[Thirties]

So far I load only straight wall handgun cases. But I have a hankering for a used lever gun as a quiet plinker and garden gun with more range than my .32 and .38. Of bourse, I could choose a .357 so I can load with my exisiting die set. But there are also the .32-20 and larger caliber lever guns whose cases have similar "shoulders". I have not yet loaded rifle-type cartridges, as I have no center fire rifles.

My question is does the brass wear out much faster? Is the loading generally trickier?

I find loading straight wall cases very logical and simple to perform. I'm a little leary of the shoulder type.

Help me out here, folks...

[Dave R]

I started out on shouldered cases, and just started doing straight-walled cases. I think shouldered is slightly easier, just because there's one less step (belling the case). That's why shouldered die sets only have 2 dies. No case expander.

So its certainly no harder, and prolly bit easier, to reload.

Case life should be similar, although .32-20 cases are a bit thinner than .357.

.32-20 should be quieter than .357, and have a flatter trajectory. Speer No. 13 says it started out as a varmit/pest cartridge. Carry on the tradition.

[Jeeper]

Rifle is simpler because of the lack of expander but it is more complicated overall. Strraight wall can be resized by just screwing the die all the way down. Many people just neck size in shouldered cartridges to save the brass and promote accuracy. Not a big deal in 32-20 though. Straight wall brass generally lasts longer but it depends on many things like shamber size, pressure, etc.

[Quantrill]

I have loaded straight walled cases since 1964 and shouldered rifle cartridges since 1968. I am now thinking about a 44-40. Since carbide dies are not offered for the 44-40, I assume they require steel dies. Does this mean that the empty cases must be lubed ala .223 or 30-06? Can 44-40s be loaded up from the factory loadings (safe for the older guns out there) to a bit more punch for new guns? I found a load for 44-40 in Phil Sharpes Reloading guide (circa pre WWII) with as much as 24gr of 2400. That puts it right up there with the 44mag. Quantrill

[Poodleshooter]

Any shouldered handgun cartridge will use steel dies, not carbide, so lubing will be necessary on the neck and body. You could get carbide dies,but they would cost quite a bit. A straight wall die only needs a tiny ring of carbide at the base and on the expander rod since the diameter is consistent. That's been my main reason to avoid shouldered handgun cartridges. I hate lubing rifle ammo. Of course, spray lube makes that less of a pain, but it's still not as easy as carbide.

[Mike Irwin]

Reloading the .32-20 is a bit on the tricky side simply because of the small bullets and thin case neck. It's easy to crush the neck if you don't watch what you're doing.