.32-20 coming

[Jim]

At the end of this month, I'll be taking possession of a .32-20 lever. I'd be very interested in hearing from y'all anything you have to offer on this caliber. I have no experience with it whatsoever.

[Bret4207]

Get a mess of Starline brass, a mould that casts something like a Lyman 311316 and at least a .312 sizer, be prepared to lap it out more towards .313/.314. Get Ken Waters "Pet Loads" and read his "32-20 in a rifle" article several times. After that, have fun!

[Jim]

Get a mess of Starline brass, a mould that casts something like a Lyman 311316 and at least a .312 sizer, be prepared to lap it out more towards .313/.314. Get Ken Waters "Pet Loads" and read his "32-20 in a rifle" article several times. After that, have fun!

Thanks, Bret. Ken's book has been on my wish list for awhile and might have to wait a bit longer. I'm already investigating the rest of the stuff.

[Lunarphase]

At the end of this month, I'll be taking possession of a .32-20 lever. I'd be very interested in hearing from y'all anything you have to offer on this caliber. I have no experience with it whatsoever.

I'm with you brother, I just traded for a Marlin 1894 Cowboy Limited 32-20, should be gettin it sometime next week.

Looking forward to working with the caliber. I guess the first step will be to slug the bore to see what she will want to feed on. In the meen time a set of RCBS Cowboy dies and starline brass wouldn't hurt to get the ball rolling.
I know Ranch Dog has moulds and sizers, but I'll slug it first to see what I got to work with.

[gundownunder]

Don't get Lee dies, they will size the necks down to .304, then when you seat the bullet your necks will expand to .314 and when you fire them they will be .316. Want to take a guess as to what your case life will be with a 14 thou sizing each time you reload? I'm waiting on a set of RCBS cowboy dies which I've ordered, I'm assured they will be a lot better.

The best brass is apparently Starline if you can get it, here in Oz it's a bit like hens teeth if you aren't in the right place at the right time. At the moment I'm using Remington.

I don't know what brand rifle you are getting but you will have to experiment with loads to find out what your rifle likes, My Marlin CL likes a load of 9.5 grains of 2400 behind a 115 gn lead bullet which would be a fairly mild load. I believe book max is about 13gn 2400, but my best accuracy came at 9.5gns. A load which is popular with a few guys at my local lever action club is the 115 gn bullet and 4.5 gns of Trailboss.

Google "32-20 wcf" and you will find plenty to read.

[Jack Stanley]

Bullseye for light loads Unique for medium has worked well with mine . Currently I have a bag full of ammo loaded with the RCBS semi-wadcutter bullet and it just loves the Unique charge . My bullet choices are a H&G sixty-seven , the RCBS and a group buy mold that takes a gas check . The first two have been used a lot and work well , I intend to try out this gas check mold when I get some time .

Also I use small pistol primers for light and medium loads , rifle primers for heavier . I haven't really tested to see if the rifle primers are needed though and I don't shoot many like that anyway .

Jack

[Shooter]

Is the Marlin a .30-20 ? Sportsman's Warehouse in Roanoke has Winchester brass for < $20. I use Lyman 310 tools in 30-30 to load for my Contender.
Unique and and of the Lyman boolits work well.

[mainiac]

My 1894cl in 32-20,has a .312 bore.I size the rcbs 98 swc to .314,loaded on top of 9 grs of 2400.in starline cases,,,,,,,very good shooting load.

[Bret4207]

Thanks, Bret. Ken's book has been on my wish list for awhile and might have to wait a bit longer. I'm already investigating the rest of the stuff.

Jim, you HAVE TO HAVE PET LOADS!!!! Don't put it off. Put the brass off for a month if you have to, but get the book. You won't be sorry when you do.

[rintinglen]

This is one caliber where the Lee Factory Crimp die is practically essential. Those cases are weaker in the neck than a malnourished chicken. A regular crimp die will almost certainly bulge and or ruin 1-3 cases out of every hundred..

Although many do cartwheels over The Starline Brass, I really can't see much difference in the shooting between it , the Remington, or the Winchester. I have been using the Remington and Starline in my Rifle, the Winchester in my revolvers.

My Browning really loves the RCBS 32-98 SWC, which is a little brother to the 311-008. 5 grains of Unique and you are off to the races.
I have also had fun recently with the RCBS 32-98 WC in my Police Positive. 3.2 grains of WW-231 has been really accurate.
Congrats on the acquisition. Bunnies, squirrels, racoons and the like will fear you.

[Jim]

This is one caliber where the Lee Factory Crimp die is practically essential. Those cases are weaker in the neck than a malnourished chicken. A regular crimp die will almost certainly bulge and or ruin 1-3 cases out of every hundred..

Although many do cartwheels over The Starline Brass, I really can't see much difference in the shooting between it , the Remington, or the Winchester. I have been using the Remington and Starline in my Rifle, the Winchester in my revolvers.

My Browning really loves the RCBS 32-98 SWC, which is a little brother to the 311-008. 5 grains of Unique and you are off to the races.
I have also had fun recently with the RCBS 32-98 WC in my Police Positive. 3.2 grains of WW-231 has been really accurate.
Congrats on the acquisition. Bunnies, squirrels, racoons and the like will fear you.

Odd you should mention that. Just awhile ago, I was thinkin' I might need to kill a 'coon with this rifle. Season opens middle of October, I should have a good load worked up for it by then.

By the way, Rin, thanks for the tip on the Lee FCD, I'll get a set on your suggestion.

[FergusonTO35]

Ranch Dog offers an awesome 115 grain flat point with or without a gas check.

[Hiwall55]

My Marlin loves 5.2 grains of Unique with a 115 F-N lyman bullet. Shoots well in my Colt too

[btroj]

I feed mine a 120 plain base with 5 gr of Unique. Shoots great.

32-20 is a fun little cartridge.

[Four Fingers of Death]

The big shops here are saying that they have been told 32/20 and 25/20 brass will be really thin on the ground for the next year or so. With this in mind I rang around the shops. There is a fair bit of loaded ammo about (around $100+ a box of 50!!!! Yikes!),but not much brass. I finally found 200 and had them put them aside for me, saying I wuld be by in a week or so (I live in the country). A day later, a fellow cowboy shooter advertised some 32/20 brass. I ended up getting 400 new cases and 192 used,all in good condition. I rang the store and thanked them, but cancelled the order. Split up between my 32/20s (Winchester 92 and Savage Bolt rifle) and my 25/20 Winchester Lever rifle, I should be good to go for many years.

[Jim]

Gathering from what I've been reading here, this oughta' make a sporty little 'coon huntin' rifle. A 100 to 115 grain bullet between the headlights will put ol' Rocky on the ground like a bag of wet sand.

Addendum:
Bret, just got off the phone with Janet. I'll be hitting the big "six oh" in three weeks and she asked me what I wanted. What an opportune time to put in a plug! I should be getting a copy right about the time that I'll be getting the rifle.

Thanks for the suggestion!

[JMtoolman]

Jim, after fireforming and sizeing in your dies, trim all of the cases to the shortest ones length. I found that there is a lot of length differences in all of the brass. This made all of the crimps all over the map. Just a suggestion. John the toolman.

[Jim]

Thanks, John. I'll check the lengths when I get my brass.

[canyon-ghost]

Aside from my obvious use of RCBS equipment for a handgun in 32-20, I can tell you that a 32-20 fired all bullet weights equally up to 50 meters. I even tried a 130 grain spire point that did as good as any until I pushed it to 100 meters. In the Contender though, it wasn't as stable as the lighter 98 grain RCBS mold. It still made the targets fall at 75 meters though.

A 32-20 shoots good, no doubt about it. I've ran into a little trouble in the levergun with seating bullets too long. That makes the smaller molds better for it. I had a lot of guys tell me that it was 'finicky' as far as calibers for silhouette go. I didn't see anything that said it was particular.

The way I developed the load was to put 5 spots on a sheet of posterboard with my trusty sharpie and sandbag it to 100 meters. Where the load pulled in, I took that tenth of a grain as the load. It only showed up once though. The next group was wide.
The brass is thin, Starline still makes it. The fired brass will not hold a bullet sometimes until it's resized though. Makes a 30 carbine die handy for neck sizing. But, it's not hard to work with.

http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx228/3rdshooter/32-20WCF005800x600.jpg

[northmn]

Been using the little 32-20 in a Marlin 94 for a couple of years now. Fun little gun. Mine is kind of a tractor gun to carry for a variety of possible uses. I switched from a hotter load using 120 grain bullets to a 100 grain bullet and about 1300+ fps, which is closer to a factory load. It was designed to be used on small game and up to deer in its day. I ahve shot a grouse with it and would pop a coyote if the opportunity presented. Most of what has been said about loading it is what I have found. I use the Lee dies with good luck. Bought 200 rounds of brass from Starline as it was the most available at the time. Got a partial box of Remington jacketed factory loads with it and they do no shoot close to lead bullets. Tried both the 120 and the 100. Mine uses the 312 bullets fine as that is what y molds drop. I do not size them and use Lee's liquid lube.

DP

[Canuck Bob]

Paco's article might be the best.

http://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/3220wcf.htm

Make sure you heed the load info for your rifle some of his loads are hot. I decided to enjoy mild loads for my Winoku to start. I enjoyed my Rem factory loads so much for plinking.

[Jim]

Even though it's a Marlin, this will definitely be a 'low to middle of window' load cast boolit rifle. It just seems like a great rifle and caliber for plinkin', teachin' the kids and Sunday afternoons with Janet. Put your money on this, though: I will DEFINITELY kill at least one 'coon with it!

[Bret4207]

Paco's article might be the best.

http://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/3220wcf.htm

Make sure you heed the load info for your rifle some of his loads are hot. I decided to enjoy mild loads for my Winoku to start. I enjoyed my Rem factory loads so much for plinking.

Some of his stuff is way beyond hot.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Old Paco sure makes for interesting reading, but for the most part, it sure is pedal to the metal!

[leftiye]

Yeh! I copied it!

[9.3X62AL]

I said this in another 32-20 WCF thread the other day, so if you've already read it--sorry about that.

My Marlin levergun in 32-20 is a 2004-made CCL variant, 20" hex barrel and full-length mag tube. It took some shooting to get the bore conditioned, but it is now DEATH on varmints and small game. It has a real "sweet spot" at about 1750 FPS using 11.0 grains of 2400--Rem 6-1/2 primer--Starline brass--and Lyman #311316 @ .313". Grooves are .312", throat about .3125".

Concerning the Rem 6-1/2 primer.......their use has caused flyers to rejoin the 10-shot groups they strayed from at 50 and 100 yards. Winchester and CCI SR primers habitually threw 1-3 flyers in all my groups while shooting the 25-20 and 32-20, and the Rem caps seem to do better work in the 30 Carbine Blackhawk also. FWIW.

I respect all that Paco Kelly has done, but those Level 3 loads he lists in his article won't be tried here. I have a 30-30 and Lee Soupcans if I want Mach 2 mid-caliber playtimes.

[eck0313]

You didn't say what rifle you'd be getting in 32-20. My Win '92 shoots best with bullets sized
at .313; a friend has a Browning Model 53 that has a .308 barrel. Standard .308 bullets and/or .309 diameter work best for him. I don't have any experience with the Marlins, but it looks like plenty here on the list do. My favorite load is 8.5 gr. SR 4759 with a Lyman 3118. I have the 311316 mould too, but have never seen the need for gas checks, etc. with the above load.

[9.3X62AL]

One additional note that is borne out by a lot of the comments on this thread......90% of the 32-20's work gets done very well running at its 1882-level intensity, which equates to 900-950 FPS in the revolver and 1200-1300 FPS in the rifles/carbines. All of the short-action WCF hyphenated calibers were immensely popular for a very long time, and they all had about the same ballistics......just wider/heavier bullets. No, the 32-20 doesn't need souping up to be useful and effective.

[canyon-ghost]

No, the 32-20 doesn't need souping up to be useful and effective.

I wholeheartedly agree. The one load that has that magical 1/10th grain for your rifle, that's the one. Everything else is speculation.

[Four Fingers of Death]

if you want to hot rod teh 32/20, you got the wrong calibre, go and buy a 32H&R Magor a 357. It is a good and competent cartridge as it is. Like the 44/40, lots of fun, good performance, wanna hot rod it? Nah! get a 44Mag. I have two 44MAg carbines and three 44/40s. The 44/40s get most of the work. I have two 4 ltr (gallon size I suppose) ice cream buckets full of 44/40s and about 400 32/20 cases, all polished up and ready to reload downstairs.

25/20, 32/20 44/40 are calibres I really love. The 38WCF is a brilliant cartridge as well apparently, although I have had no experience with it.

[Jim]

There will be no hot rodding of this rifle. I intend to start at the bottom of the load window and work up slow with cast boolits. If I find the sweet spot with the first powder, I'm done. If not, I'll stop before the load starts getting warm and switch powders.

I've got a gracious plenty rifles to hot rod without needing to do so with this one.

[leftiye]

Not even disagreeing with anything said so far......but. For one thing that article of Paco's was the best source of information I've seen so far on the 32-20 and the guns that have been chambered in it. In view of his listing pressures, and giving a rundown of the strength levels of the guns so chambered, I don't think "tradition" has a leg to stand on in terms of finding fault with him. If a given gun has the strength to take the pressure, and the chamber is tight enough that brass doesn't split, why shouldn't a person run his 40,000 psi loads? I'm not saying they'll do anything worth doing, just that there's no reason to not escalate to modern pressures in modern guns and their equivalent.

Brett and others say to expect massive damage on small game above 1600 fps. Others here have mentioned 2000 fps loads. I probly will like 1600 fps, but in the ruger blackhawk 30 carbine I know you can stick the cases in the cylinder without hurting the gun, loads that might tear the locking lugs off a carbine. Certainly "uniform" them. The same has to be true with 32-20 (not that these pressures have anything to recommend them, but in that gun and the contender, and several others - loads that insane are basically safe.

Who knows, maybe I'll find a need for them. Realistically, I doubt it considering what I plan to use the 32-20 Marlin 94 for. A 1600 fps 115 grin flat nose boolit has all of the speed of a CCI stinker, and hits about four times harder.

[Bret4207]

Leftiye, massive damage to squirrel sized stuff, maybe small cottontails, WITH FN BOOLITS. Switch to a 311359 and things change. The 311316 will literally cut a good sized grey squirrel in half with a heart shot at 1600 fps. On a coyote the same load will result in a very dead dog pretty quick, on fox they tend to go through and leave pretty impressive holes. Those little FNs do an awful lot of damage for what they are. I would not hesitate to use one on deer within 50 yards given the right shot angle. Of course I have no qualms about popping them right between the lookers either, not being a horn hunter.

Pacos articles, and I think I have all of them up to 3 years ago or so are great reading. I've used some of his loads and while I'm sure they work, some are beyond what I'm ever going to use again. Brass is expensive and often hard to get these days. 200 fps isn't worth it to me.

[Jack Stanley]

I like the guns and pressure that Paco lists for the loads and with the rifle I have I may even try a few . Right now all I have is molds for flat nose bullets , my slow load is from a H&G number sixty-seven that runds just over a thousand . A faster load is the RCBS 32-98-SWC with five grains of Unique .

The bullet I'd like to try stepping up within reason is one of the group buy moulds . LEE design , flat nose , gas checked and about a hundred twenty grains , it drops from the mold at just over .314" and is just right for this big grooved Browning . I've got some Starline brass I can use it in I just need to get after the load developement now . I'm thinking if pressure is kept just shy of the .357 magnum ( as long as accuracy allows ) it would be fun for the woodchuck safari in the fencerows out back . This is not a load I'd try on tree rats or rabbits Bret is right on the outcome I think .

Jack

[Bret4207]

Sounds like a 311316 Jack. You can use them on smaller game, just have to make head shots. I bet you could "bark" a squirrel too!

[Jim]

The more I think about it, the more I'm inclined to believe this rifle/caliber would be an excellent platform for developing subsonic loads. I worked up two loads for a Marlin in .357 and the rifle is just a sweetheart to shoot.

[Bret4207]

There was quite a flurry of activity some years back with people loading heavy for the cartridge boolits in the 32-20. Stuff like the 311440, even the 311291. Someplace in my reams of copied articles I have some info, goodness knows where though. I bought a 311440 GB mould specifically to use with the 32-20. I haven't done a darn thing as of yet and it's been a good 5 years! A 30-150 FN at 900 fps should knock the life out of about anything this side of a deer.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Hmmm, never occurred to me to try the 311291 and those in the 32/20. Like I said, hmmm! Lol

[Jack Stanley]

Hundred fifty grain slugs at nine hundred feet per second ..... sorta sound like a thirty-eight special don't it . With maybe just a touch more penetration to it huh Bret ?

I used to work with a guy that used a four inch thirty-eight down in the swamp for deer . He said the fifteen yards was a long shot and a head was a big enough target that close .

The 32-20 isn't likely something the fish and game people are going to suggest everyone use . But then you guys ain't just everyone , some of ya have the patience to hunt deer with a spear and bring home the venison regularly :mrgreen:

Jack

[Four Fingers of Death]

IN it's day the 32/20 would have been right popular with folk who had to stretch a dollar further and the 32/20 would have put a power of meat on the table for not much money, but maybe a little more time sneaking up closer.

[9.3X62AL]

The only "fly in the ointment" that comes to mind for the Marlin 94 or Win 92 in 32-20 using the long-for-caliber boolits.......rifling twist rate. My Marlin has 1-20" pitch, and it comes up a bit lacking when Greenhill's gets the values plugged in. Not to say that GH is unassailable, and I haven't tried the boolits out (yet), but just sayin'.

The #311316s do quite a number on jackrabbits well past 100 yards when started at 1700 FPS. It's a result only a coyote can appreciate. Started at 1250-1300, the terminal effects aren't nearly as widespread and comprehensive, but no less final.

[Four Fingers of Death]

The only "fly in the ointment" that comes to mind for the Marlin 94 or Win 92 in 32-20 using the long-for-caliber boolits.......rifling twist rate. My Marlin has 1-20" pitch, and it comes up a bit lacking when Greenhill's gets the values plugged in. Not to say that GH is unassailable, and I haven't tried the boolits out (yet), but just sayin'.

The #311316s do quite a number on jackrabbits well past 100 yards when started at 1700 FPS. It's a result only a coyote can appreciate. Started at 1250-1300, the terminal effects aren't nearly as widespread and comprehensive, but no less final.

Most of us aren't up to using open sights that far out anyways,lol.

[Jim]

Most of us aren't up to using open sights that far out anyways,lol.

You got THAT right, brother!

[Bret4207]

My Savage 23 32-20 wears an very ancient Weaver K-4, the old, old style with the little spring metal locks on the turrets, no caps on them either. It's as close to "period correct" as I could get and it makes all the difference with my so called "eye sight".

[6pt-sika]

I used to have four rifles in 32-20 . All Marlin's of course . One was a circa 1906 , another was a 1894CL from the late 80's , the third was an 1894CCL for about 2000 and the last was from the 2005 or so run of 1894CL's .

I used exactly three molds with these four guns !

The Lyman 311316 ,

Lyman 311419

and the Ranch Dog 313-115GC

I pretty much only loaded them with 5 grains of Unique and all three bullets were aceptable for Pistol Cartridge Lever Silhouette .

Bria Pierce had an article in "Reloader Magazine" a number of years back about loading the 311316 with H110 and making a suitable load for deer out to perhaps 100 yards . I tried his load and accuracy was good enough for deer to 75 yards . But it was a bit hard on cases . I always wanted to try his load on a poor unsuspecting deer but I never did before I sold all four rifles .

Oh yeah before I had the 4 Marlin's I had a nice old Winchester 1892 in 32-20 of about 1910 vintage that was easily 90% this was in the late 70's early 80's . I am sorry to say I never fired anything but Winchester factory stuff in that rifle . But it was adequate as well .

[quilbilly]

In my Contender 308 bore 32-20 I have found that the 32-20 offers impressive performance at a velocity of 1400 fps which is not a hot load. My "wet phone book test" showed the Lee 113 rnfpGC got over 16" of penetration and impressive expansion. The Speer 115 gr HP got 11" of penetration with the same load but chronographs at 1250 fps.

[9.3X62AL]

Please note.......my eyesight improved MARKEDLY after cataract surgery, and I seem able to shoot open irons fairly well. I grew up on open irons, and learned how to make them work. Having an opthalmologist that shoots NRA 2700-series doesn't hurt any, either.

[Jack Stanley]

I keep tossing up the idea if I want to add a reciever sight to my new made Browning and tossing is all that gets done . I guess I just like the rifle as it is and will likely use it within it's limitations .

However , if I ever find a rifle like a Winchester 43 that someone mounted a scope and did it right I'd likely buy that just because .



Jack

[Bret4207]

Jack, I have 3-23 Savages and a Win 43 218 Bee. The Win has the ability to be rebarreled. Other than that the Savage wins in all other respects. I'd trade my Win for a Savage Hornet any day of the week.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Jack, I have 3-23 Savages and a Win 43 218 Bee. The Win has the ability to be rebarreled. Other than that the Savage wins in all other respects. I'd trade my Win for a Savage Hornet any day of the week.

I have a Savage 23 in 32/20. I also have an old Burris (I think that is the brand) 4x which has a post and crosshair. I'd love to mount it on the 23. Does anyone make a base/s for this rifle? I really love it and would love a 25/20 and a Hornet as well.

Didn't mean to hijack the thread, but the 32/20 is a sweet cartridge and always excites me.

[Jack Stanley]

Years ago I had a Savage twenty-three chambered in the 32-20 . With anything approaching factory loads the primer would flow into the firing pin hole just enough to mean the case wasn't going to fit the shellholder . This was before I knew of guys who could bush the firing pin and make it right . I love the round and the rifles that fire it ( with the exception of the reject that Marlin sent me ) , would this be a bad time to remind Savage that I have cash :mrgreen: lemme see now ...... the 219 , the model 23 .... I'd let them come up with something as long as it works as well as the old one without me having to work on it first . :)

The idea of finding an old steel reciever sight for my Browning hasn't got past me either , I still might . Ya know if Ruger single shots don't need hanger/barrel /other work for accuracy right out of the box , I might even buy one of them :) Somebody stop me before I start spending !!

Jack

[9.3X62AL]

Jack, I have 3-23 Savages and a Win 43 218 Bee. The Win has the ability to be rebarreled. Other than that the Savage wins in all other respects. I'd trade my Win for a Savage Hornet any day of the week.

All these, AND a S&W Model 16?? NICE.

Limited runs of leverguns in these classic calibers would sell well, I believe. CAS folks seem to favor straightwall cases like the 357 or 44 Mag for ease of reloading, but Cranks Like Us still appreciate the old hyphenated Winchester chamberings. I remember seeing a repro Win 73 in 32-20 at the SHOT Show in 2011, and it was one beautifully-made example. MSRP was a little high, but I was still quite taken with it. Marlin could use a little customer goodwill these days, and some 94s in classic chamberings might win back a lot of their disaffected customer base.

[milltownhunter]

i just bought a new winchester 92 take down today looking forward in shooting it

[Bret4207]

I have a Savage 23 in 32/20. I also have an old Burris (I think that is the brand) 4x which has a post and crosshair. I'd love to mount it on the 23. Does anyone make a base/s for this rifle? I really love it and would love a 25/20 and a Hornet as well.

Didn't mean to hijack the thread, but the 32/20 is a sweet cartridge and always excites me.

I used Weaver bases on mine. In fact I used Weaver bases on all of them, only one came tapped IIRC. 1 32-20, 2- 25/20's. Oh, a 22 LR too with a Wollensak (forerunner to Redfield) 3/4" scope in externally adjusted mounts. So I have 4 23 Savages, just lacking the ultra hard to find and afford Hornet. That's as close to a Royal Flush as this old boy will ever come!

[Bret4207]

All these, AND a S&W Model 16?? NICE.

Limited runs of leverguns in these classic calibers would sell well, I believe. CAS folks seem to favor straightwall cases like the 357 or 44 Mag for ease of reloading, but Cranks Like Us still appreciate the old hyphenated Winchester chamberings. I remember seeing a repro Win 73 in 32-20 at the SHOT Show in 2011, and it was one beautifully-made example. MSRP was a little high, but I was still quite taken with it. Marlin could use a little customer goodwill these days, and some 94s in classic chamberings might win back a lot of their disaffected customer base.

I gotta get the K32 out and get some shooting in!

I agree with the idea of bringing back some of the oldies, but goodies. Winchester was doing very well with their 94's right up till they decided to stop making them and the 9422, their STUPIDEST move ever IMO. I'd love a 32-40 and a 219 Zipper, another 25/35 too. Of course I really want them in a Savage 99 and Marlin probably isn't much interested in that idea. Couldn't afford one anyway. Dream on...

[Jack Stanley]

After the poor showing that Marlin rifle gave I was thrilled to see the Browning entry into the 32-20 stable . I've been real happy with it even though my old eyes would like a nice low powered scope .

Could Marlin ever get me back as part of the base ..... yes but I really don't think they are willing to try even for an old guy that has dollars in hand . I'm with you guys , if they'd just bring back some oldies but goodies . They can keep the lawyer button, levers, switches etc. I know how to run a lever rifle safely . A bolt action though ... ok put the safety in the normal spot and give it a good trigger .

Jack

[Whit Spurzon]

GREAT caliber. Big time overachiever. I use it for silhouette matches, small game and just walking around scouting. I've even shot it long range and a friend of mine shot it through a 30" of Cow and caught in the sixth milk jug (see videos).

32-20 at 600 yards
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJp32Tj5yIk

32-20 vs Cow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b_h7ViNeJQ

32-20 vs Silhouette
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTOWQu07gJ4

I have two but the one I enjoy the most is a 1905 vintage Marlin that John Taylor relined earlier this year.

http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/k542/WhitSpurzon/Yonderosa023.jpg

The loads I use most is enough Unique to get me about 1350 fps for general purpose load. Enough W231 to get me around 950 fps (same load as a previous poster) for a small game and plinking load. And enough 2400 to push it 1450 fps which makes easy work of the Ram silhouettes (but is too hard on the chickens). The Boolits I use are the 311008 as cast and the RCBS 32-98 sized down to .314". Both seem to shoot equally well but I the 008 gets the nod most of the time as the vast majority are headed for steel targets and the extra weight gives me a little more confidence even with marginal hits.

[northmn]

I went down to the laods the cartridge was originally used for as the hotter laods really gained me nothing. The 120 grain load I started with was what I had for a bullet mold. I loaded it to about 1550 and it was a fine little round. I ended up getting a 100 grain mold for my 32 long and the 32-20 and it pretty much does anything for me at 1300 that the hotter load would do. A 94 Winchester or a Marlin 336 is not that much bulkier or heavier than my 32-20 and if I needed hotter loads a 30-30 will do so so much better. Brass is also less expensive and more available. The 30-30 is also very friendly to cast bullets. It just makes more sense to me to shoot my 32-20 at its normal levels. Like it better than a 22 mag.

DP

[Jim]

I went down to the laods the cartridge was originally used for as the hotter laods really gained me nothing..... A 94 Winchester or a Marlin 336 is not that much bulkier or heavier than my 32-20 and if I needed hotter loads a 30-30 will do so so much better..... It just makes more sense to me to shoot my 32-20 at its normal levels.....

DP

I agree. If you can't get the velocity/ bullet weight/ energy you want from the gun you're working with, GET A BIGGER GUN. Hot rodding a gun only beats it up and increases the risk for things to go south.

[Four Fingers of Death]

true enough, lots of guys have ruined 44/40s trying to turn them into 44mags, etc.

[Canuck Bob]

When I got my Winoku TD 32-20 I was gung-ho on using it for deer. Then I shot the loaded Rem factory ammo I bought to go with my Rem brass and fell in love with the mild manners and the fun factor of shooting a factory lead load for a rifle.

I have a 444 for BIG game, a 32 Special for deer, so hot loading is not really a necessary option for me. I certainly understand the desire to hotrod but the fun I had with my pipsqueak 32-20 factory loads converted me to a new way of woods loafing, all fun, no fuss or racket. It also convinced me to buy a Handi 22 Hornet and load it down. Its nice to shoot a rifle that has a fairly close safety range.