Minimum Caliber

I've seen .30 and .32 cal front-stuffers, no reason one couldn't make a .22

 

I think 32Cal was the smallest I ever shot or seen.

 

Min Caliber?

Hello all



RON L here = SERESURPLUS


I'm gonna look to Dad on this one? He had a .32 Squirl Rifle he used, I have head of 30 cal as well? I never saw any or did he ever mention one in 22. but as a few here have said, no reason that they could not have? This size or caliber was popular for small game and my Dad took all sorts of that Mess up to racoons till I was about 10, if I remember right?



RON L

 

I think that probably .30 or .32 is the smallest practical size. Especially shooting real blackpowder. The fouling build-up would make repeated shots on a .22 cal somewhat trying. Also casting .22 cal balls or slugs is a bit of a chore. I've made 45 grain bullets for a .22 Hornet, and the rejection rate was pretty high, and I'm not even all that picky.

 

Dixie Gunworks sold a .22 cal. 4 barrel pepper box replica. That is the smallest I have heard of.

 

Size matters ?

I know they have 22 cal. slugs but I would think the size depends on what you want to do with a weapon that would be a better question LOL

 

Wallll...

I had me a wall hanging replica of a flintlock years ago. Took off the pipe barrel and put on an old .303 British barrel threaded and breach plugged. Filed the frizzen and riveted on a pc of steel feeler gauge to make it spark. Drilled a touch hole in it and it fired a #4 sinker quite well. Took a few squirrels with it. Don't know what ever happened to it, but I wish I had it now for my grandson. Amazin' what 'Yankee Ingenuity' can come up with.

Regards,
Brig

 

Smallest one I know of is the North American Arms .22 cal Companion cap and ball.



Companion Specifications:
Caliber: Equivalent to .22 Long Rifle
Capacity: 5
Material: 17-4 pH stainless steel
Barrel Length: 1 1/8"
Overall Length: 4"
Overall Height: 2 3/8"
Width: 13/16"
Weight: 5.1 oz. unloaded
Suggested Retail Price: $215.00
Part Number: NAA-22LR CB

 

For what...hunting/targets...what?

 

Missouri says .40 caliber is the minimun you can use to hunt deer with.

 

You can get front loaders built of custom actions if you got the money.

Bad Bull Muzzleloaders

Richards Custom Rifles

 

Or, we can all reply to a twice dead thread where the op has not responded. And then we can all add nothing more than the previous posts. Sounds good to me...

Or, even better, we can check local hunting laws about using straight walled cartriges vs. cap and ball for legality in hunting game that requires a license.

 

I understand the part about twice dead but where do straight walled cartridges come in?

 

At least here in Ohio, bp pistol hunting is illegal. I imagine that Ohio is not the only state that does not allow using cap and ball pistols to hunt game, no matter how small the game. It is a stupid law, I know, but it is the law. The wording in the law reads straight walled cartridge in regards to ammunition thus disallowing the use of ball or even conicals.

 

OK i gotcha. We can't use pistols either but MS. primitive weapons is a joke.

This is straight from the MDWFP site. MDWFP License & Law Enforcement

PRIMITIVE WEAPONS
"Primitive firearms" for the purpose of hunting deer, are defined as single or double barreled muzzle-loading rifles of at least .38 caliber; single shot, breech loading, cartridge rifles (.35 caliber or larger) and replicas, reproductions or reintroductions of those type rifles; and single or double-barreled muzzle-loading, shotguns with single ball or slug. All muzzle-loading Primitive Firearms must use black powder or a black powder substitute with either percussion caps or #209 shotgun primers or flintlock ignition. Breech loading single shot rifles must have exposed hammers and use metallic cartridges. Cartridges may be loaded either with black powder or modern smokeless powder. Scopes of any magnification are allowed on primitive weapons.

 

I have a 31 caliber revolver. Never shot it yet but ordered size 10 caps and lead round ball from Dixie. Have had it all for a few years.

 

Hawg, the only way that we are gonna change that is to go to Congress with our squirrel guns. You know they say that the wheel that squeaks the loudest gets the grease, you guys have to show up at the Gestapo meetins and raise Hell. We are going to have to do it in Kansas also, because the powers have given the run of the hunting seasons over to the bow hunters. This year, the bow hunters got to open the same day as the black powder. The only thing that is going to stop that is to show up at those meetings and stand on their foreskins.

 

Good un WCQ!

In Idaho you need a .50 cal or .54 cal for big game in the late muzzleloader
season...but, unless you use a snowmobile & snowshoes you will never get
in range of a deer or elk with one in our typical december snowpack!