Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting deer hunting with a 32/20

anyone hunt deer with a 32/20?

haven't personally...but my grandpa did for table meat. My mom said most of his success was thru a knothole in the barn...

might keep the range down...:)

Wish I had one to find out!

The Jordan buck was killed by the even wimpier 25/20.
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mnpine/jordanbuck.html

I'd probably choose a .25-20 over a 32-20 if those were the only options. Penetration with the .25 would be a bit better. Neither would my preference however.

I'm taking my 25-20 out Friday and Saturday for the early doe season. I've loaded some 70grn Sierra Blitzkings to about 1750fps, and they punch through 3 one gallon milk jugs filled with water (15"), and really do a number on the first two. The 75grn Speer penetrate more, but don't expand much at all.

I'm planning on taking bow type shots with the little 25-20 carbine. 40yrds or less broadside or slight quartering away. It's just a way to put a little more 'hunt' into the gun season.

I don't know why I've always wanted to use a 25-20 on a deer, but I've done the testing and load work, and will finally make it happen this week.

No deer, but I have seen a couple of lions taken with the cartridge. Worked as good as any and better than several others I could name. It certainly would not be my choice for western deer hunting.

Killed my first deer, a 3x3 blacktail with a 25-20 back in the day. Put it were it belongs and it's game over.

I've never hunted deer with the 32-20 but the old timers told me that back in the day when most used a shot gun and rifles were M92's or 73s that the common deer rifle was 32-20 here. If you wanted a really big gun you used a 44-40. Kind of amusing what with all the super mag whiz bangs that some think they need today for a poor little old deer.

I agree totally!

I use a .243 and it is PLENTY of gun to take down anything I hunt with 1 shot

There's a big difference between the .243 and a .32-20.

Oh, and that Jordan buck took about the whole magazine and he died in a different state from the one he was shot in.

I should have included this quote with my reply. believe it or not, I do know there is a difference between a .243 and 32-20.
my elk rifle is a 30-30 and there is a big difference between those, too.

I knocked over some steel plates at 100 yards with a 32/20 handgun.
Figure at bow ranges and with a rifle instead of a handgun, the 32/20 would work for deer. Don't think I would shoot over 100 yards with it tho. just my experience from seeing them plates fall over at 100 yards.

It isn't what you shoot them with, it is where you shoot them that makes the difference , i would use the 32-20 or 25-20 if that is all i had to hunt with and have no dough i would take home a deer with either.

Know of many deer killed with 22 lr's and 22mg if gun is in capable hands.

I hunt with 32-20 1892 at times. Reloads with 90 xtps IIRC too. Killed at least 4 deer or maybe 5, a few hogs and a javelina so far. No shots much over 40 yards yet. No losses either. They don't go very far at all actually so far, but I've lung shot all so far except the javelina which was facing me quartering and caught the neck.

The big issues as noted, know what you are using and what its limits are and stay within those limits.

BTW never retained a bullet either....

Same exact experience here. Winchester M92 saddle ring carbine with reloads pushing a Hornady 100 gr XTP bullet has proven to be quite effective on whitetails at responsible ranges and popping the flesh balloon. Never recovered a bullet as well.

going to use a 1889 marlin in 32/20 with a 120grain rnfp

I hunt with a modern marlin 1894 in 32-20 with tang sights. I use the speer gold dot 115gr bullet designed for the .327 federal. I'm using a load of Lil'gun that gives 1850fps. I limit shots to inside 50 yards standing broadside. It works.

I've killed deer and hogs with the .32-20......from a single action revolver!! It's not something I would choose "deliberately" to hunt such game, but when the opportunity is there, you use what you have with you.

In my experience the .32-20 (loaded with hard-cast bullets of 115 grain bullets) is in nearly the same class as the .357 from a handgun. Should work quite weel from a rifle as long as range is limited and shots exactly placed.

I killed a deer this past weekend with my 25-20 in the doe season. Worked just like an archery kill, but no blood trail whatsoever. Through and through with a 70grn Sierra blitzking just over the top of the heart, 20yrds shot or so.

i will see how it works the monday after thanksgiving.

Iv owned the newer Marlin 25-20 & the cl 32-20. both shot great I hunted a season with the 25-20 but never got a shot. I did kill a fallow deer Doe on a farm, with my Marlin 27S in 32-20, thru both lungs at 40yrds , ran 50yrds and died, but no real blood trail, keep the shots close and it will work!

Seems to me the 32-20 is under-powered for deer. Are you sure it's legal within your state?

Sherwood

any centerfire cartridge is legal for big game in Pennsylvania

Some say the same about the 22lr.... and there is no telling how many deer harvested with that round.... its the Indian, more so than the arrow.

My hunting mentor said thats all they had many years ago, 22lr. Took a long hp(not LR) and would shoot probably 10-12 deer a year that way, in the lungs. Roll a cig, take a smoke, get a drink and then go get em. Said he never recalled loosing one.

Archery kills usually leave a good blood trail.

Back at the turn of the 20th century, the 32/20 was recommended by outdoor pundits as a very good deer cartridge. Apparently deer are tougher than they used to be.

I've always thought a 32-20 would be a great "tight quarters" round...when hunting near homes in suburban wood lot's etc.

I acquired a very well used Savage Model 23C that had already been drilled and tapped for a side mount. It was actually a $99 special at the local Gander Mountain. I mounted an old Leupold vari-x II 2-7x33.

I shot one big 7 point whitetail at around 15 yds in the neck. I was using a handload which had a 100 gr Hornady XTP at 1400 fps. The deer was DRT but the bullet did not exit.

I also shot a nice sized doe this afternoon close to 50 yds away. Took a neck shot and the deer literally flipped when hit. Then got up and ran as I approached. This doe took another shot as it ran and one more when I caught up to it. None of the rounds exited.

So can one kill a whitetail with a 32-20? Absolutely. Is it the best round for the job? No. In my opinion it's marginal and shots should be taken only when the most ideal target is offered at close range.

Dan

How would it compare to a .38spc in a 20" rifle ?

I've never shot a deer as you describe with a 38 Special so I really wouldn't know.

I'm sure the velocity will be less with a heavier, larger diameter bullet. I'd feel better with a 357 mag myself rather than a .38 Special.

You'll have to try it and report back.

Dan