32/20 in Contender

[Wilbe Lead]

Howdy Everyone,
Have a barrel coming from a Graybeard member.
Was thinking of cast bullets.Have moulds from 110 up to 190 all gascheck bullets.Do not know what the twist will be on a 10 inch barrel.But was thinking of trying slow to fast with big and little bullets.
Anyone played with this one much?
Later
Wilbe Lead

[gewehrfreund]

The twist is 1 in 10", so it will stabilize a lot of big 30 cal. bullets, but experimenting is the best answer to that question. I have one of these barrels and don't seem to shoot it too often (too many other things to play with).

[Hopalong7]

Remember in the Contender the 32-20, like the .32H&R is .308 bore not .312.  You can squeeze .312 bullets thru her but keep an eye on pressure.  Much better selection of bullets in .308 anyway.  You'll need to get a .308 expander to get a good grip on bullets.  You probably knew all that already...don;t want to do toe stepping.  Good luck w/ it.
GOOD SHOOTIN', Walt  

[haroldclark]

I have not owned the 32-20, but I have had a 32 H&R and a 30 Carbine in the 10" barrel.  I shot a Saeco #316 150 grain gas checked bullet from both of them and they stabilized just fine.

I used 4 grains of IMR SR 7625 powder in both of them for fun plinking loads.  I could take 100 Meter pigs over with both of them.

Below is a note taken from my database on the 30 Carbine:
Very accurate load in my 10" TC with 7X Burris Scope.  
Note: The RCBS 150 grain bullet is not satisfactory in this cartridge. It is OK to use as plinking loads, but it shoots twice the group size of the Saeco #316 at 50 meters.


Harold Clark

[fyrepowrx]

Wilbe;

i think you will like the .32-20 in the TC, its pleasant to shoot.. i have a 10" bull, and liked it so well i had the custom shop make up a 20" carbine barrel as a companion... i have had best luck with 110 - 135 grainers in mine... accuracy fell off a bit in my barrels when the bullets went over 150 grains but i think that was more a result from the particular load i was using & not the barrel twist..i especially like low-powered cast bullet plinking loads in my carbine, i shoot 115 grainers at just under 1000 fps & they are about as loud as a .22...good 1 shot stoppers on squirrels too..
good shooting!

[gewehrfreund]

Fyrepowrx,
Great minds must think alike because I had a COntender carbine barrel in 32-20 made up a few years ago myself (21.5"). Magtech 71gr hollow points with 2400, 4227, or Lil'Gun literally crack like a varmint rifle and are very accurate in mine. But mostly, I got it for mild cast or jacketed target/plinking use.

[fyrepowrx]

Gewehr;

have not tried the superlight bullets like the magtechs, but have been wanting to... the hornady 90 grain .308 XTP will absolutely make a mess out of a skunk though!  :grin:  did you see the article written by Rick Jamison years several years back on loading the .32/20 up? he was developing max laods for a marlin 1894 classic .32-20 and was getting just over 1000 ft-lbs of muzzle energy witha few selected loads in his lever gun.. 90 grain Sierras running 2300 fps..