'73 in 32 WCF..

[XTR]

I've got an old, as in 1890 according to the serial number, '73 in 32WCF. Never fired it, never really thought about it. Noticed it there in the back of the safe and got to wondering. The general impression i get is that chambering is pretty tepid. Is it worth bothering to set up to load for it? I don't recall that there is any data in my Lymann manual.

[JMtoolman]

As the old saying goes, try it, you will like it! I have a 92 Win. takedown in 32-20. Man what a neat cartridge, like a grown up 22. Easy 1200 FPS, brass lasts a long time, great for small game! The toolman.

[Kansas Ed]

I have one in a '92 that will roll the groundhogs at 80 yards with max loads. I had one in a '73 that shot in birdshot patterns....that one got a new home. I love the 32-20. Easy to load, and is a hoot to shoot. Nice little varmint rig for skunks, possum, coon, coyote, and of course ground hogs. It is one of the small caliber rifle gems out there.

BTW: I shot my first Mule deer with that '92. IIRC it was about 60-70 yards and the remington soft point loaded to 1900 fps passed through. She went about 20 yards or so and flopped. I expect that a good CB would do the same.

Ed

[bob208]

i have a 73 in .32-20. mine ahs a nice sharp bore. i use pistol data for loads in it. i was shooting soda cans at 100 yd with it. shoot wait then hear it slap the can.

don't bother with the factory lead loads. i bought a nice 92 with no rifling in it. got it cheap. the guy said he fired a box of factory lead loads and could not hit anything. i got it home and cleaned out the lead and had a mint bore.

[Idaho Mule]

XTR, pull that thing outa the shed, clean the cobwebs out and shoot it!! 32-20 is one of the best rounds EVER invented. I am not familiar with the 1873 but what I read they are plenty good for mild loads, say a 100 gr. boolit up to 1200 fps. or so. You will fall in love with it as long as you load for it. Factory loads are cost prohibitive (35 to 40$ a box) so one must load his own, no problem. There are lots of folks on this site with info and help. JW

[9.3X62AL]

Agree with all the above. Get Starline brass, much easier to deal with than the usual R-P or W-W. Top end in a Win '73 is about 1200-1300 FPS with 115 grainers. I would recommend the Rem 6-1/2 primer for these loads, their power is tailored to small-sized rifle calibers but their cup is stronger to take rifle-power firing pin strikes. In my 25-20 and 32-20 loads at any power level, the Rem 6-1/2s cut my groups sizes about 1/3 from SP and SR primers (CCI and Winchester). Same story with the 30 Carbine Blackhawk.

[John Taylor]

Most of the ones I see have rust and or no rifling, but then that is why they are sent to me. They can be relined to have a new bore and shoot just as good as a new rifle.

[Prairiewolf]

The 32-20 is a hoot to shoot in a lever gun. I have the Browning 53, and of course reload for it. I put a Marbles tang sight on it and worked up a load that is quite accurate to around 100 yards. (I can't see anything beyond that.) It's so much fun that I recently bought a Cimarron Old Model P revolver in 32-20 also. In case anyone's interested, I load 115 g Oregon Trail LaserCast bullets with 7.7 gr 2400 in Starline brass for an average mv of 1240 fps. (The Black Hills factory ammo with 115 gr bullets shoots at about 1070 fps with not-so-good accuracy.) 4.2 gr of Unique gave the same 1240 fps and was also accurate, but I stuck with the 2400 because it's very easy to work with, it burns very clean, and I had a lot of it on hand. I can't imagine having a '73 in 32-20 (32 WCF) and not shooting it. I love my '73 too!

[missionary5155]

Good morning
My 73 32-20 is from around the same time frame. Check the throat area. Do not be surprised to find it around .315-.317. You need to work with that. Mine will chamber .315+ boolits and shoots them far better even with a not so pretty bore. have used it for years to pop ground hogs in dutches and crawling about wood lines near the corn and beans. A 115 grainer with a flat nose at 35 yards through the "hoggy" shoulders will ruin his future bean eating contests.
Mike in ILL till 28 Jan

[LtFrankDrebbin]

Yep another vote to bust her out and get her shootin!
Use to love my 32-20 even in a Martini single shot.
Brilliant small game killer/ plinker / targeter even on mild loads recomended for the 73's.
Besides any Winnie lever is made for shootin not for looken at or hiding away :Fire:

[NMLRA Guy]

I grew up on the writing that appeared in print in the 1950s. The 32-20 was out-classed in all the books. I never had one until I heard what a splendid rifle they were for settled areas. Got a 92 Winchester take-down. It will shoot 1 3/8" five shot groups a 50 yards with the open original sights (after I religned it). The outside is pitted on the action but you cannot afford to buy it from me!

[NMLRA Guy]

I note that 9.3 x 62 has a 25-20. I recently acquired a Marlin 94 in this pursuasion. Nobody with a name like 9.3 x 62 can be all bad. Can you tell me what loads you prefer?

[pakmc]

I was shooting my 32-20 uberti 1873 today with 4gr.s of Hp38 I tried the load with 12 gr.s of H-4198. I also lhave a "P" uberti 73 in 32-20, the pistol and neither the rifle care one way or the other about which powder is used. the rifle was shot at 25 yards. and the pistol at 10 yards. the loads i'm using need work. has anyone used jacketed bullets in the newer rifles or pistols?? just curous,