32-20 Dies - Recomendations?

[West Creek]

I am the new care taker of a fine old win 92 in 32-20 made before 1920 with a fine looking bore. I havent slugged the barrel or chamber yet but I did just get a box of *-* brass.

I was hoping any of you guys might have some recommendations for dies? Loads? Bullets? Gas Checks? I'll be loading on a single stage press for starters and then probably gear up for a dillon 650 if it gets too hungry.

Thanks
West Creek

[FromTheWoods]

Interesting. A fellow here in Oregon just asked this question on a local forum last night.

RCBS .32-20 Cowboy for lead. RCBS .32-20 regular die for jacketed.

These loads shoot accurately from an 1873 Winchester rifle and a Ruger Convertible Blackhawk. The '73's action is noted to be weak, so these are not maximum pressure loads.

115 gr. .313 FP Oregon Trail Laser-cast
3.0 gr. Hodgdon Titegroup
Small Rifle Primer

115 gr. .313 FP Oregon Trail Laser-cast
8.3 gr. AA1680
Small Rifle Magnum Primer

94 gr. .312 Meister Bullet
12.5 gr. AA1680
Small Rifle Magnum Primer

100 gr. Speer JHP
3.4 gr. Titegroup
Small Rifle Primer

85 gr. Hornady HP/XTP
3.4 gr. Titegroup
Small Rifle Primer

Starline Brass.

Some sources recommend a Small Pistol primer with these loads. We have no chronograph, and we began using data for the rifle primers, so that is what we have stayed with.

Titegroup is an excellent pistol powder. Not position nor temperature sensitive. Cost is approx. $5.00 less per pound than most powders, and it doesn't take many grains to do the job. Reputation=a clean-burning powder. Been using it for maybe a decade (?). Produces very accurate ammunition.

Your '92 can handle much higher pressures than our '73, so you might want to try a bit faster loads.

Also, we use Original Shot Buffer filler in the AA1680 loads because the old rifle's bore is so poor. If you find your lead bullets will not shoot straight or are key-holing, please PM me and I'll tell how the buffer is used. Excellent results from it.

[cuzinbruce]

Hi,
I have a Win'92 and it slugged a hair over .311. An S&W 1905 was about .314. Haven't slugged the others. Also have 2 other 1905's, a Colt Police Positive Special, and a Rem 25.
There was an excellent article in Handloader a couple years ago, by Gil Sengel if I remember correctly. I will see which issue it was if that helps you.
I am mostly using Herco or Blue Dot at amounts from the article.
Lyman's 3118 is the standard bullet for the caliber, about 115 grains, plain base. But I use the RCBS 32-094SWC even more, about 100 grains.
Brass seems to vary in length pretty much. Which can mess up the crimps. Sort and/or trim. Redding's profile crimp die works beautifully, if the brass is all the same length. If not, use the Lee Factory Crimp Die.
Have fun.
Bruce

[shdwlkr]

I have the lyman die for the 32-20 a 115 grain bullet and like starline brass the best and reloading dies are Redding or Rcbs can't remember which and can't get to them to be sure. I wouldn't buy Redding right now as it seems that are all about money and don't care about the customer. Cbrick has had a lot of trouble with them and I don't doubt what he says and because of that Redding is a thumbs down as a source of anything.
Loads I can't get to them either but those listed seem real close to what I remember using.

[9.3X62AL]

Congrats on the acquisition, and on the selection of Starline brass to feed it. Best of breed, by a long margin.

I own 3 firearms chambered in 32-20 WCF, and all three have differing locations for the vestigial shoulder on the casing after firing. I suggest that you segregate lots of brass between firearms, and deal with each lot as per the firearm's needs. Mostly, this involves partial full-length sizing so as to not move the shoulder back. Otherwise, the cases need trimming every other firing, because the thin WW and RP cases stretch unevenly and readily if full-length sized every time they're loaded. I also noted an uptick in accuracy and an extension of casing service life by letting the case shoulder meet the chamber's shoulder, rather than having it "in air" and letting the case rim run the show. Every 3rd to 4th firing, cases will start getting balky to chamber. At that time, CAREFULLY set the sizer die's depth so as to "kiss" the case shoulder and allow snug chambering without interference.

[West Creek]

Thanks for all the advice. Unfortunatley I only have one 32-20. Hopefully I can remedy that. I'm a big JW fan and rumer has it he used a 32-20 in alot of his movies. That oughta be good enough reason to pair this rifle up with a SAA in 32-20. Probably have to get prepared for old age when I wont want to handle hte rcoil of a 45 al the time.

West Creek

[Marine Sgt 2111]

West Creek,
I just picked up a Marlin '94, made in 2007. It has got to be just one of the most fun cartridges / rifles I have ever owned. The groove diamter is .312". I cast RCBS 32-98, 32-115-FP and SAECO #322 118gr FP. I have both Starline brass and W-W.

I use RCBS cowboy dies to reload with and size cast bullets on a star press to .313". Alloy mix is 50% 92-2-6 and 50% pure lead, air cooled and a 10 brinnell. Lube to date has been Red Rooster HVR but have now switched over to NRA 50/50 alox/beewax. The rifle sports a Nikon 2-7x with a Weaver mount and QD rings.

Today I shot 3 holes touching at 50 yards. The load, 5.7gr AA-5 with the SAECO bullet and a WSR primer. I was resting on the tailgate of my truck. The farm hand that I hired for the day just couldn't get over how light the rifle was and what a rip it was to shoot. A perfect lube star was at the muzzle and no leading.

FWIW

[Dean D.]

Howdy West Creek! Ya gotta love those old 32-20's, I have a model 92 myself.

I mainly shoot the Lyman 311316 111gr GCFP sized at .311, CCI small rifle primers with 5.5gr of Unique @ aprox. 1500fps. I've found this load to be very accurate for my rifle.

I use RCBS dies which came with boolit seating plugs for both FP and RN boolits.

You definitely need to be extremely careful with the thin brass of the 32-20 or you will crush or mangle them when sizing. I have not tried them but many folks here highly recommend Starline brass as they are thicker and hold up better. Flaring the case mouth before seating your boolit is a must.

Enjoy and keep us posted! :drinks: