ASSRA Forum - Test Firing the 1885 Winchester 32-40 Target Rifle

ASSRA Forum › General › Reloading the Single Shot Rifle › Test Firing the 1885 Winchester 32-40 Target Rifle

(Moderator Group: Moderator)

‹ Previous Topic | Next Topic ›

Page Index Toggle

Pages: [1] 2

Hot Topic (More than 10 Replies)

Test Firing the 1885 Winchester 32-40 Target Rifle (Read 8114 times)

Bigskybob Junior Member Offline Posts: 80 Location: Montana Joined: May 20^th, 2015	Test Firing the 1885 Winchester 32-40 Target Rifle Mar 28^th, 2016 at 10:32pm	Print Post
	This Easter Sunday, my son and I test fired the new Winchester 32-40 Target Rifle. As is ritual, we stopped by the dump to scout for suitable boxes for targets. We hit the Jackpot with a 65" TV box. Firing Report: Cast Bullets & Black Powder - Single 6 shot group of approximately 50" at 50 yards. Yep you read that correctly, that is 1" per yard. First photo Jacketed Bullets & Smokeless @ 50 yards - considerably better. Second Photo. Might have been a pretty disappointing day if we didn't happen to have a few jacketed bullets around and a really big box.


	IP Logged

calledflyer Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 3964 Joined: Mar 9^th, 2015	Re: Test Firing the 1885 Winchester 32-40 Target Rifle Reply #1 - Mar 28^th, 2016 at 10:54pm	Print Post
	Well, Bob, I'm pretty sure that if you work on it a little bit, yer gonna be happy shootin' cast out of that nice ol' piece. If it'll put the jacketed in that well, unless the barrel is rough the cast will go too. Just as a first guess, since I don't know what the load was, I'd guess bullet size was out of whack. What were you shootin'?


	IP Logged

CajunRebel Oldtimer Offline Posts: 694 Location: Alexandria, VA Joined: Nov 18^th, 2007	Re: Test Firing the 1885 Winchester 32-40 Target Rifle Reply #2 - Mar 29^th, 2016 at 8:31am	Print Post
	FINALLY, a senior shooter who doesn't embarrass me with 1/2" groups at 200 yds!!! Now put the sight/scope and stock back on the rifle and try again.


	IP Logged

gunlaker Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 2602 Location: lower mainland, B.C. Joined: Dec 13^th, 2010	Re: Test Firing the 1885 Winchester 32-40 Target Rifle Reply #3 - Mar 29^th, 2016 at 10:51am	Print Post
	Unless the bore is really bad, you'll definitely be able to make that .32-40 work well with black powder. I have an original that shoots pretty well with the Saeco 170gr tapered bullet breech seated with a plugged case. I use a case full of Fg in that one. Were your bullets cast of a hard alloy and maybe a bit undersized, or too long? Chris.


	IP Logged

westerner Frequent Elocutionist Offline deleted posts and threads record holder. Posts: 12333 Location: Why, out West of course Joined: May 29^th, 2006	Re: Test Firing the 1885 Winchester 32-40 Target Rifle Reply #4 - Mar 29^th, 2016 at 1:27pm	Print Post
	Gunlaker is absolutely correct. 32-40s will shoot fixed BP loads well. Here is a target I shot with my rifle. Off hand of course. Rifle is capable of 2-3 inch groups at 200 from a bench. No group pictures. Joe.

	A blind squirrel runs into a tree every once in a while.
	IP Logged

UtahDave Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 396 Location: Heber City, Utah Joined: Aug 14^th, 2010	Re: Test Firing the 1885 Winchester 32-40 Target Rifle Reply #5 - Mar 29^th, 2016 at 2:15pm	Print Post
	Joe, What bullet are you shooting fixed? I'm getting ready to load some 32-40 with Swiss 1.5 F and shoot a Hoch 207 gr tapered bullet seated out so it will just touch the rifling. Ant suggestions? Dave


	IP Logged

gunlaker Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 2602 Location: lower mainland, B.C. Joined: Dec 13^th, 2010	Re: Test Firing the 1885 Winchester 32-40 Target Rifle Reply #6 - Mar 29^th, 2016 at 2:48pm	Print Post
	That's a nice offhand target! Chris.


	IP Logged

westerner Frequent Elocutionist Offline deleted posts and threads record holder. Posts: 12333 Location: Why, out West of course Joined: May 29^th, 2006	Re: Test Firing the 1885 Winchester 32-40 Target Rifle Reply #7 - Mar 29^th, 2016 at 3:08pm	Print Post
	Dave, using 40 gr FFF Swiss under a Walters .060 VF wad and 319-289 Hudson style bullet cast about 40-1. Compressing powder until major bullet diameter is completely in the neck. Bullet is a slip fit in the case. No case sizing. Gunlaker, thanks, had some real good practice targets that summer. Would like to shoot a string of those in a match. Joe.

	A blind squirrel runs into a tree every once in a while.
	IP Logged

westerner Frequent Elocutionist Offline deleted posts and threads record holder. Posts: 12333 Location: Why, out West of course Joined: May 29^th, 2006	Re: Test Firing the 1885 Winchester 32-40 Target Rifle Reply #8 - Mar 29^th, 2016 at 4:09pm	Print Post
	UtahDave wrote on Mar 29^th, 2016 at 2:15pm: Joe, What bullet are you shooting fixed? I'm getting ready to load some 32-40 with Swiss 1.5 F and shoot a Hoch 207 gr tapered bullet seated out so it will just touch the rifling. Ant suggestions? Dave Dave, I have used a Pope style tapered bullet in my rifle with about the same results. Shot some nice targets with Bud Welsh "nipple snappers" also. My Hoch 319-289 mold casts superb bullets with a minimum of fuss. So that's what I use. Joe.

	A blind squirrel runs into a tree every once in a while.
	IP Logged

Schuetzenmiester Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 6707 Location: Cool Wet Side of WA Joined: Apr 27^th, 2008	Re: Test Firing the 1885 Winchester 32-40 Target Rifle Reply #9 - Mar 29^th, 2016 at 4:44pm	Print Post
	westerner wrote on Mar 29^th, 2016 at 1:27pm: Gunlaker is absolutely correct. 32-40s will shoot fixed BP loads well. Here is a target I shot with my rifle. Off hand of course. Rifle is capable of 2-3 inch groups at 200 from a bench. No group pictures. Joe. Colleen and Greg had better be practicing for Spokane

	"some old things are lovely, warm still with life ... of the forgotten men who made them." - D.H. Lawrence
	IP Logged

westerner Frequent Elocutionist Offline deleted posts and threads record holder. Posts: 12333 Location: Why, out West of course Joined: May 29^th, 2006	Re: Test Firing the 1885 Winchester 32-40 Target Rifle Reply #10 - Mar 29^th, 2016 at 5:07pm	Print Post
	Here's the bullet Dave. Will be using Harry's hiwall, Bob. Who knows what will happen. Doubt they have anything to fear from me. Been working with Harry's rifle. Has a standard 32-40 chamber but the bore ahead of the chamber measures .324. .322 at the muzzle. Cannot get the correct size bullets to fit the Russ Weber breech seater. Do not have my lathe at the moment so cannot neck ream the chamber. Bit of a bugger but will come up with something. Showed some promise on Sunday breech seating with smokeless. Adding a MVA palm rest helped a ton. Joe.

	A blind squirrel runs into a tree every once in a while.
	IP Logged

Bigskybob Junior Member Offline Posts: 80 Location: Montana Joined: May 20^th, 2015	Re: Test Firing the 1885 Winchester 32-40 Target Rifle Reply #11 - Mar 29^th, 2016 at 10:15pm	Print Post
	That was an Easter afternoon try to see if it would shoot. Ammo was a premium offering that I bought at the Helena gun show for $5 a box (for the brass). One box of cast and one box of jacketed. The TV box was store bought and I even discovered who had discarded it in the dumpster. That's the advantage of living in the small towns in God's country. Bob


	IP Logged

Schuetzenmiester Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 6707 Location: Cool Wet Side of WA Joined: Apr 27^th, 2008	Re: Test Firing the 1885 Winchester 32-40 Target Rifle Reply #12 - Mar 29^th, 2016 at 10:43pm	Print Post
	But that offhand target looks pretty god Joe

	"some old things are lovely, warm still with life ... of the forgotten men who made them." - D.H. Lawrence
	IP Logged

westerner Frequent Elocutionist Offline deleted posts and threads record holder. Posts: 12333 Location: Why, out West of course Joined: May 29^th, 2006	Re: Test Firing the 1885 Winchester 32-40 Target Rifle Reply #13 - Mar 29^th, 2016 at 10:52pm	Print Post
	Thank's Bob. Yeah it was just a practice target. Iron sights and BP at 240 yards. I was on that summer. Used the same load and rifle at Tacoma. Couldn't shoot my way out of a paper,...........wet paper bag. Joe.

	A blind squirrel runs into a tree every once in a while.
	IP Logged

Schuetzenmiester Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 6707 Location: Cool Wet Side of WA Joined: Apr 27^th, 2008	Re: Test Firing the 1885 Winchester 32-40 Target Rifle Reply #14 - Mar 29^th, 2016 at 10:56pm	Print Post
	That is why I quit practicing. Why waste all my good shots in practice?

	"some old things are lovely, warm still with life ... of the forgotten men who made them." - D.H. Lawrence
	IP Logged

Page Index Toggle

Pages: [1] 2

‹ Previous Topic | Next Topic ›

« Board Index ‹ Board Top

Top

ASSRA Forum » Powered by YaBB 2.6.12!
YaBB Forum Software © 2000-2026. All Rights Reserved.

Valid XHTML

Valid CSS

Powered by Perl

Source Forge

Page completed in 0.8597 seconds.