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MartiniBelgian
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Shooting a 32-20 with BP in a single shot
Jan 12th, 2015 at 3:43pm
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As I'm a rather 'cheap' person, I thought it might be a good idea to get my 32-20 up and running with BP. After all, most BP matches here are 100m, so the round should be ideal - and the powder and lead consumption would also be minimal  :wink: 

The test bed? The BSA Martini 12/15 that was converted to centerfire and got a take-off Palma match barrel: more specifically, a (Danish) Schultz and Larsen cut-rifled barrel from way back when - the shochamber end lopped off, and chambered for 32-20 - even if the barrel is standard .308. So more like a .30-20. However, it still has the original BSA 12/15 micrometric sights (Parker-Hale 7A rear, BSA aperture front). I plan to replace the 7A with a more classic-style tang sight (probably a BSa no.8) in order to get it looking right.

Next issue was the bullet - I couldn't really find something to my liking in the standard range, so I designed something myself . The rifling twist is 1:15, so pretty slow for a .308 - which is why I erred on the safe side in limiting bullet weight to about 150grs. The result was a 3-groove RN bullet weighing in at 151grs exactly when cast in 16/1 alloy. Some shallow but wide grooves, and a pretty long nose (well, relatively speaking). Still these are pretty small bullets when compared to my .45's... Also, casting is pretty easy.

I did a 1st test last sunday - stomped some powder (17.5 grains) in fireformed starline cases, seated a lubed bullet on top, even compressed the powder with the bullet (shame on me...). So I did pretty much what one shouldn't do in order to get some cartridges ready to go.

  
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MartiniBelgian
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Re: Shooting a 32-20 with BP in a single shot - part 2
Reply #1 - Jan 12th, 2015 at 3:44pm
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And the results? I was pretty surprised - agreeably. Shooting prone, off the elbows, with sling at 75m (82 yds), 9 out of 10 shots kept into a group the size of the 10-ring (2 MOA at 100m, so somewhat bigger), with some shots clustering. Blowtubing between shots with a too-big plastic blowtube which barely fitted the chamber end, and shooting through a barrel normally used for jacketed bullet (no, didn't clean it before), I'd consider this pretty nice for a 1st try...
Cleanup afterwards showed some leading, which might be from the somewhat oversize bullets (no sizer just yet) or the barrel which wasn't thoroughly cleaned after shooting jacketed bullets. Or the lube, which actually was grease cookie stuff. 

I just ordered a Lee .309 sizer and gave the barrel a thorough cleaning, we'll see what shee does with sized bullets and a clean barrel - and I also tightened the buttstock : after shooting, I did notice that it was a bit loose in the socket, so that was also corrected.

Still she seems to be eager to please, so I have high hopes! 100m for sure, maybe 200 - we'll see. But a nice change - and it does prove that those smaller calibres will also perform with BP - the powder they were developed for.
  
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frnkeore
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Re: Shooting a 32-20 with BP in a single shot
Reply #2 - Jan 12th, 2015 at 4:09pm
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Sounds like you have a excellent start and I think you could gain a wind drift advantage with subsonic loads.

I've just started smokeless, subsonic testing with my wife's (.308) 32/20 with promicing results for the one time out. Your most likely, not to far off subsonic anyway.

Since you can make your own molds, you can gain BC by putting a elliptical nose on the bullet for subsonic flight.

If you don't have a chronograph, you can just load down, untill the sonic crack goes away.

Frank
  

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BP
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Re: Shooting a 32-20 with BP in a single shot
Reply #3 - Jan 12th, 2015 at 4:38pm
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MartiniBelgian,

What brand of black powder and granulation did you use?

  

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John Boy
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Re: Shooting a 32-20 with BP in a single shot
Reply #4 - Jan 12th, 2015 at 8:59pm
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Quote:
Blowtubing between shots with a too-big plastic blowtube which barely fitted the chamber end
Your putting moisture in the chamber that is not conducive to good sealing of the cases to the chamber wall
I carry in the range box a marked plastic tube for every caliber I shoot to fit in the chamber so only the moisture goes into the bore
  
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MartiniBelgian
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Re: Shooting a 32-20 with BP in a single shot
Reply #5 - Jan 13th, 2015 at 1:13am
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I shot what I had on hand as to powder - which was Swiss 1 1/2Fg - and yes, I know about the blowtube,but the experiment was meant to be quick and dirty - turned out rather well despite the shortcuts.  And the Hardware shop, like usual, only had 2 sizes of plastic tubing - too big and too small.  Cheesy
But no, I cannot make my own moulds - this one is a custom mould I ordered.  It is a bit oversize though, which is why I ordered the sizer.
  
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nuclearcricket
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Re: Shooting a 32-20 with BP in a single shot
Reply #6 - Jan 13th, 2015 at 7:42am
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Martin, for blow tube material, try a motorcycle shop and look for fuel lines, they may have a better selection and perhaps the right size that you need. Another source would be a shop that works on lawn mowers and other lawn and garden power equipment, they should have a variety of hose sizes for fuel lines and such.
Sam
« Last Edit: Jan 13th, 2015 at 8:28am by nuclearcricket »  
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gunlaker
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Re: Shooting a 32-20 with BP in a single shot
Reply #7 - Jan 13th, 2015 at 9:14am
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MB that's an interesting challenge for sure.  I find that getting consistent accuracy out of the .32-40 can be a bit challenging.  I imagine that the .32-20 is a bit trickier yet.  I am surprised at how well it worked when blow tubing.  My .32-40's are quite picky about bore condition.  I wipe 'em clean between shots.

Chris.
  
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MartiniBelgian
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Re: Shooting a 32-20 with BP in a single shot
Reply #8 - Jan 13th, 2015 at 9:42am
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To be honest, I was surprised too...  Some thrown-together loads, oversize bullets, so-so lube, a smokeless barrel with wide lands - I wasn't really expecting what I got.
And wiping clean between shots - I'd need to get a thin flexible wiping rod for that - But I don't have one yet.  Another way just doesn't work in a Martini, unless I take the innards out every shots - not really a good idea.
  
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gunlaker
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Re: Shooting a 32-20 with BP in a single shot
Reply #9 - Jan 13th, 2015 at 12:55pm
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Ah, I see.   

Are you going to try paper patching it?   I've given it a brief try in my .32-40 CPA.  Unfortunately I should have specified the shank length when I ordered the mould.  It's pretty short, the bullet is nearly a picket bullet.  I've shot some groups in the 3" and sometimes 4" range at 200m with it.  I think with a longer shank it'd be better though.   It's an elliptical, and its definitely more stable at 200m than the same length "pope style" Saeco bullet.

Chris.
  
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MartiniBelgian
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Re: Shooting a 32-20 with BP in a single shot
Reply #10 - Jan 13th, 2015 at 1:00pm
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Paper patching?  maybe somewhere in the future, if I can find a decent way to wipe between shots.  a .30 barrel means I need a 5 or 6 mm delrin rod to wipe, if that will work decently.  The current bullet is GG, but I'm not excluding PP.  I'm actually switching my .45's to PP for the coming match season...
And I'll also need a wad punch, and a compression die, some 3Fg powder, and...
  
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MartiniBelgian
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Re: Shooting a 32-20 with BP in a single shot
Reply #11 - Jan 18th, 2015 at 12:42pm
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Well, it was not a fluke - fireformed some remington brass today with essentially the same load. used the 1st target to adjust the sights, and then shot a 97 prone, with sling, no support - so there's also shooter error in there. Just blowtubing between shots (a single, long breath down the newly made blowtube) - and the load was 16.5grs of Swiss 1 1/2Fg, not 17.5. Kinda like shooting a .22 on steroids. I pulled 1 shot into the 9 at 8 o'clock, but the remaining 9 shots would make about 2 MOA.  The nut behind wasn't perfect, but still I managed to put 3 through a same hole...
The bullets were seated a bit too far out, so chambering did require some effort - but accuracy was there. If I show up with this at a match, I'll turn some heads, shooting this pipsqueak alongside all those .40's and .45's... But it does seem ideally suited for 100yds competition. These smaller calibres do have a reputation of being pretty finicky with BP, but this one for sure isn't - this is just the 2nd time out, I haven't even fired 50 shots with this combination.  I'll fireform some more brass, and then start load development in earnest - the potential is there.
  
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Singleshotlover
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Re: Shooting a 32-20 with BP in a single shot
Reply #12 - Jun 17th, 2015 at 12:31am
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Check out a medical supply house for small diameter tubing or even a pet shop that has a bunch of fish tanks. they most likely can supply you with some small diameter clear tubing especially if they pump air into the tank to oxygenate the water. drill out the primer pocket for 1/4" copper tubing and solder one end into one of your cases and stick one end of the tubing on the other end of the copper tubing. Instant caliber specific blow tube. Frank
  
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nuclearcricket
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Re: Shooting a 32-20 with BP in a single shot
Reply #13 - Jun 17th, 2015 at 9:05am
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If your going to use 1/4" copper tubeing  to attach a tube for a blow tube, go to a motor cycle shop and get some fuel line. You should be able to get it in clear and maybe colored as well. They might even have smaller sizes that you might be able to directly fit into the case.
Sam
  
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