Winchester 94 in 32-40? Reloading? etc.

[Lastmohecken]

A very nice old Winchester 1894 in 32-40 just showed up at my local gunshop, yesterday. The bore looks pretty good for it's age. The wood is solid with a few nicks and gorges, expected in a 100 plus year old rifle. The action is good, the bluing is basically gone, like so many of these old Winchesters often are, but it still looks good.

I must admit, I am tempted, at first the price asked was $1500 but tonight he came down to 1350. If this was in any other caliber, like 30/30, 38-55, or 32 special, I would really be tempted, but this 32-40 does not interest me nearly as much. If had been in 38-55, I would have already bought it. By the way it has a long Oct. barrel, and a creasent buttplate.

Who loads for the 32-40? I know loaded ammo is probably out of the question. What about brass? I know I could cast some bullets, and I read that jacketed 32 special bullets might work, but the cannelure is in the wrong place for crimping and maintaining the correct overall length. So, I don't know, I really already have plenty of projects for reloading, without adding another problem cartridge.

So, if you load for this round, sound off. Also, what do you think would be a good price for this gun. It really is in pretty good shape and really needs nothing in the way of repairs, etc that I would consider. I believe this gun was made in 1895, but I havn't confirmed this.

Would anyone else on here, consider it at $1350.00? I doubt I buy it, but I am tempted to make an offer, but with the current economic chaos, I am less inclined to consider it.

[Lastmohecken]

No comments? I guess that tells me something.

I did do a little more research and it seems that brass can be easily formed from 30/30, 32 special, or 38-55's. So I guess brass is not that hard to come by. Still, I would love to hear from anyone shooting this old round.

[Sixgun]

As far as putting a value on that '94, its hard without having it my hand. If (big if) its ALL original with excellent mechanics, along with good wood to metal fit, good to excellent bore, decent wood, "clean" metal, I would say about $1000-$1400.

I reload for several 32-40's and the bullet diameter is the same as the 32 Spl. but slugging the bore is still a must. I make my brass by running a 30-30 case straight into a 32-40 full length sizer. It comes out a tad short but I seat my bullets accordingly. Some guys like the correct length/headstamped brass but after 30+ years of playing and competing with the old cartridges and using 30-30 brass for the 32-40, 25-35, 38-55, 32 Spl. and 219 Zipper, I see no need to fix what is not broken. Anywhere from 16 -20 grains of AA 5744 will push the 175 gr RCBS gas check bullet from 1400-1700. 7.5 grains of Unique will push it just about the speed of sound and into 2" or less if your barrel is nice and smooth and your crown is not worn from previous over cleaning. A good tang sight helps in the accuracy department. A dose of 3031 and the jacketed bullet designed for the 32 Spl. will work fine also.

My finest 32-40 is a 1921 produced 1894 that was like new when I bought it. It will stay under 2" @ 100 meters and just a little more at 200 meters. At 300 meters, it will drill beer cans, asumming my eyes are working correctly and the winds no blowin'. ------------Sixgun

[Lastmohecken]

Thank you, Sixgun for the information.

So, i take it, that you must like this round, pretty good.

If you use a jacketed bullet for the 32 special and resized 30/30 brass, can you crimp in the crimping groove? Or do you just seat the bullet for best length without crimping?

[Lefty Dude]

The 32-40 is a very accurate round, at the turn of the last century it was the target cartridge of choice.
My brother has a 32-40 Marlin 93 and it is a tack driver with lead 8mm bullets. Starline has the brass. You would need to slug the bore. You can buy cast bullets from Buffalo Bros. and others.

That price is not bad if the bore and furniture are in good shape.

[brokenhand]

Mine is also very accurate. I just bought some new W-W brass off of gunbroker and cast bullets from Midway and started reloading for it.
Jim

[Mike D.]

Even at $1350, he is too high for a no finish .32-40, unless it has a scarce for the caliber nickel steel barrel. The .32-40 remained popular and guns were produced into the late 1920s, despite the .30-30 and .32 Special being more powerful cartridges.

[Sixgun]

Thank you, Sixgun for the information.

So, i take it, that you must like this round, pretty good.

If you use a jacketed bullet for the 32 special and resized 30/30 brass, can you crimp in the crimping groove? Or do you just seat the bullet for best length without crimping?

Lastmohecken,
If your using reformed 30-30 brass, you will be unable to crimp if your using regular dies. You will need to either grind off your crimp die (difference between SAAMI specs and what your brass winds up to be) or have Lee make you a FC die. (you need to send them in a dummy round) If you take this route with the 30-30 brass, you will also need to decrease the powder levels because of decreased internal case volume. This is another reason why some guys want regular length brass.

Personally for me, I would rather deal with the above problem and save major bucks because 30-30 brass is a whole lot cheaper than the others. Keep in mind that I shoot a LOT and if you only plan on shooting the 32-40 from time to time, it might be easier to buy regular length brass

If you pay close attention and use a small expander plug (this gives tight bullet,case neck fit) you may not have to crimp, especially if you are only target shooting. Another way to crimp the 32-40 is to run the loaded round part way into a 30-30 sizer die (with decapper removed) just a tad until you feel tension.-----------Sixgun

[Lastmohecken]

Sixgun,

So you are sorta tapercrimping with a 30/30 resizing die, interesting, and actually I would imagine that with the light recoil, setting the bullets back is probably not the issue it can be in a more powerful loading, anyway.

[Duff L Bagg]

I have a Marlin 1893 in 32-40 made in 1903 if I recall correctly. It too is a real tack driver. When I slugged the barrel I found that it has a .319 groove diameter, I cast the Lyman 319247 and size to .321. I load that bullet over 28 grain of IMR 3031 in WW 32-40 cases for about 1875 FPS. And to top it off the rifle has almost no recoil at all. It is perfect rifle for women or youngsters that are recoil sensitive. While it doesn't have the wiz bang numbers of many of todays modern rifles it will still get the job done in the deer woods.

[Pete44ru]

I'm with Mike - It's waaay overpriced, for what it is.

BTW - DIDJAKNO ? Many .32-40's were simply rechambered to .32 Special, and never so marked - when .32-40 ammo became unpopular/scarce ?

.

[Lastmohecken]

I'm with Mike - It's waaay overpriced, for what it is.

BTW - DIDJAKNO ? Many .32-40's were simply rechambered to .32 Special, and never so marked - when .32-40 ammo became unpopular/scarce ?

.

Really? Now that is an idea that probably made sense, espacally in 1940's.

[Sixgun]

pete44ru wrote: Many .32-40's were simply rechambered to .32 Special, and never so marked - when .32-40 ammo became unpopular/scarce ?

Your right and that was a dangerous practice as most all 32-40's were blackpowder steel except for some of the 1893 marlins and a few rare NS 1894's.-----------Sixgun

[Mike D.]

My big screwup was not buying both of the NS barreled .32-40s that Joe salter had on his site last year. They were very clean guns and one was pistol gripped. Both were priced in the $1500 range; one was import marked on the bottom of the barrel in front of the forend.