reloading the 32 special

[fordwannabe]

Hello all, I have recently acquired a 1908 manufactured model 1894 winchester with a 26 inch round barrel. I will have to slug the bore for final sizing of the bullet, but do any of you have a go-to load for the 32. I know I can use 30wcf info but if one of you has a good start for me I would much appreciate the help. Yes I am the guy who asked about a date of manufacture on a 1893 marlin witha 26 inch octagon barrel inanother post, and no I did not get a bear while up in maine, but I did add two to the collection of levers. SHHH don't tell Mrs fordwannabe!

[yooper2]

Two of my 32s really like 30 grs. of IMR 3031 under the 170 gr. jacketed bullets. Another really likes 33 grs of IMR 4895 under the same. A load that is also interesting is 9 grs. of Unique under just about any cast bullet of proper size. This load is real light, no recoil to speak of, great for kids, and (with the three different bullets I have tried) quite accurate. It's a great cartridge that never really got fair shake.

[zoner]

my 32 Special is a 1942 Winchester. I've had it since I was 12 yrs old....some 47 years and before that it was my grandfather's gun. I shoot 170 gr FNBB(no gas check) cast bullet sized .322 over 15 grs 4759. This gets me 1600 fps with no recoil and wants to go in the same hole all day long.......Mike

[RIHMFIRE]

my 32 Special is a 1942 Winchester. I've had it since I was 12 yrs old....some 47 years and before that it was my grandfather's gun. I shoot 170 gr FNBB(no gas check) cast bullet sized .322 over 15 grs 4759. This gets me 1600 fps with no recoil and wants to go in the same hole all day long.......Mike

mines a 42 also.....is yours a rifle or carbine....and did you use a 32WS factory crimp die
or a 30-30 die?....which I am told is possible!

[zoner]

mines a carbine. I use a Lee bullet seating/crimp die. I seat all my bullets first, then adjust my die to crimp in a separate operation. Works for me....Mike

[Hobie]

All the guys I know that loaded for the .32 WS used 31 or 32 gr. IMR 3031 under the 170 gr. jacketed RNs.

[earlmck]

And just in case you have some on hand... I got my most accurate load (so far, and very limited testing) with 29.5 gr. of Alliant RL7 which also appears to be about max in my old (early 1900's) Winchester. I haven't chronographed it yet. At 30 grains the group opened a bit and I could feel a bit of resistance when rechambering the fired round, which is my little test for figuring when I have hit the upper limit. This with the Hornady 170 gr. Flat Point, CCI 200 primers, new Win. cases.

I have plans for getting out today and seeing what velocities you get from Hodgdon's LVR and also Alliant's "Varmint" powders which look like they may have promise for the 32 Special but our manufacturers haven't got around to giving us any data. And they may not since us 32 Special shooters don't get much respect, as you've already noticed!

[jlchucker]

my 32 Special is a 1942 Winchester. I've had it since I was 12 yrs old....some 47 years and before that it was my grandfather's gun. I shoot 170 gr FNBB(no gas check) cast bullet sized .322 over 15 grs 4759. This gets me 1600 fps with no recoil and wants to go in the same hole all day long.......Mike

Something tells me that your load with that cast bullet will not bounce off a whitetail or a black bear, either. 1600 fps with no recoil sounds like a recipe made for excellent bullet placement at ranges for which calibers like the 32 Special excell.

[ollogger]

i use 25 gr. RL7 with a 170 gr. cast shoots good
and 28 gr. RL7 with 170 gr. hornady that load is bout a 2 incher at 100 yd. the gun is a 1894 carbine made in 1911 with a fair bore
earl let us know your test results if ya get out shooting

[fordwannabe]

Thank you gentlemen. This is the best site on the web.
I am sure most of you willl but please put up a prayer tomorrow morning for those we lost and those left behind, on this anniversary. Thanks Tom

[Charles]

A couple of years back, I bought a minty 1959 vintage Winchester 94 carbine. It came with a Lyman steel receiver sight on it. A friend suggested a load of 30/H335 over 170 grains RCBS GC cast bullet. This is a full snort load.

I loaded up a bunch and took the rifle to the range. The accuracy was astounding and I have never tried any other load. I know when to quit while I am ahead.

[earlmck]

earl let us know your test results if ya get out shooting

Got out this morning to chronograph those loads with Hodgdon's "Lever" and Alliant's "Varmint" powders: just doing a velocity string thing where you have a series of loads from low to high to see how the velocities shape up and see where the first "excess pressure" signs appear. All these loads are with Hornady 170 grain Flat-nosed bullets, fired in my old 26" bbl model 94 and using CCI large rifle primers.

First I tried the 29.5 grains RL7 load I have been using that I hadn't chronod. (2100fps). Then tried the 30 grains 3031 that yooper2 recommended (1950fps).

Started on my Lever loads, which went from 35 grains to 38 grains in half-grain increments. These chronod from 1700fps to 2135 fps, jumping around quite a bit and not showing a real predictable velocity increase per powder grain increment.

The "Varmint" loads went from 32 to 35 grains, velocities went from 2000 fps to 2175 fps in a reasonably predictable fashion.

None of the loads gave me the "slightly sticky extraction" that I look for to know when I have gone too far. And I had expected to find that indication before hitting the end of these strings, judging from the manufacturer's loading info for 30/30 170 grain data.
(Hodgdon shows 36 grains Lever giving 2330 fps in the 30/30 and Alliant shows 33 grains of Varmint giving 2240 fps).

At this point I do not have high expectations that "Lever" will do any great things in our 32 Specials. But Alliant's "Varmint" does show promise, basing these feelings on seeing predictable velocity gains per increasing powder, and seeing good velocities. So I may do some accuracy testing with "Varmint" and leave the "Lever" to the 30/30 and 30 Remington where it looked pretty good in this morning's chronograph session.

[DerekR]

I can confirm that a Lee Factory Crimp Die for the 30/30 Winchester will crimp a .32 WS as well. I do it all tha time!