.308 bore .32-20 performance with factory ammo

[Mike A.]

I'm thinking about getting MGM to make me a .32-20 barrel for my G2 Carbine but noticed that they make them with a .308 bore rather than the .312 bore that many factory .32-20s came with. 

Has anybody used a .308 bore .32-20?  How did it shoot with factory ammo?  Did you use lead or jacketed bullet ctgs?  When you handloaded it with .308 bullets, did it make a noticeable bottleneck in the case?

I'm very familiar with the .32-20; have two Colts (an Army Special and a Bisley) and a Savage bolt action.  But I've not loaded them with .308 bullets, nor fired the factory .312 bullets in a .308  bore.

[3leggedturtle]

Hornady reloading books talk about loading them that way. They use both .308 and.312 bullets in them. MGM will make whatever bore you want.  T/C custom shop is the ones that would only do it in .308 bore.  T/C also only does 9mm with .357 bore.  MGM does theirs in .355, I just had them make a 9mm with .355 bore for my Contender.  Did you call and talk to them about the bore diameters for the 32/20?  they also have a forumn you can ask them these sort of  questions.  Todd

[Flash]

It's certainly not a safety issue otherwise, they wouldn't do it. I could see how accuracy would suffer a bit but maybe not much, depending on the distance demands you put on the rifle. One thing to consider is the expander in 32-20 dies. You can easily chuck it in a drill and reduce it to .308 yourself but Lee expanders are full length.

[3leggedturtle]

Just called MGM,  said they would do a 32/20 barrel in either .308 or .312 bore diameter 

[Mike A.]

Thanks, guys--looks like you did all the work for me!  Now all I need is the $350 for the barrel!

Mike Armstrong