Lyman #311252 for 32-20?
- Thread starter Elric
- Start date
RicinYakima
High Steppes of Eastern Washington
Used this in a Remington #4 converted from .32 RF to .32 S&W Long. Started with it because of the 1/24 twist. After I found out it shot the 98 grain bullets I used in 32/20 pistols just as well I stopped casting them.
Eutectic
Active Member
Shortly after I was weened I had a burning desire for a .25-20..... It wouldn't happen for many years however! But in 1961 I was in a large hardware that also sold guns. I saw a Winchester Model 43! They had just discontinued them and I thought I needed one in .218 Bee. The sales person showed up an asked if he could help me......"Is that Model 43 a Bee or a Hornet?" I asked. He looked at me for a moment. "Just took it as a trade-in on a Remington 740 '06.." He added with his eyes down...... "It's a .32-20"....... My heart leaped. "Ohhh" I said. He spoke as I was quiet. "Hey.....I gave him $50 trade in.... I'll sell it to you for that." My love affair for the .32-20 had started.
You could still get WHV factory loads then so I bought a couple boxes. It shot pretty well and they worked over ground squirrels and crows! I still use some of the brass for grouse loads almost 60 years later!
The 80 gr. bullet was short and squatty..... So I agree with Bret that the 100-120 range is easier to get accuracy with. But I recently bought an NOE mold for a bullet I thought interesting. 84grs...... They cast 83 grs from a soft alloy for me. I didn't like the undersize front band (.310") but it was a good thought as it gets deeper into the short throat for better alignment. I'm using it on grouse in a few days now.
I still have that Model 43.... It really shoots with cast but it won't hang with my Model 23 Savage! My comment is short bullets in the .32-20 depend on the design of it
and your guns throat for good groups.
http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/images/N.O.E._Bullet_Moulds_315-84-RF_PB_AT2_Sketch.Jpg
Pete
You could still get WHV factory loads then so I bought a couple boxes. It shot pretty well and they worked over ground squirrels and crows! I still use some of the brass for grouse loads almost 60 years later!
The 80 gr. bullet was short and squatty..... So I agree with Bret that the 100-120 range is easier to get accuracy with. But I recently bought an NOE mold for a bullet I thought interesting. 84grs...... They cast 83 grs from a soft alloy for me. I didn't like the undersize front band (.310") but it was a good thought as it gets deeper into the short throat for better alignment. I'm using it on grouse in a few days now.
I still have that Model 43.... It really shoots with cast but it won't hang with my Model 23 Savage! My comment is short bullets in the .32-20 depend on the design of it
and your guns throat for good groups.http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/images/N.O.E._Bullet_Moulds_315-84-RF_PB_AT2_Sketch.Jpg
Pete
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
I also have Savage 23's (One 22lr, one 32-20, two 25-20's) and Winchester 43. My 43 in in 218 Bee and sadly the lug recesses are set back very slightly. So no loads that would qualify as even warm in that one. I treat it kind of like an overgrown 22mag. Nice enough gun, but not up there with the Savage.
85-ish grs is about as low as I'd want to go with a 32-20, at least for varmints and game. 85grs and under is 32 S+W/S+W Long territory in my opinion. Any FN or SWC out of one of those at 1k-1.2K is going to bring home all the eatin' meat on the farm smaller than Bambi. Up in the 1.5K range you can take out Wile E. Coyote and Bambi too if you are close and have a good shot.
85-ish grs is about as low as I'd want to go with a 32-20, at least for varmints and game. 85grs and under is 32 S+W/S+W Long territory in my opinion. Any FN or SWC out of one of those at 1k-1.2K is going to bring home all the eatin' meat on the farm smaller than Bambi. Up in the 1.5K range you can take out Wile E. Coyote and Bambi too if you are close and have a good shot.
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Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
In my often repeated opinion, (IOW, I can't shut up about it). the 311316 is THE bullet for the 32-20 in pistol or rifle. Load it low and slow and grey squirrels and the like drop like stones. I would strongly avoid upping the speed for edible small game above 1350-1400fps. I've pretty much cut a good sized grey in half with a heart shot with warmer loads. Even at 1400 they will mangle the head impressively, so if you like brains, don't do it. At 11-1200 they are quite a bit tamer and honestly, even down in the 900 to 1K range they kill very well given a decent hit. I've never recovered a 311316 from anything smaller than a coyote, although I haven't gone poking around on porkies much. I have recovered a few from a horse carcass some 20 years back. IIRC they deformed and held together about as you'd expect, nothing "Core-Lokt" looking, and that was in the 1400 fps area from 50 yards. They will completely destroy a vertabrae, thats for sure. The 32 S+W Long does the same thing with the 311316 at 1K range, although it's capable of popping them out considerably faster in a strong actioned rifle. I bought a 311359 specifically to use for squirrel in the 32-20 but I just haven't had time to play with it.
I've taken the 32-20/311316 up in the 1800+fps area. It's very destructive on flesh and brass when you push it. Out of a 30-30 or 308 at 2K plus it's a varmint bullet in my alloys ( fairly soft). I've never had the chance to try HP's at those speeds but I imagine they'd be more of the same. That FN simply works. Of course that true on up the line in weight and caliber. The 311316 is sort of a mini RCBS 30-180FN in my mind and that's hard to improve on for me in a 30 cal. The Lee Soup Can probably works about the same if you have a tight barrel. Happily, my K-32 is such a critter and dotes on the Soup Can from one of my 6 banger moulds.
I've taken the 32-20/311316 up in the 1800+fps area. It's very destructive on flesh and brass when you push it. Out of a 30-30 or 308 at 2K plus it's a varmint bullet in my alloys ( fairly soft). I've never had the chance to try HP's at those speeds but I imagine they'd be more of the same. That FN simply works. Of course that true on up the line in weight and caliber. The 311316 is sort of a mini RCBS 30-180FN in my mind and that's hard to improve on for me in a 30 cal. The Lee Soup Can probably works about the same if you have a tight barrel. Happily, my K-32 is such a critter and dotes on the Soup Can from one of my 6 banger moulds.