32 Winchester Special

Status
Not open for further replies.
Bearded Phil

Bearded Phil

Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2022
Messages
523
Location
Arizona
Hey Folks

Kicking around some thoughts here and wanted to see if anyone had some input.

Was talking with a buddy and he sent me a picture of his 94 Winchester chambered in 32 Win Special. Looks great and it's a pre '64. He was saying he doesn't shoot it much since ammunition for it is so expensive. I would expect so after I did some research, seems the cartridge never really caught on.

Anyway, my brain started ticking and I went to look about handloading for it just for kicks. By which I mean, I probably won't since he lives on the other side of the country, but hey, why not as a thought experiment right?

First stop: Starline. They're taking backorders for brass right now. Hmmm this is getting temping
Next stop: Dies. Looks like I could get an RCBS from a couple different spots. I'm heating up...
Bullets: My go-to places didn't have anything but MCB does have an offering for 170gr RNFP sized to .321. It's coming together...
On hand components: Got LRP, not a ton but could spare some for a buddy.
Powder: screeeeech!

I started checking around manuals for what powders could be good and starting pumping the brakes. To my dismay both my digital copy of Lyman's Cast Edition 3 and print of edition 4 are pretty sparse on the selection of powders for this cartridge. I see a lot of pistol powders actually, ones I don't have...
I went looking on Hodgdon's and found better selection of rifle powders but again, a lot of stuff I don't keep on hand. Pretty much what I'm looking for is I4227 or I4198 data but I was running out of resources. I checked some old IMR manuals I grabbed digital copies of from somewhere and they didn't even have the cartridge listed. Drat.

Then I remembered this spot and went to go look.
http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm

They did do some testing with I/H4227 but pretty low charges, only up to a velocity of around 1100 FPS. Not that I would be trying to push an old gun hard but little mouse fart loads aren't exactly what I was theorizing, especially since I know my friend has shot modern factory jacketed in this rifle.


So I suppose where I'm asking for input is, has anyone loaded for this cartridge enough to advise on if I4227/ I4198 could be used satisfactorily? Or an alternate source for more data that I haven't checked?

Do remember this is mostly just kicking the ol' bean around. Though it would be fun to give incentive to a friend to come visit and spend time at the range together.

Thanks for reading!
 
4227 is a single base extruded powder that will afford some temperature stability, and will burn cool keeping the throat in good condition basically forever. I find it ideal for situations where you want to shoot at the range but don't need the power for game. Quickly loads may be your cheapest route to finding good loads based on current component prices and availability.
 
Bearded Phil said:
Pretty much what I'm looking for is I4227 or I4198 data but I was running out of resources....
So I suppose where I'm asking for input is, has anyone loaded for this cartridge enough to advise on if I4227/ I4198 could be used satisfactorily? Or an alternate source for more data that I haven't checked?

Do remember this is mostly just kicking the ol' bean around. Though it would be fun to give incentive to a friend to come visit and spend time at the range together.

Thanks for reading!
Click to expand...
Hope this helps. From the Ideal#40 (1955):

843C0C64-42D0-4AA5-9963-959671A4057C.jpeg
028ECAEF-95A2-48E5-B36C-E242C9698B16.jpeg
It looks like the same powders popular with .30-30 were also popular with .32Special. Which kinda makes sense. Anyway, keep in mind this is old data, not pressure-tested, for old farts and handloading developers only, your mileage may vary, ask your doctor, only you are responsible for your handloads, etc. etc.
 
Rcbs cast bullet manual.
I would load 19-20 grains of 4198 as a test. That is an extrapolated load from 30-30 data that is close.
 

Attachments

  • 20220309_085743.jpg
    20220309_085743.jpg
    59.7 KB · Views: 7
Last edited:
Brass ought to not be a problem at all...........likely a single pass of .30/30 thru a .32 spl sizing die will give you what y ou require.....assuming you can't get the headstamped stuff.

Now, if you want a problem do what I did.........picked up an old Rem model 14...........32 remington (rimless version of your Win. round).............gun was something of a mess, bubba had been inside it and some parts had to be found and replaced, ammo......original is out of the question at the prices asked, but Graf's has brass and that beats hell out of turning off the rim of a .30/30 and cutting an extractor groove!

Load data, any current suggested loads will work............assuming your gun's in good shape. In my case I could not locate and .321 bullets and wound up casting a batch from an old 8 mm mould I have that drops 'em at .323...................some alox lube, no sizing and a cobbled up arrangement for seating (used .32 pistol dies for neck sizing the cases) and found an old AA lyman that will crimp!

Real roundabout way to get the old girl talking, but most importantly it works, feeds and shoots to point of aim.................if nothing else, it' a good varmit potter.

By the way, just for plinking try Unique ....... full powered loads I've ran thru mine are with 3031.
 
It was quite popular for a number of years in the early 1900s. I think it is a better cartridge than the 30-30 and I'm a huge 30-30 fan. Dad had a 32 and it was a great performer, out shooting either of our 30-30s of similar vintage, and, yes, I know a sample of three is meaningless. Some great history on it including various sights available from the factory, couple different twist rates for black or smokeless. Just a fun thing.
 
Thanks for the input and manual posts folks!

I'm surprised to see that so many manuals don't really touch on the fast rifle powders for this cartridge. Maybe velocities were low enough that nobody wanted to publish them? Keeping with Winchester's advertising 32 Win Spl as the "beefier" 30-30?

Since 32 Win Spl was developed as a smokeless powder cartridge just as the 30-30 and has a higher pressure rating would you all say it would be generally safe to use 30-30 data for the same bullet weights? ie- pretty much 170gr. Or is there more to consider with the increased diameter of the .321 projectile and pressure curves?
 
Bearded Phil said:
Thanks for the input and manual posts folks!

I'm surprised to see that so many manuals don't really touch on the fast rifle powders for this cartridge. Maybe velocities were low enough that nobody wanted to publish them? Keeping with Winchester's advertising 32 Win Spl as the "beefier" 30-30?

Since 32 Win Spl was developed as a smokeless powder cartridge just as the 30-30 and has a higher pressure rating would you all say it would be generally safe to use 30-30 data for the same bullet weights? ie- pretty much 170gr. Or is there more to consider with the increased diameter of the .321 projectile and pressure curves?
Click to expand...
The older Ideal manual data is very close to .30-30. Close enough that you could consider a starting load for .30 to be a good low starting load for .32. The fact that even as late as 1955 Ideal was listing Unique impresses me. When the .32Special came out there weren't many choices for smokeless.
 
The 32 WS, in the old days, was often loaded with black powder to duplicate the 32-40. You could even get sights from Winchester for the bp trajectory.
My little brother and I shot hundreds of cast, gas checked bullets out of dad's using IMR 3031 (probably wasnt IMR but it was 3031).
If you do a little searching, Bart Skelton wrote an article about it a few years back as did Brian Pearce.
 
FROGO207 said:
Back in the day we always considered it to be a 30-30 with larger bore. We loaded it as such using a cast bullet that fit---- .323 with gas check IIRC.
Click to expand...
Thats what it is ain’t it?

I have a RCBS mould, 32-189-FN, for his 32ws. He’s loaded some but not shot them at any distance. But he was satisfied at 25 yards. I sized them .323 for him. If he ever gets energetic and brings it down, we’ll stretch it out to 75 yards and have a better idea of what it likes.
 
I hadn't shot my Win 32 for a while, went to the range and was disappointed with the results. Grabbed some FMJ with soft tip and it was like night and day. Maybe I didn't do that good of a job loading the lead, personally I think when you push lead that fast accuracy suffers. I don't shoot rifles any more so if someone wants to get started I have dies (Redding) and a good amount of brass and bullets.
 
Years ago I inherited a well worn Model 94 in .32 WS from my grandfather. It was manufactured sometime around 1954, and it shows its age. I've found modern ballistic tip loads work well enough with the buck-horn sights at ranges below 100 yrds.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Rule3
  • Locked
Anyone loading 30-30 lead bullets with 2400?
Replies
12
Views
3K
Rule3
Rule3
Bearded Phil
  • Locked
30-30 and HiTek coated
2
Replies
49
Views
2K
Bearded Phil
Bearded Phil
Z
  • Locked
.38 Special Squibs?
Replies
7
Views
802
Reefinmike
Reefinmike
D
  • Locked
How do you pick your powder?
Replies
18
Views
905
The Bushmaster
The Bushmaster
O
  • Locked
Powder advice please
Replies
24
Views
934
The Bushmaster
The Bushmaster
Back
Top