Your thoughts on the 32 caliber.....................

[bob in the woods]

My wife's grandfather's deer rifle was a Stevens in 32Long RF , I think an 80 gr lead bullet at about 900 to 1000 ft per sec.  He shot a lot of deer with that rifle.

[Dphariss]

My wife's grandfather's deer rifle was a Stevens in 32Long RF , I think an 80 gr lead bullet at about 900 to 1000 ft per sec.  He shot a lot of deer with that rifle.

Shot placement, shot placement
It trumps power every time.

Dan

[northmn]

One can always argue that you can drop a moose with a 22, but some of these smaller calibers permit a more reasonable shot placement.  The arguement was made that downrange the 32 starts perfoming like a 22lr and it does, but likely at about 50 yards or so.  Beyond the range its normally used.  An Eastern hunter quite commonly gets fairly close shots.  I have one stand where 30 yards is a long shot.  It would be nice to be able to legally go out hunting like yesteryear where you were not specifically hunting for one game animal.  I can do that for about 2 weeks a year.  It's still nice to dream.

DP

[SCLoyalist]

The advantages to a 32 I could see are: economical of powder and shot, great small game gun, no recoil, easy to achieve high muzzle velocities.  Disadvantages: Small game only,  more susceptible to wind drift than a larger caliber would be, and  on woodswalks it can be near impossible to determine if a shot's a hit or a miss on a gong beyond 50 yds.

[Dave K]

Some great replies on the 45 thread.   Thought I would ask the same about the 32 caliber.    What's to like....what's to not like?    Hunting, targets, etc, etc.    Any experiences and thoughts appreciated!

You will like the 32. It is a nice soft shooting that gives you no reason not to like it. It is a great hunting rd. for small game and does well on targets for the range it is kind of intended to. I have had a 32 for years, so I guess that is my experience.

 Just kind of wanted to return your well meaning post, back to the original intent of the post.

[Skychief]

Some great replies on the 45 thread.   Thought I would ask the same about the 32 caliber.    What's to like....what's to not like?    Hunting, targets, etc, etc.    Any experiences and thoughts appreciated!

You will like the 32. It is a nice soft shooting that gives you no reason not to like it. It is a great hunting rd. for small game and does well on targets for the range it is kind of intended to. I have had a 32 for years, so I guess that is my experience.

 Just kind of wanted to return your well meaning post, back to the original intent of the post.

Thanks Dave!

[northmn]

Ok to remain on the original intent of the post and to be contrary which I admit this thread has for some reason brought out in me)  here's another view.  Dave is not wrong in that they are fun to shoot.   For a dedicated squirrel rifle there are other options such as a 25, 28 or 30 that are designed to use buckshot.  5 pound of buckshot at $25 almost makes casting your own masochistic.  The 25 is also a fun to shoot.  At this time Track of the Wolf has a 13/16 inch Green mountain barrel in stock, which lately, is surprising as Green Mountain has not been readily available.  Colerain has even started making straight barrels for those that want them.  Differences in price is not all that great as Green Mountain prices have escalated.  I have an Ed Rayel barrel in 25 that is really a 26 as it can use a 1/4 inch ramrod.  They are also competitively priced.  Swamped barrels are also great and available in the other calibers.  32's are available in production rifle configurations.  All of these small calibers are fun, but do not make good "backup rifles" for deer hunting or even target matches.  Personal use and desire determines their application.  A good off hand rifle can make a good primary or secondary target rifle.  many shooters do not hunt but shoot a lot of matches.  The subcalibers like the 32 are great for the 25 and 50 yard novelty stuff and do fine on small game, but really start to lose it at longer ranges.  Been there done that for a few years.  A 36 or 40 makes a fine smallgame rifle, especially if one does not go afield much after rabbits or squirrels and are passable as backups for match rifles. Small bores make a good third rifle depending. If you spend a lot of time in the squirrel woods, then the 25 or or 28 are fantastic also as is the 32.  I opted for the 25 for that purpose.

DP

[Dphariss]

Ok to remain on the original intent of the post and to be contrary which I admit this thread has for some reason brought out in me)  here's another view.  Dave is not wrong in that they are fun to shoot.   For a dedicated squirrel rifle there are other options such as a 25, 28 or 30 that are designed to use buckshot.  5 pound of buckshot at $25 almost makes casting your own masochistic.  The 25 is also a fun to shoot.  At this time Track of the Wolf has a 13/16 inch Green mountain barrel in stock, which lately, is surprising as Green Mountain has not been readily available.  Colerain has even started making straight barrels for those that want them.  Differences in price is not all that great as Green Mountain prices have escalated.  I have an Ed Rayel barrel in 25 that is really a 26 as it can use a 1/4 inch ramrod.  They are also competitively priced.  Swamped barrels are also great and available in the other calibers.  32's are available in production rifle configurations.  All of these small calibers are fun, but do not make good "backup rifles" for deer hunting or even target matches.  Personal use and desire determines their application.  A good off hand rifle can make a good primary or secondary target rifle.  many shooters do not hunt but shoot a lot of matches.  The subcalibers like the 32 are great for the 25 and 50 yard novelty stuff and do fine on small game, but really start to lose it at longer ranges.  Been there done that for a few years.  A 36 or 40 makes a fine smallgame rifle, especially if one does not go afield much after rabbits or squirrels and are passable as backups for match rifles. Small bores make a good third rifle depending. If you spend a lot of time in the squirrel woods, then the 25 or or 28 are fantastic also as is the 32.  I opted for the 25 for that purpose.

DP

The 32 uses buckshot too. "0"

Dan

[bob in the woods]

At one target match I attended a few years back, there was a fellow shooting a .32 and doing very well.
Ranges were mainly 50 and 100 yds.   He was to my surprise loading 55 or 60 gr of 3F [ can't remember ]
with the teflon coated patch material some use. He ran a cleaning patch after every shot. His 100 yd target was very, very good. He didn't win, but came pretty close. I came away with a desire for a small caliber gun, but ended up building a ,36.   

[J.D.]

The 32 uses buckshot too. "0"

I don't know about getting a .320 ball with any sort of patch down that small .32 pipe. I have enough trouble getting .315s, with a .012" patch down. I've settled on .310 balls, simply because the little tube is so hard to load with any other ball/patch combination...and yes, I have radiused the muzzle.

God bless

[northmn]

I used to use a 319 in mine, cast out of a Lyman mold, but my first one was a Douglas barrrel.   they were a little tight.  As to the use of a 32 at matches, as I stated earlier, I did win an aggregate with the range at 75 yards, but it was a very protected area.  Shooting 55 grains behind a 45-50 grain ball also seems to defeat their purpose?  Very heavy charge, about equivalent to using 110 grains in a 40.  On a calm day they do pretty well at longer ranges and some have shot pretty good 100 yard groups with them, but in the long run they will not perform at 100 yards like a large bore.  Why use one for that?

DP

[Mike R]

Several comments [and repeated comments] mention .32 performance "beyond 50 yds". So?  I cannot remember the last time [if ever] I shot a squirrel much beyond 50 yds [with open sights]. With open sighted rifles and squirrel sized game, you are looking at 25-50 yd ranges,  The .32 does quite well in that range. I have shot game over 50 yds with a scoped .22 [and not a few with open sights in my youthful 'good eyes' days]. But look folks, the .32 [and most MLers] is a short range weapon by and large. Excellent shots with good eyes can extend that range a good bit--I used to be able to do it. But the .32 at 'normal' loads drops off quickly in vel, en and trajectory beyond 50 yds. Yep, you can goose up the load and maybe your rifle will handle it accurately--that is a great advantage of MLing rifles--just add more powder. But I would rather either pass up long shots or, if such are anticipated, use a different rifle. The reason such calibers as the .40 were effective on big game in the hands of old time hunters was that they ran game with dogs, cornered or treed game and shot at very close range.  We moderns have had our minds distorted by modern cartridge ballistics and range capabilities.

[Dphariss]

Several comments [and repeated comments] mention .32 performance "beyond 50 yds". So?  I cannot remember the last time [if ever] I shot a squirrel much beyond 50 yds [with open sights]. With open sighted rifles and squirrel sized game, you are looking at 25-50 yd ranges,  The .32 does quite well in that range. I have shot game over 50 yds with a scoped .22 [and not a few with open sights in my youthful 'good eyes' days]. But look folks, the .32 [and most MLers] is a short range weapon by and large. Excellent shots with good eyes can extend that range a good bit--I used to be able to do it. But the .32 at 'normal' loads drops off quickly in vel, en and trajectory beyond 50 yds. Yep, you can goose up the load and maybe your rifle will handle it accurately--that is a great advantage of MLing rifles--just add more powder. But I would rather either pass up long shots or, if such are anticipated, use a different rifle. The reason such calibers as the .40 were effective on big game in the hands of old time hunters was that they ran game with dogs, cornered or treed game and shot at very close range.  We moderns have had our minds distorted by modern cartridge ballistics and range capabilities.

I shot a fox at 150 steps with my .36 once.

Dan

[Ghillie]

I have a .32 caliber rifle that I have been shooting since 1972.  I used in in monthly target matches and won my first, first place ribbeon with it at 100 yards.  I used 30 grains to shoot 25 and 50 yards and 60 grains at 100 yards.  It always shot real well with the Douglas barrel on it.  I have taken numerous squirrels with it using a load of 20-25 grains.  I have taken groundhogs with it out to 125 yards with the 60 grain load.  In my opinion, most people who talk negative  about 32's have never given them a chance.  I've always found it to be a fun gun to use.  In fact it's my favorite flinter to use for enjoyment.  It's never let me down yet.

[Daryl]

Some .32 cal. barrels, like the one on my Tenn. Mtn flint rifle, have narrow grooves and wide lands. This rifling profile will not allow a larger ball with heavy patch easily, and since thin patches don't seal to the bottom of the grooves I'm using a .311" (actually, 312") with a .022" ticking or denim patch. This works well and produces 1" @ 50yds. accuracy without having to wipe while shooting. I've only experimented with up to 35gr. of 3F GOEX, getting 4 1/2" at 100 meters and need to do some more longer range shooting with it testing heavier charges. My drop was 4" from a 50 yard zero.

[hanshi]

My .32, which is a Tradition's Crockett, has been fired a lot over the years and has taken a few squirrels.  We really can't see a downside to the caliber and it does perform all out of proportion to it's size.  We've never fired groups past the 50 yard mark and have some very nice groups on targets up to that distance.  We would not hesitate to shoot at varmints past that distance.  Shots at SG is most always under 35 yards in the woods anyway.  We've fired shots into pine saplings with various loads and was astonished at the level of penetration.  Since the .32 is now pretty commonly available, We see no need to go to the expense and trouble of having a smaller caliber built....unless, of course, there is simply a desire for something different.  Myself, I would enjoy having a .32 in something like a "Poor Boy" SMR.  Can't justify it but the craving is there.  From this side of the river it appears the .32 works fine with head or mid section shots.  Just stay away from the shoulders and hips.

The .36 is a .32 on steroids; whatever.32s do, .36s do more/better including damage to SG.  Our preference for the .36 is based on the delightful little flint SMR in the shop, not necessarily the caliber.   

[eagle24]

I love mine.  With 28gr of fff, .315 rb, .017 pillow ticking it is the most accurate rifle I own out to 40 yards.  Mine has a bore that is easy to load and easy to clean.  What's not to like?  Curt Lyles built my rifle (Iron mounted poor boy) and recently offered to buy it back from me for someone who was wanting one in a hurry.  I flattered him with a price double what I payed for it.  He laughed and I still have the .32.   We're both happy!