32-20 help
- Thread starter STCL01
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Rbstuartjr
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GBExpat
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Late to the Thread, sorry STCL01!
I have 3/ea vintage Colt and S&W revolvers for which I reload only with lead & Trailboss. The bullets I acquire from both Badman and Acme, 100gr and 115gr. I have developed a standard load for each bullet.
Several years ago I found a somewhat-abused but mirror-bore 1922-mfr .32-20 Marlin 27S.
Up until I acquired my first .32-20 pistol I always used Cerrosafe to determine bore groove diameters.
With the .32-20s I use a "water jug test" ... shooting into a line of water-filled HDPE gallon "milk" jugs, collecting the captured bullets and measuring those for groove-diameter information.
From this, I have found that all three Colts are .313"max (most being .312-.3125), S&Ws .312"max (most being .311-.3115) and the Marlin tested out to .311"max (most being .310-.3105).
My "standard" lead revolver loads (100gr & 115gr) are extremely accurate out of my Marlin.
I also developed some rifle-only loads with 85gr & 100gr Hornady XTP jacketed bullets over IMR4227 that are, generally, 50% faster and still very accurate. I resize these .312" XTPs to .311" only because of my OCD bent.
Enjoy!
I have 3/ea vintage Colt and S&W revolvers for which I reload only with lead & Trailboss. The bullets I acquire from both Badman and Acme, 100gr and 115gr. I have developed a standard load for each bullet.
Several years ago I found a somewhat-abused but mirror-bore 1922-mfr .32-20 Marlin 27S.
Up until I acquired my first .32-20 pistol I always used Cerrosafe to determine bore groove diameters.
With the .32-20s I use a "water jug test" ... shooting into a line of water-filled HDPE gallon "milk" jugs, collecting the captured bullets and measuring those for groove-diameter information.
From this, I have found that all three Colts are .313"max (most being .312-.3125), S&Ws .312"max (most being .311-.3115) and the Marlin tested out to .311"max (most being .310-.3105).
My "standard" lead revolver loads (100gr & 115gr) are extremely accurate out of my Marlin.
I also developed some rifle-only loads with 85gr & 100gr Hornady XTP jacketed bullets over IMR4227 that are, generally, 50% faster and still very accurate. I resize these .312" XTPs to .311" only because of my OCD bent.
Enjoy!
Sorry it's taken so long. I finally had time to set down and work up a few loads for the old 73. Being cautious with it because of the blackpowder status. 115g cast lead over 2.2 gn of Trailboss. Gun fired fine, and the bullets went downrange. I don't have a chrony so I don't really have an idea of how fast they were going. Was fun to shoot the old girl. She probably hasn't been shot in decades. Thank you all for your help!
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