32-40

[bpcr shooter]

Have and old Highwall in 32-40, it does shoot IMR4227 loads really well but......Id like to shoot BP in it like god intended. So with that, is there a bullet that anyone has found that works well and carries enough lube to keep fouling soft?? Id like to shoot targets and just general plink with it if that matters.


thanks,

matt

[bpcr shooter]

I was looking at this bullet, JIM323200M4


matt

[gunlaker]

I was looking at this bullet, JIM323200M4


matt

Matt, I have that bullet and it's too big to breech seat in any of my various 32-40s. It might work well if you had a really shallow leade ange ( like 1/2 degree or so ). I've shot it with fixed ammo in a CSA highwall with a 1:15 twist barrel which has a 1.5 degree per side leade. The taper on the bands is a poor match for that throat angle so it didn't work well.

One bullet that has worked pretty well in all of my 32-40s is the Saeco 200gr tapered bullet. It's shot well in 14 & 15 twist barrels with both IMR-4227 and black powder. It's not the best bullet in any of my rifles, but it does shoot quite well in all of them.

Chris.

[bpcr shooter]

I dont think I want to get into breach seating.....yet . I would most likely just shoot "fixed" ammo. Would you be able to measure the dia's of that bullet?? The barrel was lined, and I'm sure no special reamer was used to chamber it.


matt

[gunlaker]

Sure Matt. Here are the driving band diameters:

0.323"
0.323"
0.322"
0.321"
0.320"
0.320"
0.318
nose: 0.302"

The length is 1.067"
The sample bullet that BACO sent with the mold weighs 207.5gr

You can get BACO to change the diameters to whatever you want. I think they charge $10 or something like that for the service.

Chris.

[gunlaker]

One thing I will say about the 32-40 is that the case has no straight section, but tapers all the way. I haven't got a load for fixed ammo that will shoot nearly as well as breech seated loads, but my next attempt will be to use a bullet much like our BPCR bullets, maybe a money bullet or a creedmoor. Design the bullet so that the bottom two bands are a snug slip fit in the case ( I want hardly any bullet in the case due to the taper of the case ), and then match the remaining bands to the leade angle and bore diameter.

I will say that you ought to give breech seating a try in the 32-40. You'll be amazed at how accurate the rifle will be. Once you have the right bullet and the load tuned, sub-moa at 100 is easy, and common at 200 if the weather is good or you are an excellent wind reader

Chris.

[bpcr shooter]

Chris,

Your thoughts on the BPCR bullet is what I'm actually trying to achieve! I would make it so I only have one GG and the base band in the case, the rest would be in bore and one band in the free bore area against the rifling. I'd like a Creedmoor nose but wouldn't shy away from the $ nose. On breach seating is it possible to use BP? It seems you would have to have your bullet depth and compression depth absolutely perfect every time. Do you load the case at home or on the spot then??

I have a lot to learn about breach seating if I'm going to do that!!

matt

[gunlaker]

Matt it is totally possible to use BP with the 32-40 breech seated. There are a few things to be aware of. The tiny bore of the 32-40 is really sensitive to fouling. You need to be super careful about getting the bore clean between shots. A little fleck of lead in one of the grooves would barely affect a 45 cal bullet but the little 32's will start throwing flyers.

These days I'm mostly using IMR-4227 in my 32-40's but I used to shoot them with just black powder. I started by loading them all in the same case at the range as I shot them. First I started with a Harrel's precision powder measure and then I started using pre-weighed charges stored in muzzle loading glass vials ( sold by BACO ). After that I just loaded the cases with powder and a wad at home. I didn't notice any improvement when using a single case so I think it's just way easier to load them at home.

One thing that happens with 32-40's reasonably often is that, when breech seating with BP, it'll sometimes separate a case and leave the front half in the bore. It seems to depend on the powder granulation ( coarser is easier on cases ), and maybe on the chamber design. Steve Garbe also mentioned that a little compression ( maybe 0.050" or so ) helps a bit. I've had it happen even with a little compression in my CPA using Swiss 1.5.

Here is another thing I learned along the way. A lot of the 32-40 bullets are optimized for 200 yard accuracy in a 1:14 twist rifle using smokeless. Most of my bullets are 200gr or more and in winter they will show some tipping when shot with BP, but not in summer!

It is a fun little cartridge and capable of amazing accuracy at 200 yards and almost no recoil. I'm trying to get one of mine set up for winter prone practice. Where I shoot, the air gets so still in winter that a handful of shots of BP will smoke out the range and the guys shooting serious benchrest rifles can't see their aiming points anymore. In the interests of keeping the peace I've been shooting my 32-40's and 38-55's in winter with smokeless. So far to get really good accuracy I've been breech seating which is a pain in the a$$ for prone.

Chris.

[SchuetzenDave]

Chris suggested 200 grain Money bullet JIM323200M4 is a good option for fixed ammo but is not tapered.

Another tapered FN bullet with large grease grooves for lube is Accurate Molds bullet 32-200C.

https://accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail ... et=32-200C

Absolutely no need for gas checks for shooting black powder or even smokeless powder under 1,800 fps.

[gunlaker]

Dave I've never used an Accurate mold. How close are they usually on matching the diameters to the drawings? I wouldn't mind a 185gr version of that bullet for one of my 1:16 twist original highwalls.

Chris.

[SchuetzenDave]

I have owned a few Accurate Molds.

Their manufacturing of molds to design specifications have been excellent.

I have a 32-165P for my .32 Winchester Special which can also be used in the .32-40.

One of the good things about Accurate Molds is they will also cut you a nose punch that fits your new mold when requested.

Did you want me to send you some 165 grain bullets?

https://accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail ... et=32-165P

[SchuetzenDave]

Picture of Accurate 32-165P mold, bullet and aluminum nose punch end.

[SchuetzenDave]

A tapered 185 grain bullet that may be of interest to you is the Accurate 32-185P.

https://accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail ... et=32-185P

or the Hudson inspired 185 grain Accurate 32-185H.

https://accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail ... et=32-185H

[SchuetzenDave]

Gyroscopic stability factor:

Caliber 0.322 Inches
Bullet Weight 185 Grains
Bullet Length 0.965 Inches
Barrel Twist 16 Inches/turn
muzzle velocity 1400 fps
Temperature 50 degrees Fahrenheit (59 is standard)
Pressure 29.92 inches of mercury (29.92 is standard)

Sg = 1.76


Caliber 0.322 Inches
Bullet Weight 165 Grains
Bullet Length 0.89 Inches
Barrel Twist 16 Inches/turn
muzzle velocity 1400 fps
Temperature 50 degrees Fahrenheit (59 is standard)
Pressure 29.92 inches of mercury (29.92 is standard)

Sg = 1.96

[gunlaker]

A tapered 185 grain bullet that may be of interest to you is the Accurate 32-185P.

https://accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail ... et=32-185P

or the Hudson inspired 185 grain Accurate 32-185H.

https://accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail ... et=32-185H

Dave thanks for the generous offer of the 165gr bullets, but I think I'll go directly to the 185 grain bullets and try one of those Accurate molds. Or get Steve Brooks to cut one for me.

Either of those molds look like they'd work. I'd probably get the meplat reduced a little bit. I like the smaller ones on one of the the 200gr Hoch molds I've got. I once got Steve Brooks to make a copy of that one, but with different driving bands. They are both really good bullets.

Chris.