Winchester 94 - 32 SPL a slower twist than 30-30?

[indian joe]

32 Win. Special barrels were made from left over 32-40 barrels. With the use of the new smokeless powder for the 30-30 Winchester saw a opportunity to use up the barrels by simply necking up the 30-30 to 32 cal. and making a reamer. Early 32 Winchesters had reversible rear sight elevators for blackpowder and smokeless powder for those folks who were used to reloading blackpowder and didn’t trust the new fangled smokeless powder, Winchester could sell more rifles.32 Win. Special has always had shallow rifling a leftover from its 32-40 days and it never changed to deep cut rilfling.The 32 Special is barley a good jacketed bullet shooter, treat it right with cast bullets you will enjoy superb accuracy .

i wasnt there at the time but I bet if they had "leftover" 32/40 barrels they woulda used em up.

[indian joe]

From what I have read the "special" was designed for loading with smokeless or black, same for the 38 Special. I have had many winchesters come in with a inch cut off the barrel to try and get them to shoot better. Seems the last inch of the barrel took a beating from cleaning rods. There are liners available for the 32 with 1 in 14 twist and 1 in 16 twist. the 32 special had to wait for the nickel steel barrel to come out in 1895, same as the 30-30. The first batch of 94s were made in 32-40 and 38-55 only because the older steel would no last long with the higher pressure and velocity of smokeless.

Cleaning rod damage still happening I want to scream at the range when I see blokes cleaning from the front with no muzzle protector on the ramrod - where I shoot more dont use them than do .

[Larry Gibson]

Bazoo is correct, the 32 WS was first developed when black powder was commonly used hence the twist rate.

Randy Bohannon is actually correct also. Winchester had a pile of 32-40 barrels along with the tooling to keep making more. The 32-40 M94s weren't selling well because of the advent of the 30-30. Those who would have wanted to shoot BP would have just gotten the proven 32-40 BP shooting cartridge. The 32 SPL was just a "modern cartridge" at the time to use the 32-40 barrels.

It is an excellent cast bullet cartridge BTW which can be loaded to full potential and then some. A 170 gr GC'd bullet over a full case (up to base of seated bullet) of LeveRevolution will exceptional velocity and accuracy with under factory level pressure.

[farmbif]

+1 for the full case of leverevoluition and rcbs 32-170. I dont know why but I have been led to believe the twist in the 32 win spl barrel was 1-14 and the 30-30 is 1-12. earlier someone wrote that it is 1-16. does anyone know for sure the history and what twist rate was put in the barrels though winchesters history?

[35 Rem]

Every reliable source I've seen always quotes the 32 Winchester Special at 1-16 twist. I know that's what the Miroku Model 1894 I have has. It is significantly slower than its cousin the 30-30.

I need to get an 8lb jug of LeverEvolution because I have seen the velocity vs low pressure numbers and am impressed.

[Hick]

+1 for the full case of leverevoluition and rcbs 32-170. I dont know why but I have been led to believe the twist in the 32 win spl barrel was 1-14 and the 30-30 is 1-12. earlier someone wrote that it is 1-16. does anyone know for sure the history and what twist rate was put in the barrels though winchesters history?

I don't know anything of the history, but my 32 WS was built in 1949 and I have measured the twist. It is 1:16.

[salvadore]

I shoot an accurate bullet at about 1800fps. The bullet weighs about 160
grains. I use ball C2 @ 30 grains.
aybe I should use a disclaimer, but that liad gives me 2moa at 50 yds. I like it.

[john.k]

You could still buy a 94 in 32 spec in 1973 when I bought mine ............It was probably discontinued in 1982 ..........although the commeratives were in 32spec sometimes for many years .