Any single shot can be used as a Schuetzen rifle and .32 calibers are preferred for the 200 yard single shot competitions. Any rifle can be used for offhand however if you wish to develop your offhand skills you also wish to have a rifle designed to fit you and balance well and properly align with your eye and fit your body for offhand shooting.

Key to good offhand shooting is a rear stock that is designed to fit you well. A stock with a cheek piece to properly align your eye to the sights, one canted so it aligns properly across your chest (more stable), one with proper stock drop which means the rifle is positioned to align with your eyesight so that you do not need to lean down or bend your head sideways to look down the sights.

So if it has it's original stock; it can be used to shoot offhand, however it will not be as effective in developing your shooting skills as a rifle customized with a schuetzen stock that helps you shoot offhand better.

Yes you can shoot Schuetzen cheaply but it will be more frustrating to shoot something not properly designed for it.

Learning to shoot offhand fighting your equipment can lead to poor shooting techniques. Sometimes it is better to get good designed equipment and develop more quickly without developing any bad practices as a result of using equipment not designed for the purpose it is being used for.

Of course you can further modify your rolling block to tune it up a bit for offhand shooting. Replace the rear stock and add a palm rest if required.

Check the CPA Web site for stock options Walter.

JLouis

32 Miller and the current popular iteration of 32-20 loads are high pressure loads.  rifles for those loads MUST be strong enough to handle them safely. 
I have relatively little experience with the rolling block actions. But I rather strongly suspect that, while the rolling block design might work well for a "traditional" 32-20 load at factory pressure level loadings; it would not be a good action to select for the high pressure loads currently in trend in that cartridge or the 32 Miller short variants.   
  I may be wrong but before I hotrodded a 32-20 in a roller I'd have a serious talk with a qualified single shot riflesmith.
While rolling blocks were more common as long range and hunting rifles (as well as military arms), some were customized to create offhand target rifles.  Marcot's book on the sporting and target rolling blocks show excellent photos of several very fine examples.  I am sure there were more of them. 
  I currently have a project for a #2 roller in 25-20ss  "in the mill".  stock selection and creation is just one of the as-yet-unresolved issues.   I do not want to make it so off-hand-exclusive as to preclude other shooting use.

boats wrote on Oct 24^th, 2013 at 7:06pm:


But isn't the 32-40 too much for a #1 rolling block?
What does everyone think is the most cartridge that this rifle will handle?
Thanks,
Dave

As I recalls the custom sporter rolling blocks shown as schuetzen/ off-hand rifles were usually in 32-40 or 38-55. we are talking lead bullet rifles operating in the velocity ranges usually less then 1500-1600 FPS--to avoid leading.   
  The problem comes from trying to use small capacity cases, long/heavy bullets, and 100% density charges of high energy powders---ergo high pressures.  It will work in a case designed for it, in an action that can handle it safely,  but even the guys doing so with the hot-rod 32-20 have case life issues.
Those old #1 rollers were black powder actions,  as I recall, only the later #5 was a smokeless powder action and even that was for early 1st/2nd gen smokeless.  I'm not sure what the pressure limits are, and there is something about case head size and thrust forces on a breach block that might be another factor to consider.

Finally I simply have not seen that many guys shooting rollers at the schuetzen matches I attend. maybe one or two who use them in the "buffalo" cross stick special fall matches.  There must be a good reason why,  if they made a viable inexpensive entry level schuetzen you'd think you'd see some.  I'm doing mine purely as a fun self-indulgence, with little hopes of it actually being competitive.

I wouldn't be afraid to start out with a standard 32/20 rifle for off hand shooting. You should be able to get accuracy similar to 22rf and as we have all seen, the 22rf can at least shoot 246's at 200. Plenty good for OH with light recoil.

You would have a little developement work to do for a accurate load but, that's about all. Breech seat the rifle and I will suggest the Lyman 311410 mold for a bullet. Try B'eye, Unique, B'dot, HS6 and AA#7 for powders.

Frank

Re: 32-20 Schuetzen?
Reply #11 - Today at 2:50am  Quote  "I wouldn't be afraid to start out with a standard 32/20 rifle for off hand shooting"

Please note that Frank stated "standard" 32-20 not the high pressure loads.

Boats,  As I recall from some of your earlier posts, your matches are short timed relay limited are they not?    if so you don't have an option to pick and choose "conditions" as much as we do at most ASSRA matches.   
As with 22 rf shooting, using the "standard" 32-20 loads with their lighter weight bullets wind conditions will be a factor.

Another consideration is whether we are talking about bench rest or offhand shooting or both.   While we all want the most accurate loads possible for any of our matches.  The raw fact is that in offhand shooting "shooter induced angle of dispersion" is often greater than benchrest quality ammo angle of dispersion. 
  If you have a sub-MOA quality load off the bench and shot them in the same rifle offhand you will be stacking a few more MOA dispersion into the equation.  Yes, you might get lucky and have part of the two sources cancel each other out on an occasional shot. But in reality the shooter's personal added dispersion will dominate.   I'd guess that in equal conditions a skilled offhand shooter using lesser quality loads, will always beat a lesser skilled offhand shooter who was using sub-MOA loads.    I think the old timers said the bench shooting is a test of gun and ammo, offhand is a test of the shooter.  We know its a simplification but is is generally accurate I think.

The point to this rambling discourse being that a well built standard 32-20 rifle might be perfectly OK for offhand shooting while being less desirable for bench rest matches.

40_Rod wrote on Oct 25^th, 2013 at 8:50am:


There has been no indication that the rifle in question is anything but the "standard" 32/20 and the twist would only allow a bullet of the 311410 length or maybe slightly longer.

Frank

Boats gives good advice, the 32/20 low pressure cartridge is not good for off-hand or BR, on the other hand considering low pressure, accuracy, and etc. the 32/40 has no equal.   ledball

Off-Hand rifles need to be just as accurate as our BR rifles, if not "how far do you want to miss".  ledball

Westerner, the same Miller bullet is listed in the Accurate Loading manual, I've never seen  this bullet either.  ledball

westerner wrote on Oct 26^th, 2013 at 10:13am:






From the Accurate manual.

Why Not a .32-20?
by Paul Shuttleworth

I shoot a CPA in a Shuttleworth 32-20.  10.5 grains of Enforcer and 211 grain pointed lead bullets out of a Pioneer mold.  I started with a 38-55 and have come to the conclusion that if it doesn't help you, then get rid of it.  The 38-55 and the 32-40 have more recoil than the 32-20 and over a long offhand match, the recoil wears on you.  The 32-20 might give up some wind bucking ability but I am learning to read the wind and make better shots.  This is based on smokeless competition, black powder is a whole different conversation.

ssdave's pressure data chart shows that interesting thing that happens with Trail Boss. Notice that they entered 2 loads 5 and 6 grains. Also notice that the 1 grain increase doubled the pressure from 12,500 to 25,000. I know some folks that use it in other cartridges and they aren't careful about adding "a little more powder".

But it is important to not confuse a 32-20 CPA and a 32-20 WCF.

No it was more about the guys that try to cram a 180 grain bullet in a 32-20 WCF.

RJ-35-40 wrote on Oct 25^th, 2026 at 3:03pm:


Hi Bob,

I had nothing to do with the development of the .32-20 CPA. I just happened to live close to their operation and was fortunate to have many conversations with Paul regarding its development.  

The .32RKS reamer print I had made after consulting with Ron Smith and SchuetzenDave.

Regards,
Bob