Original Winchester 1885 Low Wall

A month ago or so I was at a local gunshop looking for some ammo and I happened to run across a real gem, an original Winchester 1885 Low Wall in .32-20. The serial number puts the gun as being made in 1889. I got it really reasonably, I sold a couple things and traded in a gun I wasn't using, I have always had a liking for .32-20, I have owned a few guns in it before.
The 1885 has excellent rifling and a really good bore, it's missing the elevator for the rear sight but I found one online in about 20 minutes. I took these pics before the gun was even cleaned, I can't wait to get this to the range and eventually handload for it, but I really want to take it coyote hunting.
What strikes me is wondering where this gun could have been over the years. It was made before the Massacre at Wounded Knee, when it was made John Wesley Hardin was still in prison and Annie Oakley was still touring with Buffalo Bill Cody. It sure gets one to thinking.

Nice gun in a great caliber. I like single shot rifles, yours would be fun to shoot. You could load the velocity up or down. Need a range report on this one for sure, Larry

David—Super, super nice! You need a S&W 32-20 HE to go with it! What a great old rifle and I can only imagine the fun you will have with that. I seem to recall you have a young son too—what a great rifle for a young man to shoot too!

6518John said:

David—Super, super nice! You need a S&W 32-20 HE to go with it! What a great old rifle and I can only imagine the fun you will have with that. I seem to recall you have a young son too—what a great rifle for a young man to shoot too!

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I was actually thinking of him when I bought it for when he gets a little older. He has a new Savage Model 30G that he shot, and that is a modern version of the Stevens Favorite, so this will be a natural for him to shoot because he's use to that gun.

I love 1885's. Is that a scarce case hardened receiver?

Bob

Excellent find.
I too have an old Low Wall, have not dated it yet. It has a small black buffalo horn inlaid into the end of the forend. Steel crescent buttplate.

Chambered in, of all things, .22 Short.
The bore is trashed.
Would love to have it rechambered in something else useful. Not sure who I'd get to do it, or cost involved.

Excellent find. As a JMB fan I have to bow before the design that started is fame.

I have a Winchester 1886 even though it's a modern rendition, good originals are now beyond my paygrade and hard to find this side of the Atlantic..

I have a number of 32-20's, but my only 1885 is a 2005 production 38-55, so nothing apples to apples there!

My revolvers are a M&P Model 1902 made in 1902 and a Colt Police Positive Special made in 1919. When making ammo you can use the higher velocity express loading in your Low Wall, just stick to cast bullets, with or without gas checks. Ideal invented the 3118 mold for these guns, it is 117 grain flat point, flat base for lever actions. I have the same mold made by Lyman with gas checks and found it to be the most useful (as in most cartridges it fits!) mold I own. Trail Boss will produce low pressure, Black Powder equivalent loads (about 1200 fps from a rifle). For the higher end of those soft steel barrels there are some rifle loads with H or IMR 4227. Those will be in the 1600+/- range. There are 2200 loads for jacketed bullets, but not for that gun! Size cast bullets, .001 bigger than the bore, but I size them all .314 in soft lead(w/gas check) and get good accuracy in several rifles (including Marlin's Micro Groove rifling!)

I also have a 123 grain mold that is spire pointed and gas checked (for 7.62x39) that I size .311 and .314, that I have loaded at medium velocity for single shot rifles that gives you a better BC, and is good for small game to 225-250 yards once you get the sight settings worked out.

Winchester and Star Line both make very good brass. The Remington brass I have, not so much! Often you use a pistol primer for these small charges and Winchester SPP is a good as any. Remington 6 1/2 are good, but avoid Remington 7 1/2 (too powerful and too hard!)

Years ago My Best Friend was building a "Barn Yard" rifle for his daughter on a small falling block action. He went with 32 S&W long over 32-20, for ease of reloading and distances were only 50-75 yards, for hay field use he built 1 in 25-20 and 1 in 32-20 and found better dropping power in 32-22 and longer range with 25-20 (which he had no problem selling!)

I hope you and you son have many hours together with this rifle. BTW, 32-20 is a great round to start a kid into reloading, there are several powders that a case full will be safe so they can't hurt anything or anyone. If you have any questions feel free to PM me.

Ivan

Nice old rifle. Great find.

In my experience there was considerable variation in bore and groove diameters in the earlier Winchesters (and most other rifles of the period). Groove diameters can be all over the board, from .311 to .318 or more. You would do well to slug the bore to determine the actual dimensions, then use bullets (or have a mould made) to take best advantage of what you have.

Loading .32-20 is not overly difficult. One key thing to keep in mind is that the brass is quite thin (compared to more modern calibers) and requires some care when sizing, expanding case mouths, crimping, etc, to avoid damaging your brass. I use the Lyman M-die for neck expansion and have taken the decapping rod and expanding ball out of my sizing die for that reason.

Have lots of fun with it!

.32-20 is one of my favorite rounds. I have had numerous revolvers in this caliber, as well as several rifles. One of mine is a Martini-Henry rechambered to .32-20.

The one that has eluded me so far is a .32-20 Remington rolling block.

Here is an excellent thead on the .32-20, it’s history and various loads. Great old cartridge.

.32-20 A Serious Cartridge for Relaxin'

You are going to love that low wall. The .32-20 is a fine cartridge. While I don't have a low wall or a high wall chambered in this round, I do have a nice Model 1892 in that chamber.



There it is along with my S&W .32 HE Target. Quite a pair!

I posted them at this thread: A Couple of .32-20s at the Range Today

Please give a range report.

Curl