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.32 Win. spl

Gene248
bought an nra exellant pre-64 model 94 carbine in .32 win. spl. everyone should have an obsolete cartridge firearm. i am appalled buy the lack of load info i can find for this round. all 5 cuurent manufactures who offer .32 win. spl. offer the same 170gr bullet! i have purchased six different old/used boxes of ammo all of wich have the 170gr bullet!! my lee load book(big red) shows almost no loads, and thier all 170gr's!!! went through my book collection (gun talk, gun digest,gunsmithkinks,etc..) and only found the same bullet wght. somebody please tell me there are other bullet wghts out there and who carries them. any pet load info would be helpful.
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10 comments

Date Votes
  • Gene248
    Just bought one of these in a Mod 94 pre 64. Nice looking gun. What is the best round for this gun? What shoots best in yours? Is this a good deer gun? Would you rate it close to a 30/30? Any info about this gun is appreciated. I have never fired a 32 spl and have not been around them.
    Thanks
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  • tsr1965
    Gene248,

    The 32 Winchester Special, is virtually the same ballistics, as the 30 W.C.F.. I have a pre war Eastern Carbine, that was my grandfather's, and I still have a supply of the 170 grain Winchester Silver Tips, that it likes. It will do anything the 30-30 will do.

    Best
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  • charliemeyer007
    Not much choice these days. Any factory ammo is likely getting old.
    170 gr was factory bullet doing around 1800-1900 fps.
    Win Super Speed was good brass. I'd reload for it and run cast bullets. Lyman 321297 180 gr would be nice in the 1500-1700 range.

    With regular bullets likely equal to 30-30, but the new plastic point give the edge to the 30-30.

    added My last involvement with a 32 Win Special was a bubba 98 Mauser back in 80's. Am surprised they still load it factory and even with trick bullets good deal. Thanks Burt I bet I still have a sealed box 170 gr .321 round nose bullets.
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  • Ambrose
    Hornady makes their flex-tip (soft plastic point) factory ammo now in .32 Special. I would start with that. Should make a great deer rifle. Every bit the equal of the .30-30. In the old days there were a lot of arguments around the camp fire as to which was better; the .30-30 or the .32 Special.
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  • Ray Boone
    My uncle bought one shortly after WWII and when he passed away my cousin got it. It was virtually the same as the 30-30 except for a bullet .013" larger in diameter. The older 32spls had a slower rifling twist than the 30-30, so they tended to lose accuracy sooner, but the barrels are worn out by rust, corrosion and errant cleaning rods much sooner than they would ever be shot out.
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  • Bert H.
    quote:Originally posted by charliemeyer007
    Not much choice these days. Any factory ammo is likely getting old.
    170 gr was factory bullet doing around 1800-1900 fps.
    Win Super Speed was good brass. I'd reload for it and run cast bullets. Lyman 321297 180 gr would be nice in the 1500-1700 range.

    With regular bullets likely equal to 30-30, but the new plastic point give the edge to the 30-30.


    Charlie,

    The 32 Winchester Special factory ammo was/is a fair bit hotter than 1800-1900 fps. As it was originally loaded (and is still loaded today), it has a MV of 2250 fps. Other than the bullet diameter, it is a virtual twin to the 30-30 Winchester cartridge.

    Due to the faster 12:1 twist rate, and the slightly better cross sectional density, the 30-30 is slightly superior at distances beyond 100 yards. The 32 Win Spl was made with a 16:1 twist rate.
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  • Bert H.
    This is the straight scoop on the 30-30 cartridge;

    http://www.chuckhawks.com/30-30Win.htm


    This is the straight scoop on the 32 Win Spl cartridge;

    http://www.chuckhawks.com/32spec.htm
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  • Floyd58523
    There is a great write up in the American Rifleman Magazine about shooting the 32 win special. He found that using modern faster ammo the gun would shoot high.
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  • Bert H.
    quote:Originally posted by Floyd58523
    There is a great write up in the American Rifleman Magazine about shooting the 32 win special. He found that using modern faster ammo the gun would shoot high.


    The same thing happens when you shoot the modern 150-grain 30-30 ammo in the old Model 1894s... they shoot high. Winchester optimized the twist rate and sights for the older 170-gr FP bullets.
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  • Gene248
    Good info. I think I will like it. I have shot a lot of the 30/30s and like the way they perform in the brush. Mostly here in South Tx. we use long range rifles because of the open country and we hunt from blinds that are up in the air and we can see a long ways. Now and then though I hunt in the thick brush where visibility is ony 25-100 yds and a .270 or 7mm mag with a big scope is about useless.

    Thanks for all the good information,
    Gene
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