ssdave wrote on Feb 3
rd, 2021 at 11:07am:
Correct me if I'm wrong, guys, but even a cast ballard should be adequate for .32-20 or 25-20? I've seen cast originals in 44-40 and 44 extra long.
I'd not fool around with a .32 cal equivalent to the rimfire, I'd just go to a more readily available and more versatile small game cartridge.
Dave,
Thanks for the suggestions.
Both of those cartridges sound appealing to Me because I enjoy all things esoteric like many of us.
However, in as much as this will be passed down to one of my grandsons who may not have any interest in hand loading I have to consider the ammo issue.
I'm sure there will be a rifle or two he can use for hunting as well as this 'antique' even if it is modified.
Now if I were organized I would have catalogued some of the videos that I found where the cast frame on some of the #2's blew to pieces with cartridges bigger than a small 32.
Not a pretty picture.
I did have high hopes of a little bigger cartridge when I bought the rifle but quickly changed my mind when I saw the results of a few catastrophic failures.
There are probably many out there in larger calibers that do just fine but 'casts' are a unknown quantity.
Thanks again for your observations.