The Humble .32

[Sean Gadhar]

Took my Crockett .32 out today. I was shooting in a stiff wind & I really couldn't trust my groups.

So I got out a small spinner target we have shot with .22 lr & .22 mag for years (hundreds of hits on this little 5" x 2 1/2" target) The boys when young shot it from 25 yards a it would mark up but only the vary slightest dent or ding.

So I ran it out to 30 yards & loaded 20 gr. of FFF behind a .310 patched round ball (Hornday)



Pushed 1/2 way through the spinner ! :shocked2:

 

[pab1]

Wow! That's impressive!

 

[illuveatar]

Thanks for posting this. I was considering using a spinning target I recently bought with my 1851 Navy this coming weekend. I'm not sure of the difference in muzzle velocities but considering it's a 36cal I think I'll leave the spinner home.

 

[jjackson]

good shot.

 

[Sean Gadhar]

good shot.

I have to claim dumb luck, there was a steady 10 mph cross wind with gusts to 20mph I'm guessing.

This rife was shooting just a bit left on my last hunt with it(February), but every time I take it to adjust it the dang wind blows :idunno:

 

[Kapow]

That is a real eye opener!

 

[Zonie]

Remind me again? Who said a little .32 with only a 20 grain powder load was a weak hunting load?

OK. That was a rhetorical question. :grin:

It does point out that the puny little .310 roundball can do some serious damage. :thumbsup:

 

[Wes/Tex]

:grin:
It does point out that the puny little .310 roundball can do some serious damage. :thumbsup:

Understatement 101! :wink:

 

[Sean Gadhar]

Zonie,

I know it was a Rhetorical question, but, one answer is; Colorado Division of Wildlife. They will not allow that load for Turkey, :nono: it is way below the minimum they require.

 

[jamesthomas]

Maybe you need to take your spinner and show it to the folks, it might get them to change their mind or at least give it some thought.

 

[kopfjaeger]

I never shot a spinner with my .32's, that is impressive. :thumbsup:

 

[BrownBear]

Remind me again? Who said a little .32 with only a 20 grain powder load was a weak hunting load?

You can probably picture what that load does to eating meat on small game.

That's why I'm down to around 10 grains of 3f with my 32, and I'm still real careful to make clean head shots. Drop even a 10-grain shot down into the neck and you can figure on throwing away both front shoulders due to complete bloodshot.

At the same velocity as a 22LR, that .310 ball is waaaaay more destructive. Kind of like hitting them with a fully expanded hollowpoint.

 

[azmntman]

In AZ a .32 with 20 grains is legal for elk.....but one must never contemplate shooting any big game with a BP revolver of anysize or charge???

Me thinks liberals are involved and have not even seen the ol fess parker shows??

 

[hanshi]

The little .32 is a "mighty mite", alright. This is the reason I reject the idea of many who consider it (and the .36) a pee wee caliber. Even at .22LR velocities these little pills pack a welterweight punch. Go up a bit and you have true power.

In my .36 20 grains of 3F gives close to 1300fps and it's a good, accurate load. I've tried 15 grains and it may be just the thing for squirrels...with careful shots. I'm willing to bet it will be a good load in my .32 Tn rifle.

 

[smoothshooter]

When I was a kid, I hunted with a .31 cal. Kentucky rifle that was an old gun when my great- great grandfather brought it home in the late 1880's according to his son, who I spent a lot of time with. May have been a late flinter converted to percussion.Don't remember what powder charges I used, seems like maybe an old .38 S & W case full like my dad said, or more. Never weighed charges to know what they were. All I can say is that it was sure death on squirrels, rabbits, groundhogs, and birds out to 50 yards or so; never tried it any farther. Even had the original bullet mold.

 

[smoothshooter]

Addendum to my previous post : upon further thought, it seems like way back then about 1970 I did measure a ball from the mould that came with the above - mentioned original gun, and it was a .31 caliber ball, which would make the gun a .32 cal. Never was crazy about the skinny little ram rod though.

 

[Treestalker]

I remember the destruction on squirrels wrought by my homemade .32 prb Southern Mountain Rifle with a Green Mountain barrel. It was wise to make a head shot(I never ate the heads) or a clean rib shot. Lots more power than folks think that haven't tried one. Tree.

 

[azmntman]

Mine makes a .22 hollow point look like a red ryder bb gun. Head shots or only hind legs only left for the crock pot!

ff I the only one that makes tree rat enchilada's??

 

[BrownBear]

Mine makes a .22 hollow point look like a red ryder bb gun.

Good comparison!

As for the enchiladas, used to do the same when I lived in the land of squirrels, but now it's snowshoe hare. Get hungry just thinking about them!

 

[Mickc01]

Wow, that's one dead varmint!..... :thumbsup: Mick