30-30 or 32-40??

[38-72]

I going to build a heavy bench rest highwall type rifle for extreme precision to shoot bullseye type targets out to 200 yards. Bullet speed will be in the 1250 fps range.

I thinking that either a 30-30 or 32-40 would work. Does anyone have a suggestion on which one of these cartridges would be better at this task than the other?

[john hayslip]

I shoot both and like both. The 30-30 case is more readily available and holds a little less powder which is an advantage with smokeless powder. I imagine you'd have a more difficult time finding 32-40 brass which will be short if you make it out of the 30-30 case (and a reamer too). The sensible move is 30-30.
I shoot a Stevens 44 1/2 in 30-30 and a Hi Wall in 32-40
To make the 30-30 brass last you need to size it the minimum you can get away with, neck sizing for example, to get the cases of either to last.

[john hayslip]

Another thought - 30 caliber molds are a lot more available than 32's

[725]

.30-30 brass is everywhere and a single shot can use any type of bullet. Big pluses. I've seen some bench .30-30's that do one hole at 100. In the past, the .32-40 was THE target king. Seems both would do well for you.

[codgerville@zianet.com]

I've always wanted a 32-40 or 38-55 but never managed to get my paws on one. Had a friend up in Taos many years ago who had a High Wall 32-40, wrist of stock wrapped with wire to repair a crack. He would take it to the local turkey shoot, fire one shot, they would hand him the turkey, then ban him from the rest of the shoot. Never would tell what the load was.

[ColColt]

if it were me and I was having a High Wall built I'd go for the soft recoil of the 32-40. From all I've read it was(is) an excellent target round.

[JeffinNZ]

Depending on the boolits you want to use.

If you plan to use GC then the range of .30cal is MUCH greater to chose from.

If you plan to use PB then the .32 Special is a better bet as the top PB shooters pursue that course and more moulds exist in .32 for that reason.

[Reverend Al]

I have several .32-40's including single shots in a High Wall and a Ballard plus a couple of Winchester 94's (one RB rifle and a SRC) and a Marlin 1893 rifle and I LOVE the cartridge ... they all seem to shoot well with nearly any boolit or load I put into them. Brass isn't that tough to find these days if you want it full length and there are several good moulds out there to choose from. I've used the short re-formed .30-30 brass in my High Wall and won several Cowboy Action Shooting side rifle matches with it. Off the bench the Ballard shoots well with the short brass too and has shot some very respectable 10 shot groups, even with my lousy old eyes and iron sights.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

Go with the 30-30. I have two single shots in 32-40 and I seldom shot either. Brass for them is scarce now and will only get worse. I have been doing this since the late '50s and 32-40 brass was never plentiful . I have more 30-30 brass than I could ever use. The 32-40 case is too big for smokeless powder anyway. That is why a new and shorter 32 caliber case was designed for the guys who compete in schuetzen matches.

[John Boy]

38-72: Go over to the ASSRA forum and do a search on J Louis using 300-MP powder in his 32-40. Take a look at the 200yd target. If it with the loading data doesn't sway your decision - well, shame on you! :wink:

[skeettx]

Breech seat or loaded cartridge?
Mike

[6.5 mike]

There is an older gentleman at the range I use that shoots a CPA 30wcf. Does very well with it breach seated. I have a C Sharps hi-wall 32-40 & am still chasing the best load for it, & 32-40 brass isn't all that hard to find. I am using re-formed 30-30 cases in my Model 1893 Marlin with good results so you can go either way on the brass issue if shooting fixed ammo. For breach seating you will need the proper length case. My 38-55 C Sharps & the Lee 250 gr, either lubed or pp'ed has been very easy to get good results. It is chambered for the "modern short" case.

[skeettx]

for the 32-40 try AA#9

[Gtek]

I have shot both breech seated and fixed in my Hi-walls, and if your looking for 1250 at muzzle you may run into a little ugly at 200 with transition issues. I would go a little hotter than that. My loads live are around 14 gr. 4227 with a pea of Kapok under a 196-209 for 1400 ballpark off muzzle. I would start at that and walk up and down for accuracy. At two hundred you are looking at around three feet of arc. In the highwall if going assembled leave light flare on case, proper neck size, leave boolit long and make wooden seat tool to seat case after load, if breech seating you want boolit approx. .060" in front of case with custom seat tool. The thirty gives you a lot more to play with mold wise. I have several Hoch's in 30 and 32 and they are pieces of art. Try and find some older types with gray beards that play Schuetzen or find a match in your area, 98% of them (there is always a super secret, super grouchy in the bag) I have been around are fantastic mentors and will help you down the road. Gtek

[1Shirt]

Think it is a flip of a coin factor!
1Shirt!

[38-72]

Thanks for all the input. I will be using smokeless powders in loaded ammo. I didn't realize that the 32-40 was getting hard to find. At this point, it looks like I go with the 30-30. I will run them a little faster than 1250 fps to begin with to avoid stability problems at the 200 yard line. Again - Thanks!!!

[barrabruce]

Think he means that the bullet will go transonic before 200 and blow your group to bits.
If you are going to get one made then you could use the short 32-40 or have it so 30-30 reformed cases would fit. Don't have to get what your given if 'yu don't have to.

Hell pick a bullet and get the chamber cut to suit.Or get accustom mould made top pour of course.
Min spec chamber not the "sammi over size ****"
A line seater and sizer cut with the chamber reamer as well.
Well that's what those benchrest mob do if you want to be competitive.
As far as I am led to believe.
Ahhh just can't wait to win the lottery!!! or stub me toe on a huge gold nugget.

Barra

[BAGTIC]

1250 fps is transonic which runs from about M. 0.8-M. 1.2

[barrabruce]

1250 fps is transonic which runs from about M. 0.8-M. 1.2

I can never get my head around that one

[wch]

I going to build a heavy bench rest highwall type rifle for extreme precision to shoot bullseye type targets out to 200 yards. Bullet speed will be in the 1250 fps range.

I thinking that either a 30-30 or 32-40 would work. Does anyone have a suggestion on which one of these cartridges would be better at this task than the other?

Perfect scores at the 200 yard range on the rest target were fired by HL Willard in 1895 and Mrs EE Partridge in 1900 (Ken Waters' "Pet Loads, vol II").
That's why I suggest the 38-55!

[KCSO]

32-40 will cost you for brass and you will need a bullet mould or sizing dies to throw a 321 bullet. I used an 8MM slug sized down to 322 in my friends gun and it worked just fine. He's shoting a 44 1/2 Stevens. If I were doing a build I would probably go 30-30 just ecause of cost but the 32-40 is a superb 40 rod gun.

[dtknowles]

"1250 fps is transonic which runs from about M. 0.8-M. 1.2" I can never get my head around that one

Bagtic correctly said "about" it very much depends on the shape of the projectile.

The air accelerates to get out of the way of the projectile and decelerates in its wake. Shockwaves start to form as early as 900 fps but they will be weak so if you want to stay subsonic you need to keep you velocities under 1000 fps but the more relevant question is how to stay supersonic out to the target. Keeping the velocity above 1250 should do it. You can even go a bit lower if you have boattailed pointed bullets but for blunt bullets I am not sure.

Tim

[358wcf]

Tough decision, but it had to be made- so, I copped out- and had CPA build me a rifle with BOTH barrels! A beautiful rifle with #2 barrels in 30-30 (28") and 32-40 (30") with globe front sight and MVA schuetzen rear. My eyes are fading fast, so I had them mount scope mounts on both barrels for future use. I'm shooting the 30-30 with case-loaded boolits, and the 32-40 is breech loaded so far. Neither barrel will see a j-word down the tube, ever- Just got this rifle from Gail and Paul 3 weeks ago, and boy, can these things shoot! Why did I wait so long? (Perhaps $$$ had something to do with it?) This rifle is my retirement gift to myself-- that and all the other rifles purchased in the past year or so- ha! And the several I'm having built!
For the casual shooter and handloader, go with the 30-30. Your grandkids with still be able to buy ammo if they need it-
For the purist that has taught his kids and grandkids the art and passion that goes with loading and shooting these works of art- 32-40, or better yet, BOTH!!!
Enjoy, 358wcf Chuck