25-20 or 32-20

dbateman · Post by **dbateman** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 10:15 pm

o.k guy i need your help iv decided that that i need a small game rifle and I am currently down south and there are quite a few good old win92's in 32-30 and 25-20 i want this rifle for rabbits and hares fox's roo's and a bit of a plinker currently i only have 22lr , 303-25 ,30-30 ,45lc , 375win , 308 so i just need to fill the gap between 22 and 303-25 so what do you guys recommend
thanks Dave

Blaine · Post by **Blaine** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 10:49 pm

Both have been used for deer. The current world record whitetail was shot with a 25-20 and I've no doubt that 32-20 would suffice on small deer if close enough and you waited for a good shot. I'll bet either one would be instant death on small/med game.

Post by **Old Savage** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 10:54 pm

32-20.

dbateman · Post by **dbateman** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 11:11 pm

thank guys.........i dont now to much about thees littel rounds as thay are not very comen around were i live
there are a few around just no one want to sell them

Blaine · Post by **Blaine** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 1:11 am

dbateman wrote:thank guys.........i dont now to much about thees littel rounds as thay are not very comen around were i live
there are a few around just no one want to sell them

Do you worry about running into large, toothy animals? Or maybe a buff?

KirbyAUS · Post by **KirbyAUS** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 1:39 am

D,
either calibre is fun to shoot and load for and will knock off rabbit, hare and fox. I tend to use my .32/20 more often for some reason. I imagine finding rabbits and hares in the Northern Territory would be like winning a lottery!

If you are going to cull Kangaroo's, you are required to follow the code of conduct with a .222 Rem. / 50gn minimum cartridge. A .223 Rem would bridge the gap between your .22LR and your .303/25.
Neither the .25 or.32 is legal for 'Roo's.

Any of your larger calibres can be downloaded for plinking fun and "Hawkesbury Projectiles" (NSW) manufacture lead projectiles for this task. Their .25/85gn & .32/115gn projectiles are cheap and effective if you don't cast your own.
Any decent gunshop will order them in for you.

If you just want something different, get a .32/20 - they seem more popular and would be easier to sell later on.

Regards,
Kirby

41bear · Post by **41bear** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 2:25 am

My heart belongs to my 32/20, so thats my vote. You can load her up or down, A really sweet gun to own and shoot.

dbateman · Post by **dbateman** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 2:44 am

[quote="BlaineG"

Do you worry about running into large, toothy animals? Or maybe a buff?[/quote]
it is a consideration not so much toothy just big and angry but mostly its not that big of a problem.....thats what 308's and 375win are for

there are rabbits down in the bottom of the NT and thay are a lot of fun to shoot
but I am in QLD (Toowoomba) for a few (6) months with work and iv always wanted one of thees
little rifles and there are quite a few around and plenty of game to hunt with one down here
so i decided that i need to get one wile I am here just need to decide on the round

gundownunder · Post by **gundownunder** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 6:40 am

Your likely to find both the 32-20 rifles and ammo much easier to find in Oz than 25-20. I dont think rabbits or foxes will live long enough to tell you the difference between the two if you hit them where your suposed to.
When you get back to NT the 32 would probably also do OK for harvesting some small piggies for the BBQ spit
For them six foot tall long tail rabbits I think the 32 might have the edge too

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 6:49 am

If you go for the .32-20, I can show you where there are likely two loaded rounds I dropped while chainsawing yesterday...

Post by **Hobie** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 6:52 am

Bullets for the .32-20 seem more available to me.

rangerider7 · Post by **rangerider7** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 7:19 am

32-20s are more available because they use them in SASS and there are both rifles and revolvers chamberd in 32-20 not 25-20. I like them both.

RIHMFIRE · Post by **RIHMFIRE** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 7:53 am

I'd like to have both....
1st choice was the 25-20....but since they are harder to find
I would go with the 32-20....
but you could cast your own 25-20's!

jdad · Post by **jdad** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 8:08 am

BlaineG wrote:Both have been used for deer. The current world record whitetail was shot with a 25-20 and I've no doubt that 32-20 would suffice on small deer if close enough and you waited for a good shot. I'll bet either one would be instant death on small/med game.

It took 5 shots from that 25-20 to drop it though.

The 32-20 is a 30 caliber 22 magnum. It's a bit more versatile because of it's size, component availability, and power, than the 25-20.

2ndovc · Post by **2ndovc** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 8:21 am

The .32-20 is probably my all time favorite cartridge. I just recently started shooting the .25-20 and am enjoying that quite a bit too. If I were to pick it wold be the .32WCF just because I have more experience with it and really enjoy shooting the rifles I have in that cal.

jb

Blaine · Post by **Blaine** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 8:42 am

It took 5 shots from that 25-20 to drop it though.

Hey, being lucky enough to find a monster don't make him a good shot

Thunder50 · Post by **Thunder50** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 10:01 am

Have em both. Think I would go with the 32-20. Easier for me to cast bullets in the 30 cals, vs. 25 cals.

CEMENTHEAD · Post by **CEMENTHEAD** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 10:04 am

.32-20 without a doubt. Easier to find components, easier to cast, easier on the ears, very versatile. Both would be fun in a 1894 CL Marlin levergun. Thanks, Tom

rjohns94 · Post by **rjohns94** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 10:19 am

I would go for the 32-20, or actually, I think I would use .357 rifle instead based on availablity and could down load it nicely. I would not bridge the gap between the .22lr to the .357.

roundup · Post by **roundup** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 11:52 am

Get them both. Use 'em for awhile. Keep the one you like. Get rid of the other one...or keep them both.

TX Gun Runner · Post by **TX Gun Runner** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 2:14 pm

It's nice to carry a pistol and a rifle in the same cal .There is a lot of Colt clones cheap out there in 32-20 , but no 25-20 I know of .

Kansas Ed · Post by **Kansas Ed** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 6:06 pm

I have them both, and have a special place in my heart for the 25-20, but that being said...when Remington quit making the 86 gr factory bullet available, that pretty much made the 25-20 difficult to load for. I know...Hornady and the 60 grainer, and Speer with the 75 grain, but everyone makes bullets for the 32 H&R mag, and they are much more readily available, and the same bullet as the 32-20.

Ed

KirkD · Post by **KirkD** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 6:16 pm

I have both, but I'd give the nod to the 32-20. It shoots a little heavier bullet, you can load it up to respectable levels, and I think it is easier to find an accurate load.

marlinman93 · Post by **marlinman93** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 7:59 pm

I also have both, and rarely shoot my guns in .25-20, while I continue to wear out the .32-20's! I love the .32-20 for it's accuracy, and just plain fun to shoot! My favorite pistol caliber in a lever action rifle!

Goat · Post by **Goat** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 9:21 pm

I'll put in another plug for the 32/20! I played with my Marlin 1894CL in 32/20 this past saturday and had a blast. It was delivering about one and a quarter inch groups out of a clean barrel at fifty yards and I knew that this load with a 115gr Laser-cast bullet has always done better than that. So I just kept on shooting and sure enough it snugged back up to putting three out of five in a tight cloverleaf and the other two opening the group upto a half to five-eighths inch group. I really enjoy the old 32/20.
Goat

Post by **Hobie** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 6:52 am

Kansas Ed wrote:I have them both, and have a special place in my heart for the 25-20, but that being said...when Remington quit making the 86 gr factory bullet available, that pretty much made the 25-20 difficult to load for. I know...Hornady and the 60 grainer, and Speer with the 75 grain, but everyone makes bullets for the 32 H&R mag, and they are much more readily available, and the same bullet as the 32-20.

Ed

They completely discontinued the 86 gr.? Dang, it is a great bullet in the .25-35, too!

AndyM · Post by **AndyM** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:44 am

+1 on the 32-20. Probably my most favorite round to shoot. A good cast FP in 115 grain makes a good hunting bullet for what you are looking for

Antietamgw · Post by **Antietamgw** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 5:49 pm

I shoot both .25-20 and .32-20 but in Savage M/23 bolt actions. I want to like the .25-20 more but can't... I cast for both. You will find much more variety in molds, or jacketed bullets for that matter, for the .32-20. Brass is a problem, both availability and quality once you find it. Get Starline and forget the rest of the stuff. That said, my choice for a handy lever gun would be my early Rossi Puma Trapper in .357 Magnum. I've used all three for small game, plinking and just to take for a walk. The Puma is accurate, reliable, not too much on small game with .38's and not too little for deer with .357. That don't mean the Savage 23's are FS though!

dbateman · Post by **dbateman** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 10:02 pm

OK so it looks like 32-30 is probably a better choice for my application now i just gota find one
thanks guys

gundownunder · Post by **gundownunder** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 4:01 pm

Check out
www.usedguns.com.au
the levergun section usually has a few in it

Lanyard Stretcher · Post by **Lanyard Stretcher** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 4:55 pm

32 WCF!!+= 22 on steriods. I find I take mine out more than any other. I just load mine up to about 1200fps w a 115 gr. bullet. Doesn't tear up to much of the eating parts of a bunny.

Mike

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