32-20 BPCR target rifle

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martinibelgian
Posts: 1610
Joined: Thu Oct 26, 2006 1:20 pm

32-20 BPCR target rifle

Post by martinibelgian »

Quite some time ago I was experimenting with a beater rifle chambered in 32-20, to see what the potential of this cartridge is with BP as a target rifle. The experiments were promising, so much so that a new barrel was ordered and installed on the rifle.

The rifle: A BSA Martini 12/15 action, originally chambered for .22lr. These little actions are pretty stout, and will just about accept anything you can chamber. As the action was aleardy converted to CF, work involved installing and fitting a barrel - more specifically a .30 Lothar Walther 1:12" twist barrel. Reason? To optimize the rifle for heavy-for-cartridge bullets (somewhere between 150 and 175 grains). Which is why the chamber has a bit of freebore in order to allow to seat the bullet out a bit. After all, it is a mall, case, every grain of powder counts...

After fireforming some brass, some more serious accuracy work was undertaken at the local club range - only 75m (82yds) unfortunately.

Load data:
Case: Remington 32-20 brass
Primer: CCI SP
Powder: 18.4 grs of Swiss 1 1/2Fg, topped by a card wad
174gr pope bullet 308403 - basically, this bullet is almost as long as the case, and the front part is bore-diameter whereas the rear is groove diameter - this in order to guarantee optimal bullet-to-bore alignment. Bullets were cast in 16:1 alloy.
Fouling management: I took a page from my shooting partner, and tried his method: he wipes with moist WD40-patches - 1 after each shot. Even though I did have some misgivings, things do look quite promising:
Image

The 1st shot was waaaay off - low and right, in the white. Next time, I'll need to wipe the excess oil out of the barrel. The next one was the 8 at 1 o'clock. after that, things started clustering nicely except for the single shot at the right, and a smidgen of horizontal - that will probably be me. And no, the group isn't centered, but then I was shooting for group - not for score.
All shooting done prone, with sling, from the elbows - so no rest. Sure looks like this little rifle and I will get along just fine...
Clarence
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Joined: Tue Dec 24, 2002 7:38 pm
Location: Hill Country, TX

Re: 32-20 BPCR target rifle

Post by Clarence »

Certainly looks promising! I know the objective was black powder, but have you tried any light smokeless loads?

I love the Martini 12 and 12/15's; I have one of each, the 12/15 built by Curt Hardcastle and one of my favorites. I'd love to find either one of those converted to centerfire or a Cadet action for a small caliber varmint rifle.

Clarence
martinibelgian
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Joined: Thu Oct 26, 2006 1:20 pm

Re: 32-20 BPCR target rifle

Post by martinibelgian »

Here a pic of the rifle - still needs some work though: Wood refinish, barrel to be blued, traditional tang sight to be fitted...
Image
Barrel is half octagon, half round, with an integral scope rib on top.
SSShooter
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Re: 32-20 BPCR target rifle

Post by SSShooter »

My former spotter is no longer able to shoot prone and has moved on to Scheutzen shooting. He ordered a CPA chambered in 32-20 that was built to Paul's suggested specifications and routinely scores 195 and higher using cast bullets & smokeless. He shoots in an "any rifle, any sights" cast bullet match at 100yd & 200yd and is generally in the top-3. He tells me it is a 'one ragged hole' at 100yd when he does his part.
Glenn
martinibelgian
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Re: 32-20 BPCR target rifle

Post by martinibelgian »

Yes, the little cartridge definitely has potential... Here, most BP target matches are somewhere between 100 and 300 meters, for which the venerable 32-20 should amply suffice - even with BP. Of course, there's always a downside, and in this case that's spotting the shots at 300 - definitely harder than for a .45. Still, it uses less powder and lead (with Swiss at 85 euros a kg, also a factor), has much less recoil in a handier package - what's not to like?
And I needed an excuse for another rifle, too :) Or should I say another Martini?
Clarence
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Location: Hill Country, TX

Re: 32-20 BPCR target rifle

Post by Clarence »

Great rifle! 28" barrel? The length looks just right. I'm sort of envious!

George Peterson at Treebone can supply a very nice English Walnut blank if you decide to restock.

Clarence
Clarence
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Re: 32-20 BPCR target rifle

Post by Clarence »

https://imgur.com/ZTdNljG

<blockquote class="imgur-embed-pub" lang="en" data-id="ZTdNljG"><a href="//imgur.com/ZTdNljG">View post on imgur.com</a></blockquote><script async src="//s.imgur.com/min/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
gunlaker
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Joined: Tue Jun 23, 2009 6:16 pm

Re: 32-20 BPCR target rifle

Post by gunlaker »

The small bp cartridges can be a lot of fun. I sometimes shoot a .32-40 highwall for probe practice. Cost per shot is a little less than high end .22LR match ammunition and it's more accurate at 200m. Of course the .22LR doesn't require casting which can be a big plus.

Chris.
martinibelgian
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Joined: Thu Oct 26, 2006 1:20 pm

Re: 32-20 BPCR target rifle

Post by martinibelgian »

Bullet casting is also quite a bit more forgiving when compared to the big .45's. The only thing to watch out for is you're having so much fun shooting the little thing that all of a sudden, the ammo box is empty... You just go through it like a box of sweets, hard to stop...
loophole
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Location: asheville

Re: 32-20 BPCR target rifle

Post by loophole »

I have a mikoru lowwall in 44 mag. A case full of FFFg, card wad, and slight compression, with about a 20-1 248 or 300 gr cast bullet and I have a miniature buffalo rifle.
Recently I bought a #1-1/2 rolling block converted to 32wcf. Beautiful bore, all metal very nice, stock needs work. Even has a Lyman tang sight.
I'm fixing to load some BP cartridges. My range is only 200 yds. I love my sharps and trapdoor, but it is much more fun to shoot pistol cartridges at these shorter ranges.
Steve K
If at first you don't secede, try, try again.
TexasMac
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Re: 32-20 BPCR target rifle

Post by TexasMac »

loophole wrote:I have a mikoru lowwall in 44 mag. A case full of FFFg, card wad, and slight compression, with about a 20-1 248 or 300 gr cast bullet and I have a miniature buffalo rifle. Steve K
Steve,

I was about to list for sale a really nice Miroku Browning Low Wall in .44 Mag. After reading you post I'm now reconsidering. I had never considered loading it with black powder. What moulds do you use?

Wayne
NRA Life (Benefactor & President's Council) Member, TSRA Life Member, NSSF Member, Author & Publisher of the Browning BPCR book
http://www.texas-mac.com
buffalocannon
Posts: 1583
Joined: Sat Feb 15, 2003 2:03 pm

Re: 32-20 BPCR target rifle

Post by buffalocannon »

Martin, great looking rifle!
martinibelgian
Posts: 1610
Joined: Thu Oct 26, 2006 1:20 pm

Re: 32-20 BPCR target rifle

Post by martinibelgian »

Went for score yesterday evening, and shot the following target. 1st shot from a cold, clean barrel was a 9 at 11, last one (13th) the 9 at 4. So I decided to give it an extra shot after wiping with 2 patches instead of 1, and sure enough, x-ring... So I believe I can improve on it with some better fouling management (like wiping with 2 instead of 1 patch)

This bullet didn't really shoot that well at 1st, so I decided to size it to .308 instead of .309, and the group became much more regular and quite a bit smaller. It's all in the details.

As usual, all shooting prone, with sling, no rest except for the elbows.
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loophole
Posts: 179
Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 4:15 pm
Location: asheville

Re: 32-20 BPCR target rifle

Post by loophole »

Wayne,
I thought I posted this last week........
My best accuracy was with a Lee 300gr bullet. The Lyman 258 Keith bullet also works well.
I have not tried the rifle past 100 yds.
Steve K
If at first you don't secede, try, try again.
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