Need advice/components to load Winchester .32 special.

[koger]

I recently posted on here about getting a Win. 94 in 32 special. Can anyone with experience in loading for this, give me a good place to start. Would anyone have some components they are not using laying around, they would sell. I highly value all of your feedback, I have come to know and trust a lot of you guys and your info is always spot on. I have not checked the bore size, but I assume a .323 diameter jacketed bullet would work, and a .325 cast boolit. Just trying to shorten the learning curve. This is one of the few cartridges I have not loaded for in my 40+years of reloading. Thanks.

[Wayne Smith]

I'm sure RCBS, Redding, Lyman, Hornaday have dies. Brass should be available or neck up 30-30 with no problem. If you are patient you can probably score a set of dies off eBay. Powder, same as the 30-30 - 3031 and similar speed powders. I can't help you with a boolit mold.

[Conditor22]

I can tell you what works for my marlin 32 WS
I used 30-30 cases, ran them through my 32 WS dies (no trimming needed but I uniformed/trimmed them to 2.030
your rifle is tube feed, you need a flat-nosed boolit I have good results with the RCBS 32-170- FN COWW + 2% powder coated sized .0015 over slugged bore diameter
I'm running RCBS FL die set, I use the Lee universal expanding die with the NOE .362 x .322 case neck expanding plug seated to where the case mouth just starts flaring out.
I seat the boolit to the top crimp grove and lightly crimp/round over the mouth of the case.
I sighted in with Winchester Super X and the best factory duplication load I've gotten with cast Is with H335 27grn. This is with my rifle, you should start lower and work your way up



4895 wasn't too bad either


My next goal is to find the lightest charge I can get good accuracy with.

[koger]

Thanks guys, I ordered Dies, brass and 100 of the leveloutions 160 gr, I will be getting a mold asap.

[georgerkahn]

Thanks guys, I ordered Dies, brass and 100 of the leveloutions 160 gr, I will be getting a mold asap.

(Just a note re case trim length 2.040", Max. case length, and 2.030" trim length is what I do. If you use/seat Hornady LEVEREVOLUTION bullets, they seat a tad deeper than my cast bullets of same weight. It may be wise for you to use data in/from a Hornady manual for this -- safety -- reason, as a deeper-seated-bullet = less cartridge space = higher pressures. Not cognizant your powder or charge of choice -- might be worth the effort to look into. Please, be safe!
geo)

[NorthMoccasin]

Speer and Hornady make 32 special Bullets. they are .321 diameter. .322 works for most cast bullets. It would be best to slug your bore

[cwtebay]

All great advice! My 2 pence would be that the leverevolution bullets will likely not shoot to the current sights. They will be higher than your average factory or "regular' bullets.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I have used .323 cast bullets very successfully in my Marlin 336SC 24" barrel. I have used both Matt's 185 grain Flatnose and 2 different 195-200 grain bullets from Bullshop to get 2.5" groups at 200 yards. I used 16grs 5744, a 195 gr NEI FN GC with a Fed 210M primer in Remington cases - annealed, flasholes deburred and primers pockets uniformed. I've also used the Speer 170 jacketed, 35 gr H4895, Fed 210M primers, Rem cases for 1.75 vertical by 3.5 horizontal at 200 Yards. I have tried the Hornady gummy tips but accuracy was not as good as the Speers. I did shoot a cow elk using the Speer bullet years ago, but do think the 32 Special needs to be used only on broadside lung shots on elk. Penetration is lacking for 'raking' or shoulder shots through heavy bone. The Speer bullet did perform properly and was found nicely mushroomed on the far side. For deer, antelope and black bear it works fine. I do have 3 Marlin's in 32 Special. I use a 4-16 Simmons scope for my load development and group shooting. A steel Lyman 66 receiver sight for hunting, thought I did lose a couple elk because I couldn't see the front sight when the light fades in the evening.

[Hick]

My Win 94 in 32 WS prefers 0.323 for cast. In addition to the bullets mentioned above, I use the Lee 324-175GC bullet and the old Lyman/ideal 321-427. I size both to 0.323, and use Lyman #2 alloy or softer (~9-10 bhn at the softest). The 32 WS is typically 1:16 twist, so the slightly softer lead does not present a problem. I should note that both of these bullets are round nosed, but broad enough that they don't present a problem loading in the magazine (as long as you are not using very, very hard alloy)

[koger]

Thanks for the replies, I have a whole box of .323 180gr gc bullet somewhere in the shop. CWTEBAY I have already zeroed it with a box of leveloutions I got in the trade, and you are correct. I had to put the elevator in the rear sight, on the last notch, to get it dead on at 100yds. Since it shot them so well, I decided to order some components, as I already have the powder to load the 30/30 and .32 special with the Lever bullets.

[Hick]

Sounds like you have things figured out. You should have lots of fun with the 32 WS. Its somewhat slower twist makes it a very fine cast bullet firearm. Enjoy!