25/20 or 32/20 ?

[timspawn]

Which would be the better choice? I'm thinking of picking up a new lever action. I'm leaning towards the 32/20 because of projectile availability and choices. All I will be doing is shooting paper and maybe an armadillo or two.

[L Ross]

I think you've identified some good reasons to go with the 32-20. Good luck finding a nice one.

Duke

[smokeywolf]

If a pesky coyote happens to cross your path 32-20 would be the more appropriate choice. Also brass availability would dictate 32-20 as your best choice.

[pworley1]

There is no way to go wrong with your choice. I personally like the 25 20 better, but they are both great fun. I make 25 20 brass from 32 20 brass when I can't find factory brass.

[williamwaco]

They are both absolutely delightful.
I have owned both.

I prefer the .32-20.

Either one of them is quite capable of single shot kills on the largest most dangerous armadillo you will ever meet.

[btroj]

I would get the 25-20 but only because I have a 32-20.

Neither one is easy to find these days, both are great cartridges. I really like my 32-20

[John Allen]

I like the 32/20 myself. but would love to have either.

[bob208]

I have a 92 rifle in both. the .25 has a little more speed so it shoots a little flatter also penetrates a little deeper. but then every groundhog I have shot with either was just as dead.

[.45Cole]

Every once in a while somebody gives me a chance to harp about the Browning model 53 (32wcf) and I will take it. Well sort of, but you should really look into it. (No I don't own stock)

[dverna]

What are the advantages of a .32-20 over a .30/30?

.30/30's are more affordable and brass is easy to get, You can load from mouse phart to deer loads with cast.

Just wondering....

Don Verna

[Idaho Mule]

Don Verna, 32-20's are just way "cooler" than 30-30's. Timspawn, you will be happy with either cartridge as they are both very good small game cartridges. Just be careful, and don't set one next to the other as they seem to reproduce. JW

[starmac]

I have several 30/30s, but would love to find the right 25/20 or 32/20. If nothing else it is just a great excuse to get another lever. lol

[Bullshop Junior]

I think I would get the 25/20, but im weird that way.

[rhead]

Which ever one i found first in acceptable condition at an affordable price.

The only advantage that i know of over a thirty thirty is the platform that a 32-20 or a 25-20 would be likely to be found on.
I agree that 32-20 ballistics are easy to get from a 30-30.

[cuzinbruce]

One nice thing about 32/20 is that here are a number of handguns available in that caliber. So you can have a rifle and a revolver using the same ammo. I have an SW 1905 revolver to go with my Win M92 and Rem M25.
That said, I will have a 25/20 when the right one crosses my path. Best thing would be to do the shopping and get one that's right. The ammo is cheap if you reload. And they don't take much powder or lead.

[wch]

I have both: my vote is for the 32-20.

[timspawn]

I have several 30/30s, but would love to find the right 25/20 or 32/20. If nothing else it is just a great excuse to get another lever. lol

My thoughts exactly.

[Scharfschuetze]

I also have both calibres and I guess if I could only have one of 'em, I'd opt for the 32/20. That said, my 25/20s are great fun.

[pietro]

.

Hobson's choice - I'd buy whichever chambering I ran across F/S first. . ;)


.

[buckwheatpaul]

my 2 cents are for the 32-20...have a great Browning 53....great eye candy...shoots great.....

[mpbarry1]

have both, but the 25-20 is an unshootable heiloom. but i so love the 32-20. it was the original do everything small caliber, until the 22 rimfire. The 32-20 was the gun that won the west... after 1882 anyway... :)

[Jack Stanley]

Before the gun companies decided to make more 32-20 rifles I was considering having one made . Fortunately Bro.... ummmm .... uh ..... well , OK I'll say it , Browning provided a glorious rifle for use or just admiring . Just don't let some folks know or they might try ta trade ya a cuppa coffee fer it ............ even up !!! ( Sorry IM , I just couldn't resist !!)

I think Ballard rifle company in Michigan can make either caliber for ya though .

Jack

[ohiochuck]

I like both. Before you choose you might want to review both these sites for more detailed info.
Good Luck!
Jim
http://www.marlinowners.com/forum/reloading/26002-25-20-reloaders.html

http://www.marlinowners.com/forum/reloading/85112-32-20-reloaders.html

[Kansas Ed]

I also have both calibers. Honestly I would take the 25-20 with cast gas checked boolits. My logic goes something like this.

The 32-20 is really too big for pot luck game. Rabbits, squirrels, bull frogs etc. but it does an outstanding job on coons, possums, ground hogs, coyote and fox. I've even taken down a big Mule Deer doe with one shot through the chest at 70+ yards.

The 25-20 does all the above well except the deer, and works well on rabbit and squirrel to boot. I figure I have plenty of Deer rifles, so I find the 25-20 more realistically versatile.

Ed

[timspawn]

I like both. Before you choose you might want to review both these sites for more detailed info.
Good Luck!
Jim
http://www.marlinowners.com/forum/reloading/26002-25-20-reloaders.html

http://www.marlinowners.com/forum/reloading/85112-32-20-reloaders.html

There is lots of info there. Thank you.

[TXGunNut]

Big fan of the 32-20, accidentally bought a Colt revolver chambered for the cartridge and have had a ball with it. So much fun I had to buy a Navy Arms SAA replica last weekend just because. Still looking for a Winchester 92 in 32-20 but am finding more nice 25-20's. I've heard the little Lee pill that works so well in a 32-20 makes an excellent plinker for the 30-30. It's true a 30-30 will do anything a 32-20 will do but IMHO the 32-20 does it in a more interesting package and with less powder.

[timspawn]

I've got Ruger #1 in30/30 and it's great but I wanted repeater that used less powder. I'd love a 300 BLK in a lever action.

[Bullshop Junior]

Ruger #1 30/30....you had my interest, but now, you have my attention.

[timspawn]

Ruger #1 30/30....you had my interest, but now, you have my attention.

It was a limited run of rifles sold by Lipsey's.

[Marine Sgt 2111]

I have a Marlin in .32-20 and for small game...hands down a great cartridge and yes you can take a deer with it.

[snaketail]

25-20 is a classic - great shooting little cartridge, but finding brass these days is a challenge.
32-20 would be my choice...brass, boolits and choice of firearms is better.
If components were equal I'd have to flip a coin, and hope that it came up 25-20.
I used to have a 32-20 T/C - a fast 125gr boolit will turn the light off on a deer. (But T/Cs are .308 and there are more bullet selections available.)
M

PS: Jack Stanley - OK, you don't like Browning...that just means more for the rest of us.

[fouronesix]

I have and shoot both lever 25-20s and 32-20s including a Colt SAA in 32-20. All originals. No way a 32-20 can be compared to a 30-30- two different critters all together.

In my experience, the 32-20 is much more cast bullet friendly than the 25-20.

[salvadore]

I had a late eighties early nineties Marlin 25/20 CL that shot like crappola no matter what loads I tried. I bought a 32/20 made in 2004 or so, not sure but it is a tack driver with cast or jacketed. Currently shooting a plain base 3118 type with 3.7 grs 231 for cheap, same as my 1931 Colt OP.

[northmn]

I have and shoot both lever 25-20s and 32-20s including a Colt SAA in 32-20. All originals. No way a 32-20 can be compared to a 30-30- two different critters all together.

In my experience, the 32-20 is much more cast bullet friendly than the 25-20.
The cast bullet friendly is my thing with my 32-20. I have used 2 different Lee molds for mine that work great. One is a 100 grain roundnose for a 32 revolver and the the other a 120 grain rn. Both work great. As to small game I have shot a few with the 32-20 and there is little waste. Use hard cast bullets. Most of the comments as to its advantages for larger varmints likely hold. Some claim the 25-20 may shoot a bit flatter but I have seen a variety of handlaods for the 32-20 and I doubt if one could really see much difference with open sights.
Either is a handloading proposition to get the most out of them.

DP

[MT Chambers]

What are the advantages of a .32-20 over a .30/30?

.30/30's are more affordable and brass is easy to get, You can load from mouse phart to deer loads with cast.

Just wondering....

Don Verna
The 32/20 is really a pistol cartridge and the .30/30 is a rifle cartridge, rifle actions are diff. sized and the smaller cart. is prolly better for plinking and youngsters.

[Jack Stanley]

Snaketail , don't get me wrong I like the little Browning so much I almost bought another one at the show just because it was there . Sorry about the last post the quick reply doesn't have the sarcasm icon to click on .

I can't help but wonder if the CZ 527 would take the 32-20 round ........................

Jack

[Canuck Bob]

I have a Winoku 92 in 32-20. It is great and I figure the cast bullets will be a little friendlier for my ham hands these days.

In reply to why not just a 30-30 I have a 32 Special 94 but the little 92 is just a dandy gun.

[mpbarry1]

I am hoping that winchester comes out with the new1873 in 32-20. drool..

[KirkD]

I have had both the 25-20 and 32-20. I just like the 32-20 better. It is my favourite small game cartridge and my favourite cartridge for teaching young people how to shoot. Almost no recoil and quiet.

[Char-Gar]

I have a Winchester 92 and Remington 25 both in 25-20 and like them very much. But were I the OP I would get a 32-20 for the reason he mentioned.

[LtFrankDrebbin]

Having owned a 32-20 rebarreled Martini action years ago, and currently owning a 25-20 Win 92 that is getting rebarreled now. Both are an addictive little caliber.
It would be unfair for me to say whitch shoots better until I get the 92 back and put it back through the paces.
Unfortunatly for me the already aftermarket barrel on my 92 had the chamber cut oversize real bad.

Would say that 32-20 is less fussy with cast bullets, and 32 bullets would be the easier to cast.

If you are planning to cast your own then 25-20 will more than likely land you with RCBS 25-85 and/or Lyman 257-420 moulds.
Both bullets require a little care and attention to make em shoot a topic well covered over on Marlin owners reloading.
I am personally convinced both these bullets are too generous on the size of the lube grooves.

Pending on availabilty I would lean toward 32-20 if your starting and 25-20 if you prefer something a little more challenging.

Both are brilliant and both deliver some serious wallop to small game without blowing your ear drums or powder stocks.

[w30wcf]

I'm a .25-20 fan. I think the NEI 75 gr gc is pretty much the ideal .25-20 bullet.
http://www.neihandtools.com/catalog/257-75-gc.jpg

The NOE 80 gr. would be another good one and it is also available in a plain base version.
http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/images/N.O.E._Bullet_Moulds_260_80Gr._RF.Jpg


w30wcf

[2Tite]

I've owned 2 Remington Model 25 pump action rifles. One in 25-20 and one in 32-20. I tried the 25 on a groundhog one time. I won't do that again. The 32-20 is still here and inspired me to get a Savage Model 23 in the same caliber. It's a little different story on small game with the 32. I don't know how tuff the armored possums are but let your conscience be your guide.

[starmac]

25/20 not enough gun for a ground hog, now you have my curiosity up. I have been wanting one for small game, maybe I should rethink.

[billsr]

One nice thing about 32/20 is that here are a number of handguns available in that caliber. So you can have a rifle and a revolver using the same ammo. I have an SW 1905 revolver to go with my Win M92 and Rem M25.
That said, I will have a 25/20 when the right one crosses my path. Best thing would be to do the shopping and get one that's right. The ammo is cheap if you reload. And they don't take much powder or lead.

I have a Marlin 1894 in .32-20 WCF, and also this S&W Model 16-4, that has a .32-20 WCF extra cylinder made by Hamilton Bowen. It also has a .32 S&W Long cylinder made by him, and the original cylinder was reamed to .327 Federal Magnum:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/bgrafsr/IMG_0224.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/bgrafsr/media/IMG_0224.jpg.html)

[OuchHot!]

Oh my! Billsr, you are my hero! I would really like to see a test report on your 16-4. I have one but have only the 32HnR "magnum" at this time. Mine is the 8" which is maybe a bit nose heavy (!!). I have never tried the 25-20 but experience with the 32-20 makes me want to give it a shot.

[billsr]

Oh my! Billsr, you are my hero! I would really like to see a test report on your 16-4. I have one but have only the 32HnR "magnum" at this time. Mine is the 8" which is maybe a bit nose heavy (!!). I have never tried the 25-20 but experience with the 32-20 makes me want to give it a shot.

Haven't shot it much with the .32-20 cylinder, but come warm weather that situation will be remedied. I plan on doing a lot of shooting with all the different cartridges when I can.

[KirkD]

I've owned 2 Remington Model 25 pump action rifles. One in 25-20 and one in 32-20. I tried the 25 on a groundhog one time. I won't do that again. The 32-20 is still here and inspired me to get a Savage Model 23 in the same caliber. It's a little different story on small game with the 32. I don't know how tuff the armored possums are but let your conscience be your guide.
That has been my experience as well. I've shot about a dozen Ground Hogs with the 32-20 and all of them dropped on the spot except for one which travelled about two feet before it pass on to the Great Alfalfa Field in the sky. I shot several with a 25-20. Very few dropped on the spot and several made it down the hole before they expired. I am very unenthusiastic about hunting Groundhogs with a 25-20.

[rbuck351]

I have a Win 92 in 25/20 and 32/20 and I much prefer the 25/20. I'm shooting the Lyman 69gr gc ( 73gr with lube and check) at 1950fps and about 2" at 100yds. I also have the NOE 80gr .260 but haven't had a chance to try it yet.

[TXGunNut]

The 32/20 is really a pistol cartridge and the .30/30 is a rifle cartridge, rifle actions are diff. sized and the smaller cart. is prolly better for plinking and youngsters.

No, 32 WCF/32-20 started life as a light rifle cartridge, is still a rifle cartridge. A few revolvers and the occasional single shot are chambered for this light rifle cartridge. I'm a 54 year old youngster and I'm pretty excited about getting a rifle in 32 WCF someday, already have a couple of revolvers.

[35remington]

The idea that the 25-20 is "too light" for groundhogs is pretty much utter nonsense in my experience.

Come hunting with me sometime and I'll show you the way.

You also might want to remind yourself that 25-20 muzzle energies exceed that of a 357 revolver by a comfortable margin, and that quick expanding bullets are readily available that do serious damage and will put one down on the spot, absolutely lights out.

Have no fear. There is no lack of killing power on 12 lb rodents. This is the 25-20's intended use, and it will not disappoint if you've got any reasonable idea of what you're doing.

[35remington]

Read John Wootter's piece on the 25-20 sometime. He used it with a cast bullet on critters bigger and tougher than groundhogs and had a quite high opinion of it killing power using the Lyman 257312 cast of Linotype and pushed to around 1775 fps. He took fox. ringtails, badgers, raccoons, coyotes and javelina with this load and thought it did quite well.

Keep in mind this is a hard cast bullet. Soft point jacketed are considerably more destructive at good speed.

[adrians]

I haven't shot a 25-20 but I do have a 110 year old Marlin 1894 in 32-20 and love it to death.
Great caliber and a hoot to shoot..

[starmac]

Yea, but they bounce offen some of the tougher groundhogs, thats what I hear anyway. lol

[35remington]

Some people cannot promote their favorite cartridge without putting down another. The 25-20 has too much in common with the 32-20 to be relegated to a much lower "class" of killing power.

They are based on the very same case, for gosh sake. It's not like the 32-20 has vastly more power. It doesn't.

[KirkD]

I am not necessarily putting down the 25-20. I hunted for several years with the 32-20 and then for several years with the 25-20 and am now back to using the 32-20. With one exception, all Groundhogs shot with the 32-20 dropped instantly on the spot. With the 25-20, on the other hand, no Groundhogs dropped on the spot except for one (granted, they only travelled one or two feet, but they would often gurgle for a bit). I should also mention that every Groundhog I can remember hitting have always been in the vitals; usually, the bottom half is hidden in the grass, alfalfa or beans, so it is not a matter of shot placement in my experience. Having stated my own experience, it may have a lot to do with the velocity used. I like to stay with original velocities (25-20 using 86 grain bullets at 1,375 fps and the 32-20 using a 115 grain bullet at 1,225 fps). You can load up the 25-20 to original Winchester High Velocity specs which give 86 grains leaving the barrel at 1,730 fps. I expect that more Groundhogs would drop on the spot when hit with that. On the other hand, one can always load the 32-20 to original Winchester High Velocity specs as well (115 grains at 1,635 or 80 grains at 2,000 fps) if one is so inclined. I think the big difference between the two cartridges when it comes to small game is the bullet diameter. A bullet acts like a hydraulic piston when it hits a fluid filled animal. The larger the diameter, the greater the hydraulic shock to the animal. Of course, smaller bullet diameter can be made up for by increased velocity. My brother-in-law dropped a Moose with his 32-20 (I certainly do not recommend that, by the way) and another friend of mine harvested a nice Mule Deer with his original Winchester Model 1873 using a 32-20. Clyde 'Snooky' Williamson harvested 40 odd deer with his 32-20, but he used velocities slightly faster than even the WHV loads. This is where a heavier bullet is useful for complete penetration. However, I am not a supporter of hunting larger game with the 32-20. Using Taylers old stopping power formula, for the original ballistics and non-expanding cast bullets we get 6.3 (32-20) and 4.3 (25-20). That is 47% more stopping power for the 32-20 over the 25-20. That has certainly been born out in my experience on Coons and Woodchucks. However, if you increase the velocity of the 25-20 to 2,000 fps, you will get the same stopping power as the 32-20 according to the Taylor formula. However, at 2,000 fps for the 25-20 I think the nod would go to the 25-20 simply because of the significant greater shock that comes with a velocity that is much higher than sound. The Taylor formula is more useful for comparing similar non-expanding bullets at velocities that are roughly in the same category. All this being said, a fellow can use whatever he prefers. I just got tired of listening to Groundhogs gurgling, sometimes for 30 seconds, after being hit. I cannot recall ever hearing a Woodchuck gurgle after being hit with the 32-20 at original velocities.

[35remington]

I'm not going to give a whole lot of credit to the Taylor formula because that was intended for nonexpanding bullets used for head shooting elephants and he never intended it to rate other cartridges with different bullet types on soft skinned game.

I'm just taking extreme issue with the idea the 25-20 is not suitable for groundhogs. I will believe that a slow nonexpanding .25 bullet may let some crawl off. But the velocities the 25-20 is easily capable of (at suitably low pressures) will enable dead on the spot woodchucks.

The point is not to be unnecessarily deriding the cartridge's capabilities all the way across its performance spectrum. Since you didn't define your terms, one might be led to the completely erroneous conclusion that a 25-20 cannot kill woodchucks quickly no matter what load it uses, which is most clearly not so.

A 25-20 high velocity load will very easily outperform your favored 32-20 IF I allow my 25-20 to attain high velocity while restricting the 32-20 to low or medium velocities, but I did not make that obviously unfair comparison to avoid unnecessarily deriding a very good cartridge, which the 32-20 is.

I expect the same consideration in forum conversation when the 25-20 is mentioned. As I said, the cartridges have way too much overlap in power and in the damage they produce to reasonably claim that one is vastly superior to the other.....and for the record, the 32-20 isn't vastly superior to the 25-20. The 25-20 has very ample power for the varmints and small game it is intended for, and yes, that does include coyotes. Said by a guy who's done just that.

If you don't like hearing woodchucks gurgle, do what you must to up the 25-20's killing power, which is speeding it up. Failing to mention you could easily do so is, by default, unnecessarily questioning the ability of a cartridge that is way more than ample for bagging woodchucks.

I promise to be fair in assessing the relative worth of these two cartridges.......IF you promise to do the same. All I ask is the entire truth be told and not to leave out relevant information that would help the OP make a rational choice of calibers. Implying, by omission of information, that the 25-20 isn't adequate for woodchucks is being very unfair.

[35remington]

And also for the record....my lights out woodchucks were produced with, variously, either a 60 at 2200 to 2300, an 86 at at 1700 to 1975, or a 75 at anywhere from 2100 to 2200 fps. The 60 and 86 grain loads were produced using Lyman's 13.0/IMR4198 load, and 14.5 grains of the same powder with the 60. The 75 grain loads were using 4198 or, in the case of the slightly higher velocity, one of Brian Pearce's "recommended" loads using 1680.

Such loads produce way, way more damage and destruction than a factory 32-20 bullet going 1,225 but I refrained from saying "a 25-20 kills way better than a 32-20." I could have left something relevant out that would have cast doubt on the 32-20's killing ability by comparison but, quite fairly on my part, did not yield to the temptation of making an unfair comparison.

Woodchucks inhabit a different realm in eastern Nebraska. They don't favor pastures as much as outbuildings on farms, and I've been asked to do rodent control on them as they start digging under the outbuildings when heat of summer is at its height and well after it passes. They sense the heated (or cooled) outbuildings and like to build their holes under them. Knowing a lot of farmers, that's where I come in. I stake out a position parallel to the hole under the building so I don't have the structure in my line of fire and wait. Depending upon the cover available I might be from 25 to 125 yards away. For this I like my 25-20 and have used almost nothing else.

I grab a soft drink and hope for a day when they feel like moving. Since a "crawl off" chuck will go back under the building to die, and a stunk up farmyard is a lot worse than a stunk up pasture or hayfield, I used a cartridge and load that never allows them to crawl off.

That cartridge is........a 25-20. When I'm adjacent to a farm, a little less noise somehow seems appropriate. Not that a high velocity 25-20 is quiet, because it is not. It's just a lot quieter than a 22-250.

[silhouette_shooter]

I say get the 32-20 . . . Magma Engineering has a 115 Gr Gas Checked bullet mold, I got one and am very happy with it, I use 30 cal gas checks from Bullet Swaging Supply and they are probably coming out of my 7.5 inch revolver barrel around 1000 fps using Titegroup and rifle primers. I size mine to bore diameter (.312 in my case).

Got the sizing die and punch for my star from Lathesmith who is here on this web site.

[KirkD]

Speaking of the 32-20 Magma mould, I found the Magma bullet to be the most accurate cast bullet out of my particular rifles (Winchesters Model 1892 and Model 53's and Model 65), although others find best results with the Lyman. Tom at Accurate Moulds designed a 32-20 bullet for me that is plain base and very similar to the Magma bevel base bullets I had been using. This one has two lube grooves. The cold weather up here has postponed my casting until maybe Monday, so I have not yet had a chance to try it out, but given its similarity to the Magma bullet, it should do well at the lower velocities I use if it is soft cast. Here it is ...

http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=31-112M-D.png

[myg30]

When you get one , you'll want the other so you will wind up with both before long, just a matter of time and of course $$$

Mike

[Eutectic]

When you get one , you'll want the other so you will wind up with both before long, just a matter of time and of course $$$

Mike

Good answer Mike!!

I have both..... Actually I have more than one of each. I have shoot them over 50 years... I have shot a ton of cast boolits (almost literally) through both calibers. Many, many, thousands of rounds....

So I can tell you the answer to "25-20 or 32-20?"

Nope.........................

Eutectic

[LtFrankDrebbin]

The idea that the 25-20 is "too light" for groundhogs is pretty much utter nonsense in my experience.

Come hunting with me sometime and I'll show you the way.

You also might want to remind yourself that 25-20 muzzle energies exceed that of a 357 revolver by a comfortable margin, and that quick expanding bullets are readily available that do serious damage and will put one down on the spot, absolutely lights out.

Have no fear. There is no lack of killing power on 12 lb rodents. This is the 25-20's intended use, and it will not disappoint if you've got any reasonable idea of what you're doing.

An invite like that and I'd be on the soonest posible plane! One day out shooting with this bloke would be one of a life-time I'm sure.
However there is that restriction called life!

[Eutectic]

Yeah LtFrank,

I don't think ALL viewing here know 35remington's full name! I'll post it....

35 (.25-20WCF) remington!

Eutectic

[Three44s]

I realize this is a cast boolit site but Speer realized that the typical 86 gr. Rem slug was too heavy and the 60 gr. Hornady too light so they brought out their 75 gr. FP ......... expressly for the .25-20 Win.

I don't own a .25-20 but loaded for a neighbor for a while and we used that Speer 75 gr. j-word.

I gained a very healthy respect for the cartridge and bullet. The rifle, a Savage 23 ......... belongs to the now departed friend's son. I wish I owned it but we did not meet on price. The father was trying to get double the market at that time.

I don't have any experience with the .32-20 and will not throw cold water on it.

But it just seems to me that since both are based on the same case ........ and where the larger bore cartridge is reported to have stopped a moose ............ that the .25 caliber version is NOT relegated to more than ........ a mere mouse ........ just doesn't make sense to me ..........

Now, it's not hard to understand that the larger bore would be a better boolit platform with equal fussing. But there is also a good bit of track record of good vibes with the .25-20 and cast ........ just might have to work a bit more at it.

Three 44s

[TXGunNut]

But it just seems to me that since both are based on the same case ........ and where the larger bore cartridge is reported to have stopped a moose ............ that the .25 caliber version is NOT relegated to more than ........ a mere mouse ........ just doesn't make sense to me .......... Three44s

I haven't hunted with the 32-20 but I have no doubt it could kill a moose, stopping one is another matter altogether. I wouldn't trust the 32-20 to stop much of anything bigger than a coyote, but even a yodel dog can be hard to stop at times.
FWIW my 32-20's are plinkers, I'm sure the 25-20 would suffice for paper punching as well as it's big brother.

[KirkD]

I dug out my 25-20 results. All loads were shot with an original, first year 1924 Winchester Model 53 (an extra light version of the Model 1892/92) using the original open iron sights. NOTE: Because these were open iron sights, and the sights were getting blurry by this time in my life, the rifle was most likely capable of shooting better than the results below. I have since gone to tang sights for all of my old rifles.) My rifle has some slight roughness just forward of the chamber, which resulted in severe leading for plain base cast bullets. The 74 grain Lyman 257420 GC solved that problem. I also tried the 60 grain Horandy JFP. Here are the results for the particular loads I tried:

74 grain Lyman 257420 GC: 5 grains Unique for 1,587 fps, E.S.=145 fps, S.D. = 57 fps
This was my pet load for Woodchucks, although I was not completely happy with its performance as mentioned earlier. I would imagine that velocities closer to what 35 Remington was using would solve that problem but that is at the 'hot' end for the 25-20 and I would want to check the pressures if I went up over 2,000 fps just to see what they were.

30 yards: 15/16" five-shot group (average Woodchuck shooting distance)
100 yards: 2 & 1/2" five-shot group (typical)
100 yards: 1 & 15/16" four-shot group (personal best-probably more indicative of what the rifle can do)


60 grain Hornady JFP: 9.3 grains IMR 4198 for 1,192 fps, E.S.=219 fps, S.D.= 82 fps

50 yards: 1 & 3/8" five-shot group (note: 50 yards or less was my typical offhand shooting distance for Groundhogs)
100 yards: 2 & 3/4" five-shot group


60 grain Hornady JFP: 13 grains IMR 4198 for 1,942 fps
I never hunted with this load, as I only had a few of these bullets to experiment with, but this load would probably give hunting results more similar to what 35Remington has experienced.

100 yards: 4 & 15/16"
100 yards: 5 & 3/8" five-shot group with four shots going into 2 & 1/4" (personal best with this load)

[timspawn]

Well I bought a 32-20, ordered dies and some projectiles to get started.

[UBER7MM]

You weren't going to go wrong, either way......
.
Enjoy,

[KirkD]

Well I bought a 32-20, ordered dies and some projectiles to get started.

What type of projectiles did you order? I will dig around and see what loads I have that would match your projectiles.

[TXGunNut]

Projectiles? You can order projectiles? ;-) I'm having a ball with Lee's TL 314-90 SWC, wish they still made it in a 6-cavity mould. Which dies did you order?

[timspawn]

What type of projectiles did you order? I will dig around and see what loads I have that would match your projectiles.

115grn round nose flat point

[timspawn]

Projectiles? You can order projectiles? ;-) I'm having a ball with Lee's TL 314-90 SWC, wish they still made it in a 6-cavity mould. Which dies did you order?

I got the Lee set.

[TXGunNut]

Sounds like you're off to a great start. I can only hope you have as much fun with this cartridge as I'm having.

[timspawn]

The rifle showed up today..the final piece of the puzzle.

[smokeywolf]

The rifle showed up today..the final piece of the puzzle.

Pictures please.

smokeywolf

[timspawn]

98804

[KirkD]

Beautiful rifle. And it has a tang sight too! When Marlin first announced this rifle back in the late 80's, I put my name in at one of the local shooting sports stores and waited months and months until I gave up and bought something else. That is a beautiful little rifle.

[smokeywolf]

Purty little rifle. Reminiscent of a model 53 Winchester 32-20 takedown that my dad had.

As Kirk points out, your going to love having that tang sight.

smokeywolf

[timspawn]

I plan on trying it out on some hogs in a few weeks after I find a good load for it.

[TXGunNut]

Congrats, rather handsome indeed.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I have Winchester 92s in both and a Savage bolt rifle in 32/20. Delightful rifles.

If I could only buy one I would go for the 32/20 (unless I had a 30/30). It is a lot more forgiving with cast boolits than the 25/20 as a rule.

[Cag40Navy]

Im just wondering, what is the dia on average of 32/20 boolits?

[timspawn]

Im just wondering, what is the dia on average of 32/20 boolits?

.313 is what I have.

[KirkD]

I have slugged various original Winchester 32-20's and they range from .312 to .314.

[TXGunNut]

There's a Group Buy going on for a boolit that I think (hope) will do nicely in the 32 WCF.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?231611-HM2-light-30-cal-Ed-Harris-plinker-6-cav

[KirkD]

I like the look of that plain base bullet in the above mentioned group buy. Very similar in design to what I have found to be most accurate in my particular 32-20. I've already got a spanking new mould I haven't tried out yet, though, so I'd better see how it does before ordering any more moulds.

[TXGunNut]

I liked what I saw too, Kirk. I have one of JT's moulds, like it very much and looking forward to another. Not much interest in the GB so far.

[timspawn]

I shot some promising 25 yard groups this morning. It's been a long time since I shot without a scope so it's going to take me some time to get back in the groove.

[TXGunNut]

I shot some promising 25 yard groups this morning. It's been a long time since I shot without a scope so it's going to take me some time to get back in the groove.

Agreed. I didn't appreciate young eyes or iron sights when I had both.

[Four Fingers of Death]

well put tx!

[KirkD]

Agreed. I didn't appreciate young eyes or iron sights when I had both.

Agreed as well. Also, when I was younger I could not understand why the old timers put tang sights on their guns when they shot perfect well without them .... Now, at almost 60 years of age, I not only understand, but I have tang sights on all my lever guns.;-)

[TXGunNut]

Also, when I was younger I could not understand why the old timers put tang sights on their guns when they shot perfect well without them .... Now, at almost 60 years of age, I not only understand, but I have tang sights on all my lever guns. KirkD

Seems here lately I'm getting a bit of practice removing barrel sights and installing sight blanks, receiver sights and tang sights. My parts box is getting crowded with carefully labelled sights, front sight hoods and sight blanks. I figured I could either retire my Winchesters or make them useable. I think I made the right call.

[Idaho Mule]

This "older eyes disease" seems to be spreading. That being said I do like Skinner Sights. JW