.32 Magnum with 120 gr GB "Take 2"

[Dale53]

I and my son (the Colonel) had an opportunity to get to the range today for an hour or so with the TC .32 H&R Mag Carbine. We each shot it at 50 and 100 yards. The best we got at fifty yards was five shots 5/8ths inch. One hundred yards the best group (of two) was right at an inch. Now, that is not a true indicator (my standard is 3-5 five shot groups) but we had limited ammo. I am out of bullets and will have to cast some more. Incidentally, it was a beautiful day at the range (70 degrees) with bright sun and variable winds from 5-10 mph. I did NOT have my wind flags.

I had hoped that the rifle would do 3/4" at fifty and 1 1/2" at one hundred. It appears that it will do a bit better. The carbine is so light and the skinny forend is NO help on the bags. I have no intention of changing anything. It is what it is (Modern American Rook Rifle) and I LIKE it.!:drinks:

This final batch of cartridges were loaded thusly:
Bullet sized with .314" sizer in RCBS lube/sizer, lubed with Emmert's home mix (modified by substituting 5% of Anhydrous Lanolin for 5% of the Canola oil). I full length sized the cases with Lee's carbide sizer, 9.5 grs of the slow lot of WC 820, Federal 150 primers, bullets seated and not crimped with the seating die. Then, fourth stage used Lee's factory crimp die with medium crimp in middle of top band. LOA 1.415". Alloy was 5/1 WW/Lino. No leading whatsoever. Light lube star on muzzle (greasy feeling).

I might mention that I had some .32 S&W Long cartridges loaded with Hornady 90 gr HB wadcutters loaded with Win 231 to about 700 fps (in the revolver). They shot TERRIBLE in the carbine. About a foot at fifty yards! Just flat wild shooting. I'll have to investigate and see what the problem is. They shoot fine in the revolver.

After I cast some more bullets and load 'em up, I will get some drop figures so you'll have a better picture as to how useful this should be as a small game rifle.

Dale53

[Newtire]

Dale!
With a 6-cavity mould, how can you be outa bullets? What's up!

[Larry Gibson]

.....I might mention that I had some .32 S&W Long cartridges loaded with Hornady 90 gr HB wadcutters loaded with Win 231 to about 700 fps (in the revolver). They shot TERRIBLE in the carbine. About a foot at fifty yards! Just flat wild shooting. I'll have to investigate and see what the problem is. They shoot fine in the revolver......

Dale53


Having shot lots of the Hornady and Speer HBWCs in .32 revolvers and various .30/.31 rifles (not of the same cartridge as the revolver though) I'm going to venture that the problem is this; the load that shoots fine in the revolver is pushing the HBWCs too fast in the rifle. In revolvers I've found that accuracy starts going south when velocity goes over 725 fps. In rifles accuracy seems to go south when velocity goes over 825 fps. I suspect the 100 fps difference has to do with the higher exit pressure in the shorter barreled revolvers blowing the skirts of the soft and thin HBs. Just my thoughts on it.

Larry Gibson

[Dale53]

Larry Gibson;
I ran out of bullets because of time. I only ran the one batch. Now that the bullet is a proven item, I will run several thousand of them.

Frankly, your thoughts mirror mine on the HBWC. Lee has discontinued their TL wadcutter, unfortunately, and I don't have a "solid" wadcutter mould in .32. I firmly believe that the solid wadcutter is the solution to this problem. I haven't chronographed the wadcutters in the rifle, but suspect you are right on the money. Ironically, I, before I decided to get the TC Carbine barrel, had just purchased 2000 Hornady HBWC's:roll:

How's that for timing? I'll just have to try some of the 120 GB bullets at lower velocities. My original idea was to use wadcutters for squirrel loads (easily identifiable) and the 120's for "woods rambler" use (at the higher velocities).

Looks like "plan B" (which, now that I think of it, is not all that bad assuming I can get the long bullets to work at lower velocities).

Dale53

[nemo]

I have a .32 mag in a TC 10 inch.MOST TC .32 Berrels are .308 Not .32. I shoot 99% cast at .310 with 800X powder,at 3/8 at 50yds paper and then out to 200yd at whatever I want to hit with red dot elect scope.Useing 90 to 120gr cast.REAL FINE Shootin Fun round . Slug Your Berrel.Don

[Jon K]

Dale,

Larry has hit the nail on the head with this one, I also agree about the HBWC- too soft, skirts too thin, not a good choice for going above 750-800 fps. Nemo has a good point-slug the barrel. The T/C has a .308 bore, but make sure by slugging it. I have seen barrels come from the T/C Custom Shop .001-.0015 over size, and the factory said it is within spec tolerances. The Best part is that if you cast your bullets, you can size them to best fit the gun to what it likes!
Also don't worry about the T/C stablizing the long bullet , the gun has a 1:10 twist rate, it will shoot the long bullets fine.

Have Fun Shooting,
Jon

:castmine:

[nighthunter]

I shoot the GB 120 gr in my Ruger Blackhawk 30 Carbine. I size it to .309 and is an excellent bullet. It even shows some expansion out to 50 yards.
Nighthunter

[Dale53]

MY barrel, as per previous posts, is an SSK Industries (J.D. Jones) with a .312" groove diameter. I bought it particularly because of TC's barrel dimensions.

Dale53