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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) 32/40 black powder info (Read 10905 times)
Mick B
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32/40 black powder info
May 2nd, 2016 at 12:05am
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I'm well aware that the 32/40 has stood the test of time and is still popular today, my question is this.
I'm considering getting another barrel for my CPA 40/60 Maynard, this time in calibre 32/40, was the 32/40 a very good black powder cartridge in its day or were there better ones. I have  a feeling that whichever way I go with this changing the extractor will be necessary, something I would like to avoid if possible.
Mike.
  
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RSW
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Re: 32/40 black powder info
Reply #1 - May 2nd, 2016 at 12:43am
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Mick B
It depends on how you want to use it. For schuetzen, it was the most popular cartridge used for 200 yard offhand shooting in the 1890-1920 time frame. The largest percentage of schuetzen shooters breech seated or muzzle-loaded bullets. I've found the best way to load for breech seating is to fill the case with powder and use a snug fitting card over powder wad. You may want to investigate effects on accuracy by using different wad thicknesses to give more or less powder compression.
I have not worked much with fixed ammo but again, fill cartridge case to bullet base using a card wad between powder and bullet. Varying compression affects accuracy.
In several 32-40s I've shot with black, it was necessary to wipe between shots to get good accuracy.
The 40-60 Maynard is not familiar to me but I assume it uses a 30-40 Krag parent case so you will need a new extractor for 32-40. 
Hope that helps
« Last Edit: May 2nd, 2016 at 6:47pm by RSW »  
Randy W
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Hiwall55
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Re: 32/40 black powder info
Reply #2 - May 2nd, 2016 at 6:37pm
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I went with the 38/50 Remington on my CPA, same 30/40 parent case. You don't have to change the extractor and it shoots BP real well.
  
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RSW
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Re: 32/40 black powder info
Reply #3 - May 2nd, 2016 at 6:52pm
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Hiwall55, you are correct, the 38-50 is an excellent case for BP and would require no extractor change.
The past several months, I have been shooting a 38-50 Rem, muzzle loaded and while a bit over-powered for 200 yard shooting, it's shows great accuracy potential.
  
Randy W
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Re: 32/40 black powder info
Reply #4 - May 2nd, 2016 at 8:04pm
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Changing the extractor on a CPA is not a problem.
  
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Re: 32/40 black powder info
Reply #5 - May 2nd, 2016 at 8:21pm
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Mick

Make a tapered soft steel pin to push in place of the breechblock pin.  Aligns everything in a second. Then push it out with the guns straight pin & tighten the set screw..

Switch extractors in less time than it takes to type this

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Mick B
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Re: 32/40 black powder info
Reply #6 - May 2nd, 2016 at 11:34pm
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Thanks guys.
I did make a tapered pin to line up the pivot pin after trying to line everything up to get the original pin in. being lazy by nature I was hoping to avoid the extractor change altogether.
Buying the correct cases may present a problem in Australia,  also there is the problem as getting them exported from the US as it seems to have got difficult recently.
Regarding brass availability I can buy Starline 38-40 WCF, 38-55 WCF, and 38-55 WCF Long, whatever that is ?.
As our club is black powder only and we only shoot at 100 meters and 200 meters I don't need enough knock down powder to tip the rams at 500.
If I did decide to go with the 32-40 what other cases can be sized to that calibre ?. The chance of buying 32-40 brass in Australia is nil.
Mike.
  
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Schuetzenmiester
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Re: 32/40 black powder info
Reply #7 - May 3rd, 2016 at 12:18am
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30-30
  
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RSW
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Re: 32/40 black powder info
Reply #8 - May 3rd, 2016 at 12:25am
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Mick
Starline makes 38-55 in two lengths, 2.080 and 2.125. 32-40 Can be made by full length sizing 38-55 in a 32-40 die. Anneal the brass, apply thin layer of sizing lube. Re-size the case until you feel real resistance, withdraw case, re-distribute lube, size a little more, and so on. Sizing in numerous small steps will ensure very low case loss. I have sized a couple hundred and lose 3-4 per 100.
Both 32-40 and 38-55 are good BP cartridges for 100-200 yard/meter shooting.
  
Randy W
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Re: 32/40 black powder info
Reply #9 - May 3rd, 2016 at 9:21am
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Mike
The 32/40 is one great cartridge for BP. Breech seating, trying different compression till you find the correct one, wiping between shots, the accuracy potential is amazing.
Bob
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Re: 32/40 black powder info
Reply #10 - May 3rd, 2016 at 12:46pm
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And yet as soon as semi-smokeless became available, the ODGs started duplexing...
  
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Schuetzenmiester
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Re: 32/40 black powder info
Reply #11 - May 3rd, 2016 at 12:58pm
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RSW wrote on May 2nd, 2016 at 12:43am:
Mick B
... I've found the best way to load for breech seating is to fill the case with powder and use a snug fitting card over powder wad. You may want to investigate effects on accuracy by using different wad thicknesses to give more or less powder compression.


Has anyone else tried using a compression die, then adding a few more grains of BP and a wad for BS BP? 

I tried it and it did not help.
  
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Re: 32/40 black powder info
Reply #12 - May 3rd, 2016 at 3:18pm
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As a general rule, with Black Powder, smaller the bore bigger the fowling issue . My 32/40's needed to be wiped perfectly clean each shot.  When I wiped one wet one dry between shots, Black Shot just as good as Smokeless powder

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Mick B
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Re: 32/40 black powder info
Reply #13 - May 3rd, 2016 at 9:11pm
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It seems I'm on the horns of a dilemma, if I go with the 32-40 idea I will have to get new dies, new moulds and re size 38-55 brass, oh and another barrel of course.
On the other hand the 38-55 requires no brass re sizing, I have a couple of 38 moulds for my 38/56 and there is the possibility perhaps of re chambering my 38-56 barrel to 38-55 if that is possible, I may also not require a die set at all.
Any thoughts ?.
Mike.
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Re: 32/40 black powder info
Reply #14 - May 3rd, 2016 at 9:16pm
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Mick I have both 32/40 and 38/55 for my CPA   Black Powder prefer the 38/55, it's just easier to get good results with the larger bore using Black.

You can re-chamber but have to cut back some

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