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32-40 load data with 160gr cast bullets?

11K views 16 replies 11 participants last post by  mearl 
#1 ·
Does anyone have a good 32-40 load using 160gr cast bullets? I'm looking at possibly using IMR 3031 or H4198 or anything else (not 5744) that you guys have found that works good. I bought a really nice 1893 32-40 about 2 months ago and I'm dying to shoot it. It has a 1/2 octagon barrel, 1/2 magazine and a shotgun buttplate-it is a sweet looking rifle. Any help would be great, thanks!
 
#2 ·
Hey there KK -- Here is some information that may prove useful. 32-40 is a fun caliber. Might need to find a cast bullet in a diameter your rifle likes. Dave at Montana Bullet Works (.com) has a bunch. Look in the 8mm section as well. Click on these pix to enlarge. Hope this helps. Best regards. Wind
 
#6 ·
Hey there KK -- I guess the correct term would be Alliant 2400 powder which my rifle loves. The 4759 is technically SR4759 -- the 'SR' standing for 'Sporting Rifle' -- and it is from the IMR Powder Co. The can says the stuff is made in Canada for them. You'll see these two have been listed for a lot of the older time cartridges and I think there is a reason for that-- they work well. I heard Winchester might be having some 32-40 brass available again this month, but I'll wait and see... Hope this helps. Best regards. Wind
 
#7 ·
Alliant 2400 really shines in my best friends Mod 94 Saddle Ring Carbine! Amazing accuracy at 1450fps. Using the RCBS 08-170FNGC 182gr bullet, all shots touch at 50yds. My friend bought the Mod 94 with a completely ruined bore from shooting black powder and not being cleaned properly. Sent the Rifle to Klamath Falls, Oregon to have it
relined and the shop did an excellent job. Bienky & Beinky was the name of the shop IIRC. Along with 2400 we also tried IMR4198 and IMR4227. All loads were right at 1450fps and they also did fine. No fillers was used with any of the loads. Alliant 2400 just had a slight edge in accuracy.
358 Win
 
#8 ·
I shoot three 32-40's. Two Win 94's made in 1923 and a new limited Hi-Wall. Loads I have had good luck with are 27gr Acc-2495 with a 170gr GC for 1900fps and 26.5gr Acc-2520 with the same 170gr GC. I wont mention the Acc 5744 loads I like. The bullet is my design and the mold cut by Tom at Accurate molds.The Accurate loading manual has some of the most complete data for the 32-40. The LEE manual also contains data copied from Accurate.

The loads mentioned above are pretty much start loads according to the first manual and they are pretty zippy as such. Velocity was verified over a chronograph.
 
#13 ·
I wouldn't discard your original thought of I.M.R. 4198 in your .32-40, which by the way sounds like a very nice one. This powder works like a dream in so many of these large straight walled cartridges, and has enough bulk that it fills the case up quite well and often to the point where a filler would be superfluous. Here's some paper that shows 5 shots at about 80 yards......



...There is a very respectable velocity here of over 1700 f.p.s. My rifle barrel slugs to .321" so the 8 m.m. ( .323" ) bullet works very well with a gas check. In this respect I agree with Wind. Slug your barrel. I'm using 21.5 grains of I.M.R. 4198. There is no leading with this load but I do like a gas check beyond speeds of 1500 f.p.s.
 
#14 ·
smithywess,

Agreed, 4198 seems to work well. For me I used H-4198 which is slower burning that the IMR version. 17.0 and 17.5 grs under a 165 gr PPB with 30-1 alloy seems to show promise. These were powder measure charges only and iron sights! I expect things to get better with more attention to precision in the bullet weight variation and powder charge weight.

Circle Shooting sport
 

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#16 ·
smithywess,

Agreed, 4198 seems to work well. For me I used H-4198 which is slower burning that the IMR version. 17.0 and 17.5 grs under a 165 gr PPB with 30-1 alloy seems to show promise. These were powder measure charges only and iron sights! I expect things to get better with more attention to precision in the bullet weight variation and powder charge weight.

View attachment 495713
PDP,

Hard to beat that isn't it ?
 
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