32 Remington

[Bret4207]

Anyone have any experience with the 32 Remington Rimless? Specifically in a model 14/141 pump? Need advice on moulds, case forming, etc. Thanks guys.

[Mike Nesbitt]

Trooper Bret, I used to do a lot of shooting with a Model 14 in .32 Remington. One thing good about it, I found that I could reload the empties very well while using .32 Winchester Special dies. Of course, you'll need the .32 Remington shell holder. My favorite bullet mould for that was the old Lyman/Ideal #321317, that's the bullet which was designed for the .32 Remington. When using a Model 14/141 Remington, you must watch your overall cartridge length rather closely. That keeps you from using many of the bullets designed for the .32 Winchester Special. Those bullets were designed with longer "noses." I haven't looked at very many listed of today's mould makers but some of the lighter bullets for the .32/40, 170 grains and under, would work in the .32 Remington. For brass, you just about have to get some .30 Remington brass and just expand it out. Otherwise you'll need to do some lathe work and cut the rims off of .30/30 type brass and cut an extractor groove in the case too. If there is a rimless case that had the same head size as the old Remington .25, .30 & .32, I don't know about it. My favorite load using the #321317 bullets were powered with 28.0 grains of surplus #4895. The bullets, of course, were sized to .321" and they were fitted with gas checks. I haven't fired a .32 Remington for about 40 years now but that's what I used to do. Shoot sharp's the word, Mike

[Bret4207]

Thanks Mike. Good info. You the same Mike Nesbitt I've been reading for years in various muzzle blaster type mags?

[waksupi]

Thanks Mike. Good info. You the same Mike Nesbitt I've been reading for years in various muzzle blaster type mags?

Must be another one, Brett. I found this one, laying by a campfire, drinking whiskey. And, I believe it was my whiskey!

[Mike Nesbitt]

Trooper Bret, Please don't believe a thing Waksupi says. He exaggerates so much. Besides, it was "our" whisky. Now, you might have read my work before in those "muzzle blaster" type magazines. Of course, I'm surprised that you'd admit it. Please tell us more about your .32 Remington. Shoot sharp's the word, Mike

[Bret4207]

Well hello Mike. First off, I really enjoy your writing. Love your style. Enough butt kissing. The 32 isn't mine. It might be someday, but right now food, clothing and shelter, ( AND TAXES!!!!), are eating up my $$$$. Near as I can tell from Phil Sharpes "The Rifle in America" it's a M-14 carbine. Has the Lyman tang/recv'r sight, Lyman mid barrel folding sight and a Lyman bead up front. Re-finished butt stock. (What is the attraction some guys have to 36 grit sand paper and poly urethane?). The metal is in primo shape. I haven't torn it down to look in the tube yet, but I would think it was a typical deer gun and probably got shot 5 times a year since maybe 1930.

The cases, as I understand it, are easily formed from 30 Remington which is still availble. Cast designs are few and far between these days. I should think something around 160-180 gr would be fine. I wonder what a sized down 8mm Karibiner would do? That would be sort of a 303 Savage type load. Haevy, blunt and only 1800 fps. That ought to knock a deer or pretty much anything else over pretty well.

I have to get to my older books and do a little more research on this cartridge. I'm sure Mr Naramore, Whelen, Keith, Mattern, Kreps and Crossman must have had something to say about it.

[Mike Nesbitt]

Trooper Bret, Let me thank you for your super compliments. (I'm blushing deeply...) By all means, keep reading. Now, about that .32 Remington carbine. My .30 Remington is a Model 14 carbine but I've seen very few of them. And, I've seen only one Model 141 carbine. One model 14 carbine I saw, which was also in .32 caliber, had a saddle ring on the left side of the receiver. My .30 has a Marbles "tang" sight but it also still has the original open sight on the barrel. That was my grandfather's rifle and he told me he bought it used in 1927 for $25. He killed countless deer, 19 black bears and 3 elk with it. I've had it in many hunting camps but only as an extra rifle. While I have carried it a few miles, I've never fired a shot with it at game. About the loads for the .32 that you mentioned, I would approach those with caution. The heavy bullets you prefer will need to be seated very deeply into the case. The overall length restriction is the rifle's action itself, bullets that are too long simply won't come up out of the magazine. I had to take the end off of my rifle's magazine a couple of times just to unload it. Yes, you could simply seat the bullets deeper into the case but that means the base of the bullet and the gas check would be below the case's neck. Having the base of the bullet or the gas check deeper than the neck of the case has never worked well for me, I've gotten much better performance with those parts of the bullet firmly held in the case neck. Also, just for you, I looked at the listing of NEI and they show a #165.322 gas check bullet, 165 grains. That bullet looks the most like the old Lyman/Ideal #321317 that I've seen. It would be a good one for the .32 Remington, crimp groove and all. Take a look to see what RCBS offers too. Shoot sharp's the word, Mike

[Mike Nesbitt]

Trooper Bret, Yes, RCBS does make a good looking bullet for the .32, #32-170-FN. It might be just a touch long for the .32 Remington so maybe you'd need to seat it just a bit deeper than the crimp groove. I just thought I'd add that... Shoot sharp, Mike

[Bret4207]

Good point on OAL Mike. The Karibiner would be too heavy to start with anyway. Thx.