Modern 32-20s

[JSH]

Anything one should know about the marlin as far as chamber and throat. I got an itch that needs scratched lol. Will they feed swc's? At least fairly well.
Were these micro or Ballard rifled or both?
Thanks
Jeff

[Jack Stanley]

I too bought one when they first appeared , conventional rifling and shot factory ammo OK . Reloading for that particular rifle never got off the ground because it left the cases so out of round that sizing overworked the brass . The limited loading I did was with a H&G number sixty-seven bullet and that worked well . Marlin wouldn't fix it so I sold the rifle without ever being happy with it .

Jack

[Nobade]

I have one of the more recently made ones. It isn't going to work very well with SWCs due to the throat shape. But feed it the right boolit - #3118 (#311008 recently) or something similarly shaped (I love the Lee 100gr. roundnose in it) and it's an absolute tack driver. Neck size the brass and don't set the shoulder back and the brass lasts a long time. I don't load mine hot, I have other rifles for that. But 100 - 120gr. at up to 1400 fps handles most anything that needs shooting and allows soft alloy and no gas checks with no bore leading. So far AA#2 is my best smokeless powder for it for loads in this pressure range.

-Nobade

[btroj]

Mine has been fed a few Hornady swaged SWC. It fed them ok.

I shoot mostly a 120 gr rnfp from a long ago GB here. Over 5 gr of Unique it just shoots so well than I rarely use anything else.

I also neck size only. Case life is good.

[blaze blaze]

Bought a Marlin 1894C 32-20 when they first came out. Had similiar experience as Excess650 & Jack Stanley mentioned above. The rifle would not chamber 32-20 handloads I used in my Win 1892, Sav. 23, or Rem #2. I was very disappointed as I liked the rifle otherwise. Sold the rifle.

[TXGunNut]

Bummer. Does Rossi make one?

[Pb2au]

Bummer. Does Rossi make one?

As far as I know, no they do not.

[jlchucker]

The 32-20 would be a real desireable caliber if offered by Rossi in their Model 92 line.

[Nobade]

The 32-20 would be a real desireable caliber if offered by Rossi in their Model 92 line.
So would all the normal '92 calibers. 25-20, 38-40, 44-40 as well as 32-20.

-Nobade

[NVScouter]

A Rossi in 25-20 is just begging to become a 256 win.

[TXGunNut]

The 32-20 would be a real desireable caliber if offered by Rossi in their Model 92 line.

I agree. I'm set up to cast & load for 32-20 and I don't have a rifle chambered for that cartridge. Haven't fired a round yet but I like that little cartridge.
Agreed on the 44-40 and the 38-40 as well, Nobade. I think 38-40 and 44-40 might have a chance of gaining support but somehow don't see the CAS folks getting behind the 25-20 and the 32-20.

[JSH]

Well I have a blackhawk in 32-20/32 mag cylinders, a tc and a bf. I have fooled with the 32-20 for quite a few years. Some would be shocked of what can be done with this case. OAL is the major hold back in most cases. I was wanting a modern rifle as pressures of some of my hunting loads would be questionable in the early ones. I know where there is a marlin in 25-20 but have no desire to get another project started.
The 30-20 in a tc can do what the 30x221 and the supposed new blackout will do.
Jeff

[jlchucker]

These days, with 22 long rifle ammo being so hard to get, IMO the need for some new rifles in 25-20 is there--especially for those of us who cast our own. I had one of the little Marlins when they came out about 20 years ago. A handy little rifle, except that mine had a problem that I should have, in retrospect, had Marlin fix. It shot so high that I ended up putting a ramp front sight on it. At the time I didn't want to ship the @#$% thing back to Marlin, but probably should have. Rossi 92's should be offered in all of the old 92 calibers, I would think. The lighter ones might not be something the cowboy shooters would want, but with 22 ammo costing what it does, the handloaders who cast, and live in rural areas, would find calibers like 25-20 and 32-20 to be as handy as they were way back in the day.

[northmn]

I have a classic Marlin in 32-20 and have had no issues with it. I had the Lee 120 grain mold already when I got it and found that it shoots very well. Really the little rifle has been about a no-brainer to load for and seems to shoot very well with about anything I run through it for powder. Now Have the Lee 100 grain RN but as it has no crimp groove kind of worry about stove piping.
The problem with these little calibers is that they are too slow for long range varmit shooting, too big for small game and too small for deer. Yet they are a lot of fun and I have shot small game with one. They are far more effective on varmits up close than a 22. I keep my loads at between 1300-1400 fps off my chronograph. Mostly its my 4-wheeler/tractor rifle.

DP

[mainiac]

I have a marlin 1894cl in 32-20,,sweet little gun! I shoot it mostly@1300 f.p.s. with 231 powder,using the rcbs 98 swc boolit.Shoots nice little groups,and no recoil,hardly more noise then a 22lr,,,,,ya dont need ear muffs with this load,,that makes it nice............

[.45Cole]

The 32-20 would be a real desireable caliber if offered by Rossi in their Model 92 line.
This topic always comes up, and I always have to put in the vote for Browning.

Browning made a '92 rerun in their model 53 in the 1990's. The 53 is a old winchester 92, but with a pistol grip, shotgun butt, and a button magazine. The repro is totally to spec, with no safety. I have one an love it, except for the acrylic finish browning does.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=345426083

[Nobade]

Yep, those are very nice. Wish I had gotten one back before they were worth so much! They had a 218 Bee version as well that was also pretty neat.

-Nobade

[Jack Stanley]

Thanks for the eye candy .45Cole ....... like I need to be tempted to buy another model 53 !

Jack

[JSH]

I almost started culling some stuff when I saw that ad on cb prior to seeing it here. Then came to my senses.
Let me run this by you fellows. A marlin 357. Rebarreled and chambered for the 30-357. Which in a nut shell is just a rimmed 30x221 aka 300 blackout. Just run a case in the dies and your done. Wouldn't be any biggy to go to a 312 barrel either. I would think it would work in a rechambered cylinder for a black hawk as well.
If 357 max brass would cycle just get a longer neck wouldn't be a bad thing either I wouldn't think?
Jeff

[uscra112]

This topic always comes up, and I always have to put in the vote for Browning.

Browning made a '92 rerun in their model 53 in the 1990's. The 53 is a old winchester 92, but with a pistol grip, shotgun butt, and a button magazine. The repro is totally to spec, with no safety. I have one an love it, except for the acrylic finish browning does.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=345426083

HOLY SMOKES! I paid just over $500 for mine, but it was back about 1998 or so. I still have the box, too. It will never show up on GB, however. I scraped that ugly finish off and oiled my wood. It got extremely dark, almost black. Then I shot the heck out if it for a coupla years. It is a fine, fine little piece, and will be in my collection when I pass on. The week after I the lottery I will buy some fancy wood for it.

[KirkD]

Of the modern 32-20's, I'd say the Browning Model 53 was the cadillac. If I were going for a serious 32-20, I'd be checking GB on a regular basis for one of those Brownings. I have an original Winchester Model 53 32-20 (32 W.C.F.) made in 1929 and it is a tack driver. I have no plans to ever part with it. Here's a photo ....
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v497/3855Win/Desktop%20Photos/Full-Rifle-B_zpsafbccb62.jpg

[JHeath]

I almost started culling some stuff when I saw that ad on cb prior to seeing it here. Then came to my senses.
Let me run this by you fellows. A marlin 357. Rebarreled and chambered for the 30-357. Which in a nut shell is just a rimmed 30x221 aka 300 blackout. Just run a case in the dies and your done. Wouldn't be any biggy to go to a 312 barrel either. I would think it would work in a rechambered cylinder for a black hawk as well.
If 357 max brass would cycle just get a longer neck wouldn't be a bad thing either I wouldn't think?
Jeff

Neat idea. What projectile/s does this give an advantage with? Not pointy ones because of the tube mag. But it might feed flat-noses better than a straight-walled case, and should allow for a smaller diameter but better sectional density bullet.

Tapered/bottleneck case in a BH might be a case set-back issue?

If you want a hot .32 in an 1892, with a flat, compact pistol companion, try making the lever rifle work with a 7.62x25. Clark M. was loading .312 110gr j-words in Toks over healthy doses of Power Pistol (most Tok bores are .311 or more).

Can a rimless case work in an 1892? I heard stories about .45 ACP versions.

[rbertalotto]

The following is an article that Paul Shuttleworth wrote awhile back titled Why Not a 32-20 ?that may be appreciated by others.

www.singleshotexchange.com/why-not-a-32-20-by-paul-shu.html

[Nobade]

That is a very interesting article. I have been contemplating doing something similar using a 338 barrel and a 38 spl. case. Good to see the concept works, that rifle really shot well!

-Nobade

[.45Cole]

So I found out a cool trick to get what you want **sometimes**. Type in something like 53 and then click the title and description search modifier. I usually do this on sites where spelling mistakes happen. I got my Browning 53 for $800 a few years ago because the guy spelled "Browmning" and nobody saw the page to raise the bid!
Save your money and buy a Browning! And then a Colt police positive (32-20) to boot!

[KirkD]

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=345426083

I see the high bid on that beautiful Browning Model 53 32-20 is a paltry $1,000. Somebody needs to buy that and I can tell you he will not regret it. If that price sounds a little steep, think of that gorgeous wood. Also, I paid well over twice that for my original Model 53.

[Jack Stanley]

C'mon guys , call Browning up and tell 'em you want to buy another five thousand or so rifles . The good part is you can have them make them just the way you want them . The down side is , they's want to get paid for the effort .

Jack

[.45Cole]

The Browning re-runs are limited to production in 1990, and so the price will only go up. Over the years you can expect to pay about 1K. My Browning 1885 in .45colt has appreciated a little. Sad to say, but the Japanese rifles are flawless; much better than is made in the states. Wood and metal fit and finish for a production gun is great.

[Jack Stanley]

Now if Browning would only re-introduce the model 43 chambered in 32WCF . They could make five thousand rifles with ten percent of them being lefthanded . Oh yeah ! I'd lay down money in advance just to try a lefty like that with a scope .

Jack

[rintinglen]

So I found out a cool trick to get what you want **sometimes**. Type in something like 53 and then click the title and description search modifier. I usually do this on sites where spelling mistakes happen. I got my Browning 53 for $800 a few years ago because the guy spelled "Browmning" and nobody saw the page to raise the bid!
Save your money and buy a Browning! And then a Colt police positive (32-20) to boot!

Brilliant minds think alike!:D

I have three 32-20's, a browning 53, a S&W M&P, and a beautiful little Police Positive Special. I searched for 7 years before I found my Browning--I paid 700 for mine, thanks to some marr's and dings on the stock from for storage. A Little elbow grease, some steam, and some polymer and you can't tell where they were. I like the shiny finish. Some don't, but that is what makes horse races. What I really like is how well it shoots--no rabbit wants to sit where I can see him, inside of 100 yards, and I think it would make a fine squirrel rifle back east.

[jlchucker]

As far as I know, no they do not.

If they did, I'd buy one if it was still priced within reason.