hand me down 32-40

[Stub9111]

I recently aquired an 1894 32-40. This rifle was given to my great-grand dad by a relative before going into the service. Both my uncles and my father have shot deer with this gun. I shot it for the first time myself the other day with some bullets i had recently loaded with the help of a couple good guys. What a fun little rifle to shoot. The fact that my father was over for a visit and smiled when he got to shoot it made it even more special. Now I'm kind of anxious to load up some more and see just how well it does.

[Baja_Traveler]

Love mine - I ordered up an NOE 180 grain mold and just loaded up 100 rounds for the old lever rifle. Mine was made in 1902 - originally a 32 Special and since relined and chambered in 32-40. Very fun to shoot.

186027

[OverMax]

I've got a old 1894 32-40 also. It's a wall hanger for this house. Although I have hunted one MN deer season with it and paper tested its accuracy just before taking it afield. 100 yards it shot equal to a current model 94 targeting.
Its just too heavy to tote out to my deer stand these days. And having to hold steady 1/2 way out a window for a shot on quarry is a feet of strength for most anyone I think.
When easily found years ago. I bought a 4 bags of winchester brass and 1000 jacketed F-SP 170gr Hornady's 32s from Lock Stock & Barrel. As I recall its reloading called for 2 or 3 grains lighter weight charges of powder than a 32 Special with jacketed. Cast shooting is preferred for such rifles. Easier on the barrels bore and when shooting pistol powders like Unique and IMR 4227 throws a cast about the speed of a 12 ga. slug. More than enough speed to do its business on any thin skin game.

[OlDeuce]

I have my Grandpas 32-40 rifle .. it was made it the first year of the 1894 .She shoots but ......she needs a reline real bad :-( It's kinda brown but not beat up..It's way cool and family history. Ol Deuce

[Stub9111]

I've looked a few spots, you wouldn'tknow where else a fella could find some brass? there is a couple different sites that will sell projectiles but brass is almost nonexistant.

[OlDeuce]

I've looked a few spots, you wouldn'tknow where else a fella could find some brass? there is a couple different sites that will sell projectiles but brass is almost nonexistant.

Stub9111 .....If the head stamp doesn't bother and the very little diff. in the length. I would resize 30-30,32ws, 38-55 ...I do the 30-30 brass and I'm happy with the out come.. I shoot 3 different Winchester 32-40 ! My ammo count of 32-40 head stamp brass is 300 rounds! and keep 60 to 100 resized 30-30 brass ...By doing this I'm shooting them a lot and when the brass goes South it's not a big loss......Ol Deuce

[Outpost75]

If a .32-40 wouldn't it be an 1893, rather than an 1894??

[OlDeuce]

If a .32-40 wouldn't it be an 1893, rather than an 1894??

WINCHESTER used it first in the 1885 high-wall and than the 1894 lever
Introduced in 1884, the .32-40 was developed as a black powder (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpowder) match-grade (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Match-grade) round for the Ballard (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ballard_rifle&action=edit&redlink=1) single-shot Union Hill (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ballard_Union_Hill_rifle&action=edit&redlink=1) No. 8 and 9 target rifles. Using a 165-grain (10.7 g) bullet over 40 grains (2.6 g) of black powder (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_powder) (muzzle velocity 1,440 ft/s (440 m/s), muzzle energy 755 ft·lbf (1,024 J)), the factory load gained a reputation for fine accuracy, with a midrange trajectory of 11 inches (28 cm) at 200 yd (180 m).[2] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.32-40_Ballard#cite_note-multiref1-2) It was available in Winchester (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Repeating_Arms_Company) and Marlin (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marlin_Firearms) lever (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lever-action) rifles beginning in 1886.[2] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.32-40_Ballard#cite_note-multiref1-2) It stopped being a factory chambering around 1940.[2] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.32-40_Ballard#cite_note-multiref1-2)
It provides performance sufficient for deer at up to 300 yards (270 m) in a modern rifle, for which it can be loaded to about equal the .30-30 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.30-30_Winchester).[2] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.32-40_Ballard#cite_note-multiref1-2) It is more than enough for varmints (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varmint_hunting), including coyotes (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coyote) and wolves (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf), or medium-sized game.
The .32-40 also served as the basis for Harry Pope (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Harry_Pope&action=edit&redlink=1)'s wildcat (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildcat) .33-40 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.33-40_Pope).

Ol Deuce

[OlDeuce]

If a .32-40 wouldn't it be an 1893, rather than an 1894??

Yes if your talking the 1893 Marlin lever......... :-) ...Ol Deuce

[OverMax]

If needing brass trimmed/cut to 32-40 actual length. A parent brass for that effort is the 38-55. Although 30-30 & 32 special can be resized to within?> 5/16s of a 32-40s actual brass length. Such easily resized (Remington) brass will keep your rifle shooting for many years to come.
TIP: One benefit from 30-30 or 32 special brass.> You never have to worry about your brass growing over maximum length due to its repeated firings. "How nice is that."

[Ballistics in Scotland]

How nice is not getting them long enough? The .30-30 and .32WS are usable, but the .38-55 is longer, and yet you will get a lot of loadings before it stretches too long.

[tward]

I have a friend with a 32-40 and he bought Starline 38-55 cases to reform. Starline makes 2 lengths of 38-55 cases so you end up with full length 32-40 cases. Tim:bigsmyl2::bigsmyl2:

[OlDeuce]

These old 32-40s are a Hoot to shoot :-) I keep my loads on the light side and my brass is holding up really well!.......Ol Deuce

[Stub9111]

I quite new to all this. How do you go about resizing the brass? I've noticed a few different methods talked about and find all of interesting but feel like most of it means more and more equipment,

[OverMax]

How do you go about resizing the brass? Buy a set> (2 dies) i.e. Full Length 32-40 Reloading dies. Hand them to your friend along with a few empty 30-30 brass and a New box of 170 grain 32 cal bullets. Your friend will know what to do with your> stuff. Then ask your friend if you can observe during his reloading of your 32-40 cartridges.

[northmn]

Starline 38-55 brass should resize the easiest as they seem to have thinner necks than other brands. You can load a slightly larger diameter bullet in the Starline in the same chamber.
Just as a matter of interest, the 32-40 was a very popular 200 yard Schuetzen cartridge and held a record for many years until recently with a group of around 3/4 inch at 200 yards. Schuetzen shooters used single shots and their loading techniques permitted the use of heavier bullets. For that use the 32-40 used bullets closer to 200 grains to help buck wind. The 38-55. its parent cartridge was also popular but they went to the 32-40 due to recoil.

DEP

[OlDeuce]

I use the ol'Lee dies and I pull the neck sizer out only because the Die doesn't get a good grip on the neck sizing shaft :-( any way it's an easy push using Imperial sizing wax! & New 30-30 brass . 2nd step than I use my 32ws sizing die to open up the neck! New brass comes out Perfect "in my eyes"
when I use fired 32ws brass I get some imperfections in the shoulder area! not bad, a fire form will smooth her out!
186280

[OlDeuce]

186281The brass how it ends up for me and all is good! :-) Ol Deuce

[w5pv]

I shoot an old 32 S&W and find it is a hoot to shoot and it don't take much to kill a Budweiser Beer can or punch a hole in paper .

[OverMax]

Ol Deuce: my complements sir. 17-18 comments & layout of cartridge brass > Well done.
o/m

[OlDeuce]

Ol Deuce: my complements sir. 17-18 comments & layout of cartridge brass > Well done.
o/m

Thank you Sir :-) ........any time I can help is way cool! Ol Deuce:awesome:

[OlDeuce]

This is my Family Hand me down! 32-40 Rifle in the first year production She kinda spent to much time in the Pump-house !
186409

[OlDeuce]

Today I'm going to try the IMR4227 in my 32-40s They say it's the best!!! I've always use IMR3031 So I will give a Range Report on the Old ones !

Ol Deuce

[quail4jake]

.32-40... as American as baseball, apple pie, Marlin, Winchester, Ballard...when I think of the .32-40 I see stars and stripes emblazoned upon a cobalt blue sky over a ticker tape parade with John Philip Sousa's band playing "Semper Fidelis". It's as beautiful as a SCOTUS with a consistent 6-3 conservative majority, an authoritative repeal of NFA '34 with an executive order for mandatory reciprocal CCW status. TRUMP, die gratis POTUS!
And, yes, IMR4227 and a Hoch 165gr BHN 8-12 sized to throat with carnuba red will suffice. I can hear the distinct thwack of that soft flat nose boolit striking a Pennsylvania buck in the thorax, as beautiful as the melodious score of "Hail Columbia"!(tears of joy upon my maxilla)...

[OlDeuce]

.32-40... as American as baseball, apple pie, Marlin, Winchester, Ballard...when I think of the .32-40 I see stars and stripes emblazoned upon a cobalt blue sky over a ticker tape parade with John Philip Sousa's band playing "Semper Fidelis". It's as beautiful as a SCOTUS with a consistent 6-3 conservative majority, an authoritative repeal of NFA '34 with an executive order for mandatory reciprocal CCW status. TRUMP, die gratis POTUS!
And, yes, IMR4227 and a Hoch 165gr BHN 8-12 sized to throat with carnuba red will suffice. I can hear the distinct thwack of that soft flat nose boolit striking a Pennsylvania buck in the thorax, as beautiful as the melodious score of "Hail Columbia"!(tears of joy upon my maxilla)...

Right On!!!!! I love my 32-40s Ol Deuce

[gandydancer]

you're making me feel bad. I have a custom Ruger # 3 in 32-40 with a bunch of new Winchester brass in 20 round boxes (new about 30 years ago) I best anneal it before using any of it, & I have never fired the rifle. I will come warm weather again.

[OlDeuce]

you're making me feel bad. I have a custom Ruger # 3 in 32-40 with a bunch of new Winchester brass in 20 round boxes (new about 30 years ago) I best anneal it before using any of it, & I have never fired the rifle. I will come warm weather again.

What a personnel treasure !!!! the #3 ! How long is the Barrel???? Ol Deuce

[Reverend Al]

When I was actively shooting in the Cowboy Action Shooting matches I used either my original Ballard or original Winchester 1885 HW in .32-40 with 12.0 to 12.5 grains of the old Hercules 2400 under a plain base Rapine 165 grain .321" boolit cast very hard (almost pure lino). If I wasn't winning the rifle side matches then it was definitely my own fault 'cause it sure wasn't the fault of either one of those rifles with that load! (And yes I still have both of those .32-40 rifles ... and a few more now as well!)

;)

[OlDeuce]

My mold is the old Winchester 165gr 32-40 ...It still drops a nice boolit and still works good in the 2 carbines I shoot ! my 2 rifles needs the reline
to get them back in shooting order!!!!!

Ol Deuce