What's a 32-20 good for?

[crabo]

I have a 39A, a 1894 CB 357 and a 45/70 GBL. I don't need another levergun, but I'm not sure you can have too many. All this talk about 32/20s has got me interested.

I got Mike's Levergun book, but I've never seen a list of what the different calibers are good for. I know some people shoot different calibers for the pistol cartridge silhouette, but I'm not sure which ones.

Anybody help me out? Maybe I would be better off if I didn't know, but it is nice to have information when you are cruising the pawnshops.

[btroj]

What is it good for? A whole lot of fun and small groups.

My 1894 shoots well with a variety of loads and is so cheap to shoot it is like a 22 rimfire.

Little lead, little powder, no recoil, but lots of fun. Might even try getting a deer with it someday but haven't decided I want to go down that road. Would be a great 100 yard varmint gun.

Get one, you will never be sorry.

Brad

[Newtire]

I have a variety of .32-20 rifles and my favorite one is the M92 Winchester. Put a tang sight on that thing and it's one plinking machine!

I have a pair of the new Marlin's with 22" round barrels and, while accurate with a given load, they both throw the loads high & low, left and right when you change loads. All I get out of the Winchester '92 is that one hits higher and another hits lower. It has a big long stiff octagon barrel where the Marlin's have whippy thin tubes. I think that may have something mostly to do with that.

[Canuck Bob]

My decision was based on wanting a historic cartridge that would be a fun plinker. I own a 444 Marlin for hunting so another big game gun was not required.

If you are not interested in shooting old cartridges the 357 does everything a 32-20 does better.

[nicholst55]

The .32-20 is the only cartridge that I'm aware of that has a song named after it! I refer to the classic 'Thirty Two Twenty Blues,' by Blues musician Robert Johnson in 1936.

32-20 Blues (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1TODgVnvWk&feature=related)

32-20 Blues Lyrics (http://www.eric-clapton.co.uk/ecla/lyrics/thirtytwo-twenty-blues.html)

It's a lot of fun in a Colt revolver, too.

[missionary5155]

Good morning
Why that is like asking what good is any caliber for..
32.20 probably has kilt evry type of 4 legged beasty walken about.
Me I really like it to pop ground hogs in the head. Through the shoulders is also good but they still thrash about and make a fuss. Bump the velocity to 1500 and it will make a coyote sing a whole new tune. Tons of corn crunchers used to be potted with it and some fellers still do so. Black bears were commonly shot through the ear in Michigan before I made an appearance. Then there are all the lesser sorts of critters that get removed from the food chain on a daily basis that need not be mentioned.
Bottom line... the 32-20 has been doing for 120 plus years what the so called Amazinly Fantastic .327 magnum may get done.

[Dean D.]

My Winchester 1892 32WCF was built in 1912 and is my all time favorite rifle to shoot. That lil gun is an absolute tack driver.

Your question is an interesting one. My rifle was originally bought new by a local trapper named Ben Gensen. Ben happened to be a friend and neighbor of my Dad's family when Dad was a kid. According to family stories, Ben used a .22 LR for all game up to and including Deer. The 32-20 was his "Big Gun" for Bear and Elk. I personally do not feel comfortable using this fine old rifle in that manner but I know the gun has been proven capable of doing so.

Once, while I was off touring the world in the military, my Dad had to use my rifle to eliminate a rogue tom cat that was killing our barn cats. Dad measured the shot afterwards...120 yards on the level. Dad said he just held tight bead on the top of that ole Tom's back and when he touched the shot off the tom cat did a back flip and lay still.

You will be hard pressed to find a more economical cartridge to load as the 32-20. I use the 311008 and the 311316 with 4.5gr of Unique with equal accuracy.

Would I part with my old 32-20???? Never!!!!

[Lloyd Smale]

Ill catch some flak for this but it aint a bad deer rifle. Ive shot a few deer with the 3220 and ate every one of them. Now it sure isnt a 200 yard deer gun and even 100 might be marginal but ive taken deer that far with no problem. When i use it i try to set up a blind so my shots are only 50 yards or so and use only handloaded ammo with jackted bullets. Its no big deal to push a 120 to 2000fps in a 92 action. If i were to use cast id probably go with a hp mold as a bit of expansion is need with that low of a power level. Some may consider it a stunt to hunt deer with one but my father and uncle shared one when they were young and shot a dump truck load of deer with it and many bear. He would laugh at you to your face or at least question your shooting skills if you said it wasnt enough for deer.

[jlchucker]

Lloyd, you won't get any argument from me. Back in my grade-school days (1950's) I recall at least one kid who used a 32-20 for deer hunting and never had a problem. For that matter, my youngest brother used to hunt with a 25-20 (same thing necked down) Savage Model 23 back in that time period. He got 4 deer with 6 shots with that rifle over 4 seasons. Of course he hunted in the woods, and his shots were all within 75 yards or so--but that was hunting, back in the day.

[elk hunter]

Boy does this thread bring back memories. Back about 1953 the first bullet I cast and cartridge I loaded was for a 32-20 model 92. Fun round in a fun rifle. I currently have a Colt and a Smith in 32-20 and plan on building a single shot rifle for it. I don't believe I would want to try to fill my freezer with elk meat with it, but if it was all I had, I'm sure it would do the job.

As the old saying goes "try it, you'll like it".

[Artful]

Good for, Good for - why it'll bring a smile to your face - that's what all guns are good for. ;^)

My experience with people who use 32-20 - they use it for hunting (gray digger to bambi), they use it for carrying around for targets of oppertunity - grouse head shot for example, They use it for shooting the heads of matches to win a cool drink - 32-20 is a good shooting all around cartridge for plinking to hunting.

[Jack Stanley]

The thirty-two twenty is good for giving my rifle a reason to be ! Had it not been for the cartridge , I doubt that Browning would have made the model fifty-three at all . I am so glad they made it too , when the rifle became available my grandfather had been gone for a short while . I wasn't the fortunate one who got his guns but I did get a check ..... and the check bought the thirty-two twenty I still have . When I take it afield , I always remember my grandfather .

Did I mention that it shoots real well ? So far it's been low velocity stuff but I do intend to make up a "high velocity" factory round for it and I have some thirty-two "XTP" bullets I'd like to put into a chuck . For me the cartridge has lots of good uses .

Jack

[home in oz]

I have not seen one in the local pawn shops. Now I feel like picking one up when I do see it.

[358wcf]

The 32-20, aka 32wcf is a fine, fun little round. As noted, it is extremely frugal in use of lead and powder. Imagine loading about 1000 rounds per pound of powder and 60ish boolits per pound of lead! (is my math accurate today?) That's my kind of economy!
No recoil at all, extremely quiet and mild, almost always a tack-driver for accuracy- an excellent training rifle for new shooters, the ladies love it! Experienced shooters that don't have the macho-magnum syndrome love it as well-
Perfect for plinking, punching cans, informal and formal target perforating, and the ultimate small game round- it does it all, well-
What does it not do well? Let's see- 400 yard shots at Rocky Mountain Elk, large carnivores with big teeth, it is not my first choice for stopping wild boar, either, BUT-
Try one, and you will love it. You will go out of your way to find uses for it- This round is more popular today than it was 50 years ago, and it has been loaded by the factories for over 130 years now! This is one of the very few rifle rounds loaded by the factories with a LEAD boolit!
You won't get me to part with my Browning 53 levergun, ever! The future son-in-law doesn't know what a treasure he has coming!
Buy one or two- you'll be happy!!!

358wcf[smilie=1:[smilie=1:[smilie=1:

[KirkD]

1. It is my favourite small game caliber .... a classic cartridge that when loaded to original BP ballistics does not alarm the neighbors when I dispatch a problem groundhog.

2. It is an excellent cartridge to introduce young people to shooting .... almost no recoil

3. Snooky Williamson took quite a few deer with it at high velocity loadings. The original Winchester HV load for the 32-20 sent a 115 grain bullet out the barrel at 1,635 fps. I wouldn't use it for deer myself, but I sure like it for varmints and small game.

[NickSS]

I agree with everything said about the 32-20 in this thread. I can not think of a better plinking and small game lever action cartridge. My only regret that i have is that I sold my 92 winchester in that caliber in a fit of stupidity. Maybe I will get another really soon. In the meantime I load the 31108 boolit in the Model 94 30-30 to about the same ballistics and do about the same kind of shooting with it. It does cost me a grain or two more powder per shot though to get the same velocity.

[Canuck Bob]

Thanks guys, I really worried that I might have made a mistake when I ordered my Win/Miroku 92 rifle. I knew the rifle was what I wanted but I was unsure of the caliber.

I knew I didn't want a snorting magnum but a 38-40 maybe. Well this thread has revealed that my decision was sound and I'm getting a FUN gun.

I'm a salesman in the oilpatch here. This year I've seen one mountain lion, numerous bears, elk, caribou, lynx and my favorite the mighty moose! With my little 32-20 take-down 92 I can shoot all the time. Upland birds and rabbits are everywhere and open season just about all the time for rifles.

Pictures coming soon.

[Marvin S]

That's why I have four of them, they are quite addictive, and cheap to shoot. What a great little cartridge.

BTW that song was pretty funny also.

[LVRFAN]

A 32-20 on deer? Dang, I thought you needed at least a 300 Magnum or such for that. And don't forget the scope- 70 yards is pretty durn far!

[Denver]

I have my Dad's 32-20 that he bought new in 1936. It's a Remington Model 25. He hunted with it until 1953 when I began deer hunting. I killed my first deer with it that year. I'm not certain, but when he gave me the rifle, he also had a partial box of ammo that I think was only the second box he ever bought. He didn't waste much ammo shooting for fun and games. I remember he not only filled his own tag with that rifle each year, but often those of uncles, cousins, and various family members and friends that used to come for deer season. Those were great times.

[.45Cole]

NickSS buy a browning 53, they are the cream of the crop leverguns. The only thing more fun might be a 1885 browning in 32.
Nobody has mentioned anything about report, if you load low (about 100gr boolit at about 1200 fps) it sounds like a .22Lr.
Perfect for mountain whistle pigs on 4x4 trails...oohhh yeaa:redneck:

[9.3X62AL]

All the above is true, and then some. My current 32-20 rifle is a Marlin 94 CCL, and its heavier octagon barrel shoots significantly better than did a prior Marlin 94 CL. Nicely enough, a CL in 25-20 has enough metal left after the 1/4" hole got bored to keep things stable.

Both the 25-20 and the 32-20 are The 22 Rimfires From Hell. In their factory form, they don't alarm neighbors when fired on the farm or ranch, but put the smack-down on small varmints like no 22 LR ever could. They leave something for the pot or broiler with those low-level loads, too.

Crank them up in a capable rifle, and they will dismantle critters to the size of coyotes post haste. Forget small critters as table fare with these loads, though deer won't be shredded. The 32-20 is basically an M-1 Carbine with better accuracy. It is the nemesis of jackrabbits throughout the West.

[cuzinbruce]

My first centerfire rifle was a 32/20. Bought it in the late 60's. Still have it. A Win92. Haven't taken any deer with it though. Then a couple years ago, I found a Rem 25. looking for a Savage 219 in that caliber. And I have several revolvers, S&W 1905's. It is a fun caliber. I shoot it often.

[Bret4207]

The 32-20 and 25-20 are just friendly little cartridges that are far more capable than their diminutive size would indicate. I've taken the 115 gr fn up past the 1600 fps area, waaaaay too much of a good thing for small game, but deadly on coyotes and varmints. I would have no qualms about taking a deer given the right range and presentation. But it's not a "deer" cartridge anymore than the 357 or 38-40 is. It'll do it, but not all day, every day. Stick to small game and varmints up to 75 lbs or so and you'll be very happy.

[Jack Stanley]

My first centerfire rifle was a 32/20. Bought it in the late 60's. Still have it. A Win92. Haven't taken any deer with it though. Then a couple years ago, I found a Rem 25. looking for a Savage 219 in that caliber. And I have several revolvers, S&W 1905's. It is a fun caliber. I shoot it often.

Funny thing is cuzinbruce , If Savage would make a run of those rifles again and do it right . I think I'd just have to buy a couple of 'em !!

Jack

[jsizemore]

I got my grand slam in hunter's pistol silhouette shooting cast in a 32-20.

[Multigunner]

Lloyd, you won't get any argument from me. Back in my grade-school days (1950's) I recall at least one kid who used a 32-20 for deer hunting and never had a problem. For that matter, my youngest brother used to hunt with a 25-20 (same thing necked down) Savage Model 23 back in that time period. He got 4 deer with 6 shots with that rifle over 4 seasons. Of course he hunted in the woods, and his shots were all within 75 yards or so--but that was hunting, back in the day.

I lucked onto a 23B a few years back. I had been keeping an eye out for a .32-20 bolt action rifle, or an action I could have fitted with a .32-20 barrel, but couldn't pass this excellent condition .25-20 up especially at less than half the price they usually bring these days. A fine little rifle. One day I may find a .32-20 to keep it company.

Considering the possible game animals in the power range of either cartridge I'd put turkey at the top along with groundhog and practically anything under 75 pounds.
If Fox were still hunted for its fur (it may be in some places I haven't really checked) these light calibers would be the top choice.

If necessary to survive I'd try taking deer with it. A neck shot should do the trick and the accuracy is adequate at woodland distances.

The .25-20 has a slight advantage when it comes to smaller game, the lower velocity lead bullet factory loads are adequate for small game without tearing them apart, while the high velocity cartridge is plenty deadly for bigger animals within its limitations.
So far I've only found high velocity loads locally, and only one box of those plus a partial box along with fired cases that came with the rifle. I'll be casting for this rifle and building accurate small game loads for it.

[jmh54738]

I'm happy to see that I am not alone with my Rem 25's, Savage 23's, and Win 92, colt's, and S&W. One or more is always at hand, loaded. I didn't have time to look for shells when a pack of dogs was in my barn chewing up the young stock. Three dogs didn't make it, one got away. Oh yea, no time to get dressed either. The 32-20 does the job.
John

[10 ga]

It's about the best turkey gun I ever had. Light, easy to carry, handy, deadly on turkeys. Eyes old now and need a scope. My Marlin 32-20 was my favorite turkey gun. I even liked it better than my beloved #10 shotguns, so much lighter and much more pleasant to carry on a nicefall day when fall turkey hunting. Bad knees and bad eyes have put an end to much of that. Have gone to using an old #20 Franchi auto that only weighs about 5.5#. Yeah, 32-20, it's a great turkey gun! 10 ga