32-20 Factory Ammo Specs

[bobbyd]

I have recently acquired a couple of 32-20 revolvers as well as a BSA/Martini rifle. I can find a variety of loadings by Winchester, Remington, Black Hills, UltraMax etc. but cannot seem to determine which, if any, are high pressure/for rifle only and which would be suitable for use in these older revolvers. Does anybody have any knowledge/experience with these different loadings and be willing to advise? Thank You

 

[robertrwalsh]

My old (45th edition) lyman book shows RIFLE loads as follows

80 grain jacketed starts with 5.0 unique, or 11 of 2400, or 15 of IMR 4227

100 grain jacketed starts with 4.5 Unique, 9 of 2400 or 13 of IMR 4227

115 grain cast, 4.0 Unique, 8.0 2400, 12.0 4227.

My NEWER Lyman pistol and revoler manual, second edition, 1994, shows

REVOLVER LOADS

85 gn jacketed start with 231, 3.2 grain, top out 4.7 grain
Unique, 4.1 grain, top out at 4.8 grain
AA5, 4.2 grai, top out at 5.7 grain

100 grain lead, start with 231 3.2 grain, top out at 4.1 grain
Unique, 3.5 grain, top out at 4.3 grain
AA5, 4.2 grain, top out at 5.0 grain

I have used the above REVOLVER loads in my S&W revolver with good luck. Do NOT use the rifle loads in a revolver. That would be bad.

 

[Lee Jones]

32-20 Ammo

Factory loadings (modern) that are not marked rifle only should be suitable for use in revolvers in good condition. There were some high pressure rifle loadings, they would be old enough to be collectible.
I have been shooting a Colt NM, 1911 vintage, for years with factory ammo. It shoots great, trigger like glass rubbing together. It has been reblued, so has little collector value, but it is a tack driver.
The 32-20 has really become popular with Cowboy shooters, the ladies like it.

 

[BreakerDan]

All current ammunition from Black Hills, Win, and Rem are the standard loading and would be safe in 32-20 handguns. The old high velocity "rifle only" loads were made by Win and Rem many years ago. They looked like a full metal jacket load with a tiny hollowpoint drilled in the nose and were 80 grain. They were fine in a Colt SAA but should stay out of everything else.

Don't confuse the high velocity written on newer Remington boxes as they put that on everything now. Unless you have ammo from the 1930s or Canadian Dominion made ammo, the only "rifle only" loads were the ones I described above. Win last loaded them in the 60s and Rem quit
making them about the same time.

Hope that helps.