Shot my "new" .32 Win Special today!

[MichigammeDave]

I ran across a 1951 Winchester 94 in .32 Win Special last month, and decided I would buy it if I could find dies and boolits. I got the dies last week, and boolits showed up in the mailbox this morning. I loaded the 170 gr RNFP over 26 grains of 4064, figuring that's a good starting point. I used 30-30 cases necked up to .321 with Lee carbide dies.
I didn't set out targets, just shot reactive targets like bricks and oil cans I found lying around the dump where I went this afternoon. Recoil was manageable, and I didn't miss any shots. Looks like it shot to POA out to at least 50 yards.
I'll be more discriminating, and include a much more coherent range report, on my next outing. But I had to go today - I only had about an hour of no rain, and I wanted to squeeze it in ASAP!
Thanks for listening

[gmsharps]

Welcome to the site. You will really like your 32 spl. Cast bullets work well in these which makes them cheap to shoot.

gmsharps

[helice]

Hey Dave,
Welcome aboard. Congrats on the 32. Keep shooting it. The more you shoot it the better you'll like it.

[TXGunNut]

Congrats on a great rifle in a grand old cartridge. I've had better luck with Hornady 32WS cases because the RP 30-30 cases I find are all too short once I expand them. The differences between the two cartridges seem to be very minor but there's something special, indeed, about the 32WS.

[roysha]

Good job! I too have a 1951 vintage 94 in excellent+ condition in which I shoot the RanchDog bullet. I had wanted one of these 94s since I was a kid in the early 50s and about 15 years ago I finally found one that was worth the money. I wanted the 32WS because all my buddies were 30-30 nuts and I usually try to be odd man out and mostly succeed.

Accuracy wise, at 50 yards with the cast bullet, I'm putting them in 2" or so but this is early in the load development so I expect better.

As regards your comment about recoil, off hand is not bad at all, but from the bench, it is a bit uncomfortable to me, but then, I hate recoil. I would say that 90% of my guns are .22 caliber from 220 Notso to 22 Hornet because of that one fact.

[Scharfschuetze]

Congrats on the new 32 Special. I too just picked up one, a Model 64 made between 42 and 48 by the factory records. I, sad to say, have not been as aggressive as you've been in getting to the range with it. I'm still awaiting a .323 sizing die and top punch before casting bullets for it.

[double8]

My 1926 SRC 32 spcl is a great shooter, although with factory ammo it hurts the shoulder. The rifle has a very severe drop to the stock and it really digs in. Probably the curved butt plate.
Enjoy that new 32!

71604

[Dan Cash]

My 1926 SRC 32 spcl is a great shooter, although with factory ammo it hurts the shoulder. The rifle has a very severe drop to the stock and it really digs in. Probably the curved butt plate.
Enjoy that new 32!

71604

The 94 Winchester, due to the stock drop, is the hardest kicking little rifle I ever shot. More brutal than my 95 Win.

[double8]

Had a 25-35 '94' that was a great gun. Sold it to a friend who still uses it in the Maine woods with much success.

[GunnyJohn]

I had a 94 rifle (26 inch barrel) that I got from my dad. It was made somewhere around 1914 according to the book of winchester. I used to load 170 grn Hornady j-words for it. The thing was dead on out to about 225yards. The rifle had really fine sights, and my eyes didn't do it much justice. So down the line it went. Now my son is shooting it, and cast are next on the list as soon as we can come up with a mold. Can't find a darn thing these days it seems. Good luck and enjoy, they are fine rifles.