A picture of some of my .32's....

[Harry O]

http://gallery.sixshootercommunity.com/displayimage.php?album=random&cat=10063&***=-1121

Top to bottom: Old-style Ruger .32 Magnum Single Six; Colt Police Positive Special in 32-20; S&W NewModel 16 rechambered to 32-20; S&W Model 631 Super KitGun in .32 Magnum; H&R ??? in .32 Long. I have given away most of my .32 Long's to relatives (for bedroom guns).

All are good with cast bullets. I use Bhn 10-11 for .32 Long loads and light .32 Mag or 32-20 loads. I shoot lead exclusively in the H&R and Colt PPS. Cast usually in the S&W 631. I usually use jacketed in the S&W NewModel 16 and Ruger because of the velocity. The lighter lead loads are usually an RCBS 98gr RNFP and about 900fps (plus or minus). I also use Hornady swaged soft-lead bullets for light loads. I have been experimenting with the RCBS at higher Bhn (Bhn 19) at higher velocities (approx 1,150 to 1,200fps) and have gotten pretty good results. The softer bullets sprayed at the same high velocities (but did not lead). Jacketed loads start at 1,150fps and go upward from there (up to 1,800fps in my rifle).

If Deputy Al is out there, I also have the Marlin 1894 (1990's model) in 32-20 and about a half dozen more .32's including a couple of .32ACP's. The Marlin has a Williams peepsight and is very accurate with 12.0gr 2400 and a Remington 100gr FNSP.

[Lloyd Smale]

nice guns that 16 is a real beauty!

[Buckshot]

....................Harry, thanks for sharing those photos. I enjoyed them all. I liked the M-S in 9.5x57, but I'm kind of a rifle guy :D That ML'er is nice too. Lottsa work it looks like.

.....................Buckshot

[Harry O]

Here is a closeup of the S&W NewModel 16 showing its chambering.

The ML is a Leonard Day 50cal swivel-barrel that was originally made in the mid-1980's. Push the front "trigger" forward and it unlocks it so you can twist the barrels around to the second one. That is one heavy rifle since it has two barrels.

I did some experimenting with the 9.5x57 MS. The theory that the bullet hardness times 1,422 should be more than the pressure of the load (according to Veral Smith and Richard Lee). Anyway, I had two different hardness plain-base bullets (Lyman 375167) and loaded them from 32gr of IMR4064 to 46gr. In both cases, the accuracy went bad where the theory predicted (within about 10%, which without a "Ransom-type" rest for the rife, that is as close as I could expect it to come). That convinced me. Interestingly, the accuracy went bad long before any leading occured. Like one of my teachers once said, one experiment is worth a thousand theories.

[Harry O]

Looks like my photo of the NewModel 16 did not come through. Try this:

http://gallery.sixshootercommunity.com/displayimage.php?album=69&***=1

[McLintock]

Neat bunch of pistola's and rifles, 32's are fun calibers to shoot and in rifles a great hunting round. Here's my .32's, all Ruger Single Actions; the top two are Old Model Single Sixes converted to centerfire and .32 H&R, the middle ones are New Model Buckeye specials in 32 H&R and 32-20 and the bottom one is an Old Model .30 Carbine that I shoot blown out 32-20's in, it's got a Super Blackhawk grip frame and hammer on it also.
http://pic7.picturetrail.com/VOL206/1303399/7384995/111780971.jpg
Would like a 32-20 rifle but haven't gotten one yet.
Good .32'en to ya,
McLintock

[KCSO]

I had a nice Bisley 32, but my wife is a shooter and she took it away from me and won't let me shoot it any more. I love shooting the 32's. My best shot on a squirrel with a handgun was at 35 yards, a head shot called and witnessed !

Nice Guns

[9.3X62AL]

Hey, Harry--good to see you again!

Another mid-caliber handgun addict checking in now......and I'm TRULY bent, to the point of a Model 1935 MAS pistol in 7.65 French. One of those......two wheelers in 32-20 (Colt Bisley and S&W M&P), a Model 16-4 x 6" (32 Mag)--but not nearly so lovely as Harry's--a Colt Pocket Positive x 6" in original nickel (needs an advancing hand)--Walther PP and Roth-Steyr 1908 x 32 ACP, C-96/Tokarev/CZ-52 in 30 Mauser/7.62.

Toldya I was BENT.

[Harry O]

Deputy Al: I ran across one of those European .30cal bottle-neck semi-auto handguns a few years ago (don't remember which one). It wasn't very much, but I remembered something you once said (if my memory is right): "Friends don't let friends shoot bottle-neck handgun cartridges." I was having enough problems taming the 41 Long Colt at the time and decided to let it pass. It was you who said that, wasn't it?

Hope you have had a fun time with the 32-20 Marlin. I shoot mine from time to time, but there is really no game around here that is suitable for it. Too large for small game and too small for deer (and not legal around here). Anyway, it sure is fun to shoot when I get to do it.

[9.3X62AL]

That was me, Harry. Those bottle-necked pistol rounds will make ya crazy, but once you get them behaving they're worth the effort. I think.

I haven't done a whole lot with the Marlin 32-20 yet. Early indications are that Lyman #311316 will be a winner, but it needs a good wring-out and maybe a scope atop it temporarily to help the nut holding the stock and forearm sight the thing correctly.

[Frank46]

Harry, nice revolvers. The only 32-20 I've seen here in loosiana unfortunately had a big goosegg in the bbl. By the way I that krag with the georgeous stock yours as well. Frank

[Harry O]

Frank: The Krag has a 95% stock from Great American Gunstocks. I bedded, fitted, and finished it. It shoots well with cast. I use a Lee 303B cast gas-check bullet. I bought the mould for my .303 British Ross rifle, but the bore riding portion was too small for it. At 0.300", it was perfect for the Krag though.

It does not shoot as well with a Lyman 311413 I have, but that bullet shoots great in a 30-40 Ruger No. 3. The difference is the throat. I can feel the 311413 just kiss the rifling of the Ruger when I push the cartridge into the chamber. Not so with the Krag. There is a lot of distance between the rifling and the 311413 in the Krag. The Lee bullet works almost as well in the Ruger, but not quite as good as the 311413.

I use 13gr of Red Dot (scooped) without a filler in these loads. They are quick and easy to load and are enjoyable to shoot. Velocity is in the 1,500fps range. I have tried a couple of other loads with slower powder and plastic shot filler, but they are more expensive, more work to load, and are not any more accurate (they are just as accurate, but not more).

Deputy Al: I have a Lyman 311316 that I have tried a little bit in the Marlin 32-20. I have not gotten a load for it yet. Accuracy is not up to Remington jacketed standards, but I will probably come up with something eventually.

[9.3X62AL]

Harry--

That's about where I'm at, too. After spending a good part of last year with the 25-20 Marlin.......and not meeting the accuracy of the Speer 75 FP's with either #257312 or #257420, I'm hoping for more satisfaction with the 25-20's older fatter cousin.

[w30wcf]

Harry O, good to see you posting again!

Nice collection of .32's. I have the .30 Carbine Ruger Blackhawk but haven't shot it for a few years now. It seems that almost every time I go to the range these days I have several leverguns in tow. Speaking of the .32 Long, I do have one of those in an old 1892 Marlin that I picked up about a year ago.

My method of loading for the .32 Long is to use heeled bullets that fit snuggly into a fired case neck. One of my favorites is the 311245, one of the "armory" bullets developed for the .30-40 Krag back around 1900.

It weighs 93 grs. in w.w + 2% tin. I run it base first into a coaxsizing die to reduce the rear band to the proper diameter.

It has been a fun project working with this rifle using both smokeless and black powder.

w30wcf

[Harry O]

w30wcf: That picture is about half of my .32's. I have loaned several out to relatives and some were not handy. One I really like is a 1990's Marlin 1894 in 32-20. Accurate, mild to shoot, quick handling and well balanced. I just wish I had something to hunt with it. It is too small for deer (legally), too large for squirrels, and not legal for turkey.

I have looked at a few of the .32 rimfire/centerfire lever-action Marlins in the past, but the condition was poor and the cost was high -- so I passed them by. I think that I should be able to use a lot of my .41 Long Colt experience with that one -- if I ever get one.

The interesting thing about the .32 Long Colt is that it is identical in size to the .32 Rimfire -- not the .32 S&W. That means it uses heel-base bullets just like the rimfire. I have a total of 10 different moulds for the .41 Long Colt now (a similar, but larger cartridge). I wonder how many could be found for the .32? Anyway, have fun. I did with mine (with both heel-base and hollow-base bullets).

[w30wcf]

Harry O,
A review of older Ideal catalogs would indicate that they offered 2 heeled bullets for the .32 Long Colt......299153, a sold based 90 gr. bullet and 299155, a hollow base 83 gr. bullet. Ideal also had the 299152 (80 grs.) for the Short Colt and 299154 (100 grs.) for the .32 extra long.

Certainly not as many as the ones you have found for the .41 bigger brother. Neat.

Today, NEI does make a solid base bullet for the .32 Long Colt. Rapine may also but I don't have their catalog. The NEI bullet was designed to be used in the .91" case, the same case length used with the hollow based bullet.

The 299153, on the other hand, is to be used in the original .32 Long Colt .78" case length.

Cartridge / bullet history sure is interesting.

w30wcf