Reduced velocity loads for 32 Winchester special

[BobinIL]

I am using the RCBS 32-170-FN gas checked bullet and do not want to exceed 1500 FPS. My problem is that there is very little load data for cast bullets in the 32 special and almost none for reduced velocity loads. I have found some 30-30 data that shows 13grns of H110 and a 170 grn bullet. I tried that in my 32 and it shot real good. Velocity was averaging 1325fps. I bumped it up to 14 grns of H110 and the velocity went to 1450fps. there were no signs of pressure, the primers had nice rounded edges. Do you think I am ok with this load?

Where on the web can I find more low velocity cast bullet data?

[autofix4u]

get yourself a copy of lee modern reloading 2nd edition. doesn't have any reduced loas for 32special, but lots for 30-30. should be able to work with those. I use 4-6grs of trail boss and a lee 170gr fn in my 94 winny 32 & the kids love it. have fun

[felix]

Use any good 30-30 load of the same boolit weight, and increase the powder by 5 percent because of the larger diameter of the boolit. ... felix

[lylejb]

in 30-30 i've used 10 - 12gr unique with a 170gr fngc and was happy with it. i didn't have a chronograph to check the exact velocity, but i think it should be in that range.

it shot as well as i could, with an open site win 94. very little recoil, a great fun load.

some people have called 10gr unique the " magic load" in that it works in many calibers.

Lyle

[DonH]

I would treat it the same as my .32-40. Usable powders for the desired velocity level would be 4227, 2400, 4759 (NOT 4756), 5744, etc. H110 is in the same burning rate range as is W296 and Accurate #9 and WC820 (on the fast end). 4759 and 5744 will have the most bulk and less need for any filler material. With the first four powders mentioned, charge weights of 14 to 25 grains will give you the approximate velocity you are after. Accurate 9 and WC820 (and H108 if you can get your hands on it) will take less; like 12 to 13 grains. As someone else mentioned, Unique will also work.

Go to www.assra.com and search for loads for .30-30, .32-40. The site is about single shots but many cartridges were common to both SS and lever action rifles.

[Bret4207]

6-10 gr Unique and lead boolit. Start at around 8 and work down.

[GabbyM]

My old 45th edition Lyman book has pistol powder laods clear down to 1200 fps.
List the Lyman 184 grain 321297 Your RCBS may weigh that cast from WW lead.
List Unique max at 9gr for 1355 fps. (old Unique maybe?) copywrite 1970
2400 13.0 gr. for 1125 to 17gr. for 1592
IMR 4227 16.0 for 1413 to 23.0 for 1964
IMR 4198 17.0 for 1330 to 25.0 for 1918
IMR 3031 19.0 grains for 1226 fps to 29.0 grains for 1941 fps

[corvette8n]

I've used 8-10 gr of Unique under a 190gr bullet I got from Dan at Bullshop
pretty good plinker, I don't know what speed they were running at.

[Green Frog]

Try 13.6 gr of 4759. That is a proven target load for the .32-40 which is essentially the same case with a straight taper instead of a shoulder. I have used it in .32-40s with PB lead bullets from 165 to 200 with fairly good results in all and outstanding results in others.

You might also try about 14.2 gr of IMR 4227 and expect good results there as well. Again, this is a standard light target load for .32-40 so it should do equally well (with perhaps a little tweaking) in the .32 Win Spl. I used it with a 200 gr. Pope-style bullet in a .32-40 Douglas bbl and got outstanding results.

HTH ~ Froggie

[randyrat]

+ a million on the above suggestions on ~8 grs of Unique. Nice sweet load. Work your way up or down a little and you'll find a ringer.

[Irascible]

There has been an awful lot of warnings posted about using H110/WW296 in reduced loadings. I wouldn't! Everybody elses recommendations sound OK. I like 4759 and 5744 myself. 4227, 2400, etc. might be position sensitive, so do some accuracy comparison by raising the muzzle before each shot. If it is better, than a filler might be in order. I used unique in some light 45-70 loads and it was very position sensitive. It showed up as horizontal stringing unless I raised the muzzle every shot.

[BobinIL]

For a follow-up I have settled on a load of 26grns of 3031 behind the RCBS 32-170-FP. It gives me 1675fps out of a 20" barrel and is scary accurate with no leading.

[sundog]

Anyone here on the board have equipment and would like to trim the gas check band out of one of the prototype 2-cav RD 32-170 moulds - make it plain base. Can't find find anyone local that wouldn't cost an arm and a leg. Machinist club member I know is not doing so well, so not going to ask him.

The GC band on the prototype wasn't cut quite right at Lee, so Michael and I decided to sacrifice this mould for a plain base to see how it would shoot in the 32 Win Spl. A light charge of one of the dots or unique ought to work real good. This was a free mould to me for some up front testing, and I really do not want to put any money in it as I have one of the later made production run moulds.

After this is done and some boolits are cast, it will be returned to Michael for his testing.

[windy]

I just got some 105-gr 8mm Nambu boolits from Rob Lockett sized .3215 that shot very well over 7-1/2 grains of Trail Boss; the noses are flat enough that as light as this recoils, I don't think there could ever be a problem in the magazine tube. My chrono's pretty iffy so I don't know how fast they're moving, but they shot very flat to 50 yds. Nothing like having 3 carbines in one--32WS, 32-40, and 32-20 loads all shooting. I'm still experimenting, though--I haven't got a really good blackpowder load worked up yet, and the extra joy of seeing that puff of smoke....wow! Almost makes cleaning up the brass afterwards worthwhile.

[windy]

Rob Lockett just sent me some 121gr 8's sized .323 at 10.1 hardness that shoot even better out of out of my .32 Wrangler/trapper, using 8 to 8-1/2gr of Trail Boss. I think the mold was the 323059. I'm ready to make up about 10 boxes of that stuff and call it my permanent plinking load--it's that good. Still haven't got the bugs worked out of the black powder load, though.

[Guesser]

I've had exceptional service from SR-4759 with 150 and 170 grain cast plain base bullets in short and long barrel (16" & 24") 32 W. S. Marlin and Winchester. Older Lyman/Ideal handbooks have good data. Try Handbooks # 37 thru 41.