[TIMBERWOLF]

Anyone know what the reloading potential is for the .32-40 Winchester ? Which game animals is it suitable for and what are its ballistics? What is it equal in power to?

Thanks and have a great night,
Timberwolf

 

[RugerNo3]

I believe there was a run of Win M94 commemoratives with modern steel in 32-40. You should be able to duplicate 32 Win Spl & 30-30 ballistics in those rifles, but with Black Powder Rifles it would depend on condition and age. I wouldn't load them with smokeless loads.

 

[timincolombia]

Here is some info from old books of Mine:

From "Rifles and Rifle Shooting" by Askins, 1912:

When speaking of 30 30, 32spl, 32 -40 and 303 sav _-"These cartridges are so similar  in all esential properties that if all but one were done away with the others would be hardley missed."

At page 87 he says: "the 32 40with its straight tapered case and s;lower twist of rifling lends itself to a variety of loads....and many believe  that it is the best of the lot"

In his 1937 "The Rifle in America" Phil Sharpe comments that: "The cartridge had been on the market but a short time when both Winchester and Marlin adapted it to their lever action rifles and it immeadiatly found popularity amoung huneters.... for game up to and including deer. This author does not classify it as having sufficient power for this purpose today, except at the shortest ranges"

Elmer Keith in his 1946 "Keiths Rifles for Large Game" does not even consider it.

You can load a strong gun up to 2000 FPS with a 165 gr bullet I guess and that makes it a short range deer rifle.  Frank Barnes agrees in his "Cartridges of the World" 3rd ed 1972.

 

[Charlie Z]

No expert on the cartridge, but I've always heard that accuracy suffers as you dial up the velocity to match the 30-30 or 32 spl.  Whelen and Waters say so, but this might be correctable by newer components(?).  

It was THE target cartridge up to 1900, but at 1200fps, etc.  A high wall in 32-40 would be really nice...

Regards,

Charlie