A few us on another forum wanted to encourage each other to hunt with our 32-40's this season so we agreed to start a 2020 thread over here. Available to any and all, no matter the action style. You might even slip a 38-55 or other obsolete cartridge kill in on us. LOL. Let's break out the old 32-40 this year and see what we can put in the dirt. I'll start with a photo of my Savage and say I haven't fired it, so I need to get busy. Post what you have and don't forget to take photos of your hunts! Great luck to all!









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Perfect! and speaking of getting ready, at first light this morning, i'll go out and run some through the chrono, set up a box at 100 yards and check zero, will take a few pics for posting to the thread later on.

Oh man - now I’m going to have to figure out how to post photos and I’m not the quickest circuit on the space ship🥴......this will be fun!

PennDog

postimage.org is your friend

It's on now PennDog, chronograph, 100 yard target group, and even a mini water jug bullet penetration test, the little 178gr flat nosed bullet at 1555 fps went lengthways through a big metal coffee can, and three one gallon canning vinegar jugs never to be seen again, got some pics too.

The little bullet sucked the sides of the metal coffee can closed on exit, penetrated straight through the rest of the jugs, I don't believe any deer or pig will hold that bullet, iirc they Brinnell at around 15, nice to have an exit hole in critters if we need to track.

Lets see if I have it???

Looks Like I do (at least in part??!) - THANKS 10guagemag!! I'll get to work on some groups with the rifle now - have some 165 grain cast bullets loaded with 5744 that shot good when I first got the rifle (a couple of years ago).

PennDog

p.s. FB2 looks like we have twins (I just posted that and saw we were thinking the same thing :D)

Looks like our rifles are twins PennDog. I'm going camping this weekend and taking the 32-40 with me. Let's get it done!

Yes, PennDog got it posted, I'm an even dimmer fuse on the circuit board, i'll have to have someones cell or email and have Wife send em for me.

Here's Gunners photos-

Many Thanks Fireball! I appreciate posting the pics.

1] 5 shots at 100 yards with a six 0'clock hold on the black dot, don't know why I was walking those shots up like that, still, that's five dead deer or pigs.
2] Cartridge name on this old 1900 year model '94 Winchester.
3] One metal coffee can and three gallon vinegar jugs reassembled after a 178gr flat nosed cast bullet punched them all, note how the bullet sucked the sides in on that metal can Gents.
4] Exit hole in last of the three one gallon jugs, had never tested this rifle or load, it penetrates straight as a string.
5] At the chronograph before range trip.

What do you make of that Gunner?

Don't know FB, but there's a term for it, you can see where the bullet entered the can, nearly blew the thing apart at the seam, then bullet exited into jugs and sucked the can flat on the way out, don't know, weird voodoo going on there, my big Sharps 45 3-1/4 will do the same thing to a 55 gallon drum filled with water.

BTW, that little bullet has a near quarter inch meplat, think of slapping your hand into a pool of water as hard as you can, seeing that coffee can, then running that bullet through a deer's vitals compressing a wall of solids in front of the bullet wont have them going far with two half inch bleeder holes, I cant wait to get into the woods.

That’s a nice rifle gunner! I’m in the middle of trying to figure out an H&R 158 in .22 Jet and as soon as I do I’ll try and get some range time in with the Savage 99 and share the results!

PennDog

Thanks PennDog, and yes, get that ear splitter handled and get on that old Savage 32-40!

An old buddy that I told about this site long ago lurks here but has never joined, he's 88 years old and saw this thread yesterday, he called me this morning laughing, FWIW, he's killed two black bears and dozens of deer with a lever action 32-40 raising and feeding his children and a few neighbors along the way, I think we can get some deer in the freezers pretty easy this season Men!

That's good to hear. I'm a bit hesitant to whack a bear with one. I prefer DRT to brush rodeos. BTDT and it's too steep, deep, and thick with poison oak here for that sheit. Normally hunt up high to avoid the poison oak, but the steep and deep gets worse uphill as the poison oak fades away. I wonder how the black bear kills went.

Ain't all that weird. Flat base bullets suck. I mean that in a nice way. Cans are designed to contain fluids, not resist vacuums. Buffalo bullets create a fair bit of low pressure behind the base as they wander along.

I didn't hear the old man complain any FB, bet he was using some sort of flat nosed cast bullet though.

Dan, hell of a deal, good to know that, the old saying I've heard about what a bullet doesn't blow out, it sucks out on exit.

And now we know it wasn't an unfounded legend.

LOL, really cool stuff Dan, I'm going to take my 32-40 in a tight thicket nearly guaranteeing me a hard quartering in or frontal chest shot, will try to shoot completely through a buck or big doe, lengthways or diagonally.

Did that with big hunks of lead in a .44 mag. None of them exited, maybe ‘cause they were pure lead paper patched. Front to rear or quartering doesn’t lend to obvious suckage very much. OTOH, if you’re into carnage they work just dandy. Maybe if I slowed them down, or used a tougher alloy...

That'll work too DD, I happen to have at my use the perfect natural autopsy table, a low water bridge with enough running water for proper and clean examination, but not too much to wash the animal out of your hands, after cleaning, throw deer in upstream side of bridge, a small pool of clean cold water about 3 ft deep, shot deer Sat morning, leave till hunts end Sun evening, they really bleed out good and stay super cool for the trip home to the butcher.

My thought was a clean rib hit with the little 32 cal 178gr hard cast flat nosed bullet may require a lengthy tracking job, as you said, 'long' wound channels hurt, with the added bonus of punching near every vital they have.

Wish I could do that but all it would do is feed a gator!

Had a death in the family that's going to set me back for shooting time with the 32-40, but the 38-55 is sighted in and always ready in a pinch. I still plan on getting out with the 32-40, come hell or high water.

Keepin it real.

Well damn pacecars, gators edible?

Condolences on the family death FB.

TTT for any other 32-40 shooters/hunters.

Can we blow the case out straight, add a 30 degree shoulder and call it the 32 Creedmore Rimmed and get the youts (yes I spelled it that way on purpose) shooting it? Might reignite the love of lever rifles...

PS, that's pure sarcasm

Sighted in the 32-40 for 100 yards shooting 170 grain Sierra fp bullets. Lots of fun to shoot. It's in the truck in the garage ready to go.

FB can you give the specifics of that load? How does it shoot for you? I’ve only used cast in my 99 but thought I might like to use jacketed bullets at some point.

Thanks,
PennDog

Hey PennDogg, 30 grains IMR 4895 170 Speer, not Sierra, my mistake. Shoots good. Feels about like a 30-30 hunting load.

Using my 1885 Traditional Hunter with a 28" barrel, I've loaded the 170 Hornady jacketed bullet to around 1850 fps. At 100 yds., point of impact is very close, within two inches, of the load I shoot most, a 160 grain plain base cast bullet from a Lyman mould. Muzzle velocity of that one is only around 1400 fps.

I shot some 160 cast and they did the same as yours.

Will a 38-40 get you in the club until I can find a 32-40??

Thanks FB......I’ll have to give it a try! I got to digging trough a bunch of old reloading supplies and actually found 50 original Remington 165 grain .32-40 bullets - now should I use or save for a collector? (Ha I’ll load them up!).

PennDog

You're in! Go kill a fat hog hanco!

Going out for an afternoon bear hunt today with the 32-40. Hotternhell here but you can't win if you don't play.

Made 1884, have killed a couple deer, and a good many piggies with it. I can do a 2” group at 50 yards with it. Better eyes could do much better.

That’s sweet hanco - what loads do you use in that one? Always wanted a .38-40 lever - had the opportunity to pick up a deluxe 1873 in awesome shape about 10 years ago but it was way outside of my price range.

Did you find a bear today FB? Can’t wait to see some pics this fall!

PennDog

PennDog, the bears are very active in the area we went today, but with the heat are staying low until dark I suspect. Mostly we're waiting for the acorns to ripen on the live canyon oak bushes. We are seeing LOTS of sign. It's going to be red hot in 1-2 weeks.

Time is drawing near gentlemen, hope you get a bear FB.

Sound good FB - how long is your season for bear and when does your deer season start? Our bear season is a long 4 days (for centerfire rifle - we do have an early archery and muzzleloader season) in November just before Thanksgiving and deer season (again centerfire rifle) is the two weeks after Thanksgiving. Have five deer tags so hopefully be able to get a chance with the .32-40?!

PennDog

Don't know if any of you have watched this video, but this guy enjoys getting it done with some old classics.

Thanks for sharing didn’t see that one!

PennDog

Planning on getting at least one with my 38-55 this fall. Shoots real well with a 250 gr cast bullet, Accurate 38-250B.I use 4198 for just over balckpowder levels and 3031 for faster loads. Not sure it's allowed in this thread since it's a JES rebore of a 1979 Marlin 336.

4 day bear season? They don't want you to get one do they?

We can hunt from August 1 through December 31 for bear. Spring tag and two fall tags for a total of three a year if you want.

To be honest I don't like shooting bears, but I love hunting them and when I see a good one instinct takes over and I try to get him. Otherwise they're fun to watch.

I really want to harvest a deer this year with my German combo rifle from 1927. It’s a 6.5........x52r (25-35win).
I have a decent load with CFE223 powder and the Hornady 110grain FTX bullet. I am not pushing it hard, maybe 2300fps.

FB they really make it hard in PA to get a bear but I’m like you - really don’t want to get one but would if the right one came a long!



Can’t speak for the others but I think your good to go!



Would love to see a photo of that one - I have an Austrian made stalking rifle in 6.5X52R that’s a piece of art that I need to get bloody as well.

PennDog

Passed on a bear today while carrying the Savage 1899 in 38-55. Waiting for Mr. Right.

Fb was it to small or wrong color? My hunting buddy and I went spring b bear hunting in wyo back in 1986 a he got a nice boar that squared 6' with a great pelt. I'll never forget being in that part of the land of milk and honey in the spring. I didn't score that time but had a great time. We were camped in a national forest cg and built a big bed a coals in the grate with portable grill held up by rocks we roasted 1/2 of 1 back strap with garlic and onion powder over it and aluminum foil over the top and the bottom. We cooked it till it was done no pink in it. Was damn good eating for 2 days. I am retired now and spring and fall bear is on the top of my bucket list again. Mb

Hey Bob, it was a combination of things. End of a long day hiking and hunting in the smoky Oregon mountains, partner needed to get home, and smaller than we wanted.

Understand completely. Sometimes in life the things you do need to wait for the exactly the right time or circumstance to make it right for your expectations. MB

Hunted this canyon today. Almost 10 miles in the steep and deep with heat in the 90's.

That is some beautiful country FB! I’ve got a month plus before I can get the .32-40 out for blood🥴! Until then squirrels, pheasant and turkeys (muzzleloader for doe in a few weeks).

PennDog

Squirrels are fair game for a 32-40 PennDog!

........been using my 1873 in .32-20 for that.....if I need more than a .22😄

PennDog

32-20? You're halfway there PennDog

I’m recoil sensitive so I’m working my way up to the 40!!

PennDog

TTT, I was ready for the opener this weekend with my 32-40, may be marching in D.C. instead.

In the early 1970s, a kid I went to school with got his first deer with a borrowed 94 Winchester in .32-40, it was the first time I'd ever heard of the cartridge. He popped the little 6 point with it in the N/C Missouri woods. I hadn't seen or heard much out of the .32-40 until Winchester did those John Wayne Commemoratives in the same load, and ran off a batch of factory ammo for it. A buddy of mine had bought one of those JW guns, and I popped off a few rounds with it, but it didn't floor me with it's power and accuracy.

Anyone interested in forwarding a few photos of my 1899 Remington Lee 32-40 I used last fall on Kodiak deer ?

Heading for deer camp tomorrow, I had my 1883 Marlin .32-40 out today to check the vintage Lyman No.1J tang sight I found for it this summer. Two shots almost touching at 75 yds about 3" left of POA...............close enough! (I had bright sun from the left I blame that on) That rifle sure is more pleasant to shoot with a crescent buttplate than my old 1885 .45-70 I was checking too!

Has anyone been successful yet?

Yes, I took my old 1897 year model '94 Winchester 32-40 for a walk today, threw together a quick ground blind in a massive wind out of the South, at around 4 0'clock the old rifle went back to work again, and what a fine job it did.

Our friend Fireball has some pics, maybe tonight or tomorrow he'll get em up for us, I rolled out at 3:30 am, worn to a frazzle, hunted my tail off today.

Gunners photos, sorry if they're out of order gunner!

Nice ones FB and a Sharps to boot.......that’s a beauty buck!

Congratulations!

Bear season starts here Saturday and deer season the following Saturday so we’ll see?!

PennDog

Sorry was just looking at the pics and who posted didn’t read the narrative😬......anyway great job gunner!!

Thanks for posting the pics Fireball, the blind shot, kill shot then lung pic are in order, I shot that young 10pt earlier in the day, had three rifles/loads to test that day, hadn't taken anything with the old 32-40, 44-77 Sharps or 50-110 WCF load with 700gr grease groove bullets over black powder, that's some 50 ammo on the belt with the 32-40 kill, carried the little FA 44 Special with the 32-40, had the old Colt SAA 45 along for the ride with the 44-77 Sharps.

Tried for three deer over in Arkansas yesterday, two was a blessing in the crazy high and switching winds, coupled with warm weather, all in all it was a hell of a fun day.

Me, in younger years, standing in the Little Missouri river of North Dakota with a whitetail doe I shot with a Marlin Model 1893 in .32-40.
She ran into the river before expiring.

WB

Anyone shooting their 32-40’s?? I finally got one, got my shooting eye fixed, began using it last deer season. I really like shooting it. Got a buck last deer season, bullet hit him in chest, came out right hindquarter, caught some pigs last weekend.