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Post by ezekiel38 on Oct 4, 2022 17:56:59 GMT -5
I have a friend and he is in his mid70s and not a hunter now, but a shooter and hunter in his youth. He has been helping me with some around the house projects that I've been putting off as they are beyond my craftsmanship level but not his. So yesterday at lunch he tells me he has this old Smith and Wesson that belonged to his grandmother and he would like to shoot it a few times but all he knew was it was a 32 caliber Told him to go home and look at the gun and the barrel should tell him what caliber the weapon is. He shows up for work this morning and says it's a 32-20 and has a 5" barrel; his grandmother used to shoot deer with it during the depression of the 1930s. I have been a reloader since 1974 but never reloaded for anything smaller than a 38 Spl. He is not a reloader..
As a gift I want to start assembling a set of dies, a shellholder, brass and bullets. Thinking about cast 115-125 at 900fps. Does this sound reasonable? I know not to put rifle powered 32-20s in a K frame. Also from a small sampling of research it appears HS-6 is a good powder.
Need some with this from all you 32 fanatics. 2 Dogs great place to jump in here. I really want to crease a big smile on this old preacher's face. His not mine, but we both preach and teach the Word of God!
Thanks In Advance.
Tom
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Post by kings6 on Oct 4, 2022 18:19:34 GMT -5
I can send some bullets and brass. Give me the address where to send them.
Robb
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Post by Encore64 on Oct 4, 2022 18:21:37 GMT -5
I'll donate a set of dies...
PM me a shipping address...
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Post by mhblaw on Oct 4, 2022 19:25:18 GMT -5
Well done you guys! A great cartridge in a great gun.
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Post by Encore64 on Oct 4, 2022 19:30:36 GMT -5
I also have a surplus of brass if Robb is low...
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Post by ezekiel38 on Oct 4, 2022 21:51:52 GMT -5
Thank you gentlemen so much, Frank is going to be excited! I've sent PMs to you and I will keep you posted and will post pics when this project begins shortly after my kitchen cabinet doors come home refinished. Thanks so much this is going to be a kick in the pants, fun. Not that other kind of kick!!!!!
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Post by ezekiel38 on Oct 4, 2022 21:56:59 GMT -5
Just got off the phone with my friend Frank. Serial# is 288XX. My Smith and Wesson catalog dates that back to a 1st Change Hand Ejector born in 1907. I'm thinking 4-4.5 grains of Unique or 5.5 grains of HS-6. This is going to be fun!
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Post by 2 Dogs on Oct 5, 2022 7:24:47 GMT -5
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Fowler
.401 Bobcat
Posts: 3,559
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Post by Fowler on Oct 5, 2022 8:50:13 GMT -5
Yes as Fermin said we have been working with a similar vintage gun, this one has .314" throats. With .312" bullets it would hold 2 1/2" groups at 25 yards, with a 100gr Keith styled bullets (RCBS 32-98-SWC mold) powder coated and sized .314" it seems really happy cutting the groups in half. I have to check the notes but I think it was HS6 at your suggested charge levels but I have to look.
Trying to see if we can sort out a heavy 125gr load at 900-1000fps because I have a mold that drops big enough bullets and just cause. We are not quite there on this one yet, been focusing on hunting season stuff now.
Fun guns to play with for sure...
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Post by Encore64 on Oct 5, 2022 10:34:01 GMT -5
Got the address. Will ship the dies Friday...
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jd
.30 Stingray
Posts: 204
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Post by jd on Oct 5, 2022 14:54:53 GMT -5
Do yourself and him a favor and get a Lee Collet Crimp die to go along with the normal dies. Uses a collet to apply the crimp and will will save all involved lots of pain and trouble!!!!
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Post by 45MAN on Oct 5, 2022 17:53:25 GMT -5
Do yourself and him a favor and get a Lee Collet Crimp die to go along with the normal dies. Uses a collet to apply the crimp and will will save all involved lots of pain and trouble!!!! TO THE INITIAL OP: FOR MY 32-20 LOADS I USE A TAPER CRIMP DIE (SINCE BEFORE THE DAYS OF THE LEE COLLETT CRIMP DIE). LOOKS LIKE THE LEE CCD IS A GOOD ALTERNATIVE. I PERSONALLY WOULD NOT USE A ROLL CRIMP DIE ON THE THIN NECKED 32-20 CASES. WITH SLOPED WALL CASES DIMENSIONS OF RESIZER DIES AND CHAMBERS WILL VARY, SO BEFORE YOU LOAD UP A BUNCH LOAD UP SOME DUMMY ROUNDS TO MAKE SURE THEY CHAMBER IN EACH CHAMBER! THE 115gr RNFP BULLET, AND PC'ed, AS OFFERED BY SEVERAL COMMERCIAL CASTERS WOULD BE MY FIRST CHOICE FOR A BULLET FOR THIS OLD REVOLVER. SINCE IT IS A VERY EARLY 1905, OVER 100 YEARS OLD, I WOULD NOT PUSH IT TOO HARD. I HAVE SEVERAL 1905's IN 32-20 BUT THEY ARE ALL 4th CHANGERS. EVEN THESE I PREFER NOT TO USE OFTEN WITH A PEPPIER 32-20 LOAD FOR MY COLT OFFICIAL POLICE REVOLVERS. THEY MADE A LOT OF 32-20 REVOLVERS PRE-WAR (BEFORE WWII) AND THEY APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN POPULAR WITH HUNTERS, TRAPPERS, OUTDOORSMEN, AND THE POLICE.
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Post by Encore64 on Oct 5, 2022 18:00:04 GMT -5
Do yourself and him a favor and get a Lee Collet Crimp die to go along with the normal dies. Uses a collet to apply the crimp and will will save all involved lots of pain and trouble!!!! This is a true story. Tied with Starline Brass for the best thing that ever happened to handloaders of hyphenated cartridges!!!
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Post by kings6 on Oct 5, 2022 19:06:26 GMT -5
Brass and bullets left for Idaho today.
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Post by ezekiel38 on Oct 5, 2022 19:43:39 GMT -5
I am overwhelmed at the response, and vey grateful. I will get the Lee die. I've had a compulsion to avoid bottleneck pistol cartridges in the past due to the reputation of "reloading issues" with them. It will be a challenge and your advice and help with the vagaries of reloading will help me immensely. Thanks again, even with new reloading challenges the outcome will be fun for Frank and I. So appreciate your generosity and patience and helpfulness.
Tom
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