Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Ethical use of a 32-20?

Pappy that’s a good point and one I should have mentioned - the 1892 loads are much more suitable if a deer is really what you want to take.......if I ever do take a deer with that 1873 it will be with a 115 grain lead load that the ‘73 likes and the deer would be within 30 yards or so - and like I said before if that never happens so be it.

PennDog

Yes, I would if I could make up some H.V. loads. say a 115 gr at 1800-2000 fps. I wouldn't use it much past 100 yards though. The .32-20 and .30 carbine were pretty popular around Foster, OR in the 50's as kids guns. The shots were pretty close and the deer weren't usually very large but a lot of them died. The first rifle I was given was a .32-20 Model 1892. It had been my older brother-in-laws first deer gun. He had killed several blacktails with it. I couldn't find any H.V. ammo though. His dad even used a .25-20 Remington pump on a few deer.

When I got a bit older I was lent more powerful rifles. Two different 25-35 Model 1894 Winchesers. They killed deer just fine. .

'73 clones are the best CAS guns due to straight line feeding, fast actions that can be short stroked and run fast.

The '92's are some of the worst CAS guns due to angle feed, COAL sensitivity and tendency to jam when pushed fast and hard.

For hunting, the table turns. The '73's are weak compared to the '92's which are the strongest in class, including the Marlin.

You can't push '73 loads like you can '92's.

So, it's the best of both worlds, the worst of both worlds, depending on the game.

DF

I'll tell you my experience hunting whitetails with the 32-20.

I originally bought an old, very well used Savage Model 23-C . I bought this rifle to hunt a few areas that were very close to civilization, more like a bow hunting patches. I don't bow hunt.

The first deer I shot in the lungs at a bout 40 yds. The buck ran of course and I found one pin drop of blood. I moved the deer out of some thick brush and a hunter close by shot him (thank God) within 3 minutes.

The second deer was a few days later at 50 feet. I took a neck shot and dropped the deer right there , dead. Bullet did not fully penetrate. I was using 100 gr Hornady XTP's.

The third deer was at about 80 yards. I shot the doe in the neck and it nearly did a back flip and laid motionless. As I approached her, within 25 yards she got up and ran. I think I shot her 3 more times in the lungs until she laid down down 60 yards away. My 357 magnum revolver ended her life.

I don't shoot deer with a 32-20 anymore. If it's a survival thing and that's all you've got, a neck or head shot close range will do I guess but there's many more ethical calibers to choose from otherwise.

Dan

I don't blame you. The 30-30 is about as low as I go for deer.

Best feral cat revolver and rifle I ever owned. Deer, no doubt it will do it but in 40 years of owning several 32-20's...I've not seen the need to use it. Had a friend whose brother only used a '92 in 32-20. To my knowledge he never lost one but he shot 'em up close and said he always waited until he could "shoot 'em in that white spot on their throat".