Bad news good news story and 32-20

[Canuck Bob]

Bad news, sadly I am no longer getting a 303 Ruger #1.

Good news, I changed my order with my dealer to a Miroku Winchester 1892 take down model in 32-20.

Short version of story, I realized that the Winchester would be used more and suits my lifestyle. I travel in the Canadian oilpatch and having a take down model allows me to carry my rifle in a suitcase. Plus the type of shooting I do the most is plinking in the forest and 303 is a fine cartridge but a 32-20 is a plinker by design.

Now I start the cast bullet research from a new direction. This 32-20 is a cast shooters dream. 90-120 grain bullets, 5-15 grains of powder for cheap fun. Plus no explaining to a game warden why my rabbit gun is a 303 Brit! No joking, once had to explain why my rabbit gun was a 444 Marlin in the middle of a moose infested forest.

[Jack Stanley]

A take down 32-20 no less huh? You must be loving that !! Is the new rifle a regular production item now or something the dealer had to really hunt for ?

Jack

[jimmeyjack]

Where did you find that? This is all you can buy new, http://www.winchesterguns.com/products/catalog/category.asp?family=022C

[JeffinNZ]

BOB: My .32-20 Martini is fond of a 311008 over 3.8gr Unique for a subsonic load and a 311316 over 15gr H4227 for a full house load 1800fps+. If you want to try jacket bullets you won't go past the 100gr .312 XTP from Hornady.

[Canuck Bob]

From these guys

http://www.galleryofguns.com/genie/default.aspx?item=534157166

If you go to thier Davidson Exclusive pages they have all thier Miroku Winchesters on sale, 1885s, 1886s, and 1892s.

I got a Canadian dealer to set it up. It represented a major price break even all the way to Canada.

[Canuck Bob]

BOB: My .32-20 Martini is fond of a 311008 over 3.8gr Unique for a subsonic load and a 311316 over 15gr H4227 for a full house load 1800fps+. If you want to try jacket bullets you won't go past the 100gr .312 XTP from Hornady.

I really like those Martini actions, nice rifles.

That XTP just keeps coming up it seems.

Do you have any grief loading this little case Jeff? I get internet reports from delicate cases and high loss during reloading to normal jam bam reloading and never lost a case.

The other thing I'm interested in is paper patch and tubular magazines.

[JeffinNZ]

Never any dramas Bob. Real easy cartridge to work with. The best advice I can give you is don't crimp the light loads but crimp the heavy ones.

[excess650]

The 32-20 is a fun little cartridge. My Marlin loves the 311008 over 5.5gr SR4756. I've also shot 2.0gr Hogdon Clays or Solo 1000 under that or the Lee 100gr RN for a very quiet, but effective small game load.

The cases are thin. I've occasionally crushed a case, but its not a common thing. Starline cases are supposed to be better than RP, but I have yet to try them.

[Bret4207]

Starline cases are much better. Nothing evil about the 32-20 at all. Just make sure to keep up on your case trimming.

[Wayne Smith]

With Remington cases it's no harder than loading the 44-40. You have to pay attention. With Starline cases it's no different than loading a 30-30 - literally. Those are good cases.

[jmh54738]

Jeff,
You have the perfect choices in bullets. In 1964, my very first mold was a 3118. This is the 8th bullet to be designed and goes back to at least 1912, as listed in handbook #22. When cast 1-20 and loaded with a stiff charge of 4227 plus a couple of card wads the bullets obturate to fill the bore of my 310 Martini Cadet (recovered bullets shot into snow banks) with wonderful accuracy. The case length varies a lot among brands. While conventional wisdom mandates uniform length for consistant crimping, I don't rely on case length for crimp, based on the stroke of the press. My seating die is screwed in an extra 1/4 inch. The stop is the crimp area in the die. When seating a bullet, it is easy to feel when the case touches the crimp shoulder. I then back off the ram off an inch or so then thump the case against the crimp/stop to roll in the flare. Some cases were so short that I had to turn 1/32 inch off of the bottom of the die just to reach the crimp. In some guns my best accuracy was with 311359. The loaded round, however, just doesn't look right to me. Although much recommended, 2400 powder gives me 5 shot extreme spreads of 200fps. I tried many 5 shot groups with Blue Dot, one of which gave 326 fps spread. I load 4756, Unique, Al-5, Al-8, and AA-9. My first 32-20 was a Remington M25 pump, which I am still using. Ken Waters writes on the enigma of powder selection for the 32 -20 in his Pet Loads 32-20 revolver, July 1982. I recommend his "Pet Load " books. John

[Freischütz]

I've found that thin cases (25/20 in my case) are prone to oil dents. They also resize easily, so, keep the case lube to a minimum.

[jimmeyjack]

1899.00 and a pistol grip on a 92:groner:

[Bret4207]

IME 32-20 cases tend to SHRINK! Don't ask me why, but it seems to happen. I tend to pick the shortest case and trim to that length. Never had a crimp issue.

[Jack Stanley]

1899.00 and a pistol grip on a 92:groner:

I'sn't that about the cost of a original Winchester in poor condition ? The pistol grip I can live with , a safety being where the tang sight oughta be ??! Nah , I'll go find another Browning fifty-three before I buy a safety on a lever rifle . For those that don't mind though and will pay the price , I think it's great the company made some .


Bullets ? I've been using the H&G sixty seven with a mild charge of Bullseye that's worked well for years . Maybe this summer I'll try and make up a high velocity loading for it , not a magnum just something suitable for the Browning .

It's nice cartridge to walk the fencerows and woods with .

Jack

[jmh54738]

You couldn't have said it better, Jack, the 25-20 and 32-20 are both great walk-about cartridges. Wisconsin pests may not be the same as you have, but I do have to fend off skunks, badgers, racoons, fox, coyote, gophers, crows, and perhaps two legged vermin. I WILL protect what is mine, including the barnyard chickens and ducks.

[JeffinNZ]

BOB: I have posted this photo before but here, again, is my Martini. Ex Mod 12 converted to centerfire with an 18 inch cut down .303 Brit barrel and over barrel suppressor. REAL quiet with subsonic loads.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/JeffinNZ/Shooting%20stuff/100-0023_IMG.jpg
I built it up because many years ago I used to hunt European hares in the high country here in NZ. They are rather large and take a bit of dropping and I was finding subsonic .22RF was not doing the job. I sold the Mod 92 .32-20 I had and a suppressed .22RF and built the Martini with the funds. The extra front area of the .31 bullets plus the additional mass made a huge difference. In addition, the fast twist barrel will stabilise a bullet up to 240gr at subsonic fps.

[Canuck Bob]

1899.00 and a pistol grip on a 92:groner:

Actually they have a little calculator there that allows you to enter your zip and a sale quote will pop up for a local dealer. As a Canadian I just used Davidsons zip and the price came up a touch over $1000 before taxes.

The 1885s are coming up in the $800 range but the well is dry.

I have an arthritic wrist and almost need the pistol grip. But I much prefer the Model 65 and to me that is what this rifle is.

A serviceable take down in Canada would set me back 2500 at least, but finding one is tough.

[Canuck Bob]

Jeff that is a great subsonic build. Someday i'm planning a subsonic build as well. Here we cannot use the suppressors. To keep noise real light I'm thinking subsonic but lighter bullets. Mine will be a 218 Bee or Hornet. I've always wanted a precise little lefty bolt gun with a real quick barrel twist for heavy bullets and subsonics. The little CZ 527 might fill the bill someday.

In regards the issue of the Miroku changes to the Winchester design I realized that I was buying a new rifle based on the Winchester 92/53/65 and not a politically correct Winchester. What would be a replica car in auto terms. Real clean Winchesters are more and more becoming collectables. For those of us not living in the US they are hard to source and very expensive. I have no doubt this Miroku will outlive me.

[shdwlkr]

I have one of the originals in 32-20 and would not part with it as long as I can have a firearm. I also have one of the miroku-winchester 92's and well pleased with it also.
I have a couple of 92's I want to build one in 256 winchester and the other in 44 special because I can and I like the cartridges I have chosen. if I get them done that will give me four model 92's and enough for me.

[quilbilly]

I have a 32-20 in a 10" Contender that I picked up in a trade knowing nothing of the caliber. It is now my favorite small-to-medium game caliber and my favorite field gun.
Mine loves the Lee 113 gr 308 boolit with the gas check in front of 9.4 gr of 2400 for a MV of 1450 fps from the 10" barrel. Any coyote that will sit still at 150 yards so these old eyes can get a sight picture has committed suicide.

[Canuck Bob]

That Contender sounds like fun. We can't hunt with or carry handguns up here, sadly. Is it true the Contenders come with a 308 barrel?

Speaking of builds for a 92 I found a Brownchester 65 without the tang safety in 218 Bee. The guy wants $2000 bucks so no way. I would like to start with a Browning 92 without the tang safety and build a small caliber rifle. The 256 Mag would be a fine rifle.

[leftiye]

No, but the Encores do (.308, and belted magnums too).

[jimmeyjack]

I'sn't that about the cost of a original Winchester in poor condition ? The pistol grip I can live with , a safety being where the tang sight oughta be ??! Nah , I'll go find another Browning fifty-three before I buy a safety on a lever rifle . For those that don't mind though and will pay the price , I think it's great the company made some .


Bullets ? I've been using the H&G sixty seven with a mild charge of Bullseye that's worked well for years . Maybe this summer I'll try and make up a high velocity loading for it , not a magnum just something suitable for the Browning .

It's nice cartridge to walk the fencerows and woods with .

Jack

No, you can find originals with good barrels and plum patina for about a grand+-. Some people on gun broker think otherwise tho. Look around they are easy to find.