tighten light snug so when epoxy is set and you reinstall breech plug you have a tight seal. Clean up barrel end with a 11 degree target crown and you have a 1/4 recessed 11 degree target crown. And presto 2 .32 i lines for less than $250 a piece. What do you think? Good looking guns to stainless fluted and the McMillan looking green synthetic stock.