32-40 win in 14'' contender

[John Taylor]

I have an old Lyman cast bullet book and it shows fast burning powders for the 32-40. The list shows Red Dot, 700X, Green dot, PB, and Unique. I have used Unique in 45-70 many years back and like it. Book shows a max for the 32-40 of 8.5 grains Unique and 164 grain cast at a velocity of 1315. For a short contender barrel the faster powders may be better.

[RickinTN]

My bet says IMR4227 is going to be your powder. Charges in the mid teens. Actually many folks used it for an accuracy powder in your cartridge in competition.
Good Luck to you,
Rick

[Green Frog]

@John Taylor,
Which old Lyman book is that? There were reports several years ago of an old Lyman cast bullet handbook (IIRC, the one with a line drawing of a man holding up a freshly loaded rifle round) that had a 32-40 load that proved so overpower it blew up a high wall. I always check any unknown load in at least one additional source before using it.
On another topic, that Ruger is way cool! I’m still working up loads for it.

Froggie

[Castaway]

I just had a Rolling Block barreled to 32-40 and am trying the black powder route at first. Not ruling out smokeless and will continue to watch this thread

[John Taylor]

@John Taylor,
Which old Lyman book is that? There were reports several years ago of an old Lyman cast bullet handbook (IIRC, the one with a line drawing of a man holding up a freshly loaded rifle round) that had a 32-40 load that proved so overpower it blew up a high wall. I always check any unknown load in at least one additional source before using it.
On another topic, that Ruger is way cool! I’m still working up loads for it.

Froggie

Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook, 3rd edition, 1980

[Green Frog]

Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook, 3rd edition, 1980

Yeah, by 1980 any disastrous errors had apparently been discovered and corrected. I don’t shoot short barreled 32-40s because ASSRA required barrel lengths of over 20” when I first started shooting competitions, I never readjusted my thinking when that number was reduced to 16” minimum.

I heartily agree with your suggestion to use faster burning powder in the shorter barrel. My “pet load” for years has been 13.6 gr of 4759, and even with a 26” barrel I still have unburned powder. It would be worse in a short barrel.

There is a reason they call it Unique... it works uniquely well in such a variety of cartridges and platforms. Like you, I used it to begin loading 45-70s. When in doubt try Unique! The use of 700X is also interesting. That’s another very flexible powder... I even used it with 38 wad cutters shooting PPC. I’ve never used it in long guns personally but looking at the charts, it looks very promising.

Regards,
Froggie

[John Taylor]

Unique is my go to powder for many old cartridges. Someone gave me a bunch of different powders when they had a house fire and one of the containers is a metal 25 pound drum of unique. There was a smaller can that I finally used up but the 25 pounder has not been opened yet.

[Green Frog]

Unique is my go to powder for many old cartridges. Someone gave me a bunch of different powders when they had a house fire and one of the containers is a metal 25 pound drum of unique. There was a smaller can that I finally used up but the 25 pounder has not been opened yet.

Twenty five pounds of Unique? Color me GREEN with envy! Unique may not be the very best powder for every single application, but IMHO one can get a workable load with it for just about anything.

I’ve got stashes of a couple of useful powders, but I’ve never had 25# of anything!

Froggie

[John Taylor]

Twenty five pounds of Unique? Color me GREEN with envy! Unique may not be the very best powder for every single application, but IMHO one can get a workable load with it for just about anything.

I’ve got stashes of a couple of useful powders, but I’ve never had 25# of anything!

Froggie

At least your not blue. My brother, a retired fire chief, set me up with an app called "Watch Duty" that shows where fires are at. Last month it looked like they were trying to make Oregon into a red state with all the fires on the map. Now it shows about 1/2 of Idaho is burning.

[indian joe]

Long cases if you can get them. They may be a touch long,but will clean up easily. The short cases will always give you a short product.
Froggie

just curious here - can you not make this brass from 30/30 or is it just too short?

I made a bunch of 375 BB shells from PMC 30/30 stuff years ago it worked fine

[wcp4570]

I shoot a Winchester HiWall in 32-40 using the 319247 that comes out weighing 176gr and load 8.0gr Unique powder and its a very pleasant and accurate load. I have Winchester 32-40 brass and some formed from Remington 30-30, I've shot the same load using both brass and there is no difference in accuracy. I agree with others that think Unique would be a better powder in the shorter barrel.

wcp

[Rockindaddy]

32-40 is a great caliber My Marlin Ballard likes formed 30-30 cases. My Lee mould drops a 172gr cast boolit The Contender will easily handle cast boolits. Would be a cheap shooter.

[tctender]

Got some loaded with h335 to try. Shooting a coated 170 gr lead bullet. Need to get a box of jacketed to try . My first two loads did not group as well as I would like although it would work for deer. Just need time to try more powders till I find one it likes.

[tctender]

Got some speer 170 gr jacketed going to try.Between 2 jobs have not had much time to play with my toys much. Deer season is here so I got to do some.

[Green Frog]

just curious here - can you not make this brass from 30/30 or is it just too short?

I made a bunch of 375 BB shells from PMC 30/30 stuff years ago it worked fine

Mea culpa, Joe! I saw this right after you posted it and forgot to get back to you. Here are some random thoughts so you can judge for yourself. The 30-30 brass, even when expanded to 32-40 profile is noticeably shorter than the original spec. brass. In fact, when WW made their run of 38-55 brass in the late ‘90s or early oughts, they used a shorter brass blank as well. Does it matter? Probably not. I used the ‘90s vintage John Wayne brass (nickel plated, from WW) starting out and I think it was short too. I also used some reformed 38-55, but never bothered with the 30-30 (too much work!) Starline made “modern” and “original” length 38-55 brass, so if length is critical to you, you should be able to get the long stuff from them. To be honest, I’d been shooting 32-40 for about 10 years before it came to my attention there was a difference!
HTH~Froggie

[tctender]

Got to try the 170 gr jacketed bullets and they shoot almost in the same hole. Found my hunting load.Only have a few brass. Now to find some 38-55 brass to size down.Can always fall back on the 30-30 brass if all else fails.