winchester 32 special

[edbone]

just acquired a winchester 32 special all i could find was a box of 170 grain can anyone tell me if this grain would be all right for deer dont know anything about rifles.Is this a pretty good rifle?

[loworange88]

from Wikipedia:

 

Ballistics are similar to the .30-30 cartridge and its .308 caliber (7.62mm) bullet, but the larger diameter .321 (8.15 mm) bullet of the .32 WS will create a larger wound. However, given the same weight of bullet in both calibers, the .30 caliber would have a greater sectional density, and correspondingly greater penetration.^[5] According to Winchester's original claims, the .32 WS has about 5-10% more energy than the .30-30 at point-blank ranges, and less at longer ranges due to increased drag due to the .321's greater diameter and reduced sectional density.

 

Guys are still using .30-30's these days, so I'd guess that this cartridge would be ok for deer.  You might just be limited to 100 yards or less.  As far as to whether its a good rifle or not...You'll have to get some range time and determine that for yourself.

 

Good luck.

[edbone]

loworange88-not really seeing an answer of wether or not a 170 grain bullet is a good choice to use for deer out of this rifle from your reply (not being smartass)

[Culvercreek hunt club]

32 special is a great deer caliber. I wouldn't hesitate to take a shot inside 150 yards on deer or a bear. Any idea what year the gun was made?

[edbone]

loworange88-not really seeing an answer of wether or not a 170 grain bullet is a good choice to use for deer out of this rifle from your reply (not being smartass)

[edbone]

culver creek hunt club-later tonight after work i am gonna jot down the serial #s and i hope that i can look on line and hopefully see what year it is

 

[Culvercreek hunt club]

And if you can find the LEVERevolution rounds by Hornady you can push that out further.

 

http://www.hornady.com/store/32-Win-Special-165-gr-FTX-LEVERevolution/

 

That is over 1,000 ft/# of energy at 300 yards.

 

with the Winchester Super X you maybe at eh 175 mark for 1,000 ft/#

 

http://www.winchester.com/Products/rifle-ammunition/Performance/Super-X-rifle/Pages/X32WS2.aspx

[Culvercreek hunt club]

My Uncle had one and I always drooled over that gun. After his death hi son sold it for partying money.

 

[NYbuck50]

the 170's are a good choice, even though they are basically the only choice. the old rounded tip remington 170 grains out of the little .32 has put down a pile of deer at our camps

[edbone]

my uncle is in the hospital very very ill and he just gave it to my 13 year old son who turns 14 Nov. 9 and will be able to use it when southern opens up.Very special gun as it was my uncles grandfathers gun.Excellent condition..My uncle says he thinks its from the 30's

[Pygmy]

What NYBuck50 said...

The selection of factory loads is very limited and I suspect all you will find are the 170 grain.

The good news is that the 170grain bullet will work fine for deer, with proper shot placement, of course..Ballistics are VERY similar to the 30-30.

Congrats on having a fine old rifle...It will serve you well.

A friend of mine ( now deceased) had one in a Winchester M94 RIFLE ( not the carbine). It had either a 24 or 26" barrel and half magazine. I would love to have had it. I have no idea what happened to his rifle after he died.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

What NYBuck50 said...

The selection of factory loads is very limited and I suspect all you will find are the 170 grain.

The good news is that the 170grain bullet will work fine for deer, with proper shot placement, of course..Ballistics are VERY similar to the 30-30.

 

 Have you seen the ballistics on the Leverrevolution rounds? It really makes it a different gun. (Just like they do for the 30/30. I had hopes of working up a load using them for mine but here we sit wit the seasons upon us and I ran out of time.

[ants]

The 32 Win. Special  (with 170gr bullets) would be a fine choice for deer out to 150 yards or so. I wouldn't hesitate to use it. Im assuming that the rifle is a Winchester lever action, probably a model 94. Excellent rifle. Good luck.

Edited September 30, 2013 by ants

[NYbuck50]

guys remember its a winchester. Hard to mount a scope on those guns.. I have mine setup with a peep sight and the original irons. great brush gun, but not what id consider a long range killer

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Depending on the specifics of his gun I wouldn't do anything about mounting anything until I knew the condition and the value. That really is a model and caliber that could swing wildly in value especially if is is correct on the age.

[RangerClay]

The 32 win special was originally designed to be a black powder cartridge to replace the 32-40 but have the same velocity as a 30-30.

 

I have one myself and I keep it as a collector.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

edbone-

 

Might want to start looking here. Go to page 8 for the Model 1894

 

http://www.winchesterguns.com/support/files/images/wfa/2012-All/2012-Articles/Winchester-Manufacture-Dates-by-Year----2012-Scanned-Documents.pdf

[Pygmy]

 

Have you seen the ballistics on the Leverrevolution rounds? It really makes it a different gun. (Just like they do for the 30/30. I had hopes of working up a load using them for mine but here we sit wit the seasons upon us and I ran out of time.

  Culver...I was not aware that they made the leverevolution bullets for the .32 WSP.. However, I don't tend to pay a lot of attention to factory loads for lever actions, or ANY loads for leveractions, for that matter..

That bullet would certainly extend the range of the .32 WSP....

[Mr VJP]

THE .32 WS WAS ORIGINALLY INTRODUCED TO BE A BETTER ROUND FOR DEER IN A LEVER RIFLE THAN THE .30-30. IT DIDN'T OFFER MUCH MORE VELOCITY SO IT NEVER BECAME A HOT SELLER, BUT IT WILL DO ANYTHING THE .30-30 WILL DO. AND THE 170 GRAIN BULLET IS PROBABLY THE MOST EFFECTIVE BULLET TO PUT IN IT WHEN SHOOTING DEER OUT TO 100 YARDS.

DO NOT MODIFY THAT RIFLE IN ANY WAY UNTIL YOU HAVE IT CHECKED OUT BY A GOOD GUN APPRAISER. IT COULD BE AN OLD AND RARE MODEL THAT IS WORTH THOUSANDS.

[GreeneHunter]

170 grain is a fine choice and good on deer !  Been shooting 150/170 grain out of my 30-30 for 30 plus years and never a problem !

[OnHoPr]

It's decent rifle for deer hunting. The 170 gr bullets will do well, and a touch better than the 30-30, but hardly enough to tell the difference. You can put a scope on it with a Weaver side mount without harm. Just don't get into the real thick water terrain because tracking might be difficult.