Has anyone done any experimenting with the old .32 Win Spl?  Its a common enough cartridge, so, except for barrel twist, has anyone gone down that rabbit hole?

I have a Winchester 1894 in 32 Special made about 1915 or so.   Kind of beat up, but sure shoots good.   Not a target rifle, but it will shoot 1" groups at 100 yards.   I think the twist is 1 in 16, same as the 32-40.

George

i have a 1885 hiwall in 32 special which is a rare bird to be sure, its twin is in 32-40, both with #3 barrels, both with 1-16 twist. it was my first Schuetzen rifle and shot very well for a complete newbie. i am going to take it out with proper bullets and see what it will do. it shot good with H110 and 165 gr bullets. i will post the results when done.
and you can still find brass for it !!

Had a Martini Cadet in 32 Win Spl and it shot quite well with cast or jacketed but kicked pretty good being so light. I traded it off for another in 32-20. ratseye

When shooting in traditional rifle matches the long cases are no detriment.   

You won't see modern short case target rifles at Butte or Hamilton.

John, I have one 32 MS in a Hoch.  Most accurate rifle I own for BR.  Still using the first powder charge I started with in 1996.  The rifle shoots any tapered bullet that fits the bore extremely well. Maybe I just got lucky but I don't think so as many other short cased rifles have shot extremely well.   

Maybe you got unlucky?

At our Tacoma match yesterday, A local shooter who used to only shoot BP but now is tearing up the local CBA matches with his 32-20 CPA with a 205 gr round nose bullet from his homemade mold shot a 250 on his way for 1245 for the 50 shot match.  I still prefer long cases though for charging at the bench.  He charges cases with wads down on the powder.  I am not arguing with his success, but I did order one of his molds!!

Jack

Anythng much more then 10 grains of H108 my shells stuck too and showed pressure. 

At ten grains, extremely accurate and have never sized the cases. Also I don't get any hard carbon fouling like some Canadians experience.

It's a bit boring to shoot from the bench but that is what you need to compete with the ISSA crowd. 32-40 can be just as accurate but low on the ISSA cool factor. 

Boring because it is so accurate and reliable and nothing ever goes wrong with it. Don't even have to re-decap and charge a case as you shoot. 

We are getting way off topic. 

I love my 32 Special. Unusual target number and very accurate. Playing around on the bench one day I shot a ten shot string about two and a half inches long, elevation didn't vary more than a quarter inch. No one there to brag to.