32 Special Special

[KCSO]

Numerich has a special on Winchester 32 Special barrels, 39.95 for Winchester factory seconds. They are finish defects only, on the one we installed it was spotted blue on the bottom of the barrel. They need to be headspaced, but the one we did was only 4 thou off on the shank and about 2 thou on the breech face. The gun ended up an excellent shooter. If you have a hankering for about the best cast bullet gun going in a lever gun here it is. I am getting one for my 30-30.

[grumble]

KCSO, I just got off the phone with GPC. The lady couldn't find the 32 Special special. Was it an ad in Shotgun News? If so, can you provide the item number, please?

Thanks!

[NVcurmudgeon]

I'll second KCSO's opinion about a .32 Special being the best levergun cast caliber. At the recent NCBS I had a good streak going on small gongs offhand at 100 yd. with BruceB's .32 Special Marlin 36. Er, a good streak until I began to attract spectators!

[StarMetal]

I just missed a good 32 special in a Marlin, and the older model with the regular rifling. Dang, my one very good friend had it.

Joe

[Bass Ackward]

Dang, my one very good friend had it. Joe

Joe,

Everybody should have at least one. :grin:

But if he sold it out from under you, I would scratch him off the Christmas list.

[StarMetal]

John,

You got that right. Well dig this one, my best best best friend that I grew up with has an original before 1964 Model 94 in 32 Special and he made me a deal. If I got to the our last class reunion this July I can have it. How about that?

Of course I would give him a few bills for it.

Joe

[Bass Ackward]

If I got to the our last class reunion this July I can have it. How about that?Joe

Joe,

I don't know. Think about it. If this is your last class reunion, this is not a good forcast for things to come. Sure you are going to get to use it? :grin:

I am available for adoption you know.

[felix]

BA, if Joe can't make it shoot his proverbial groups, maybe he will send it on to me. I'm sure I can make it shoot MY proverbial groups, but if not, then you can see if you can make it shoot your proverbial groups! ... felix

[StarMetal]

Bass

Sorry to hear your wife doesn't want you around anymore and you are up for adoption. I guess I could use a hand with chores around the house and reloading and castings. hahahahahahahhaa Just kidding buddy.

Of course I would use the rifle...as a cast bullet shooter.

Joe

[beagle]

A .32 Special is well worth building if you don't have one.

Right now, I'm putting an old Marlin 336A in .32 Special and a custom Marlin 336 in .32-40 through their paces for an article for "the book". The.32 Special will outshoot the .30/30 170 grain factory load easily with a 184 grain cast bullet. The last time I chronographed a factory 170 grain .30/30, got 2027 FPS out of a 20" M94.

The .32-40 (and I'm using a modern 336 here) approaches the .30/30 with a 187 grain bullet.

Accuracy with selected loads is 1" at 100 yards with a scoped rifle.

Anyone contemplating a conversion, theres a 32-170-FN RCBS mould on the "Bay" right now and bullet designs don't come much better for the .32s. In fact, as far as production moulds go, it's the only wheel in town unless you want to use the 323470 and bump the nose flat. That design works pretty well but not as well as the RCBS.

.321's the diameter to size to as I've been up and down the spectrum in these tests./beagle

[KCSO]

I will see if I can find the flyer again. We ordered these a monthe or so ago from a special flyer I got in the mail.

[KCSO]

Numerich Item # 705030 Price 39.95 32 Special Bbl with ramp for front sight soome exterior blems.
They are still in stock I got another one today.

[grumble]

Numerich Item # 705030 Price 39.95 32 Special Bbl with ramp for front sight soome exterior blems.
They are still in stock I got another one today.

Outstanding, KCSO! Many thanks. I just put two on order myself.

I spent a couple hours on the GPC website yesterday looking at all the barrels, and couldn't find these, and the lady I spoke with on the phone couldn't find them either. I really appreciate you taking the trouble to post the info.

I have a couple post 64 lever guns that will appreciate the new tubes.

Anybody happen to know right offhand whether these post 64 barrels will fit on pre 64s?

[KCSO]

The barrels will fit. The pre 64 had a little longer wood on the front of the fore end and the front sight is different, but if you don't mind the ramp it isn't too much trouble to fit them up. The last gun we put one on was a Ted Williams model and everything was a little different. The mag tube was 3/4" shorter and the fore end was a rifle style with a bbl band, but a couple hours work and one dovetail later the gun was a 32 special.

[grumble]

Excellent! I guess I should have ordered more barrels.

Many thanks for the good info, KCSO!

[drinks]

I have a '94, made in 1900, has the nickel steel barrel.
When I inherited it, it likely had not been cleaned or shot in at least 50 years, 26" octogon barrel, really poor sights , a very narrow front blade and a little tiny notch buckhorn rear, rough on 64 year old eyes.
Cleaned it over 20 hours until I could finally see the rifling, loaded up some C324-175-1R Lee cast sized .323 and got 1/2" wide x 2" high groups at 50yd
Amazed me, I was expecting a shotgun pattern. The vertical stringing is due to me not being able to hold the same amount of front sight .
I also have a .303 Savage '99, really does well with 160 and 200gr gc's sized .309, the nice long neck is great for the 200gr .
Also load the 113gr Lee at .32 - 20 levels in the '99 with good results, it has a Redfield receiver sight that is much easier on my old eyes.
Don