32-20 loading help

[dave524]

Be careful with dies for the 32-20, I have a set of Reddings from when I shot Metallic Silhouette with a TC Contender. They are actually 30-20 dies as the Contender was a .308 bore , pretty sure you would have neck crushing problems trying to load a real 32-20 bullet with them. They are conspicuously marked 32-20 TC on the box.

[BustemAgain]

9.3x62AL is dead on about the Remington 6 1/2 primers for the 32/20 they are the best in my loads. 5.5gr Unique 120gr, .314-120 RNFP Wilbird Group Buy and a 6 1/2 primer is fishing story accurate in my 32/20's. Goes just under 1400 FPS and is a game killing sumthin sumthin without destroying an undue amount of tender edibles.

[BustemAgain]

Also I highly recommend the purchase of a Lyman M-die for this caliber. It just makes everything work easier.

[castalott]

I wouldn't mind a 'redo' of the Willbird mold..... I have one and would like a spare... Any of the makers would be ok...

[rking22]

Could someone post a pic and some more info on the Willbird mold. I like 32 boolits and don't know what this one looks like, just may be needing one of those, fer squirrels and such you know

[myg30]

rking22, I just got sick seeing that Rem add picture you posted. $29.95 REALLY !!! Lol
I know that was good money back then but sure makes me sick. If we only had a crystal ball !
Thanks fer posting a blast from the past.
I'm not a .32 shooter but as I'm resizing your brass to 25-20 fer my marlin I think how nice it would be to have a big brother fer my lil .25, $29.95 I'd buy at least 2 !

Be safe and enjoy, Mike

[BustemAgain]

Could someone post a pic and some more info on the Willbird mold. I like 32 boolits and don't know what this one looks like, just may be needing one of those, fer squirrels and such you know

If you look up at the Cast Boolits logo you will see a pretty accurate depiction of the Wilbird bullet. I actually started a thread years ago about my results with this mold and Newtire threw in a picture of a few examples. Search for "Willbird's .314-120 RF" and it should come up

[castalott]

Here is a photo... Starting at 9 O'clock and going clockwise...The heavier of the 640 series designed by 45 2.1 The next ( coated) is the lighter of the 640 series. At 1 is a Lyman 311410 and then a group buy of the Lee 113 . Then a commercial 32-20 bullet.
Then at 4-5 O'clock is a smooth sided 32-20 bullet from Arsenal. From 6 to * O'clock is the Willbird boolet.

[castalott]

Maybe better photo of Willbird...

[castalott]

Better?

[castalott]

Quite honestly I would like this in .309 and .225

Dale

[yman]

Casalott, that is a great looking bullet, I may have to look into that, with the current WARM weather I have not been interested in casting. It was so hot thru my mule was sweating just waiting for her evening grain.

Bustemagain, I think I will also try some unique, I been using 4227 just because I had a pound to burn up, I think I bought it for 44mag but never did like it. It leaves to much crud in the bore, I don't know, maybe I am doing something wrong. Although it does seem to have consistent and pretty accurate in the little rifle. I might try some power pistol too.

[rking22]

Castalott, thanks for the pic! I would like that for my 32-20s and suspect it would do well in he 327Fed too. Maybe a group buy NOE?????

MYG30,, I'd take a few at 29.95 myself !!! Really is too bad that no one makes anything like the little M25 anymore. With 22 LRs so scarce a while back, it would be a natural in 38Special and 32HR. The 38 would need a slight "scale-up", but the 32HR would fit fine. The Timberwolf was an attempt back in the 80s , but no where near the feel and quality of the M25. We keep them, enjoy them , then pass them along to someone else to enjoy for another generation!

[ammohead]

yman,

When the firing pin strikes the primer the case will move forward till the rim seats in the chamber. The gap between the bolt face and the head of the case caused by this forward motion is headspace. After the powder ignites the case walls expand to fill and grip the chamber walls tightly. What you are seeing by the primer backing out is the primer filling that headspace because the pressure is enough to unseat the primer and enough to make the case walls grip the chamber tight enough not to move. Increasing pressure will cause the case to stretch in the web area far enough to reseat the case head against the boltface pushing the primer back into place. The case walls in front of the web expand and grab the chamber. The head of the case behind the web does not expand and will push back against the boltface causing the stretching. Depending on how much headspace you have this can lead to case head separation at the point where the case stretches in as few as two or three loadings leaving you with a stuck case in a closed breech firearm. My point is if you like the load you have, don't worry about the primers backing out just a bit and shoot them. More pressure will cure the backed out primer symptom but may cause more grief in the long run.

[yman]

Ammohead, very good explanation, makes sense to me, I think I would rather have the backed out primer than the stuck case or head separation. Thanks for the info.

rking22, I remember the timber wolf, 38/357, I think it was made by Israeli Arms? Cant remember for sure been along time ago. They were workable guns but kinda lousy goosy, nothing pretty about them. The M25's are such sweet little guns in 25 or 32, seems like with the 327mag someone would come out with a rifle. Like you said with the .22 scare seems like a small bore reloadable round would make sense. And before someone says .223, I mean something in the 800-1200fps range. And I know the 22 hornet is still a viable option, seems like they are all bolt guns or single shots. Well we can always hope, I plain on keeping mine in best shape I can until I pass it on to the next lucky person.

[dave524]

yman,

When the firing pin strikes the primer the case will move forward till the rim seats in the chamber. The gap between the bolt face and the head of the case caused by this forward motion is headspace. After the powder ignites the case walls expand to fill and grip the chamber walls tightly. What you are seeing by the primer backing out is the primer filling that headspace because the pressure is enough to unseat the primer and enough to make the case walls grip the chamber tight enough not to move. Increasing pressure will cause the case to stretch in the web area far enough to reseat the case head against the boltface pushing the primer back into place. The case walls in front of the web expand and grab the chamber. The head of the case behind the web does not expand and will push back against the boltface causing the stretching. Depending on how much headspace you have this can lead to case head separation at the point where the case stretches in as few as two or three loadings leaving you with a stuck case in a closed breech firearm. My point is if you like the load you have, don't worry about the primers backing out just a bit and shoot them. More pressure will cure the backed out primer symptom but may cause more grief in the long run.

possibly the O ring trick like the 303 British shooters use could help and then size so the shoulder keeps the case tight to the bolt face in subsequent loadings, that is if the minimal shoulder on the 32-20 will do that.

[yman]

Alright, call me silly, I don't know what the O-ring trick is? Someone elaborate, in English,please.

[rking22]

I had never heard of it either, but I suspect you drop an appropriate sized o-ring down against the rim to take up the headspace. I am going to try this shortly on a 30-30 handirifle barrel that has excessive headspace( from the factory). I will just allocate a 50 round box of brass to this gun and let the shoulder establish headspace, like on 30 Herretts.
Thanks Dave524

[dave524]

Alright, call me silly, I don't know what the O-ring trick is? Someone elaborate, in English,please.

You simply slide an appropriate size rubber O ring down over the case to the rim, when the round is chambered the O ring holds the case tight to the bolt face instead of the firing pin driving it forward and the case grips the walls and then the case stretches in the web area as it flows back to the bolt face, cases fired with the O ring will have the shoulder blown forward to a custom fit of the chamber and if you don't set the shoulder back in subsequent reloadings the case will last much longer before any case head separation issues. Many Lee Enfield shooters use this method because of excess headspace and or sloppy oversize chambers.

[yman]

L I B M R dux, I see how that would work. I guess I will have to buy a new set of dies, maybe is lyman M die as someone suggested earlier in this thread. Would take a little more work but, not going to be shooting 1000's or rounds anyway. Cool stuff,thanks.