Ammo choices for .32-20

[gonzogeezer]

Hello All,

Can a HE chambered in .32-20 safely fire other .32 cartridges? I’m certain .32 H&R and .327 Federal are off limits. But what about older designs like .32 S&W, .32 S&W Long, .32 Auto, or .32 Longue?

Thanks.

 

[USBP SW]

Only use ammo for 32-20 and stay away from hot loads i.e.. marked rifle only. All of the Smith and Wesson models are old enough to have softer steel.

 

[Drm50]

32/20 isn’t a straight case. The other 32s at best will split cases at worst 32 H&R mag or 327 could make a hand grenade out of cylinder. Fire only 32/20. I once went with Barnes in cartridges of the world. It said you could use 32 S&W in 1892 French 8mm Lebel revolver. Didn’t hurt gun but split case and blew dirt and fire. Good policy is use only the correct ammo. Like it says on some of the old Spanish knock offs, USE the Cartridge that fits best.

 

[glowe]

No. While the bullet is the same diameter on those calibers, the hole in the back of a 32-20 revolver cylinder is over .355" and a 32 ACP will fall into the cylinder. 32 Long and 32 S&W rim diameter is barely larger than .355" and will certainly fall through the star when one tries to eject the empties.

Being a bottleneck cartridge, the 32-20 is longer than any of the three calibers you mention. That means that the bullet fired from any of those cartridge bullets will rattle down the cylinder unsupported until they hit where the 32-20 cylinder restriction starts. That means loss of accuracy.

Bottom line is only use what is stamped on the barrel.

 

[peyton]

Check Georgia arms for 32-20 ammo. I got 300 rounds from them recently. If not PM me and I will give you another source.

 

[gonzogeezer]

I appreciate the comments and am mentally kicking myself for not figuring the cartridge was a bottleneck. I have my dad’s old Savage in .25-20 and it too is bottleneck.

Thanks for straightening me out, guys.

 

[Muley Gil]

I agree with the above posters: only use the proper ammo.

However, as I have mentioned on this forum several times before, I investigated two murders where the offender's handgun was a .32-20, loaded with .32 S&W Long cartridges.

 

[JP@AK]

I have my dad’s old Savage in .25-20 and it too is bottleneck.

Yes. The .25-20 Winchester was developed by necking down the .32-20 cartridge. The .218 Bee was also derived from the .32-20.

I agree with the previous responses: use nothing but .32-20 cartridges in your revolver.

 

[DWalt]

I once, completely by accident (or inattention), fired a cylinder full of .32 S&W Long in a .32-20 revolver. I didn't know I had done it until I emptied the cylinder. Nothing bad happened, I don't remember the casings being split either.

 

[Igiveup]

Is .32 Winchester the same as 32-20? My revolver has the Winchester marking on the barrel.

 

[Wiregrassguy]

Yes. .32-20 is also known as .32 Winchester or .32 Winchester Center Fire (WCF). All of these cartridge designations have been stamped on S&W .32-20 revolvers.

 

[Tom K]

Is .32 Winchester the same as 32-20? My revolver has the Winchester marking on the barrel.

Yes it is, and is also known as .32 WCF (Winchester Central Fire). *I see that Guy beat me to the punch.*

However there is also .32-40 which is a rifle cartridge (too large for a revolver) that might be called .32 Winchester. Be sure you know what you're getting if you order ammo or ask for it at the local gun shop.

 

[StakeOut]

I often see 32-20 ammo in the yellow Western boxes at local pawn shops but not the guns.

 

[StrawHat]

Is .32 Winchester the same as 32-20? My revolver has the Winchester marking on the barrel.

Sorry, the 32 Winchester cartridge is different from the 32-20, 32 WCF, or 32 Winchester Center Fire cartridge.

The last three are cartridges that have been chambered in rifles and revolvers. The 32 Winchester aka 32 Winchester Special is a rifle cartridge in the same class as the 30 WCF (30-30) and 38-55.

Kevin

 

[glowe]

Not quite. The early stampings for this caliber on S&W revolvers was 32 Winchester and that was truncated to 32 W.C.F., then to 32-20. All are the same. Just like 44 Winchester is the same as 44-40.

Best date estimates I have are as follows:

32-20 Barrel Stampings
From 1899 until 1913 - 32 Winchester CTG. (left side of barrel)
From 1914 until 1922 - 32 W.C.F. CTG (right side of barrel)
From about 1922-23 until the end of production (1940) - 32-20 CTG. (right side of barrel)

Examples below. 1899 32 Winchester Target, plus a 1902. The 1899 letters as a 32 Winchester Target (Roy's descripton)

 

[larryofcc]

I have another dilemma. I have a very nice Winchester M53 in 32-20 that my BIL loaded ammo for. I am sure these rds. are way to hot for my revolver. If I mix this ammo with pistol ammo, there may be an explosion of a really nice 32-20 HE. I have no way of knowing what he loaded into these rds. He passed away about 1 year ago. So, I will shoot them all out of the rifle. Big Larry

 

[Model19man]

Or you could pull the bullets, dump the powder in your garden, and reload them for pistol.

 

[DWalt]

I have another dilemma. I have a very nice Winchester M53 in 32-20 that my BIL loaded ammo for. I am sure these rds. are way to hot for my revolver. If I mix this ammo with pistol ammo, there may be an explosion of a really nice 32-20 HE. I have no way of knowing what he loaded into these rds. He passed away about 1 year ago. So, I will shoot them all out of the rifle. Big Larry

Depends on how hot they are. Do you know the load? Do they have lead bullets? Most .32-20s can take a lot of pressure.

 

[DWalt]

32/20 isn’t a straight case. The other 32s at best will split cases at worst 32 H&R mag or 327 could make a hand grenade out of cylinder. Fire only 32/20. I once went with Barnes in cartridges of the world. It said you could use 32 S&W in 1892 French 8mm Lebel revolver. Didn’t hurt gun but split case and blew dirt and fire. Good policy is use only the correct ammo. Like it says on some of the old Spanish knock offs, USE the Cartridge that fits best.

In my .32-20 revolvers .32 Mag and .327 cannot be chambered. But .32 S&W Long can.

 

[JP@AK]

Sorry, the 32 Winchester cartridge is different from the 32-20, 32 WCF, or 32 Winchester Center Fire cartridge.

The last three are cartridges that have been chambered in rifles and revolvers. The 32 Winchester aka 32 Winchester Special is a rifle cartridge in the same class as the 30 WCF (30-30) and 38-55.

Not true, Kevin. Neither Winchester nor any other manufacturer labeled a rifle or carbine chambered for the .32 Winchester Special as simply a .32 Winchester. That name always referred to the .32-20. The barrel on rifles chambered for the .32 Special (a rifle cartridge as you said) was always stamped 32 Winchester Special.

Here's a S&W revolver chambered for the .32-20 that shipped in March, 1904. Note the stamp on the barrel.

I used to own an early Marlin Model 336A chambered for the .32 Winchester Special and that's what it said on the barrel. Unfortunately, I traded it to a friend nearly 50 years ago and don't have a picture of it. But if you look at any Winchester or Marlin lever action rifle or carbine chambered for that round, it will have the word Special in the roll stamp.