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What makes .32-20 so much fun to shoot?


H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619

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I am of the opinion that .32-20 just may very well be the most fun cartridge that can be used in our game.   Why is that?   Good question.

 

Is it because, once you've got your brass, it's fairly inexpensive to reload?  [Less powder and lead than other choices keeps cost down]

No.

 

It is the very pleasant recoil?

No.


Is the fact that while there are some new made things out there, due to their scarcity you are more likely to be shooting real vintage Colts, Winchesters and perhaps Marlins?

Nope.

 

Could it be that is probably the most efficient cartridge there is for converting gun powder into noise?

I don't think so.

 

Is it that the cartridge is really very accurate?

Uhn-uh.

 

Is it the fact that not many people seem to be shooting it, so you are more likely to get that odd piece of brass that the pickers missed given to you after the next guy shoots?

That ain't it either.

 

So, then what is it?

 

It's really very simple.

 

Clean up is extremely easy.   Like its larger .38 and .44 caliber WCF cousins, it's thin case mouth and slight bottleneck means that the chamber seals pretty tight.  That means almost no blowback into the action.   All the fouling goes down the bore.  And since it uses less powder than the bigger cartridges that are so common in our game, there's less fouling created in the first place.  It all adds up to less time needed for clean up.   And that's a big plus in my book.

 

That and all of the above other stuff really puts it over the top as a great cartridge to use in our game.  Sure, there are a coupla categories you can't use it in, but so what?  All the more reason to buy more guns.   

 

Give it a try sometime.   There's a very real chance you'll fall in love with this little guy.

 

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I shoot my Marlin CCLTD every now and then, and also have three 5 1/2" full-size Cattleman revolvers. The problem with the revolvers is I almost always shoot Duelist or Gunfighter, and the non-existent recoil makes it difficult to reach the hammer. :lol:

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I don't know the reason either but I sure do have a lot of fun shooting my 32 WCF rifles and pistols. Even though the 32-20 is a smaller cartridge than the 38 Special, they are almost identical in velocity and energy comparing the 32 cal. 115 gr to the 38 cal 125 gr bullet at 900 ft/s. 

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Howdy H.K.

 

I agree, 32-20 is a lot of fun to shoot. Almost no recoil in a rifle. Unfortunately I don't think I would be allowed to use the only two revolvers I have chambered for 32-20 in a match.

 

Model%201892%201911%2032-20%20and%20two%

 

 

 

On the left is a S&W 32-20 Hand Ejector, on the right is a Colt Police Positive Special, also chambered for 32-20.

 

Model%201892%201911%2032-20%20and%20two%

 

 

 

 

Closer still so the caliber markings can be seen.

 

SW%2032-20%20HE%204th%20Change_zpslcsqoj

 

 

Colt%20Police%20Positive%20Special%2032-

 

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Have owned and enjoyed: Win 1873rifle (still own), Win 1892 SRC, Colt CLMR, and Colt Bisley 5.5".  Looking for a Uberti 1866 SRC.

 

Brian Pierce, gun writer, showed that the round can be anything from a light .38 Sp to the equivalent of an M1 Carbine (in the 92).

Not sure if I like the .32 WCF or .38 WCF best.

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14 hours ago, Tom Bullweed said:

Have owned and enjoyed: Win 1873rifle (still own), Win 1892 SRC, Colt CLMR, and Colt Bisley 5.5".  Looking for a Uberti 1866 SRC.

 

Brian Pierce, gun writer, showed that the round can be anything from a light .38 Sp to the equivalent of an M1 Carbine (in the 92).

Not sure if I like the .32 WCF or .38 WCF best.

 

I keep thinking about going there............................

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16 hours ago, Tom Bullweed said:

Brian Pierce, gun writer, showed that the round can be anything from a light .38 Sp to the equivalent of an M1 Carbine (in the 92).

Not sure if I like the .32 WCF or .38 WCF best.

 

Interesting thing about that....

 

Take the .32-20 and turn it into a straight walled case and you have the .32 Winchester Self Loading.  

 

Cut the rim off the .32 WSL, and you have .30 Carbine.

 

 

Isn't interesting how most of the what we call .30 and .32 caliber cartridges, with them having nominal bullet diameters between .308" and .313" are really all essentially .31's?

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Love the 32-20.  My brother has a long-flute 1st gen Colt given him by a dying friend.  He's never fired it, but I have about a thousand times. :)  I usually pair it with a 1st gen .45.

 

Then back in 2012 Cimarron accidently ordered 50-too-many deluxe short rifles in .32 wcf and blew them out at great prices.  I got my pick of the wood, too. 

 

 

32wcf July2017.jpg

32-20 1873.jpg

32-20 1873 Stock-R.jpg

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