Long Range .36 Cal Inquiry

Idaho Lewis,

I’m not sure if you’re allowed to discuss it but I just recently found a forum post to where you were building a .36 cal for long range competition shooting (if my memory serves me)and I never saw an update on it past the post of you getting ready to have a fast twist barrel made (December 2019). I was wondering how the build turned out? Definitely interested in a small cal muzzleloader system for predator hunting.

MR FLOPPY SOCKS

I did end up going through with it, It is actually in the Banner picture of the Forum face here

There are 2 big problems with a Fast Twist Small Bore. The 1st being, They are REALLY HARD on Nipples, i mean they will Destroy a Brand new Treso/Ampco Nipple in under a Dozen Shots, You absolutely HAVE to use a Platinum Lined nipple. This was with 60-70 Grains of Swiss 2F Powder, and a 330 Grain Bullet. These small bores build a LOT of Pressure

The other thing is Choking themselves out, This is with Swiss Real Blackpowder as it is the Only Powder i shoot. I had to pop a Cap off after EVERY shot to Clear the Flash Channel, if i forgot this Cap the Gun would Hangfire at best, and at Worst it would NOT go off at all, I had to bring it home loaded more than 1 time because i had forgotten to pop a Cap off.

In short, I pulled the Front sight, and propped the barrel up in my Gun Safe, I gave up on it. Knowing what i know now, I would NEVER Think of Building anything under a .45 Cal, for use with Real Blackpowder anyway

I wondered if a .36 caliber rifle could use .358 cast bullets. I would experiment with the 170gr Keith bullet with Lyman Blackpowder Gold lubricant and a felt wad over the powder charge.

I think I would use a .38 Special case as a dipper for the powder charge.

I had for some time but recently sold a vintage 36 caliber percussion target rifle. I say target rifle because it lacked a ram rod and had a Swiss type full crescent butt. I never measured the twist rate but the bore diameter was right at .360" a true 36 caliber. I size bullets for 38/357 mag at .360" so thought I would try some pure lead full wad cutter bullets. They shot extremely well at 50 yards which I have found to be about max range for in flight stability with a full wad cutter. I never did get around to trying other nose shapes from our selection of 38/357 bullet designs but I have a good idea going to a round nose or semi WC of not too much greater length than the WC that accuracy would have been good to much longer range. Not what I would call long range but maybe 3 to 4 times longer than the 50 yards that the full WC shot good to.