Thinking about a 38

[Nobade]

Since I have a nice .375 ball mold, I was thinking about having an old 32 cal rifle rebored to 38 to be able to use revolver balls. Anybody here ever play with one? Any reason not to? Seems like it would make a good varmint rifle.

[Winter Hawk]

Sounds perfectly do-able.  Let us know how it turns out!

On the other hand, you could just mail that mold to me so I could use it in my "unmentionable" rifle! 

~Kees~

[Fyrstyk]

The old Richland Plainsman rifle was a .38 that used the .375 roundball that is used in BP revolvers.  The gun in that caliber was not popular for some reason.  I can see the versatility of having the same ball for rifle and pistol.  Only wish I could use that caliber here in CT for hunting.  Alas I am limited to a .32 or .36 using patched round ball for small game on state land and .45 and larger for deer on state land.  On private land, anything goes, but trying to get hunting permission is a lesson in frustration.

[Stormrider51]

I can think of some reasons to go with that project and none to not.  Lead is getting more expensive and scarcer thanks to the EPA shutting down the last smelting plant.  I don't expect powder to get any cheaper even after the supply problem is solved.  Smaller calibers use less of both.

 Ned Roberts in his book "The Muzzleloading Caplock Rifle" describes his first rifle as being .30 caliber.  He later successfully hunted bear with a .38 caliber.  My father built rifles starting in the 1950's.  His favorite caliber was .45 and he took at least two elk using a rifle in that caliber.  Both were clean one-shot kills.  I know a couple who took their Texas whitetail deer each season with .40 caliber rifles.  The whole idea that one must have a minimum of .54 caliber to hunt game began with the "mountain man" craze in the 1970's.  A big bore isn't a bad thing but it is a bit wasteful and, in my opinion, unnecessary.

Please post some photos of your rifle when completed.
John