Forming 32 Special Cases from 30-30 Brass

[superbee]

Reading through several recent threads about the 32 Winchester Special has left me a little confused.

Is it possible to form 32 Winchester Special cases from 30-30 brass by simply passing them through a 32 WS sizing die? Or do they need to be fire formed? (One post mentioned opening the neck up to 32 caliber with an expanding plug, then then passing them through a sizing die.)

Which is the best method?

[Guesser]

I run the fired 30-30 cases thru the 32 Special die and treat them as 32 Special from then on.

[BoolitBill]

Should you somehow mark the headstamp to show a difference? Somebody may try to shoot that .32 in a .30-30.

[superbee]

Good idea, that someone likely being me!

Maybe filing a slight notch across the rim?

[Bret4207]

You can also get then nice and clean and lay paint into the markings on the end, it'll stay and help ID it.

Best idea when using similar appearing brass is to get the right stuff if you can. 32 Special brass is still around IIRC.

[Guesser]

I have two guns in each chambering. I use the correctly marked cases for each. As I said above, I have formed 32's from 30-30, but no more!!

[Jon K]

Should you somehow mark the headstamp to show a difference? Somebody may try to shoot that .32 in a .30-30.

Bill.....32 won"t fit a 30-30.

I use brand of brass to keep them seperate, i.e. RP=32/Win=30-30. Also use different boolits in each...311041 or Saeco 316 in 30-30/ NOE 326407 in 32SP.

Jon

[herbert buckland]

Bill.....32 won"t fit a 30-30.

I use brand of brass to keep them seperate, i.e. RP=32/Win=30-30. Also use different boolits in each...311041 or Saeco 316 in 30-30/ NOE 326407 in 32SP.

JonHave you ever walked 6 miles found a huge bore and leaverd that 30-30 just to find you loaded the rifle with 32 specials re-formed from 30-30s.It makes the 6 mile walk back feel like 20 miles,my own fault I know

[TXGunNut]

Problem I'm having is that when I form 32's from once-fired 30-30's the case is a bit short and I can't get a uniform crimp. Mebbe I need to fire them in a 30-30 a few times before I convert them.

[Dirty30]

I've used 30-30's for 32-40 and they work well fire formed although they're a bit short. You should also be able to use 38-55 by giving them a light anneal and reforming in your sizing die. 32 specials should be available through Winchester though for not much more than you'd spend on other brass. I think around $31/bag.

[TXGunNut]

32 specials should be available through Winchester though for not much more than you'd spend on other brass. I think around $31/bag. -Dirty 30


You're right, it's just that I always prefer RP brass in a rifle. Doesn't hurt that I can pick up a double handful of once-fired RP 30-30's on most any range trip. I have 50 pcs of WW 32 Spcl brass, haven't been able to find it in RP yet.

[Cimarron Red]

Powder Valley has .32 Special brass (Winchester) for $24.75 per 50. They don't list Remington brass nor does Midway.

http://www.powdervalleyinc.com/

Although Remington makes loaded ammo, I don't know if they offer their brass as a reloading component.

[405]

Never have figured out the attraction of goin cheap even though it takes time and doesn't work exactly right for the purpose. [smilie=b:

http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/category/categoryId/782?

[TXGunNut]

Agreed, 405. Goin' cheap is great-when it works. Unfortunately I'm not getting good results from the WW 32 Spl brass, crimps not as consistent as I'd like... but it's better than the re-formed RP brass that I tried. Very limited experience with Hornady brass, may need to give it another try. I could try trimming the RP brass to under min but I'd rather pony up and buy the right stuff, Midway just dropped their prices on everything on my wish list (birthday coming up!) so mebbe it's time to move some stuff to my shopping cart.

[pmer]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_175404eff367c12212.jpg

I recently sized some 30-30 brass to 32 cal. Trimmed all to same length, uniformed the primer pockets and am getting nice reduced groups. The brass are a little short but I'm getting nice crimps this way.

But I can see trouble if you have 30-30s and 32 W SPLs. Just have to double check and or have different colored ammo boxs or something.

[Dirty30]

You're right, it's just that I always prefer RP brass in a rifle. Doesn't hurt that I can pick up a double handful of once-fired RP 30-30's on most any range trip. I have 50 pcs of WW 32 Spcl brass, haven't been able to find it in RP yet.[/QUOTE]

I was letting the fella who started this thread know that new brass was available. Sorry for the cornfusion.

[TXGunNut]

I was letting the fella who started this thread know that new brass was available. Sorry for the cornfusion. -Dirty30
__________________


Good point, Dirty30. No need to apologize, friend, I'm a longtime resident of the state of Confusion. [smilie=l: As a matter of fact I was surprised to learn several weeks ago 32 Spl ammo and brass are easier to find than .35 Remington. I think the point of this thread is that 30-30 brass is plentiful - often free - and 32 Spl brass is a little pricey and not available from all manufacturers...and some folks around here like to tinker a bit. :redneck:

[rbertalotto]

Can't you simply fire a 30-30 in a 32 special rifle and fireform this way? we used to make 7TCU by simply firing loaded 223 in the 7TCU barrel.

not real accurate.....but real easy to form the brass.

[Scharfschuetze]

30/30 brass when properly formed, trimmed and sized makes fine ammo. As noted by pmer above, uniform trimming makes for uniform crimps and thus uniform groups and velocities.

If you have a lot of 30/30 brass, it's worth the effort to use. To be honest, I've never loaded for my 32 Special in anything but 30/30 brass.

My Model 64 in 32 Winchester Special using 30/30 brass and cast boolits.

[Doc.Holliday]

32 Special : Showing the 30-30 How It's Done since 1901

I sold my last 30-30 years ago when I found in my opinion the 32 Special was more cast friendly.
I kept all my 30-30 brass and just ran it thru the sizer die. Up here 30-30 brass is cheaper than the 32 special in new and once fired. I think there is a .001 or .002 difference in length but it hasn't affected my accuracy.
Doc.

[buckweet]

Can't you simply fire a 30-30 in a 32 special rifle and fireform this way? we used to make 7TCU by simply firing loaded 223 in the 7TCU barrel.

not real accurate.....but real easy to form the brass.

Don't see why you couldn't ?
I too fireform 7TCU exactly the same way.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

If you are going to fire new loaded ammunition through you 32 Special, why not start with 32 Special? Remingtom, Federal, Winchester and Hornady all load for it. 30-30 cases work just fine when simply resized to 32 Special. Long long ago Wideners closed out RP 32 Special bras for $2 a box (1980's). I bought 70plus boxes. I seldom shoot my 30-30's, usually with jacketed. For cast I have 3 Marlin 336's, all shoot cast very well. 30-30 is convenient and easy to find but the 32 Special, properly loaded is superior in the field and at the range, especially with boolits. 'Accidently' firing 32 Special in 30-30 is not an issue, they normally cannot be chambered, but they might jam things up.

[pcmacd]

Use an electro pencil to obliterate the "30-30" stamp.

works for me.

[pcmacd]

I've used 30-30's for 32-40 and they work well fire formed although they're a bit short. You should also be able to use 38-55 by giving them a light anneal and reforming in your sizing die. 32 specials should be available through Winchester though for not much more than you'd spend on other brass. I think around $31/bag.

Well, aren't the 30-30 and 32 SPL BOTH based on the 38-55?

[pcmacd]

If you are going to fire new loaded ammunition through you 32 Special, why not start with 32 Special? Remingtom, Federal, Winchester and Hornady all load for it. 30-30 cases work just fine when simply resized to 32 Special. Long long ago Wideners closed out RP 32 Special bras for $2 a box (1980's). I bought 70plus boxes. I seldom shoot my 30-30's, usually with jacketed. For cast I have 3 Marlin 336's, all shoot cast very well. 30-30 is convenient and easy to find but the 32 Special, properly loaded is superior in the field and at the range, especially with boolits. 'Accidently' firing 32 Special in 30-30 is not an issue, they normally cannot be chambered, but they might jam things up.

Because I have 600 or 800 30-30 cases!

[farmbif]

I sure do miss the old wideners.
just run the 30-30 brass through the 32 spl die if you cannot get 32 spl brass and just be aware looking out for bullet setback if you cannot get a crimp on it.
ive even used a lee factory crimp 30-30 die on 32 spl before
the stuff ive used seems to get stretched out after the first firing and by the second needs some trimming. but I'm not in the habit of putting together
light loads.
I would not hold my breath waiting for Remington brass. there is no telling what's going on after the sell off of the different divisions of Remington.
there is nothing wrong with winchester brass and hornady seems to be on top of things in recent times in actually producing lots of brass for loading in calibers that not everyone uses. ive never seen bags of new federal brass for loading but there seems to be lots of federal in different calibers from pull down ammo.
if I had a need for 32 win spl brass right now I would place a back order with starline first. if I could not locate new brass at reasonable cost elsewhere. then go to the loading room and put some ammo together with 30-30 brass and that way at least I would be able to use the gun for more than being a door stop. Ive never ever gotten anything but the least costly and the highest quality brass from starline for 30 or more years.

[tarbe]

Times, they do change!

32 Special brass is pretty much unobtanium at this time.

I have a backorder in with Starline. Searched every online dealer and came up empty!

Using reformed 30-30 for now, until I can get some head-stamped 32 Special.

[Kestrel4k]

Thanks for bumping the thread; enjoyed reading about the good ole' days when oddball brass was still available at fair prices, lol.

[Eddie Southgate]

My local shop has .32 WS in stock pretty much every time I'm in there . It is higher than 30-30 by $10 or so but they have it , usually Federal and Remington . If you are worried about mixing reformed cases do two things : use a colored sealer on the .32 priming and mark the boxes they are in .32 WS in big letters. While I did once manage to lose my box of ammo before I got to where I was gonna hunt I can truthfully say I have never left with the wrong ammo . As far as walking 6 miles and then finding I had the wrong ammo, can't imagine anyone doing that. I load my gun as soon as I'm ready to walk away from my vehicle.

[country gent]

32 win spl could be fire formed fairly easily, its not a big change a charge of fast burning powder some cream of wheat and a wax plug. or it can be rough formed running thru a sizing die. Your not moving the brass that much. But the brass wont be fully formed until a firing irons it out to full form. I dont think youll see a big difference in accuracy between the 2 though.

Head stamps can be modified with an electric pencil stamp or dremil tool. You dont have to change the whole legend. Just remove the 0 from 30 or 3X-XX with the stamp. A piloted vee cutter could be made. The pilot would be a running fit in the primer pocket with a 60* vee cutter and small radius set to the correct spacing. insert twist and a ring /groove is cut lightly thru the head stamp. Set in a file handle ti would be quick easy and accurate. The groove would leave original faces on each side to maintain correct head space / thickness of the rim. A piece of 1/2" round stock with the pilot turned on the end a square cut for the tool/cutter once ground and set to location it could be glued or soldered in place then set into a file handle. A used 1/8 square lathe bit roughly 1/2" long would be plenty. In use Insert in primer pocket and twist thru the head stamp cutting the groove thru. It wouldnt need to go full circle just thru the 30-30 legend

[Texas by God]

If a .32 Special will chamber in a 30-30- I darn sure don’t want THAT 30-30!


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[pcmacd]

If a .32 Special will chamber in a 30-30- I darn sure don’t want THAT 30-30!

Since the 32 spl bullet is 0.321" or so, I doubt it would chamber in a typical 30-30 chamber, which has a 0.308" bullet.

You could likely shoot a 30-30 in a 32 spl, but why do that???

How did this particular nonsense get started?

[Texas by God]

I meant that THAT 30-30 has a .32 Special chamber…. An Attempt at humor concerning perceived pitfalls of making 32 WS brass from 30-30 Win brass.


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[pcmacd]

Well, sir? Your humor went over our heads.

And might instruct less knowledgeable persons to do stupid stuff?

You need to fix your post, sir.

[35 Rem]

I placed a backorder to Starline for 500 pieces of 32 Special brass in August of 2022 when I got my rifle. They contacted me in October of 2023 telling me my order was ready. Yes, it took 14 months! In the meantime, I had bought 1,100 new pieces of Starline brass from other sources so I turned the 500 quantity order direct from Starline down so some other person who might need it more could get it. Probably went to some yahoo who will turn around and try to sell it at double price on gunbroker. :) There seems to be a lot of that where people are buying up large orders of brass from Starline that they don't intend to actually use then selling it at a big markup.

[Texas by God]

Well, sir? Your humor went over our heads.

And might instruct less knowledgeable persons to do stupid stuff?

You need to fix your post, sir.

Here you go.
Once you’ve converted 30-30 brass to .32 Special (since you have hundreds of 30-30 brass)- it will never ever fit a 30-30 chamber again. So there’s no danger there.
Forming brass by firing 30-30 ammo in a .32 Special is a waste of bullets- but it’s safe as well.


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[ovendoctor]

re forming 30/30 brass is enjoyable
have made 30 Herrett and 357 Herrett
currently making 32/40 with great success
I have a few 32/40 head stamped my son found
those are put away for now

[Jedman]

I currently use 30-30 brass for many other cartridges, 219 zipper, 25-35, 7-30 Waters, 32 Win spl., and 375 Win/ 38-55. I also have a 303 Savage that looks a lot like a 30-30 but would not chamber in any of the above calibers.
So far I have not had a problem with the wrong cartridge for the gun I am shooting but anything can happen. Usually a smaller bullet in a larger bore gun would not be unsafe and a larger diameter bullet would not chamber in a smaller bore so not much here to worry over.
Jedman