.32-20 Blackhawk range report

[Newtire]

I've got alot of folks on this group to thank for today's success at the range.

I was shooting mostly my Ruger Blackhawk .32-20.

First, I opened up the throats of the cylinder to the point where I could just push a .312 boolit thru using 400 grit wrapped around a dowel. I checked with the Cylindersmith & they told me they only ream to .314" so that left me with little choice but to do it myself. It really turned out nice and didn't take very long. I eased thru it in 2-nights out on the front deck with the Makita.

Another member here traded me some of his Saeco #322's for an equal bunch of RCBS 32-98's and man o' man do those things shoot. I had great results with 9.0 gr. AA#9 and 6.7 gr. AA #7. I am surprised noone has mentioned much about them here.

I also found out that they feed great with no modification in my M-1 carbine. I didn't get much for grouping out of the carbine but about 3" at 50 yds. I can work on that I am sure but ran out of boolits! That mold should take about a couple of days from Midway.

The 120 gr. RF group buy also turned in great little groups with 8.0 gr. 2400. I have to buy these from a guy who casts in our area as I was not knowing I would be needing one and missed the buy-anyone have one to sell?

All of these loads were shot in a Ruger Blackhawk that is mighty strong.

The little RedDot Bushnell Sportsman 23 sight I got from Sportsman's Guide is working out real good.

So thanks to Scrounger-got me hooked up with the gun in the first place.

Then to Dale for getting me the link to the RedDot sight.

Thanks to Junior's Frugal Outdoorsman site for giving me the info on the cylinder honing.

Thanks to Dragoon for turning me on to the Saeco #322.

I also got some little 1" groups out of my M-1 carbine using 12.5gr. H-4227 and a Lyman 311359. I shot a 20 shot cluster of about 1-1/2" in 2 tens shot strings as the barrel was getting mighty hot. This coming week I am going to be casting up a goodly sum of those little gems for future use.

They don't like you plinking into the hillside but I made toothpicks out of about every splinter of wood I saw lying on the hillside behind the target line once I got the grouping experimenting done with.

All-in-all, a great day with mild weather and some real fun.

[Jack Stanley]

After shooting all that much , I'm betting you're glad it's cheap to feed too !:-D I remember when those were offered for sale years back , they even came with a 32 H&R magnum cylinder . I never shot a 32-20 out of a handgun , but I was at the range when a guy pulled out a Colt single action chambered for it . He seemed to be enjoying himself .
It sounds like you had a great day making toothpicks :Fire:

Jack

[Newtire]

Mine came with the .32 magnum cylinder but haven't played with that one much yet. That'll be another project to look forward to. It is pretty cheap to shoot the little boolits. That .32 and the M-1 carbine hit with enough punch to let you know you are shooting something a little stouter than a .22. Next weekend it's day-of-reckoning for soda cans, yoghurt containers, and milk jugs.

It is cheap to load for so I am really gonna be saving money shooting the Saeco #322 with the new mold I ordered from Midway. With no gascheck to pay for, I'll save even more with the carbine. Pretty soon they will be paying me to go to the range!

[Dale53]

"Ain't it grand when things come together?"

I have been hooked on the .32's for years. I thought just me and my shooting buddy, Frank, were the only ones caught up with the .32's. Then I get on this forum and learn that we have a lot of kindred spirits.

For some strange reason, I prefer shooting centerfires to rimfires. I can load them about as cheap (sometimes a lot cheaper:mrgreen: and that is a bonus but not the reason). The centerfires are much better on small game from a revolver. The .32's use very little lead so you get a lot out of a pot full (RCBS 22 lbs). I typically load up the pot, then cast until it's gone. At my age with my back:roll: , that is about enough sitting in a chair in front of a lead pot. But I sure enjoy the production with my Lee six cavity moulds (GB 100 gr Keith at .314 and GB 120 RF at .314). Those moulds done by Lee are as perfect as they need to be. The right size and the right design to shoot well in all of my .32's.

I hope that you have many, many years of joy with your Ruger.

Dale53

[Newtire]

Dale,
I can tell you one thing that is not perfect about those molds..... The thing that is not perfect about them is that there is not one in my mold collection!

Fortunately there is a guy locally who is a professional caster who makes mine at a reasonable cost. That would be Springfield from this board. I'm dropping by to pick up a load this week. Again, thanks all.

[Cherokee]

I relly like the 32-20. Been shooting them for years. I have a Buckeye 32-20 and two custom Ruger 32-20/30Carbine convertables as well. Then there are the two original Marlin 1889's. Lots of little bullets stacked around.:castmine:

[Newtire]

The .32's seem to be the red-headed stepchildren of the caliber lineup. I had to just fool around developing my own loads pretty much as there isn't alot of info out there on loads for stronger guns. After trying a few of the ones I have seen for stronger guns, I had to conclude that I'm not ready to risk taking chances with some of that data in my gun at least.

I have found some accurate loads for the .32-20 using Bullseye, Unique, Herco, AA#7, AA#9, 800-X, & 2400.

Load info for heavier (120gr.) boolits just doesn't seem to be out there. If anyone has any starting loads you have personally tried that you would like to PM me with, I would appreciate the input. I am getting good results with those heavier boolits using AA#7, AA#9 & 2400 so far. Just want to know if I'm on the right track or am I missing the boat?

[Bret4207]

I've used up to 10.0 gr 2400 in 32-20 with Lyman 311316, about 118-120 gr GC'd and lubed. This is in .312-.315 barrels. This was an old Lyman/Elmer Keith load. Ken Waters and many others said this was too hot and with the newer style 2400 it might be way too hot.

[Scrounger]

I have never owned or loaded for a .32-20 but I am lusting for one of those Marlin 1894CLs. I have looked at loading data and I think when/if I get one, 680/1680 will be the first powder I try. There is data for it in the Hornady manual. It won't work well for low velocity loads but if you want to see what that caliber has all out, 680/1680 might be the powder to use. And it's relatively cheap.

[Newtire]

I have never owned or loaded for a .32-20 but I am lusting for one of those Marlin 1894CLs. I have looked at loading data and I think when/if I get one, 680/1680 will be the first powder I try. There is data for it in the Hornady manual. It won't work well for low velocity loads but if you want to see what that caliber has all out, 680/1680 might be the powder to use. And it's relatively cheap.

I'll bet that 10 gr. load might be a hot one but I have used 8.0 gr. with the 120 gr. GB and no pressure signs. I am going to go 9.0 gr. in .5 gr. increments & see. Take it up to 10 if it seems OK.

I am trying to work up a load with some 800-X and since 5.5 gr. didn't show pressure am going up to 6.0 with a few boolits I have. I am going to try out my new Saeco #322 that Dragoon told me about. It shot the sample boolits real good with AA#9 and some AA#7 deserves a look into. Just have to take it easy and be careful with all these loads. I picked up a set of magic Markers at Rite Aid and marked the primers and enclosed a color code card in each box of ammo. that is the only way I could have kept track last weekend so am doing the same this weekend. Am also gonna try that Saeco with the 8.5 gr. BlueDot load in my M-1 carbine.

I would be willing to bet that the AA1680 would be the right stuff for the rifle. I have used that in a reduced .30-06 load and a little more than the 17 gr. 2400 load. It was a real accurate load. 23 gr. was what it was with the Lee 180 gr.

[StanDahl]

Load info for heavier (120gr.) boolits just doesn't seem to be out there. If anyone has any starting loads you have personally tried that you would like to PM me with, I would appreciate the input. I am getting good results with those heavier boolits using AA#7, AA#9 & 2400 so far. Just want to know if I'm on the right track or am I missing the boat?

I've used the Saeco 322 (120gr) with 5 grains of Unique, 5.0 - 5.4 grains of SR4756, and also a caseful of FFFg, but nothing else for some reason. This is in my Marlin 1894CL.

I've used the 311410 (130 grains) with 8-9 grains of both 2400 and 4227 with very good results in my Marlin - loaded one at a time. The same loads work very well with the 125 grain Speer .303 jacketed bullet - loaded one at a time also. I got that from Paco Kelly who has had lots of interesting (and alarming) 32-20 info on his various sites over the years.

I haven't tried much in my Ruger 32-20, I've mostly used the 32mag. It really likes the RCBS 32-098.

[leftiye]

I read in the Speer #13 manual that .32 H&R mag max pressures are about 21,000 psi.. I assume that pressures are even lower for the 32-20. In revolters that are made to fire .357 mags I'd bet that 35,000 to 40,000 psi would be viable (if brass were strong enough). I'd also guess that starline in either caliber would be strong enough? Really makes me wonder why H&R would design their ctg. that way. But then a lot of things about that company make me wonder. Any reaction on hot loading these ctgs. to those levels?

[9.3X62AL]

Another 32-20 addict here. The Starline 32-20 brass is real step above the W-W/R-P stuff. MANY THANKS, SCROUNGER!

Ken Waters during his "Pet Loads" time at "Handloader" published an article on loading for the 32-20 in revolvers. None of his data was steered in the direction of high velocity or pressures that Ruger Blachawks enable. I would say that three load levels exist for this caliber--

#1--Colt Police Positive Special#, blackpowder era Colt SAA.

#2--S&W M&P*, Colt Army Special#, Colt smokeless era SAA*, Winchester 1873 original and repro#.

#3--Ruger Blackhawk, Winchester 92 original and repro#, Marlin 1894 smokeless era*.

My current examples are marked with an asterisk, prior examples with the #. I've done some time with the 32-20, ya might say. It kinda boils down to this......the 32 Magnum seems more accurate with the 95-100 grain castings like the RCBS 098 SWC and Lyman #313631, while the 32-20 prefers the 115-120 grainers like the Lymans #311008 and #311316 and the Lee Soup Can--my Lee falls free at .312", some aren't that wide. My best load in the 32-20 revolvers uses either Lyman boolit atop 6.0 grains of SR-4756, the same loading listed by Mr. Waters as his Pet Load. For the Colt PPS, I ran 5.5 grains of 4756--and it stayed accurate like its more powerful progenitor. I'm still working with the Marlin CCL's pet load, with 2400 and RL-7 doing the best work so far. I think Art is on to something with his suggestion about 680/1680--dunno about handgun work, but its possibilities with the Marlin have me intrigued.

I have yet to find a load that will do accurate work in both rifle and revolver--the 6.0 x 4756 is almost acceptable in the rifle, but is much better in the rollers. This load in the M&P will do 2" @ 25 yards, while in the Marlin it won't better 2" at 50 yards. OK, it IS a net improvement, but faster loads in the rifle shoot better groups, sometimes shading 1.25" @ 50 yards. In fact, it seems the faster I run boolits in the Marlin, the better it likes them. That was called a "clue" at my old job. That rifle needs more shooting anyway, and is improving as I continue to work with it. It might be a matter of barrel break-in.

[Firebird]

leftiye - H&R originally introduced the 32 Magnum in a break-top pistol design. They are ok guns, but due to a lack of a solid frame it is a lot easier to lower the pressure of the cartridge than it is to make the gun strong enough for magnum pressure levels.
Skeeter Skelton did an article on the 32 Mag using the S&W 16-4 and Ruger Single Six revolvers reloading to real magnum pressure levels (30K+ psi) and was very impressed with the performance of this little cartridge. Then Skeeter & the magazine found out what the SAAMI pressure level was and quickly printed a retraction article on his loads.

[9.3X62AL]

One of our members here--Big Slick--is doing some very intrepid work in 32 Magnum in an SP-101. This deserves a thread of its own, but his work to date shows that Skeeter had something there--before editors and lawyers got ahold of it, at least.

[Newtire]

Hi Firebird,
I have one of the H & R .32 magnum 586 pistols with a 71/2" bbl. It's a well built little gun but the key word here is little-compared to the Ruger Blackhawk at least. It is a solid frame revolver like the 504 model. Only holds 5-shots instead of 6. I have a box of shells loaded for it carefully marked as these are alot lower pressure rounds than the ones that the Blackhawk can stand. I wouldn't want to get them mixed up.

I have been mainly shooting the .32-20 cylinder as the Ruger I have is one of the convertibles. I have shot a few .32 mags out of it but haven't given it a chance really.

I had a nice day at the range today shooting .32-20 with a "new" Tasco 4X pistol scope. It brought out the potential of the pistol rather than the errors of me I think. Next weekend I am moving back to the 50 yd line. My good groups of last weekend all shrunk by 1/2 to 1" smaller. I got a few 1 inchers at 25yds. Look out Dale53...were creeping up on ya. I know, I was cheating using a 4X scope but a guy has to know his limitations as Clint says. My eyes can use a little help.

Here's the H & R next to the Ruger.

[Firebird]

Nice looking pair of guns there; I mostly shoot my S&W Model 63 and Ruger Bisleys. Not very well I admit, J-frames just don't fit my hands but it's such a nice little gun that I shoot it anyway and just don't save or show anyone my targets. I don't have a digital camera to post pictures, maybe someday.