And Now The fun begins

[Old Goat Keeper]

Today a NIB Marlin CL in 32-20 followed me home! I only had a few rounds of ammo so didn't shoot it much but it IS no longer NIB. I can already see that my ammo/reloading budget is going to explode. That little rifle is pure fun!

Tom

[Bret4207]

Good for you! Invest in Starline brass, very good stuff. A set of dies and a couple moulds...that's not such a big deal. You'll love it. Watch the case length. With the 32WCF they tend to vary for some reason after firing.

[Newtire]

Today a NIB Marlin CL in 32-20 followed me home! I only had a few rounds of ammo so didn't shoot it much but it IS no longer NIB. I can already see that my ammo/reloading budget is going to explode. That little rifle is pure fun!

Tom

I would pick up a Lyman 311316 mould as soon as you can. I am getting great accuracy with that boolit.

Only gripes I have about that rifle is that at first, ejector wouldn't grab the rim so had to relieve a small area in the chamber next to the extractor. It also is finicky about changing loads causing great shifts in impact points. If you discover any great secrets, would appreciate any input.

I back-ordered brass from Starline and it came in 2-weeks! Midway sent me a notice that they had some in from Starline after I had already received mine from Starline so try direct thru Starline-cheaper too. Starline is head and shoulders above any other brass for the .32-20 in my opinion. Wouldn't waste money on anything else.

[Old Goat Keeper]

Thanks for the suggestions guys! Just those 5 rounds yesterday showed me that 200 per session ain't out of the picture! I will be sure to post progress.

Tom

[Newtire]

Thanks for the suggestions guys! Just those 5 rounds yesterday showed me that 200 per session ain't out of the picture! I will be sure to post progress.

Tom

At 200 per session, it doesn't take long to go thru a brick of small rifle primers so nice to have a couple of extra bricks around along with some Win 296 powder and some 2400. Then watch for Blammer's announcements for the excellent GatorChecks in .30 cal. (They work for .32 pistol and anything up to .314" easy). That .32-20 is indeed a way fun little gun. I ran thru over 200 yesterday afternoon at the range. If you get lucky and see a good one, pick up a Winchester '92, put a tang sight on it and you won't be sorry I tell ya.

[btroj]

I have the 120 rnfp plain base group buy molds for 32-20. With 5 grains of unique it shoots great. Does not lead and will shoot better than me.
I also have the 311316 layman mold but use it much less. I get spoiled by the 6 cavity lee I suppose.
Like others have mentioned this rifle can be very prone to elevation changes with changes in velocity. I find this to be greater with the 32-20 than with any other rifle I own. No big dal to me as I tend to stay with one load most of the time.
And be sure to get a lot of brass- you will want to shoot this little guy a lot.

Now if I could only find a 25-20. And a good divorce attorney should I find said rifle.

[358wcf]

Today, the 32-20 is pure fun, a small game hunter's delight, and accurate as heck-
My rifle is a Browning Model 53, wearing a Lyman receiver sight, what a shooter she is! Our favorite load came from Ken Water's Pet Loads manual- and it's a classic!
98gr RCBS swc (plainbase), over 6.5gr Unique with your favorite small rifle primer.
This load is very mild in the Browning, estimated at 1600fps, and shoots into 3/4" at 50yds all day long--- A deer cartridge it's not, but watch out if you are a bunny, squirrel, raccoon, or skunk. The ultimate critter-gitter!
Enjoy- and share your joy with the gang!!!

358wcf

[Newtire]

I have the 120 rnfp plain base group buy molds for 32-20. With 5 grains of unique it shoots great. Does not lead and will shoot better than me.
I also have the 311316 layman mold but use it much less. I get spoiled by the 6 cavity lee I suppose.

Now if I could only find a 25-20. And a good divorce attorney should I find said rifle.

Hi bt,

I have that 120 RF also and it's too long to seat out with the top driving band showing to feed thru my rifles so are you crimping it with the band inside the case? I had thought about doing that since it's such a great boolit and 6 at a time is fast.

I used some tissue paper under the RCBS 32-98 and got that one to fit OK and the tp I suppose keeps it from receding inside of the case once it's in the magazine tube.

[6pt-sika]

About a year or so ago I was feeding no less then FOUR Marlin 1894's in 32-20 .

Anyway they all liked the Lyman 311316 and the 90 grain Lyman 311419 . I loaded them both the same for silhouette , 5 grains of Unique behind either bullet .

Also had Ranch Dog's 312-115GC and it did an outstanding job as well .

I read an article maybe 3 or 4 years ago in either Handloader or Rifle magazine that Brian Pierce had written about loading for the 32-20 in rifles and revolvers .

He had one load in there that really intrested me . He used the Lyman 311316 with H-110 where he was getting about 1900 FPS in a 24" barreled Winchester 1892 . I always wanted to use that load to pop a deer inside 50 yards but I never did .

[Newtire]

About a year or so ago I was feeding no less then FOUR Marlin 1894's in 32-20 .

Anyway they all liked the Lyman 311316 and the 90 grain Lyman 311419 . I loaded them both the same for silhouette , 5 grains of Unique behind either bullet .

Also had Ranch Dog's 312-115GC and it did an outstanding job as well .

I read an article maybe 3 or 4 years ago in either Handloader or Rifle magazine that Brian Pierce had written about loading for the 32-20 in rifles and revolvers .

He had one load in there that really intrested me . He used the Lyman 311316 with H-110 where he was getting about 1900 FPS in a 24" barreled Winchester 1892 . I always wanted to use that load to pop a deer inside 50 yards but I never did .

I'll get around to chronographing a load I find is the best so far in the '94 new made Marlin and also the Win '92. This is 11.5 gr. Win 296 under the 311316 water quenched and sized .313" with a CCI450 primer. Both rifles love that load. Since Win 296 is very close to H-110, I suppose you could juggle this around a bit. Some of the loads listed for the .32-20 seem a little hot to me (and that's an undrstatement so as to be politically correct!) so I'd just be careful. Another great powder aside from the usual Unique loads, (stuff is amazing!) is AA 1680.

[6pt-sika]

I'll get around to chronographing a load I find is the best so far in the '94 new made Marlin and also the Win '92. This is 11.5 gr. Win 296 under the 311316 water quenched and sized .313" with a CCI450 primer. Both rifles love that load. Since Win 296 is very close to H-110, I suppose you could juggle this around a bit. Some of the loads listed for the .32-20 seem a little hot to me (and that's an undrstatement so as to be politically correct!) so I'd just be careful. Another great powder aside from the usual Unique loads, (stuff is amazing!) is AA 1680.

I sold off all my 32-20's except for a Ruger "Buckeye Special" 32 MAG/32-20 . And sold all the dies , molds , brass etc !

Matter of fact I may have sold you one of the 311316 molds I had . Anyway I always thought that Pierce load with H-110 was a bit warm , but my intention was to kill a single deer with it and be done with it . Probably better off I never tried

[6pt-sika]

Since Win 296 is very close to H-110, I suppose you could juggle this around a bit.

I have no way of proving this , but I was told by a fellow in the know before Hogdon acquired Winchester Powder . That both H-110 and W-296 were made on the same machine and the only change they made when going from one powder to the other was change the containers the stuff was going in !

Again I have no way to validate this , it's just what a fellow who should know what he was talking about told me from a "supposedly" eyewitness account .

[Newtire]

I have no way of proving this , but I was told by a fellow in the know before Hogdon acquired Winchester Powder . That both H-110 and W-296 were made on the same machine and the only change they made when going from one powder to the other was change the containers the stuff was going in !

Again I have no way to validate this , it's just what a fellow who should know what he was talking about told me from a "supposedly" eyewitness account .

I tend to believe that also but just because they could make a change somewhere in time I just will treat them as 2-"similar" powders. I had thought that H-335 and W-748 were the same but I hear it depends on what lot of H-335 you got and shooting the stuff side by side, I can see it's different. The H-335 I had was a tad bit hotter in the .30-30 loads I was using it in.

Still, that H-110 and W-296 powder is some mighty useful stuff.

[6pt-sika]

I tend to believe that also but just because they could make a change somewhere in time I just will treat them as 2-"similar" powders. I had thought that H-335 and W-748 were the same but I hear it depends on what lot of H-335 you got and shooting the stuff side by side, I can see it's different. The H-335 I had was a tad bit hotter in the .30-30 loads I was using it in.

Still, that H-110 and W-296 powder is some mighty useful stuff.

I was probably in my mid 30's before I realized W-296 had any use other then 410 skeet loads !

My break into reloading was for trap and skeet !

Used 452AA for 12 gauge trap and skeet .

Used 473AA for 20 gauge skeet .

Used 540 for 28 gauge skeet .

And used 296 for the 410 skeet !

All Winchester powders in AA hulls using AA wads and or AA replacement wads . Later 452 was replaced with WIN "Superlight" and "Supertarget" . While 473 was replaced with "Superfield" .

I think all of those along with 540 have been replaced . Well maybe "Superfield" is still around . But 296 has lasted the test of time at Winchester Powder !

[btroj]

Hi bt,

I have that 120 RF also and it's too long to seat out with the top driving band showing to feed thru my rifles so are you crimping it with the band inside the case? I had thought about doing that since it's such a great boolit and 6 at a time is fast.

I used some tissue paper under the RCBS 32-98 and got that one to fit OK and the tp I suppose keeps it from receding inside of the case once it's in the magazine tube.

I crimp right at the top of the front band. There is a small groove between the nose and the front band that I use to locate my crimp.

This bullet shoots very well for me. I have tried pushing it over 1400 gps but it starts to lead and accuracy falls off. For higher velocity I go to the 311316 tc bullet.

I have read the Brian Pearce article and tried some of his loads. I was impressed by how well the 85 xtp shot over 16 gr of imp 4227. I did not expect much for accuracy but it grouped pretty good at 50 yards and was around 2150 fps.

For something different try the 120 rnfp over 3gr of trail boss. I got around 750 fps. Talk about quiet. Main thing I hear is the twang of the mainspring transmitted thru the stock.

[Newtire]

I crimp right at the top of the front band. There is a small groove between the nose and the front band that I use to locate my crimp.

This bullet shoots very well for me. I have tried pushing it over 1400 gps but it starts to lead and accuracy falls off. For higher velocity I go to the 311316 tc bullet.

I have read the Brian Pearce article and tried some of his loads. I was impressed by how well the 85 xtp shot over 16 gr of imp 4227. I did not expect much for accuracy but it grouped pretty good at 50 yards and was around 2150 fps.

For something different try the 120 rnfp over 3gr of trail boss. I got around 750 fps. Talk about quiet. Main thing I hear is the twang of the mainspring transmitted thru the stock.

I see the little groove you are talking about. I have a bunch of new cases so getting them all to crimp in the same place is a snap so far. I'll give it a go with the 120rnfp. Keeping them below 1300 or 1400 fps should be right about 22lr speed and they work real good without a gas check don't they..

I don't have any trailboss but there must be something I have that will work for a cat sneeze load. Sounds like fun or a possible neighborhood coyote load.

I haven't seen the Brian Pearce article but will google it up if it's on the net and see.

Nice to get all this help! I am going to work some loads up with the #322 Saeco. I shot some last Friday over 14 gr of 1680 but now ran out of 1680. They were plenty accurate in the '92 Winchester. This '92 Winchester has a relined barrel and shoots like new. I'm thinking some SR4759 or some 4227 or maybe some 4198. Like you say, the fun begins!