RCBS GC in .32 Winchester Special

[FromTheWoods]

Daniel of The Bull Shop has cast 180gr (approx) RCBS .323 gc bullets for me to shoot in .32 Winchester Specials. The rifles have 26" octagons. DOM early 1900's. I anticipate H4895 and RL7 will both perform well--accurate hunting loads. Is there an advantage in using one of these powders over the other?

Loads I've found in searching the computer and manuals show 28 grains of H4895 and 25 grains of RL7. Do you folks have loads you shoot with this bullet and these powders?

[salvadore]

I love my 94 .32 spc., spent a lot of time working up loads and finally settled on an accurate 165gc using blc2 powder. I don't know about the bullet,(works great), but blc2 meters nicely and gives me excellent accuracy. Tip of the hat to whoever suggested upping the velocity.

[FromTheWoods]

Hello Salvadore. Twice now, I've read where you have called your .32 Special your "Tanker '94." Never heard that describing a Winchester. Would you mind cluing me in? A story to the naming?

[TXGunNut]

Yes, there's a story and if you're lucky he'll post a pic. Truly a handsome rifle.
I don't use that boolit, I use one from an Accurate mould. I have a couple of older 32's and both are a little tight in the throat, they like the 322-170A and moderate charge of LVR. I think the H4895 and Rx7 powders are good choices, just haven't tried them under the boolit I'm using now.

[FromTheWoods]

Seems as if I am derailing my own thread! No harm.

I've seen a few photos of it--yes, a Beauty. Just haven't heard the story yet.

[358 Win]

I've got four .32 Win Specials (two Win 94's and two Marlin 336SC's) and shoot a similiar boolit from RCBS. It's their older mold #08-170 made for 8mm shooting but still a flat nose. With my alloy they weigh 182 grains lubed and checked. My target loads using 2400 powder and sized .3232 at 1744 fps are scary accurate. My high performance loads with LVR powder and sized .3225 at 2300fps are almost as accurate as my target load. No leading occurs at either speed and I'm one happy shooter to be sure.

358 Win

[salvadore]

Brian Pearce recommended a Gooding Idaho gunsmith for lever action work in 'Rifle' magazine. Anyway I drove over and dropped my late 40s '94 off so he could shorten the bbl and fit one of his front sights, (I know, but one of my grandkids would probably end up hocking it for gas money anyway). Hence the Tanker '94, or I could have called it a Jungle '94. Trapper seems so pedestrian. The load I settled on was inspired by responders on one of Tex's posts, an extrapolated a charge of blc2 under the 323-165gc. 2015 has been a bad year for me healthwise, but before things got too bad I loaded up some catridges and squeaky cleaned the rifle's barrel and got to the range. 1.25" @ 50yds, better than I see, and it chronographed 200fps faster than my old load (1800+).

Who knew there were so many .32 spec. fans and Tex has posted a lot of helpful info.
Too late to make a long story short, huh?

[FromTheWoods]

Shared stories are good--short or long and any time. I hope the second half of this year brings you better health.

Thanks to you fellows who shared your load information. I've been stalling the reloading of these bullets, hoping to hear more about the two powders I have for them. But, I'm itching to get the test cartridges built. Don't think I'll wait too much longer.

[TXGunNut]

Just remember, the 32WS is the cartridge a 30-30 wishes it could be with cast boolits.
Sal, my good friend, get to feeling better soon. We've got boolits to test and obsolete leverguns to shoot.