I took my "new" 32-20 target revolver out to the range today and put about fifty rounds downrange, about half wadcutters and half half-jacketed soft points. It shot very nicely. Good sight picture (considering my old eyes) helps a lot as does the modest recoil. I consider that one a win. At 105 this revolver is slightly older than me, but is in at least as good a shape. (Reloading that 32-20 brass is tricky, that thin leading edge deforms very easy. You have to take it very easy on the crimp.)

My 32/20 S&W has fixed sights, but like yours, it's a very accurate and fun gun to shoot. It shoots best with 115 grain cast bullets at about 800 FPS.

__________________
Keep your powder dry.

Is ammunition available somewhere? I'd like to shoot this puppy!


32 20 Hand Ejector Model 0f 1905 4th change right side

__________________
Come and take it!!

I suspect it is still available SOMEWHERE. Remington used to make it on occasion. Hard to say with their current situation. I wouldn't be surprised if Fiocchi makes it. The round is popular with Cowboy Action Shooters so somebody somewhere must be cranking it out.

Lots of ammo companies make 32-20, but all bets are off with the unprecedented ammo hoarding being done today. Remington, Winchester, Fiocchi and other European ammo companies make this ammo. Remington has decided to market its ammo as "Express Rifle", but this is a very mild load that can be used in revolvers. Reloading is the best option for this caliber and lots of .312" cast bullets are available, the same as used in 32 S&W and 32 Long. I have no issues loading this caliber, just need to take care when setting up and adjusting your dies.

We are aware that jacketed bullets can raise pressures, but no data exists to quantify this rise in chamber pressure. I believe that all early K frames were designed to shoot only lead bullets and personally see no reason to shoot jacketed bullets. Old time 32-20 rifle ammo was always jacketed, while revolver loads were always lead, and in my opinion, no need to rock the boat.

__________________
Gary
SWCA 2515

I've used Black Hills and HSM Cowboy Action ammo in the past in my 1927 .32-20 (Model of 1905 4th Change) with great success...115 gr lead Round Nose Flat Point (RNFP). Unfortunately, glowe is correct- .32-20 is impossible to find right now. Every place I've checked is Out of Stock. I think it's due to factories producing large quantities of more popular rounds (9mm, .38 Spl., etc.) and delaying production of less desired calibers.

I’ve been looking for a S&W 1905 / Target for a good while. I have gotten several nice 32/20s both S&W and Colt. I have 32/20 rifle and have loaded for them for years. I don’t get the trouble with loading them. I load 22 Hornet, 25/20 and 32/20 and don’t have trouble with any of them. I’m still loading on single stage press. I’m never going for quantity. If I was running into problems, I stop and find out what caused it. I’ve had my share of problems, just not from 32/20. As many who complain about this it makes me wonder if it’s a function of their dies, AND are all using same manf dies.
In 80s when 22 Hornet was making big comeback one of the major makers made a run of bum dies.
In 32/20 I load 99% cast bullets. I found on the older original 32/20 they do much better with cast, ditto on 25/20.

Last week I helped work a gun show table and while looking around before the show started I came across three boxes of 32-20 in the dogbone Remington box. Two of them were sealed in plastic. Really nice condition. I wonder if the old ammo is still good as new or if its just for having new brass and a nice picture box?

I didn't ask prices as I have no idea what its bringing right now.

I started with 32-20 in 1st Gen Colt SAA in 1959.

I find myself having to be very careful with my handloaded 32-20 ammo now. I have 800fps for older HE's and I have some 1400fps for my Ruger Buckeye and Vaquero.

You really don't want to mix them up.

Prescut

I recently acquired a box of the Remington .32-20 ammo as described. It was marked $75.

__________________
Living a dream - S&WCA #2364

That would be a bad day at the range if you ended up with rifle loads in your old M&Ps. I have a Uberti 1873 in 45 Colt and several 45 Colt revolvers, including an Uberti top break Schofield that is chambered in 45 Colt. The rifle load is stout and write "RIFLE ONLY" all over the box, plus only load only jacketed bullets for the rifle for east identification. I also leave my 45 revolvers home when I take the rifle to the range. Same thing when I take the revolvers out, leave the rifle home. I feel confident with clearly marked boxes and lead for revolvers and jacketed for rifle, but a good issue to bring up for others who might be dealing with the same situation.

__________________
Gary
SWCA 2515

I don’t have my Buckeye Special Blackhawk, but still have the .32mag cylinder. If I get another Buckeye will have something to bore to .327mg
I wonder if that cylinder will fit a 30carbine Ruger BH. 327 loaded with 308 100gr bullets might make a nice field gun.

32-20 Win 100 gr JHP 900 fps (50 Rounds)(New) – Wisconsin Cartridge, LLC

This is a small factory that still makes it. I am sure there are others. They seem to be out of stock ATM, but if it is listed, they still make it. If you check back a few times, There will probably be 100~200 boxes, it will dwindle down to nothing in a couple days, and back in stock a week or two later.

My revolver says .32 Winchester on the barrel. I believe that is the same as .32-20, only an earlier designation? Will it also shoot .32 long?

__________________
Kevin in Oregon

Yes, .32 Winchester and .32 WCF (Winchester Central or Center Fire) are the same as .32-20. Most .32-20 revolvers will fire a .32 Long cartridge, BUT the case will swell and may split.

Back in my cop days, I worked two cases where folks were murdered with .32-20 revolvers shooting .32 Long rounds.

__________________
John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Muley Gil, thanks for the information. I was told that S&W didn't like having a competitors (Winchester) name on their revolver, hence the change to 32-20.

__________________
Kevin in Oregon

Winchester wasn't a competitor, since they didn't build handguns. Now, you won't see C-O-L-T on many S&Ws.

__________________
John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

I bought a few boxes of Remington .32-20 ammo a few years ago, when I was sure I was going to be buying a S&W or Colt .32-20 revolver.

Said revolver never materialized in any kind of condition that justified the prices people were asking for them. Poor re-nickel jobs being passed off as factory, bulged barrels, even a Colt that had rusted and was parkerized and had rust coming up through the park.

Maybe I should consider selling however many boxes I have?

__________________
What would Jim Cirillo do?

AWESOME !!!

Keep On Keeping On... us old guys got to keep kicking it down the road !
Very Very Nice Revolver ...
Gary

__________________
Certified Cajun
NRA Member

If you sell the ammo, a nice .32-20 will be for sale.

Me, I keep ammo. I still have some .38-40 rounds stashed away from when I had a .38WCF New Service. I think I sold that one back in the early '80s!

Hang on to your .32-20 rounds. They ain't going to go bad.

__________________
John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

That's the ONLY reason I haven't sold them so far.
Them, and the almost box of .44-40 ammo 6 boxes of 16 gauge shells I was given.

__________________
What would Jim Cirillo do?

Ammo doesn't really go bad.
I wouldn't shoot jacketed bullets in a 32-20 HE.
A lot of the 32-20s have oversize bore..... mine is .314
A number of years ago I got Remingtons 100gr JSP in 500 bulk from Midway, and they measured .310-.311. I loaded a reduced load for what I thought safe in my 32-20 HE. All shot but one. A different sound. I stopped and sure enough a bullet halfway down the bore. I got it out, and fortunately I didn't fire again... and there is no bulge in the barrel. I have abandoned jacketed in revolvers. Now have settled on .313 Bear Creek lead bullet. A lot of jacketed are undersized for these guns and the bullet doesn't "bump up" to fit. Be safe out there!