Found one of my .32-20 problems tonight

[rburg]

I've been reloading for a long time now. Started back in the mid 1950s with my dad. Didn't start doing it by my self until about 1970. During those years I've literally reloaded 10s of thousands of rounds. And none has presented as many problems as my recent excursions into .32-20s. Its just been one problem after another. Without hesitation I can say I've damaged and discarded more cases than all other calibers combined, and this is in a batch of maybe 500.

Today's discovery was interesting. I'd managed to crumple about 3 cases in a row, right up at the crimp. And I noticed it was in the same place on the case. I inspect each round as I finish it, and each was crumpled right in the position pointing straight out away from the press. So as I fed the 4th one in I rocked it forward. It crimped nicely. So I did that for a few more and decided I needed to look at the shell holder. Its the new addition, a Hornady. And I noticed it allowed the case to rock forward. So being an easy going guy, I got my big screwdriver out, pulled it out of the press, and put in my 9mm Luger holder in. The next 100 or so seated and crimped just fine.

Its still a problematic caliber to reload, but I wonder if some of the cases I folded over during flaring weren't also somehow caused by the darn Hornady shell holder.

 

[trauma1]

sounds like it. if all is well after taking that 1 factor out, then you found your problem. Send it back to Hornady with a letter notating you issues and maybe one of the bad cases. could be either a bad design or a single bad shell holder. getting ready to start reloading the same caliber but with Lee dies instead. will post up if any problems.

 

[Frank46]

Used a lyman tong tool to reload my 32-20's, had a winchester lo wall in that caliber. Frank

 

[MKT]

My .32-20 dies and shell holder are RCBS. Haven't had that problem but have found it is real easy to give too much bell, which splits the neck, or if I try to seat too quickly then the neck collapses. My experience is that reloading the .32-20 is an exercise in patience.

My belling die is not pretty well tightened down and I have not had any repeats of neck splitting in a good while. Still crush a case now and then when I get into a groove and run the handle a touch too fast.

 

[PattonTime]

32/20

I have been using Lee dies and shell holder.
It has been going fairly well so far. I have crushed a couple of cases, but it sure has not been the nightmare some guys said it would be.

 

[jag22]

Not saying the Hornady wasn't the cause but it may be as simple as slowing down your stroke. If you go too fast you can see the case just wobble a little. If you slow down you can feel the case bumping into the die, just hold the neck of the case and you can guide it in. If the H die is off every time then it may in fact be off kilter. I have had a small piece of corn cob media get loose in the press so just removing the shell holder and reinserting it may help. It can be even worse with the 25-20, the neck is even thinner and the slightest bump will bugger up the neck.

 

[M29since14]

That's interesting. Thanks for the info. I have not loaded a lot of .32-20, but I have loaded some, and some .25-20 as well. I load cast bullets and use a Lyman M-die for the flaring op and the normal RCBS die for crimping only. (I always seat the bullet in a separate operation.)

My brass probably only has a couple firings to its credit and is all Remington. I have never scrunched a case yet, but I am sure my day is coming.

 

[old tanker]

Been loading .32-20 with a set of C-H dies I bought 40 some years ago. No particular troubles unless I fail to start the bullet straight.

Brass is all from the couple boxes of Western Lubaloy cartridges that were part of the deal when I got a used Colt revolver as a fifteen year old kid in trade for a summer's wages. Still have most of it. Have only mangled a few cases in that time. It was something of an odd caliber at the time, seemed like only old geezers knew about it.

Use cast bullets exclusively, the Lyman 311008 and SR 7625 powder. Only problem I have is the M&P likes the bullets unsized while the Army & Navy wants them at .311. Left at .313 they are acceptable in the Colt, but sized to .311 they lead like mad in the Smith.

 

[Kinman]

I have not reloaded the numbers some of you have for sure, what I have and do reload I tend to be very cautious and weigh every powder charge from the measure, even for pistol calibers. Obviously I do not shoot more than a couple hundred rounds a week. I mentioned in a previous thread about my recent problems with 32-20 and found after I made the adjustment to the primer pin shoulder I have not experienced any crumpled cases. I still hold the case with my thumb until it engages the de-primer die and with this technique and the adjustment my problem with 32-20 has been solved. I am using the RCBS three die "Cowboy" set.

 

[jag22]

M29, if you haven't crushed any 25-20 I deem you a master reloader. I think it is my most difficult caliber, even being extra careful I've still buggered some. I prefer Redding dies but the 25-20 is a two die set and really doesn't do much expansion. I talked to Redding about some of the dimensions, I thought I might have them make the decapper with a slightly bigger expander but he talked me out of it. He encouraged me to use a chamfering tool to open it up a little and help the bullet slide in. It works but is still very tight. If your Lyman die lets you control the amount of expansion that may be why you do so well. May have to check that out. Always looking for an excuse to buy a new tool.

 

[jepp2]

Its still a problematic caliber to reload, but I wonder if some of the cases I folded over during flaring weren't also somehow caused by the darn Hornady shell holder.

The thin case is certainly less tolerant to any abuse than others. I am a huge fan of the Lyman M die. I just picked up 1K Starline 32-20 and ran them through my preparation steps. I flared them all with the M die and just due to my lack of care, I had 3 catch slightly on the first portion of the Lyman expander. It just slightly rolled the edge. So 3 out of 1000 isn't bad. And they are all serviceable.

I just feel the bullets seat straighter when using the M die. And the extra 0.001 expansion is very easy on case necks. I also don't subscribe to following the Dillon advice to flare the neck 0.020". I flare the bare minimum. I also run my Dillon measure the old way with springs.

 

[M29since14]

M29, if you haven't crushed any 25-20 I deem you a master reloader...

If your Lyman die lets you control the amount of expansion that may be why you do so well. May have to check that out. Always looking for an excuse to buy a new tool.

Get rid of the expanding portion of whatever die you are using and switch to the M-die. Adjust it according to your preferences by polishing (if it is too big). I have had good luck with the M-dies over the years and find them pretty useful in loading lead bullets, especially in the bottleneck calibers - like .308, .30/06, .22 Jet, .218 Bee, and a few others.

The chamfer is a good thing too. I wouldn't try to load either .25/20 or .32/20 without checking them every time to be sure they have a nice, fairly concentric chamfer at the case mouth.

I may have crunched a case or two along the way but so few of them I don't remember it. I am from the generation where brass cartridge cases had value out of proportion to their value, if you know what I mean. Old (fanatical) habits established through years of scrounging and other "conservation techniques" die hard. We aim to wear 'em out, not mangle 'em.

 

[gregintenn]

I came home with a 32-20 a while back. After pricing ammo, I purchased the dies, brass, bullets, etc. to reload. I've only loaded a couple of boxes so far, but no trouble here. I guess all the practice I've had with the 218 Bee came in handy.