i only use 32 WCF, brass with no problems. just run through dies and trim, with a little IMPERIAL SIZING LUBE. viola!!.
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i only use 32 WCF, brass with no problems. just run through dies and trim, with a little IMPERIAL SIZING LUBE. viola!!.
I received my Bag Balm in the mail today. I'll see how it works.
GONRA sez STP Oil Treatment (auto parts shops) and Tri-Flow Synthetic Grease (bike shops)
both are GREAT case forming and resizing lubes - suitable for the Most Demanding Applications.
(Resizing Chicom 14.5mm Soviet LCS scrap dealer cases, etc.)
3 oz. tube of Tri-Flow does 1200 .50 BMG Scrap Dealer cases....
you don't have to send for BAG BALM all pharmacies carry it, also all feed stores- AGWAY, ECT. and WALLY WORLD.
I had better results with their short cases when I made my 32-40 cases too. Without annealing, I was losing 10-15% to folds using Imperial wax, after I annealed the rest of the lot, I lost one that rolled under a heavy tool box. I shoot most of mine breech loaded in a schuetzen rifle and the annealed cases are much less trouble to use. Hardened cases had to be flared each time to effect a seal but annealed brass shoots clean every time.
Annealing is the way for me. I started tonight after weight sorting 250 and coming up with around 140. I annealed all 140 and began sizing. After annealing the cases size down with no losses yet having done about 50 so far. I'm using the short cases but some trimming will be necessary.
I have a Winchester 1894 in 32-40 on permanent loan from my nephew. He inherited the rifle from his mother (my sister) who passed a year ago. Her husband left it behind when he left her. As he could not find ammo for it the nephew asked my help. Looking over the rifle I found the bore a bit rough, probably too far gone for cast boolits, and elected to start load work with jacketed .321-170 bullets. For cases I wanted to shift the least amount of brass possible to make ammo and started with 32 Winchester Special cases. I used a modest amount of RCBS case lube and RCBS dies, one pass and the case was properly formed but shorter than the original 32-40 cases. The reformed cases have no dents or dimples, look correct.
I found that short cases were no problem with this caliber. It turns out that 32-40 and 30-30 and 32 Win. Spl. all have the same (approximate) COL, this as they all are assigned to the action and carrier length of the Winchester 94. Original 32-40 (longer) cases lock onto their jacketed bullet at a cannelure that sits much closer to the nose of the bullet than the other two loads. Those bullets are not to be found, so any loaded 32-40 ammo would involve a cast boolit or a recently made jacketed bullet with a new cannelure added to it. With the 32 Spl. cases and currently made .321" bullets the cases crimp into the cannelure of currently made bullets and the COL is correct for the chamber. The long straight neck of the 32-40 helps with proper functioning in the rifle. I have developed jacketed bullet loads with this rifle that group well and shoot to the sights. These are mild loads but give my all the rifle needs to provide. If the rifle proves to group with cast boolits I can simply seat the boolit out to a proper COL and use them in the shorter cases.
Due to the advanced age of this rifle I will feed it only modest loads. It shows it's age, both inside and outside. The bore would benefit from being relined, but I am concerned about changing the originality of the rifle. My nephew lives alone and travels quite a bit. He is concerned about leaving the rifle at home during his absences. He has no interest in learning to load his own ammo so I will build him a supply of ammo and return the rifle to him when his traveling work slows down. My caution to him will be to save all fired brass so I can reload them for him.
I used to know a Spanish family whose little daughter backed into an electric fire and was quite badly burned on another area of use. They were given a huge can of ointment be a friend, which apparently worked better than what the doctor provided, and they swore by it for evermore. It was only quite a bit later in life that she learned enough English to tell that it was veterinary, for cow udders. Still, it was probably identical to something you can buy at several dollars a small tube for human use.
I'd agree that starting not round enough or using excessive lube are the most likely causes of any problem. But it shouldn't be nearly as demanding as forming something with a shoulder. Anhydrous lanolin is probably the most persistent lube of all, and the brands that virtually are STP Oil Treatment run it close, if they don't actually contain it. With either of these you could probably get just the right amount by actions just the same as a half-hearted attempt at removing it altogether.
I would be surprised if you had much of a problem with neck thickness. It isn't like trying to turn something European into something American, or a shoulder into the neck of something shorter. (an example being my 7.7x60R from 6.5x68R, which has about the first millimetre of neck too large to grip the bullet, although the rest does the job perfectly.) I am sure Winchester used to make .32-40 and .38-55 from the same runs of cylindrical brass.
I have converted lots of 32-40.
I use new Starline 38-55 brass and RCBS 32-40 die. At first when I started I would loose about 8 cases from 50. However running the 38-55 brass through 38-55 sizing die first I loose maybe 2 out of 100.
I lightly lube with lanolin - chuck brass in a bag, light spray with Isopropyl Alcohol/lanolin mix, shake around. Only need very thin/small amount of lub. LEAVE to dry. Size 38-55, then to 32-40. You will need to trim after.
I have annealed 38-55 brass before but that didn't make much difference in creased cases. Running the 38-55 through sizer first gets them really uniform and that seems to be where sizing down to 32-40 makes difference.
Enjoy your shooting. Tim
Interesting, Thanks. Welcome aboard.
After annealing, I lost only 1 case out of 137.
I would suggest that you impregnate some fine (400 grit) lapping compound into a few 8mm cast bullets and load them at low pressure/velocity levels (1500 fps or less). I impregnate my bullets by spreading a small amount of lapping compound on a steel plate and then roll my bullets between another steel plate and the coated plate. Fire 5 and clean the bore. Fire five more and thoroughly clean the bore again. You'll be amazed how much the bore is improved. I also will follow the above with 5-10 paper patched bullets which will polish the bore. I have a Marlin 32-20 that was horribly cared for in the past that now shoots 1 1/2 to 2 MOA after using the above treatment. Previously untreated it had shot 4-5 MOA with cast bullets. Good luck and hope this helps.
Probably the best case sizing/forming lubes I ever used were;
1)The Lee version of NRA lube in the hollow stick,
and/or
2)a mix of bee wax, and neets foot oil. ( neets foot oil, not oil compound )
Either, are the best lubes I have ever used to size the most difficult brass .
.
As for 32/40 brass, I suspect it is available, cause the "shootsen guys use the 32/40 for accuracy shooting.
But as for easy brass, and fellow might try 30-30...
I would size the 3030 case in a 32/40 die, then prime, then add maybe 5 to 10 grains of Unique, ( no bullet) aim the muzzle straight up, and pull the trigger.
The result is one hell of a loud blank, and a perfectly blown out ctg., case.
Are any of you gentlemen shooting black powder in you 32-40 firearms, have always shot smokeless but thought trying black powder just to see how it does.
Rafe
30 /30's are cheap and it is the way to go. they are not short enough to mount to any thing. they work just fine, been doing it for years and remember they head space on the rim not the lip.
black powder is fine but remember it is a bugger to get all of the residue out of the inner workings and a week later they are rusting again , that is what happened to me and maybe it was just me that it happened too?
I don’t have anything meaningful to add since I don’t have a 32-40, but I would like to thank John Boy for mentioning Bag Balm. I’d never heard of it being used for case lube before, now I’ll have to try it.
We used to buy it by the gallon on the family dairy farm. I’ve smeared it on lots of udders in years past. Minor cuts and chafes would get iodine spray an Bag Balm.
You’ve all heard the one about the cow that jumped the barb wire fence? Udder destruction!
An old joke of course, but not very funny when you have to deal with the results of barbed wire tangling with bovine teats for real.
My grandfather and one or two of his friends would never put barbed wire on their land, after their experience of it in 1914-18.
If you were to load a .32-40 like a high-pressure modern cartridge, for use in a strong modern rifle, the short neck of a case made from .30-30 might allow a bullet to develop a little spare tyre around its waist, particularly if cast, and squash it back again on engaging the rifling. That might well be harmful to accuracy, but who uses the .32-40 that way. I can't see any harm in it, in a lever Winchester.