Author Topic: .32 Special (Read 3086 times)

lester · « **on:** January 12, 2011, 04:55:03 PM »

When I was a boy, about 10 years old, I found a .32 Special bullet in the junk drawer in my grandmother's house. According to her it belonged to my grandfather's lever action deer rifle but she gave the gun to her brother when my grampa passed away. After I took hunter saftety and started hunting with an old .410 bolt action shotgun I started pestering my Mom about asking her Uncle Bill if I could hunt deer with gramps .32 Special. For whatever reason it never happened, but I never forgot that rifle......
Fast forward almost 40 years. I stop in a gun shop a couple weeks ago to browse. Looking around to see what might be my "gun of the year club" selection for 2011. Just returned from a tour in Afghanistan and have some money in my pocket. Lo and behold, there's a pre 64 M94 in 32 Special on the rack. Williams receiver peep sight, front blade and ramp gone. Wood and metal in roughly 75-80% condition. Needs a good cleaning and a front sight but otherwise sound. Tag says $329. Today I go back and start talking to the clerk and he says he can let it go for $295 and he'll throw in a box of shells. He runs a snake thru the bore, looks clean and sound and out the door she goes.
So what do you guys think, fairly good deal? Whatever, I'm glad to add it to the collection. Bonus is I didn't know they made LeverEvolution 165 grainers for it until I talked to a buddy tonight. Read some reviews and all are very good. Can't wait to shoot it. Ordered up a ramp and blade tonight and should have them in a couple days.

Lester

Slufoot · « **Reply #1 on:** January 12, 2011, 05:30:47 PM »

What a great find lester.
You'll have to get that gun ready and next fall you can get a deer for gramps!

GOOD SHOOTING!
Slufoot

Wyo. Coyote Hunter · « **Reply #2 on:** January 12, 2011, 05:39:04 PM »

lester, I would say you have a pretty good rifle..I have my father's model 94 .32 spl. it has been in the family since just after WW2. I have owned it for probably fifty years..my dad was not a serious hunter, but grandfather was..they are a nice old round and rifle..mine has taken whitetails, antelope, and mt. lion..enjoy..it is a piece of history.....

zoner · « **Reply #3 on:** January 13, 2011, 02:25:38 AM »

my M94 32 special was given to me when i was 12 yrs old, my grandfather's rifle. It's a 1942 and i've been shootin it for some 46-47 yrs....looks like you got a very good price

AtlLaw · « **Reply #4 on:** January 13, 2011, 02:32:52 AM »

I woulda bought it in a heartbeat!

Good deal, congrats!

Rangr44 · « **Reply #5 on:** January 13, 2011, 03:06:33 PM »

Nice score ! A .32 Special is every bit as good as (if not the same as) the venerable .30-30 Winchester - and a pre-64 Model 94 is one of the better ones, at that.

.

mauser98us · « **Reply #6 on:** January 13, 2011, 04:27:23 PM »

I think the 32 Special is better. Same velocity with lower chamber pressures with the same powder charge. Also a slightly different size slug. It also shoots cast boolits exceptionally. I love mine even tho the difference is probably only in my mind.

Mikey · « **Reply #7 on:** January 14, 2011, 12:58:50 AM »

Wasn't the 32 Spl a cartridge that could be used with black powder as well as smokeless? I seem to recall that when Winchester first came out with the cartridge it was after the introduction of the 30-30, which was introduced as a smokeless powder cartridge, and the 32 was offered for those who wanted to continue to use black powder as well as reload with smokeless. Smoeone please correct me if I am wrong. Thanks.

Stan in SC · « **Reply #8 on:** January 14, 2011, 02:44:48 AM »

Mikey,you are absolutely correct on that.The 30 caliber bore was not as good for bp as the larger bore of the .32.
I recently purchased a 1956 Model 94 in .32 Win special which had belonged to my deceased college roommate who was like my brother for almost 50 years.I am proud to have it.

Stan in SC

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #9 on:** January 14, 2011, 03:36:53 AM »

I got one at a gun show last year . It was made in 1958 and the seller said it had been in the closet since never fired. In fact it looks un fired . I got ammo and reloading dies but so far can't decide to shoot it or not

.

Slufoot · « **Reply #10 on:** January 14, 2011, 02:36:36 PM »

Quote from: SHOOTALL on January 14, 2011, 03:36:53 AM

I got ammo and reloading dies but so far can't decide to shoot it or not .

Hey SHOOTALL, you had better change your handle if you don't shoot it!

GOOD SHOOTING!
Slufoot

336SC · « **Reply #11 on:** January 14, 2011, 03:38:02 PM »

Hello to all. My first post on GBO. I am the proud owner of four .32 Win Specials. Two model 94 Winchesters and two Marlin 336SC's. Love em all and shoot them all. In fact during deer season of 2009, I shot a doe at 80yds with one of my 94's and the
then new HDY FTX factory loads. Broke both shoulders and DRT. Not even a kick, just a tail twitch twice. Due to failing eye site
I had to put on a Lyman 66 receiver site on that particular 94 and it helped me put the bullet where it needed to go. I love shooting cast bullets in my .32 specials. So far in my casting carreer, the .32 Win special has been the easiest rifle caliber to get
cast bullets to shoot great right from the git go. I use an old RCBS 08-170FNGC mold to cast a 182gr WW metal bullet. The .32
special was brought out with the intent to use black powder to reload it. In fact, a special rear site was offered to accomodate the slower speeds of black powder reloads. In 1902 when the .32 Special was introduced, smokeless powder had not yet been perfected to where the manufacturers could make it available to the reloading public. At the time, they had enough problems just
getting ammunition manufactured with smokeless powder. I shot my 1st deer with a .32 Win Special model 94 that I now own. My hunting uncle loaned it to me on that rainy November day in 1965 and sold it to me upon my return home from overseas.
336SC

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #12 on:** January 17, 2011, 04:41:50 AM »

Quote from: Slufoot on January 14, 2011, 02:36:36 PM

Quote from: SHOOTALL on January 14, 2011, 03:36:53 AM
I got ammo and reloading dies but so far can't decide to shoot it or not .
Hey SHOOTALL, you had better change your handle if you don't shoot it!

GOOD SHOOTING!
Slufoot

Good point , its not like me to not shoot one ........

Canuck Bob · « **Reply #13 on:** January 28, 2011, 11:39:04 AM »

Congrats, great rifle and good deal. The 32 Special was very popular in Canada. In my youth it was considered a good moose rifle by pioneer woodsman and trappers who lived n and homesteaded the northern bush. A real cast shooter as well.

Waters has a good write-up in his pet loads book on this cartridge.

Thanks for your service for the free world, glad to see you came home safe.

Doublebass73 · « **Reply #14 on:** January 28, 2011, 11:55:02 AM »

I would have bought it at that price. A good friend and hunting buddy has a Winchester '94 in .32 Special that was made in 1916. It was left to him by a nice old timer who taught my friend how to hunt. Very cool caliber.

lester · « **Reply #15 on:** February 17, 2011, 04:53:12 PM »

Thanks for all the positive comments guys. My M94 is at a local gunsmith getting the front ramp/sight sweated on. Should hear from him any day that it's ready to pick up. Looking forward to shooting it and sighting it in!

Lester

lester · « **Reply #16 on:** July 06, 2011, 04:52:12 PM »

Gents -

Been a while since my original post and thought it time for an update. Have had the .32 back for a few months w/ the new ramp/blade, my smith did an exceptional job on it! Sighted it in w/ the Hornady LeverEvolution 165's a few days ago. 1.5 inches high at 50 yards and it grouped about 1" for 5 shots. Very pleasant to shoot from the bench, then I shot 5 more offhand from the low ready. Group was still very good! Look forward to the fall and hunting with this rifle......

Lester

windywales · « **Reply #17 on:** July 07, 2011, 01:43:19 PM »

Lester, I think you've got a winner. I got one of the "Wrangler" models, with the 16" barrel, as soon as I found out they were making them--my trapper great uncle Bert had one he was fond of when he lived up in Lolo Pass. Mine shoots quite well with factory loads and not bad with Trail Boss light loads, at about 32-20 speeds. Fun for plinking, and the squib loads don't tear up grouse or rabbits nearly as bad. Sad to say, I can't get that short barrel to shoot the Hornady "baby magnum" loads too well. Oh well, I've got a stack of 8mm's to shoot if I get stampeded by brontosaurians; .32WS is plenty for the deer, elk and black bears we have around here.
Good hunting!
windywales

eastbank · « **Reply #18 on:** July 07, 2011, 01:47:45 PM »

i have a collection of old winchesters,but only one 32 spl., and it came in a small group rifles. i was not to interested in a 32 spl. but when i saw it i bought it and kept it. its a nickle steel saddle ring carbine with a 3/4 magazine made in 1924 in very good condition with a ex bore. i have not shot it yet. eastbank.

oldfort · « **Reply #19 on:** July 08, 2011, 07:54:53 AM »

I have a pre 64 Mod 94 in .32 Spec. I also have one in a 16" Wrangler Mod 94. It came with the hoop lever, but I replaced it with a standard. It sure lays sweet in the truck seat. I would think that the .32 Spec would be slightly favored on larger game and piggies over the .30-30. Lots of .32's in Canada.

Canuck Bob · « **Reply #20 on:** January 06, 2012, 10:25:23 PM »

Sorry for the resurection but I reread this thread and wanted to add that Lester's find got me thinking. Within a month or two I started shopping and found my own pre-64 94 32 Special. I bought it used from a reputable gunshop in eastern Canada, Epps. I am tickled, it came with a steel Lyman 66 and in excellent condition with a pristine bore. I then scored 12 boxes of Imperial 170 Kling Kore Softpoint ammo (a defunct Canadian manufacturer). I chose the 32 because it was so popular in moose country here and cast bullet shooters rave about it shooting cast well.

zoner · « **Reply #21 on:** January 07, 2012, 02:11:08 AM »

i shoot mine these days with cast bullets only. The 170 gr FN BB sized .322 that Oregon Trail sells over 15 grs of 4759 gives me 1600fps with no leading. The Lyman tang sight/XS post front makes it a 100 yd rifle for me....I wouldn't shoot it at game beyond 100yds with that sight combo and can get 2" 100 yd 3 shot groups with it.....it's my favorite rifle. Mike

wvjoetc · « **Reply #22 on:** January 07, 2012, 02:50:55 AM »

I see this is an older thread but the .32 is my next lever, I've been on the prowl for one for two years around here, tons of 30/30 and a few 35's but not many 32's. Oh by the way Eastbank that is one fine looking rifle, did you ever shoot it?

Joe

Swampman · « **Reply #23 on:** January 07, 2012, 02:53:39 AM »

Great buy on a great rifle in a great cartridge.

S.S. · « **Reply #24 on:** January 08, 2012, 03:09:24 PM »

If I remember correctly, the .32 was created to fit re-bored worn out
.30-30 rifles.

Canuck Bob · « **Reply #25 on:** January 08, 2012, 05:04:15 PM »

The best discussion of the 32WS's place in history is this one.

http://www.levergun.com/articles/special.htm

Slufoot · « **Reply #26 on:** January 09, 2012, 01:16:10 PM »

Hey lester, did you get to hunt with that 32 Special this year?

GOOD SHOOTING!
Slufoot

lester · « **Reply #27 on:** January 09, 2012, 02:15:30 PM »

I did Slufoot. It's found a place as my foul weather gun as all my other deer rifles wear scopes. Had several does in front of me while carrying it on a couple of snowy days but never a buck. Felt very good in my hand and it makes an easy, lightweight all day carry. Looking forward to many years of good use from it!!

Lester

T.R. · « **Reply #28 on:** January 13, 2012, 01:24:19 AM »

This is my friend Bill H. age 80. He has hunted the mts of central Penssylvania for over 60 years. His 32 Special has toppled dozens of animals. Bill is a careful and patient hunter.

TR