1893 Marlin 32-40 range report part II

[Wind]

Well boys and girls, my homework assignment was to develop a new 32-40 load for my 1893 Marlin with a little more power. Enough at least to knock over a 200 yard silhouette ram most of the time! Started off by building the Ram-O-Matic, which looks nothing like a ram. Actually it is a 12 by 24 steel plate, 3/8th of an inch thick and hung off a couple chains. I was gonna incorporate all kinds of recording devices to show the amount of movement with regard to where the bullet impacted it, but settled on “if it moves what looks like a couple inches, as seen from 200 yards, then if it was a ram it would probably have fallen over” as a base line on power for the new load.

I have observed if I tune a sight setting on a bullseye target at specific yardages, that in the course of a silhouette match, my bullets impact the irregular shaped silhouette targets with less precision related to center of target. I have now been practicing on targets that may be symmetrical, but not round. Triangles, imitating chickens and turkeys, and these rounded squares imitating pig and rams. It seems to help.

I went through a couple front sight changes to help with the zero on the new “hotter” formula. I went through about 60 rounds at four different distances with the sight adjusting process, and did not clean the rifle. I had been concerned that the less than perfect bore would at some point foul and begin to affect accuracy. W30wcf – if you get to reading this, it did. In the third picture, even though I had painted the previous hits out, you can see the dimples in the steel plate working their way in surprisingly symmetrical pairs over to the left until one finally hit the wooden post. That occurred in just a dozen rounds or so, at about 100 rounds expended.

Today dawned cool and sunny. Figured it was time to see how it all was coming together. Had a bright, low sun again but a new front sight. The temperature was up to 30 degrees, and Cleat and I went out and set up the Ram-O-Matic at 200 yards. Thought I may as well get out to the 300 yard dinger and set it up too. In the first picture it’s up to the right.

Fired three rounds at 200 yards and was pleased with the results. These were shot off my shooting sticks, but it gives me a clue what the load and rifle will do if I do my part when shooting offhand. These bullets come completely apart as splatter and thus make hits easy to spot. A lot easier to see than holes in paper. I then found myself looking at the last seven of ten rounds I had brought outside and went right for the 12” by 16” 300 yard dinger again. Of the seven rounds, I hit it three times on the right lung and twice on the left. Figured two went over the top and missed. I was seriously pleased with the 300 yard group from a 113 year old rifle with just a factory rear leaf sight!! We’ll see how it goes for the December silhouette match. Any Washington State wet-siders would of course be welcome. Bring your long johns. Note: No blue poly-tarps were harmed filming this report.

Best Regards. Wind

[spurgon]

Wind,
Do you have any reloading data you wish to share for the 32-40?
thanks
spurgon

[kimwcook]

Pretty cool stuff, Wind. Cleat's even giving you his attention.

[Grizz]

Nice spot to shoot. I like the big gong. Is that well casing? That must ring pretty loud. Interesting spatter pattern. Wonder why it's all cast to the left.

Nice to see that rifle still doing so well after all those years.

Grizz

[Wind]

spurgon - Eight grains of Unique under a 170 grain gas checked bullet sized to .324 was an accurate load, just unreliable in the "knocking over rams" department. This new load is 14 grains of 2400 under the same bullet. I'm using Winchester 32-40 brass and Winchester large rifle primers. I'm pleased with the accuracy and it seems to hit hard enough to do the job. It leaves divots in the plate, but not craters. Both of these loads are towards the upper end of the scale, so approach them cautiously with your rifle. Hope this helps.

Kim - Sure would be good to have you up in a couple weeks (the 12th) for the silhouette match! You're always welcome here. Wear your long handles, as it's getting cool out.

Grizz - Yep, that's the front yard. I can actually shoot that 300 yard dinger whilst sitting on the toilet (and have)!! Good eye! That is six inch well pipe. I drill a hole up near the top and a shackle pin fits through and provides a hanging point. Those are 16 inches long, so it nets a 13 x 16 inch target. The "cleavage" does create some interesting splatter. Either side moves with each hit alittle, so it constantly changes, providing you keep on hitting the thing! If I were to put three pipes together, I use two shackles so as to leave a "yoke" to hang them from. Jacketed bullets will tear them up, so I limit shooting them to cast. It's easy to hear the hits, even to 600 yards or more.

Best regards. Wind

[Nath]

Wow thats good shooting there

Nath.

[cshold]

Wow
very nice

"The "cleavage" does create some interesting splatter."
And we all love cleavage

[spurgon]

Wind,
I haven't fired my 93 yet. As I am concerned with the metallurgy of the old gun and since your figures are at the top end, how many grains of Unique and/or 2400 would approximate a "factory" load? Also, whats the absolute lowest amount of Unique to avoid the dreaded "detonation" that I've heard about with small powder volumes? I've starting to cast my own wheel weight 165 gr. bullets from an RCBS mold.Thanks alot pardner. That place where you live make you the envy of alot of folks. Nice pooch too. Is it a great Pyrenees?
spurgon

[Wind]

Hey there again spurgon -- Here is a page from the Lyman Reloading Handbook, 44th Edition. It has a pretty large selection of powders and bullet weights. It should help you get started. Just make sure it doesn't say "Black Powder Only" on the barrel of your 1893. I've always maintained accuracy supersedes speed, except where flat rams are concerned!! I spent a couple years looking for a patch of ground where I can do just this. I've been building a place for the last couple years and it's starting to get there. My big tarpaper shack on the prairie. The TV series prolly won't catch on. Yep, Cleat is a Great Pyrenees. I'm a lucky man to have a great dog and a couple good ol' guns. Hope this helps. Best regards. Wind

click on the photo to enlarge