Your Own Shooting Ability ? ? ?

9

9.3X62AL

Guest
K Hornet--

Those words are good ones to live by. I've had a small share of medical adventures over the past year or so (I'll be 60 in a few days) that have kept things *interesting*, but I'm getting on the better side of those events and able to re-start loading and shooting with some frequency now.

Ben--

The 30/32 caliber handguns have been a long-term mainstay of my shooting activity since 1981. As mentioned above, the need to feed a 32 S&W Long revolver got my bullet casting sub-section of this hobby field launched during that year, and I have yet to look back on either the casting effort or upon the mid-calibers. Mid-caliber centerfire handguns and small-gauge shotguns are the two reigning passions and lifelong constants of my shooting hobby world, and I don't see that changing anytime soon.
 

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
I may have lost my mind, but I think I'd like to have a 10" barrel for my old style
T/C Contender in 32-20 ? ? If I can find one reasonable $ $ $ , I just might grab it.

Ben
 
9

9.3X62AL

Guest
A T/C Contender barrel in 32-20 would be mondo useful. The Contenders can absorb the backthrust and pressure of the old High Velocity loads suitable for the 92 Winchesters and 94 Marlins; most Colt or S&W wheelguns should be limited to 1873-level velocities, 115 grainers running 900-950 FPS max. Be aware that many of the T/C-made barrels in 32-20 use a .308" groove diameter (making them into a "30-20", actually) as opposed to the usual groove spec of .311"-.313" seen with this caliber.
 

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
That would be even better. My .309" and .310 " sizer dies would get a good work out with a barrel like that.

I've read that prior to the .357 Mag., lawmen would carry a large frame colt in 32-20 and be carrying rifle loads in it.

May not have been a good daily practice for the revolver, but fired sporadically, it probably turned that particular handgun into a formidable self defense weapon.

Ben
 
9

9.3X62AL

Guest
I don't know if the New Service got made up in 32-20 or not. My Colt book by Serven is still packed, can't check its text. Both Colt and S&W were pretty accomodating about custom work during that time. The M1 Carbine Blackhawks can give a good approximation of the HV rifle loadings in 32-20, their 110 grainers run about 1450 FPS from the 7.5" barrel. I sure as h--l WON'T be running those sorts of loads through my between-the-wars S&W M&P or Colt Army Special, or my 1906 Colt Bisley 4.75".
 

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
My only complaint about the Ruger SB .30 carbine is that ear piercing crack that is made by that round in a revolver.

You'll get to find out just how good your hearing protection is.

Ben
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
My Ruger in 30 Carbine isn't bad at all. 10.5 gr 4759 under 311410 is far quieter than full on rifle loads and all those CA ground squirrels agreed that they couldn't tell the difference. :D
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Try a 10 in K-hornet Contender.
I can't get over the disconnect in my 30 carbine BH between the noise it makes and the complete lack of recoil. Sounds like a 44 mag, feels like a 38 special. It does shoot well.
 

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
I had only shot factory rounds prior in the Ruger BH, .30 Carbine.
The blast was phenomenal. It and the .22 mag. in a handgun are vicious.

Rick,
Sounds like you've got a much more pleasant load to fire in yours.

Ben
 

JSH

Active Member
I have been shooting 32-20 aka 30-20 in a TC 20+ years. I never slugged any prior to casting. Been casting now about 16 years. The only TC barrels I am aware of being made with a .312 bore were all aftermarket barrels. I have slugged a dozen or so 32-20 and 32 mag factory TC barrels and they slugged .308-.309.
The 30-20 on the TC platform is able to do what the 30-221 and it's clones can do. My cast load with a 165 Sil. Is the same load I worked up with a factory 300 whisper. I stayed with the 30-20 just because of the rim for loading and extraction I liked it better.
It took me 20 some odd years to get one but I lucked into buying the very first Ruger buckeye in 32-20/32 mag cylinders I saw. This one slugs at .312. I use a 140 plain base and a pretty good dose of AA#9. My OAL is long enough that it won't chamber in any other 32-20 I have found, as I am sure it would grenade an older weaker gun.
The 327 runs out of case capacity and the old 32-20 still out does it easily.
Jeff
 

Cherokee

Medina, Ohio
32-20 and 30 Carbine, two of my fav little cartrdges...got OM Ruger BH's in both (second cyl in 32-20) and a Buckeye 32-20 (never used the 32 cyl). All will perform great, mild or wild. Factory level loads go 1450 fps and a couple of GC cast loads at 1500 and 1600 fps from the BH's. Mostly though I like the 1000-1200 fps loads with 3.0 gr of various powders which take care of anything I would shot with them. BTW, the 308 barrel of the BH's do very well with .310 size CB's and the Buckeye does use .312"
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
Given the original questions limitations and my current eye sight and condition...maybe 20-25 yards with the Hi Standard Supermatic or Ruger 22/45 bull barreled job (assuming I could find any 22lr ammo). Maybe the same with my beloved M19 Smiff. But that's a BIG maybe. With an iron sighted rifle I'm okay out to 60-75 yards if the lights good and the target contrasts enough. Actually I'm better with stuff a ways off than with trying to see things close up.
 

Pistolero

Well-Known Member
Eyes failing is a real PITA. I would encourage anyone who is losing out due to cataracts to
get them fixed. I was bullheaded and put mine back 1 year, now I really wish I had not. It was
a fairly miserable and scary year, and it didn't have to be that way. It was just so scary to
have someone cutting on my optical path........... even as a technical person, and on the logical
level, convinced it would be OK..... I still recoiled at the thought and pushed it back until
it was clear that what vision I had left was pretty near useless. Pretty boneheaded.
 
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carpetman

Active Member
I am left eye predominant and right handed. I shoot right handed. I had cataract on my right eye and it was removed so that I have very little correction in my right lens. My left eye is a big blurr without correction as it has cataract. But it will correct so well they wont remove it. I suspect if it were removed I'd only need reading glasses. Now to answer the original question--how far? I could possibly do it at 200. Well ok you guys are talking yards, but I'm talking inches. That's more precise.
 
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Dale53

Active Member
Ben;
Several years ago I had cataract surgery for my right (shooting) eye. After the cataract was removed, it was discovered that I had Glaucoma in the right eye. Quickly, after the surgery, my vision deteriorated until I lost the central vision in that eye. A couple of years later, I had cataract surgery on my left eye. It had worked quite well, leaving my vision in that eye at about 20/40 and fully correctible with glasses (bifocals needed to read).

That put paid to my competition rifle shooting for good. However, I discovered that using my left eye while shooting right handed works quite well. I shoot mostly at 25 yards, standing. I now use Red Dot sights on most of my pistols.

Here's some targets I have shot, all left eyed, right handed at 25 yards, standing in the past couple of years:
625-8 revolver - .45 ACP:


16-4 shooting .32 S&W Long:


625-6 .45 ACP:


625-6 .45 ACP;


624 (6.5" barrel .44 Special) shot several years ago. The low shot was the first shot - I wasn't sure where it was sighted and I held center and shot the rest (in front of witnesses) with issues sights.



625-8 JM Special with 4" barrel in .45 ACP



This was shot with my Smith Model 520 (4" barrel) shooting .38 Special wadcutters at 25 yards on the silhouette (five shots):


Oh, by the way, I celebrated my 80th birthday on June 4 of this year.

FWIW
Dale53
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Dale, that is some impressive shooting.

I would love to do that well and I'm not near 80
 

Dale53

Active Member
Brad;
Thanks for the kind words. No doubt, it'll leave suddenly and I must admit that every time I have a good day at the range, I am aware it could be my last good day. In the meantime, I enjoy it (from casting the bullets, to lubing and boxing, reloading and shooting). I have taken several deer and uncounted edible small game with my handguns but am now too feeble to drag a deer out of the woods. No problem, tho', I did it when I could and I still have the memories.

Dale53
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
I understand on the deer. My father, now 75, has had me help get the last 5 or 6 deer he has taken out. I seem to remember days when he dressed deer for me, now that role has reversed. I must admit I have a fair bit of respect for him, he went blind in his right eye about 7 years ago. As a righty I was afraid he would stop hunting. We found mounts for a scope that allowed him to shoot right handed but use his left eye. It required a different rifle but he kept hunting. A similar set up on a shotgun let him continue turkey hunting too.
Keep on shooting. Seeing guys older than me having a good time at the range gives me hope that I too will have a long life of shooting enjoyment.
 

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
Dale,

( I'll be 66 this month ), At age 80, I hope that I even know my name and what day of the week it is at age 80 .

To be able to shoot groups like you've shown at age 80 would be a wonderful bonus of blessings that I'm certain that I don't deserve.

Wonderful shooting ! !

Ben
 
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Cherokee

Medina, Ohio
Dale - that is good shooting. I'm 73 and can't do that well any more, but I keep shooting and enjoying it.