32-20

[Igiveup]

Are there any sources for 32-20 brass? It looks like Starline is not going to make any and Bertram Brass does not list it. Are there anymore sources?

 

[DeplorabusUnum]

I've been searching as well and unable to locate any. I too would be interested to know if anyone has had better luck.

 

[Alk8944]

No idea currently, everyone seems to be out-of-stock.
Where do you get the idea that Starline isn't going to make .32-20? They still list it, just say no back order at this time. You just may have to wait a while.

I would recommend Remington for this caliber! It is the only maker that makes full length .32-20 at 1.315". Winchester and Starline .32-20 cases are only 1.275". Can't say about Bertram, never seen any, but this brand is usually ridiculously expensive compared to these other brands.

Personally .32-20 is one of my favorite calibers and I have a couple thousand cases, including Nickel Remington. It was one of the first calibers I ever re-loaded after .45 A.C.P. and .38 Special, going back to about 1960. And, NO, I won't sell any.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

Doesn't help now but I bought WW brass in lots of 500 from Midway. Maybe it will be back.

25-20 and 218 Bee are the same basic brass. Don't waste the brass expanding the case mouths that much without annealing first.

When Marlin reintroduced the 1894 CL in 32-20, 25-20, & 218 Bee late last century my best friend and I each bought a 32-20. It was hard at first to find any new brass, then the big ammo companies made at least one big batch.

All I can say is buy whatever you find at gun shows and make it last, you could be looking at a long drought!

Ivan

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Midway, Grafs and some others will notify you when an item which is not in stock comes back into stock. I suggest you signup for notification from your favorite vendor or maybe a few vendors.

 

[robertrwalsh]

Last batch I bought was from Graf. It was Starline brand.

 

[Inland7-45]

I have a few hundred pieces of Starline. The last 32-20 Starline that I saw was nickeled. Not exactly what I wanted but I bought it anyway. There may be further delay for this caliber but it should be back eventually.

 

[erikpolcrack]

I have bought two bags in the last year from individuals on GunBroker. I checked regularly for a long time before finding someone, and the second one took even longer to show up. One dealer on GB also had some used stuff that wasn't very nice. I've left several 'notify me' messages with online dealers, but only one has come through for me so far, and that was months ago.

 

[Model19man]

Watch out for online scams. If they want payment by Zelle or Paypal friends & family it's a scam.

 

[Muley Gil]

About a month ago, my LGS had a bag of new 100 Starline .32-20 brass cases. It was $35.99. And yes, I bought it!

 

[Cdog]

I few weeks back I accidentally purchased a Winchester 1873 rifle chambered in 32-20. It's in exceptional mechanical condition with a very good bore considering it's 134 years old.

I've had a couple of .32-20 Police Positive revolvers, but not in a long time. Never kept anything .32-20 long enough to load for.

I would like to shoot the old 73, thankfully I'm in no hurry. I haven't searched any farther than die availability. Never even considered brass being hard to come by.

I'm glad Igiveup started this thread.

 

[jag22]

Starline will make it, just may be another year or two. I've been thru a few of these shortages and even though it's a little better out there we're a long way away from normalcy. Keep an eye out on GB and GI but be prepared for sticker shock.

 

[DeplorabusUnum]

Midway, Grafs and some others will notify you when an item which is not in stock comes back into stock. I suggest you signup for notification from your favorite vendor or maybe a few vendors.

No place to sign up for notification on any reloading site I've found. In fact Midway just says DISCONTINUED.

 

[dwh]

I called Dillion precision today, they showed 32-20’s in stock. I was told they were on back order and would be available in a couple months.

 

[Igiveup]

I will try to back order from Dillon. Starline won't take back orders at this time, but I did back order some more 38 S&W brass. Took seven months last time. I like to shoot the Victories.

 

[rockquarry]

Adjust your dies for the brand you're using. The shorter Winchester brass hurts nothing if your dies are properly set. Just don't mix Remington and Winchester brass; that won't work well.

 

[rockquarry]

Are there any sources for 32-20 brass? It looks like Starline is not going to make any and Bertram Brass does not list it. Are there anymore sources?

Did Starline actually tell you they are not going to make any? Based on past performance, that doesn't sound like Starline.

 

[Old Corp]

Emails and 'contact us' to Starline have been ignored.
GB sellers believe their stuff is made of gold!
DO need some .32-20 brass, but it seems problematic right now.....

 

[Igiveup]

Rockquarry, when I looked the other day, they said out and no back orders in red writing.

 

[rockquarry]

Rockquarry, when I looked the other day, they said out and no back orders in red writing.

That's unfortunate, but I'll bet they'll produce .32-20 before anyone else. Good luck.

 

[Skeet 028]

I saw a box of Remington brass at a local auction. There were 96 pieces of new in the box according to the listing. It sold...seriously for 110 dollars and 10% +4% tax. I couldn't get that far out of any comfort zone. Luckily I do have a few 100 pieces. Oh there was also a box of 32-20 bullets in the auction too...jacketed in a Midway repackaged box. They went for near 60-65 dollars. People are getting desperate..

 

[Igiveup]

I had 3 boxes of 32 s&w long on my table at gun show this past week end, never thought about it, but will it shoot in the 32 Winchester? I was trying to sell the ammo for a friend, but still have it. Just wondering.

 

[Muley Gil]

I had 3 boxes of 32 s&w long on my table at gun show this past week end, never thought about it, but will it shoot in the 32 Winchester? I was trying to sell the ammo for a friend, but still have it. Just wondering.

Yes, it will, but the brass will swell. I don't know if it can be reloaded or not.

I worked two different murders where the shooters used .32-20 revolvers loaded with .32 Long ammo. It worked for them.

 

[Green Frog]

Just an observation; Many of these less heavily produced cartridges have traditionally been run only occasionally, mostly as the market supply ran low. This usually worked pretty well until the massive disruption of all kinds of manufacture due to the Wu Flu outbreak. Since everything is in low supply, the highest demand stuff is being cranked out feverishly and the less common stuff is way back in line until supply of the big sellers is satisfied. That’s just the way manufacturing works. Unfortunately, as an old guy, I don’t have time to wait, so getting any new-to-me calibers is expensive, frustrating, or both.
Froggie

 

[Skeet 028]

I got a bag... 100 or so... once fired 32 H&R mag brass at a garage sale this AM...no 32-20...no other shooting/reloading stuff at all. I even asked

 

[ACORN]

I am considering shooting.32-20 in my New Model .30 Carbine Blackhawk and would be interested too.

 

[2152hq]

32 S&W Long loads and fires just fine in my Colt Bisley.
It does come out with a swelled case of course.
Resizing eliminates that and reloads again.
But..that resizing of the bulged case does overwork it quite a bit and I only got 2 or 3 reloads per case. Still not too bad.

OTOH, using 32 S&W (short) brass, they fire formed as well to the 32-20 chamber but being short, they only had a flare to the case mouth,,no mid case bulge.

Those shorty case would load and reload 6 to 8 times before cracking at the mouth. Probably could have been more thrifty and annealed them after a few firing and they would have lasted longer.
But they did well.

Not bad on the accuracy either. Just kind of wimpy in the heavy Bisley Model.

I must admit the 32-20 was never a favorite of mine in the SAA's
I'd rather a 38spcl at least (Colt Special of course!). But the 32-20 is a favorite of many.

 

[Skeet 028]

Was out in the garage yesterday checking the freezer... Looking through some stuff and found the old 4 inch model10 I thought I had lost/sold. Good thing I found it...While rumaging around I found 2 bags of a 100 new 222 cases. Great I thought. In the same box as the 222s I found a bag of 100 32-20 new cases I bought at a gun show last Dec. Wow... I'm up to about 300 now...Also found a full box of 32 Mag ammo and 4 boxes of old red box of 32 cal lead bullets.... And a can of Alcan AL 5 and another of AL 7...

 

[Green Frog]

Skeet 028, you sound like “my brother from a different mother.” I often explain my experiences similar to this recent one of yours by proclaiming “Organized people never make the exciting discoveries I do!” Welcome to the Happy Surprise Club.

Your ‘Phibian Phriend & Brother

 

[Skeet 028]

Well GF... We went to the grocery store on Saturday...found 88-12 hamburger cheap! So we got about 12 lbs. Put it in vacuum sealer bags. When I went out to put it in the freezer I did a little straightening up. Been looking in the house for that gun for almost a year...mainly to sell. Thought I had in fact. In 20 minutes I found a whole bunch of good stuff. In the box with the brass I found 2 RCBS items...a new in box PP swage die and a set of RCBS 222 Competition dies...oh and even better 900 Rem STS 209 primers with about 500 Rem 410 STS once fired empties. In S&W theme there was also a box of new Alcan 20 ga empties. Box is marked S&W-Fiocchi...so they date about 1971> Only about 80 in the box