32-20 Bullets

[Ben_hutcherson]

I've had a set of 32-20 dies for a month or so, but haven't reloaded my first round with them due to a lack of component availability.

I've finally built up a small stockpile of new and once-fired brass, and now just need to find some bullets to start reloading for the cartridge.

The traditional choice seems to be a 115gr round nose flat point, although I can only seem to find a few places selling this style. Missouri and a few others sell a .312 100gr round nose that seems like it would work alright. Rainier also makes a plated bullet in this weight.

Aside from higher priced JHP and other bullet styles that I don't see any real use for(I'm looking primarily for target/plinking bullets), does anyone have any suggestions for preferred bullet brands, styles, and/or weights for this caliber?

By the way, all of these will be shot in my 32-20 model of 1905.

 

[woreout]

The 115 gr. is probably most common but either will work.

There is no reason to use plated or jacketed for plinking.

I shoot them in both rifles and revolvers with 3.0 gr. Titegroup

 

[Alk8944]

Ben,

Over the history of the .32-20 the universal handgun/rifle factory loads have been loaded with both lead and jacketed bullets ranging from 100-120 grains. The most common earlier loads were 115 gr., and the later have all been universally 100 gr. Take your pick.

Oregon Trail, Missouri Bullet, Beartooth Bullets and others all sell cast bullets weighing nominally 115 grains. All you can do is call around and see what they have.

With either 100 or 115 gr. bullets use 3.2/Bullseye or 4.2/Unique and you have a very good handgun load. And, in spite of using these in a revolver use Small Rifle primers, not pistol. You will not get mis-fires as a result, and have a much lower chance of squibs, which are too frequent in this cartridge. I have been loading this cartridge for over 50 years.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

Bear Creek makes a lead 115 FN 32-20 bullet that has a moly coating. I have used them and they work fine in my 1902 S&W. The old Ideal mold 3118 and its Lyman descendants are the traditional bullet. I have one with a gas check profile. I use it on 32-20, 32 Colt and S&W, M1 Carbine, 30-30 & 308 plinking loads. This bullet (and its relatives) is one of the most useful bullets you can cast. Over a load of Trail Boss is wonderful in these old revolvers. Good Luck. Ivan

 

[W.E.G.]

Absolutely ZERO reason to use jacketed bullets in old 32-20 revolvers.

You'll never safely get enough velocity to get expansion.

 

[tlay]

Give Carolina Cast Bullets a try. They have a 115gr. bullet sized at 313 that I like. They have good pricing and don't take long to fill your order.

 

[jepp2]

Another source I use for hard cast lead is SNS Casting. Very similar to Missouri Bullets except they don't offer the variety of BHN. Here is their offering link

 

[jag22]

I've used the Oregon Trail/Lasercast 115 and certainly have no complaints but I'm not a fan of the smoke. Various reasons it occurs, just a personal choice. Ranier makes a 100 gr plated that is my favorite but they are hard to come by. Usually Midway is the only source, they aren't available now and may not be for six months or more. Just saying, when you see them buy them. If the smoke doesn't bother you all the previously mentioned brands should be okay.

 

[JGSGUNMAN]

Getting in on this very late, so sorry about that.

I have been reloading 32-20 for several years now, I plink with a S&W Model 1905 with a 4 inch barrel. Very accurate to 30 feet.
I use Rainier 100 gr FN plated bullets. Clean up is much quicker with plated bullets. I reload for a Winchester Model 92 with a 24 inch barrel also. I use the same bullet. At this point, I am having trouble finding more of these bullets.
For the pistol ammo, I load 4.2 gr of Titegroup for 750 FPS and 5.2 gr of Titegroup for 900 FPS. I use small pistol primers and have never had a problem.

 

[Art Doc]

The owner is a member here. I buy his cast bullets for many calibers including 32-20 and have been very happy with all of them.

https://www.facebook.com/TennesseeValleyBullets

 

[jag22]

I looked at Midway, they show expected dates of july and aug for the Raniers. No guarantee, in fact I doubt it but I will be checking in to see if they show up. I've got plenty but it may be several years again before they are made so I'll stock up.

 

[rburg]

Well, if you haven't loaded the 100 or whatever it was I sold you in the spring I'm not sure why you need more already. Within reason, I'll sell you more for what I paid. The loads I built were 3.0 of Bullseye and they seem to work fine for me. Those sure aren't hot loads, but then I'm not trying to build elephant loads.

 

[Ben_hutcherson]

Dick,

If you look at the date, this is an old post-from long before you sold me those bullets!

I loaded up some of them per your suggestion, and they do work fine.

I've also ordered some 100gr RNFPs from Missouri Bullets, which work well also.

 

[S&W HE]

I'm using Rainier's 100 grain plated 32 H&R Magnum Bullet in my 1919 32/20 Target. Works well for me.

 

[Frank46]

Lyman sells a 311316 gas checked bullet mold that casts about 115 grains. They also used to have a #3118 non gas checked bullet mold. Don't know if either is still made today. Those two were probably shot out of more 32-20's than just about any other bullet.Frank

 

[bedbugbilly]

If you don't want to cast your own - check over on the castboolit site. Under the swapping and selling, at the top, is a link to boolit vendors. You also might want to post a WTB four some. There are some folks over there that I'm sure shoot the 32 WCF that could help you out.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

I've been reloading .32-20 for about 40 years and can offer a few suggestions.

1. .32-20 brass is relatively thin and the case necks can be easily deformed or crushed during bullet seating. This can easily be overcome by using the Lyman M Die, a two-step neck expander that can be adjusted to expand the main portion of the neck to just under bullet diameter and flaring the case mouth to allow easy seating of the bullets. This is especially good with cast bullets, but works well with jacketed also. The Lyman M Die is about $20.00 (Midway catalogs these), but will save you much more than its cost by improving case life considerably. I remove the depriming rod and expander button from my sizing dies, deprime separately, then expand the necks on the M Die, and this significantly reduces the stresses placed on the brass by using only the standard deprimer-expander button. I use a modest roll crimp, primarily because most of my .32-20 use is in Winchester rifles with tubular magazines.

2. Cast bullets are very effective in the .32-20 and readily available from several commercial casters (Montana Bullets offers several styles at reasonable prices). I like gas check bullets, which can be driven to the full velocity potential of the cartridge without problems. Both rifles and revolvers in .32-20 will vary quite a bit in bore and groove dimensions; I have Winchesters with groove diameters from .312 to .315", and my old Colt Bisley Model slugs out at .315". In my experience cast bullets of .313 to .314" work well in all of them. For powder I've found that Unique performs very well and provides consistent accuracy.

3. I have used both small rifle and small pistol primers and have not observed any difference in results. Used to use the small rifle primers exclusively, but in recent years (due to shortages) I have loaded a couple hundred with CCI small pistol primers and all has been good in both rifle and revolver.

Good cartridge for any small game to the size of a turkey out to about 100 yards. I've also dropped a couple of coyotes with the .32-20 over the years.