Home Forums Lever Action Central Cowboy Levers 32-20 loads?

They both got in at about the same time!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> 1894 CCL and my tax refund. Two days ago, I got my F1 chrony and some starline 32-20 brass. NOW, if the snowdrifts would all melt and go downstream, and I could get into the range, I could do some accuracy testing.
Anyone have any accurate - and preferably mild - loads? I got a box of the Hornaday 90 gr SWC in .314. SW

Hi Hogger,
My favorite loads for the .32-20 with cast bullets use either Green Dot, or Unique. I load with a 115 grain cast bullet, but the 90 should work as well with these loads.
5.0 grs of Unique, is about 1280 fps.
4.0 grs of Green Dot is about 1050 fps.
Both of these are nice mild loads, with no leading problems.
Hope this helps

Thanks! The main reason I'm interested in mild is because Hornady swaged bullets have always been soft. I used to shoot a lot of PPC, and their hollow base wadcutters would lead the heck out of my race gun even with the mild target loads.

I'm worse than a kid at Xmas with this thing, and I can't wait to get it to the range! I even got the same # as my 336D and 1894D - in the teens. SW

I like 7.3grs of 2400 behind a 115 Meister cast bullet. Very accurate, low report (about 1200fps).

Have also had VERY good accuracy with 13grs of W296 and Speer 100gr jacketed hollowpoints. Velocity in the 2100fps area.

All in a 1894CL and with Starline brass.GOOD Luck.

These loads are only safe in MY rifle.

Thanks! The weather straightened out, and I'll load tonight & try to get in some range time tomorrow. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> SW

The tightest group I got was with 8.0 of 2400 and the 100 gr Hornady XTP. Velocity was around 1300 fps. All 5 shots at 50 yards touoched. I tried 12.0 of 296, but the group wasn't as good as the 2400. I'll load up some in .1 gr increasing increments with those 2 powders & see how the groups look. I also tried Reloader 7, IMR 4198 ( 2nd best group), and IMR 4227. My 1894 CCL doesn't have a very good trigger, so I'll do a little work on it, too.



I came home grinning - it was the first range session in quite a long while that didn't leave bruises! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> SW

If you have a can of Blue Dot sitting around, don't pass it up. 6.5-7gr behind a 115gr cast bullet brings about 1400fps and nice tight groups.

It's fairly late to reply on this one, but you might be interested to know that Brian Pearce published an article on the .32-20 in Handloader, Dec. '01. Everything from bp pressures to stuff only a new rifle like yours should be asked to shoot. Believe the magazine sells back issues.

How do you like the rifle now that you've had a while? I've been threatening to get one to go with my revolver, but haven't done it yet.

I use the 32 magum pistol bullets in mine they are very accurate, and are have jackets. no leading..

Here's some more you may want to try out:

http://www.reloadersnest.com/frontpage.asp?CaliberID=67