A Favorite Woods Walking Gun - Browning 53 32-20

[bhk]

The pictured 32-20 is one of my favorite guns for carrying around our acreage at leisure. I was checking on some of my glade plantings this morning when this young squirrel presented itself. He will become part of an upcoming dinner, along with some of his buddies. I bought this Browning 53 when it was a current production item, promptly stripped the Browning expoxy stock finish, and hand rubbed in an oil finish I optained from Brownell's (can't remember the exact product).

[pokey]

very nice,

[Markbo]

Very pretty. And apparently a pretty good shooter too!

[bhk]

Thanks, it is quite accurate. My only complaint with it is that it is quite 'short chambered', making the use of some bullets impossible. If the bullets don't begin their taper immediately after the cannelure, they won't work. An example that won't work are XTPs. Sierra jacketed bullets have the same problem. Right now I am using up an old supply of some Remington 100 grain 32-20 jacketed softpoints for my full-power power loads (1600+ fps) and I use Lazer Cast 115 grain lead for my reduced (1200 fps) loads. I may order some gas-checked 113 grain lead bullets from Cast Performance to see if they will work for full-power loads, although I will miss the expansion the Remington soft points provide.

[2ndovc]

That's a Beauty!! Always wanted one.

My '92s love the Cast Performance bullets. Very accurate in all three of my 32-20s.

jb

[JerryB]

That is a great looking rifle in my favorite round.My old Winchester 1892 .32wcf really like the 85 grain XTP Hp, it makes a great round with some 2400.

[HEAD0001]

I have always wondered whose idea it was to put that high gloss finish on the Browning and Winchester modern rifles. I bought my 1886 Ultra Light High Grade and did exactly what you did. I had a gunsmith remove that high gloss finish and apply an oil finish. In my opinion it looks and feels 10 times better. I probably ruined the value of the rifle. But I do not care. Tom.

[Jaguarundi]

Sweeeet !

[BenT]

The Marlin 94 32-20 that I picked up last fall is on it's way to being my favorite woods gun. But I ran out of 32 cal jacketed bullets and it looks like it won't be until July till they are available again. Ranchdog is going to do a groupbuy next spring on his 115 gr gaschecked mold. I need to stock up on jacketed bullet when availble and settle on a load.

[rjohns94]

thats very nice. I wish we could use centerfire rifles for small game in Pa. I have said it before and nothing has changed. If so, I would be all over a 32-20!!!!!

[kimwcook]

I picked one up just like it a short time back. Stripped the finish and Tru-oiled it. Haven't worked up any loads. I've only shot Remington factories and they left a lot to be admired.

[RIHMFIRE]

nice shooter!

[TedH]

Very nice!

[SFRanger7GP]

I have a Browning 53 and it has a Marble's tang sight mounted on it. I don't have any problems using the Hornady XTP 100gr bullets. However, I have to make sure all the brass is trimmed. If I do that, they chamber and shoot great. I used that rifle and bullet to kill 2 Brocket deer when I was in Bolivia.

What did you use to strip the epoxy off? I really like how your's looks. I do not care for the Browning "candy coating".

[bhk]

I am sorry, I don't really remember what I used to strip the Browning finish off other than it was something from a local hardware store. The can said it would remove epoxy finishes - it did. I also used it (or something similar) to strip the finish from a Citori. It took lots of 'wait time' for the remover to work, but not much scraping. Browning is generally good about not having the thick finish in the checkering, so that was a non issue.

[Lawyer Daggit]

Very nice rifle. I am envious.

[kimwcook]

Use Jafco paint and epoxy remover. Be patient and let it work. But, but, look your wood over real well before you do it. Mine has big cracks in the figure and when I started I didn't notice it. Now there's ripples in my finish because I didn't want to go clear through the process of filling in the pores with epoxy to level it out before the Tru-oil finish. Pretty wood, but really ticked me off about the cracks.

[big bear]

The pictured 32-20 is one of my favorite guns for carrying around our acreage at leisure. I was checking on some of my glade plantings this morning when this young squirrel presented itself. He will become part of an upcoming dinner, along with some of his buddies. I bought this Browning 53 when it was a current production item, promptly stripped the Browning expoxy stock finish, and hand rubbed in an oil finish I optained from Brownell's (can't remember the exact product).

What sight have you mounted on your rifle?

[Remington40x]

Mike:

Your comment about small game centerfires in PA really hit home. I actually had a Browning Lo-Wall re-bored and chambered for the .32 H&R cartridge for the express purpose of using it as a squirrel/rabbit rifle in the state forests up in Potter, Clinton and Lycoming Counties. By the time I got the rifle back, the regs had made it useless for its intended purpose.

I do, however, have the only Browning Lo-Wall in .32 H&R I've ever seen and it makes a way cool conversation piece at the range.

Rem

[hfcable]

Thanks, it is quite accurate. My only complaint with it is that it is quite 'short chambered', making the use of some bullets impossible. If the bullets don't begin their taper immediately after the cannelure, they won't work. An example that won't work are XTPs. Sierra jacketed bullets have the same problem. Right now I am using up an old supply of some Remington 100 grain 32-20 jacketed softpoints for my full-power power loads (1600+ fps) and I use Lazer Cast 115 grain lead for my reduced (1200 fps) loads. I may order some gas-checked 113 grain lead bullets from Cast Performance to see if they will work for full-power loads, although I will miss the expansion the Remington soft points provide.

wow that is a beauty, great job on the wood!

many of the browning repros were 'short chambered' though i think it is mostly the throat that is at fault. this tight throat also helps them produced terrific accuracy. had similar problems on two different 1886 repros, my buddys was so severe he could only use certain factory 300 gr loads. rented a throating reamer and local gunsmithing friend relieved it, a little at a time, till it would chamber standard loads with 400 gr and 500 gr bullets. the accuracy is still superb and now dont have to worry about the ammo. you could consider it, it is a very easy quick job to do.

[bhk]

The pictured 32-20 is one of my favorite guns for carrying around our acreage at leisure. I was checking on some of my glade plantings this morning when this young squirrel presented itself. He will become part of an upcoming dinner, along with some of his buddies. I bought this Browning 53 when it was a current production item, promptly stripped the Browning expoxy stock finish, and hand rubbed in an oil finish I optained from Brownell's (can't remember the exact product).

What sight have you mounted on your rifle?

The sight is a Lyman 66A. Maybe not the best sight in the world, but it works. I like it because I can quickly change the sight settings between my 'coyote' load and my 'squirrel' load by pushing a single button and manually sliding the slide up or down.