What are your favorite lever gun loads and what do you hunt with yours?

Bill.
Look forward to seeing some replies to your post. I just finished a re-line on a original 1873 Winchester 32-20 WCF and am starting to develop some loads. So far I've only fired 100g lead Winchester and Remington factory ammo.They both chronograph about 1050fps from the 24" barrel. The Winchester ammo is "OK" with about 3" groups at 100 yds. The Remington stuff shot so bad I pulled the remaining bullets and will use the cases for reloading. Recoil in that big old '73 feels about like a 22 LR and is very pleasant to shoot.

Jon

Jon: I'll bet I'm not the only one who would like to see photos of your 73.
I'm in the middle of a trade for a beater Model 53 Winchester with excellent bore. Should have the rifle early next week. I plan to cast for the gun, and have heard the Lyman 115-grain FN is hard to beat (Lyman 311008).

Bill -

I have a Remington, engraved, Model 25 Carbine in .32-20, and have owned, loaded for, and shot various other rifles and pistols in .32-20. Also have at least a dozen different moulds for .32-20 bullets.
My wife and I have killed numerous Columbia Blacktail deer with the round.

Still, it will be at least a month before I can get into my records to provide any help with your question. The building contractor was just here today for us to sign the last of the paperwork for him to build my new, much smaller shop. Next week is foot surgery. When both are complete, we'll be able to unpack the last 10 tons (literally!) of stuff from the move.

If you remind me then...about a month, I'd guess...I'll dig out a bunch of data and things for you to consider.

At that time I also hope to have a computer which was built after WWI (LOL), so I can show you some other good bullets for that round.

Best wishes,

AC

Bill...
My '73 is the standard "Sporting Rifle" model with a 24" octagon barrel, circa 1904. I finally got one of those "deals" and bought it for $150 about a year ago. The bore looked like a sewer pipe and the magazine tube was crushed but otherwise it was in pretty good shape. I have not tried to post pictures in a long time and don't want to learn all over again. I will be glad to take a few pic's and email them to anyone who is willing to post them here on AR.

The only changes I've made to the rifle are the addition of a Marbles tang sight and Lyman 17 front. The original sights will go back on when I've developed some good loads. The only bullet (other than factory ammo) I've used so far is a 115g FN from "Friends Wood Bullets" that is very similar to the Lyman. I have shot 1" 100yd groups with it using 3.0g of Hodgdon TiteGroup. Velocity averages 1075fps.

Jon

I have my great grandfather's 1889 Marlin 32-20. The rifle is all original and in pretty nice shape except for the bore which looks rough. Last time I shot it about 12 years ago I was using 10.5 grains 2400 behind 100 grain JSPs. Still fairly accurate.

fla3006.
That's great to have such a rifle actually handed down by your Great Grandfather. Don't let it get away and pass it along yourself someday.

I'm pretty sure your Marlin is quite a bit stronger than a '73 Winchester but my Lyman Manual lists 8.5g of 2400 as max. for a 100g JHP. It shows 1280fps and 15,000 CUP for the load. My '73 was also chambered in 38-40 and 44-40 WCF and seems huge for the little 32-20 cartridge. I would like to load it a little hotter (maybe another 100fps) but not if it's safe.

Jon

quote:

Jon: That's great to have such a rifle actually handed down by your Great Grandfather. Don't let it get away and pass it along yourself someday

Unfortunately not many people in my family seem to have much interest in guns, antiques, heirlooms. Hopefully my grandson will show some genuine interest as he gets older (2 now).

Ought to have my gun late this week, but it may be another week or two before I have rounds to shoot or weather to encourage shooting.
Thanks for the posts, guys.

I hava begun using a Marlin 94 CLR in .32-20 for NRA pistol cart. silhoutte within the last six months. All my experence to date has been with the 118 gr cast moly coated bullets from Bear Creek Supply in Waterford CA. Great bullets by the way. After extensive development and testing my best loads have been 6.8 grains of Blue Dot and 10.0 grains of IMR 4227. Both yield right at 1400 fps with acceptable accuracy. Most powders did well in the .32-20, the worst being Trail Boss. Tight Group performed best when velocity approximating factory loads was the goal. All in all this is an easy round to get good performance from.

LR: Good information, and thanks. What sights are you using for silhouette?

quote:

2010

I am using a Lyman 17 front in which I have tried both the narrowest post and the small bead. Jury's still out on that, but I am leaning toward the post. I use a center mass hold. The rear is a new Marbels tang. What a piece of dung. I made my own tang sight while I was waiting to get the Marbel's, which I would still be using if it were NRA legal. I am waiting for a Merit disk for the Marbel's. Seems like everything I order is always out of stock.

LR: Have you tried some of the laser-cut inserts for the Lyman globe from Ernie Shaver?

I have a set of the shaver inserts, but have not gotten around to trying them yet. They do look really well made though.

i got a question on the 32-20. a friend is going to sell me his original (not reproduction) colt pump action rifle, what kind of strenght would the action be, the rifle is in rough shape and needs alot of finishing, but the action seems tight. can i use pistle data for it or would i need black powder? i'd prefer not to blow it up!!!! but i think it would be great for the family to shoot.

Hi Smoke.

What model Colt is it and when was it made?

Jon

it was a colt lighting, i googgled these and they were made in the 1890's to 1904. i don't have the rifle yet so i don't have any more info on it yet. Marked .32cal and beleive that it would be 32-20.

According to Sharpe's "The Rifle In America", production on your Colt ended in 1900. If it is mechanically sound it should be safe with smokeless loads at the 1000 to 1100 fps level. I would try 3.5 grains of Tight Group. If you have any doubts about the soundness of the action, a check by a good gunsmith is in order.