S&W 32-20 hand ejector
- Thread starter Pawli
- Start date
Any current American commercial ammunition or equivalent handloads will be fine. The ammo companies stopped loading two kinds years ago.
Further, the whole "rifle" and "revolver" thing was misunderstood. At first there was only one load and it worked fine in both Colt and S&W revolvers, and in various rifles. But then came the cheap Spanish revolvers chambered for .32-20 because it was close to the French 8mm Lebel for which WWI revolvers had been made.
Those guns blew up with some regularity, so the ammo companies reduced the pressure of some of their ammo and labeled it for revolvers, even though quality revolvers had had no problems.
Jim
Further, the whole "rifle" and "revolver" thing was misunderstood. At first there was only one load and it worked fine in both Colt and S&W revolvers, and in various rifles. But then came the cheap Spanish revolvers chambered for .32-20 because it was close to the French 8mm Lebel for which WWI revolvers had been made.
Those guns blew up with some regularity, so the ammo companies reduced the pressure of some of their ammo and labeled it for revolvers, even though quality revolvers had had no problems.
Jim
A pause for the COZ
New member
I picked one up for a good price this fall. Mine is old enough that it does not have the safty feature to be able to carry it with a round under the hammer.
If you stay in the range of listed loads in the lyman cast bullet hand book you will be fine.
They differentiate between rifle loads and older pistol loads.
Mine is a real good shooter.
Once you get one 32-20 and have collected the required loading equipment.
There is no reason to stop acquiring them.
Because the ammo is not readily available it means you can find good deals on some real nice guns.
If you stay in the range of listed loads in the lyman cast bullet hand book you will be fine.
They differentiate between rifle loads and older pistol loads.
Mine is a real good shooter.
Once you get one 32-20 and have collected the required loading equipment.
There is no reason to stop acquiring them.
Because the ammo is not readily available it means you can find good deals on some real nice guns.
Last edited:
Mike Irwin
Staff
Western, maybe Winchester, and possibly Peters loaded high velocity ammunition specifically for the Model 1892 rifle and marked the boxes that it was not to be used in Model 1873s or handguns.
Loads included .32-20, .38-40, and .44-40.
As it is now, lots of people either can't, or won't, read, and a lot of old Colts, S&Ws, and Winchesters were damaged beyond repair from shooting this ammo.
This box can be found at ammolady.com, a nice site if you're into collecting ammo boxes.
This ammo hasn't been loaded since probably before World War II.
Loads included .32-20, .38-40, and .44-40.
As it is now, lots of people either can't, or won't, read, and a lot of old Colts, S&Ws, and Winchesters were damaged beyond repair from shooting this ammo.
This box can be found at ammolady.com, a nice site if you're into collecting ammo boxes.
This ammo hasn't been loaded since probably before World War II.
AFAIK, most commercial load are pretty mild probably below saami specs. I load Lyman 3118 pb cast in a Colt OP from 1931 and have had some luck with a hollow base WC from Hornady along with 3.5/3.7 grains of 231 for both bullets. This is the Colt with load listed above.
The WC load shoots one inch groups @ 50yds out of a Marlin 94 @ about 1000/1200fps, I'll chrono it some time. Probably use it for my ground squirrel shooter this spring. 32/20 one of my favorite catridges.
The WC load shoots one inch groups @ 50yds out of a Marlin 94 @ about 1000/1200fps, I'll chrono it some time. Probably use it for my ground squirrel shooter this spring. 32/20 one of my favorite catridges.