Is there any reason to go 32 Special if you already load for 30-30?

[Stopsign32v]

Finally got a 30-30 pre 64 Winchester 94 but found a nice looking one in 32 Special. Only thing holding me back is having to reload for yet another different chambering.

Does it make sense or just stick with 30-30s?

[ohen cepel]

I have some of each. Remember my Grandfather and great uncle always debating the two. Uncle was a 32 guy and Grandfather a 30-30. I don't think there is a big difference in them myself. Would get the 32 if it was a deal and you like the rifle, never hurts to have another

Have a 35 Rem? Need one of those also. I don't have that one yet aside from a Contender barrel but have been looking.

[1Hawkeye]

Know the feeling , I'd just keep going with the 30-30 unless the 32 is an 11 on the cool factor. Otherwise its just another mouth to feed.

[Winger Ed.]

I'd stick with .30-30s.
But then again: Whoever dies with the most toys--- wins.

[dverna]

What are your needs...that comes first.

Then what are your wants?

If you are practical, the .30/30 makes more sense. Lots of good molds if you want to shoot cast and brass is easier to find and cheaper. The .32 would be another toy with no upside to my way of thinking.

Now, If I found one really cheap I might be tempted to get it converted to .35/30, but it would need to be a $350 gun to make it worthwhile. It will likely cost $300 to do the conversion than add in dies. Lots of .35 cal molds to pick from for shooting cast and a good 200 gr FTX for jacketed.

[cwtebay]

I enjoy collecting (accumulating?) rifles chambered for each originally offered chambering. My oldest son claims that my 32 special to be far superior to the 30 WCF or 25-35, 32-40, 38-55. On paper or in truth be told ballistics - ain't a spit of difference between the 30-30 and 32 special. I still load for them all, enjoy each for a variety of reasons also. Also a fun 35/30 for that matter!
But....he who dies with the most dies (reloading dies that is).....

Well, he still dies. But it's fun to chase those little idiosyncrasies nonetheless.

Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

[eastbank]

my favorite 32 spl is a winchester 1938 model 64 that was not cheap, but not out of the world. i am able to hit ping-pong calls at 35 yards off hand with it. 165 gr j bullets at 2300 fps.

[gc45]

My Pre-64 32-S shoots very accurate with cast bullets. It may be the 1 in 16 twist and wider lands of the 32 that helps, I don't know for sure but sure like it!

[Der Gebirgsjager]

It's the old Chevy vs. Ford argument. There is no practical difference between the two.

DG

[Hick]

The Winchester 30-30's have a twist of something like 1:12. The 32WS has a twist of something like 1:16-- which means it does not spin up a boolit as fast. That makes a 32WS a superior cast bullet gun. That said, I have one of each and they both do fine.

[bruce drake]

ballistic similar cartridges. Lee's 8mm 170gr Roundnose is a great starting mold for the 32 Win Spl. If you explore more into 32 caliber bullet molds for that rifle, NOE offers a great 133gr Flatnose gas check design that makes for a perfect varmint and small deer round.
https://noebulletmolds.com/site/prod...325-133-fn-p1/

[stubshaft]

It's the old Chevy vs. Ford argument. There is no practical difference between the two.

+1 - Everyone knows that Chevy is the better choice though...

[indian joe]

no sensible reason at all to get a 32 special ........unless you want one = that is the best reason !!!!!!!!

[Randy Bohannon]

I’ll take the .32 Special over a 30-30 any day everyday, 1:16 R.O.T. shallow rifling as opposed to 1:10 R.O.T. deep cut rifling for jacketed bullets.
The .32 Special barrel has never changed from its parent barrel the 32-40. One the easiest decisions by Winchester to use up 32-40 barrels with a necked up 30-30 case and a reamer. Early 94’s in .32 Special had reversible elevators on the rear sight, for B/P or smokeless. Most definitely the better cast bullet cartridge.

[Nobade]

I’ll take the .32 Special over a 30-30 any day everyday, 1:16 R.O.T. shallow rifling as opposed to 1:10 R.O.T. deep cut rifling for jacketed bullets.
The .32 Special barrel has never changed from its parent barrel the 32-40. One the easiest decisions by Winchester to use up 32-40 barrels with a necked up 30-30 case and a reamer. Early 94’s in .32 Special had reversible elevators on the rear sight, for B/P or smokeless. Most definitely the better cast bullet cartridge.

This mirrors my experience. With either naked boolits or paper patched, I find that getting top accuracy with the 32 is easier than with the 30-30. Also the 32 works reasonably well when loaded with black powder and appropriate boolits, where the 30-30 can be made to work but is more difficult.

[pmer]

If I had neither the 30-30 or the 32 WS and was going to cast I'd go with the 32 Winchester Special because of the slower twist rate. I resize 30-30 brass for my 32ws and don't have a 30-30. I use jacketed data for cast in the 32ws right up to the top and never seen serious leading.

[John Taylor]

Now the difference, the 30-30 was designed to be reloaded with smokeless powder and the 32 special was designed to be reloaded with black or smokeless. That's the reason for the slower twist. Sort of like a few other cartridges out there like the 38 special. The slow 1 in 16 twist was the same as the 32-40 ( a black powder round). The first year of production of the 94 all were made in 32-40 or 38-55 because the nickel steel barrels were not available til 1895.

[bedbugbilly]

I wouldn't kick either of them out of bed for eating crackers.

When I was a kid, we had a Winchester 94 in 32 spl. and it was an amazing little gun to shoot - accurate as whoever was behind it. In 1966, my Dad got the bug to trade it in on the Winchester 66 Centennial 94 (rifle version) 'cause he thought it was pretty and would be a collector piece - that rifle sat in the gun rack unfired for the next 50 years when I settled my parent's estate and my brother wanted it. I would love to have the 32 special to play with cast and both smokeless and BP.

My father-in-law had a Winchester 94 in 30-30 that he bought used in 1935 - I used to use it when he and I went deer hunting up in th UP after my wife and I got married in the early '70s. It, too, was a fine shooting rifle and I would have loved to have had it but he gave it to his son, my b-in-law who turned right around and sold it for the money.

I had a lWin. 94 Ranger and regardless of the darn cross button safety, it was a nice little shooter in 30-30 - I sold it and now regret it.

I don't thin a person can go wrong with a 94 in either of those cartridges - if I had both, I would shoot both.not leave them in the rack to look at. Boils down to it all depends on what YOU like.

[Char-Gar]

We are talking cast bullets here, right? It is all about rifling twist. The Marlin 30-30 has a 1-10 twist, the Winchester 30-30 has a 1-12 twist and the 32 WS has a 1-16 twist. The slower the twist, the faster you can push the bullet with great accuracy. Which rifle is best for you depends on how fast you want your bullets to go.

I have five 30-30s of various makes and one 1959 Win. Carbine in 32 WS. You could not get the 32 away from me for love nor money.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I've got Marlin's in .32 Special, .35 Rem and .30-30. I think the .32 Special is the easiest to get accuracy, with the .35 Rem next. The 1-16 twist they both have seems to make higher velocities less of an issue. I run .323 in the .32's I have, .360 in the .35 Rem MicroGroove. The rim on the .32 Special makes loading light less of an issue for cases shortening due to firing pin impact compared to the .35 Rem, though drilling primer pockets controls all that for light loads. I do shoot the .32's more than the .35's and 30-30s though my Savage 99 .308's and .300's get the most use.