32-40 loads?

[Don McDowell]

Got the Ballard in, a big sack of brass came with it.
Ordered the Saeco pope mould for someplace to get started.
Now just got to figure out what to fill the cases with. Have all the usual suspects in black, along with bh209, 231,unique, bludot, 2400, 5744, 4198, 4895,4320,4064 and probably a few more...
Ok let's hear your favored 32-40 accuracy loads.

[Don McDowell]

   

[Mike]

Hey Ranch, In my CSA Highwall I like to use simply the "standard" Lyman bullet, #319247, over 40 grains of OE 1 1/2F. I don't use any wad between the bullet and powder. The powder receives only a bit of compression. This load serves me quite well although I have very seldom fired at any distance over 100 yards. Also, I've used the short range bullet, Lyman's #31950, with either 5 grains of Unique or just five grains of loose black powder, a good grouse load. Shoot sharp, Mike

[Don McDowell]

I have some felt wads coming. Thinking that Eynsford will be just right. Would like to figure out a good patched bullet also

[Gunlaker]

Don I imagine tat rifle will have an original barrel with a slow, by today's standard twist? If so, it might really like the 165gr Saeco tapered bullet breech seated wih a plugged cartridge case. I have an original highwall Special Single Shot, a precursor to the later schuetzen model. It likes that bullet and a case full of Fg, or FFg. No wads under the bullet, and a 0.030" veg wad over the powder.

My .32-40's almost always like CCI large pistol primers, but I don't use them in my rifles with original large diameter firing pins.

I have not tried that Highwall with smokeless, but I shoot my modern .32-40's with 14gr of 4227. That works extremely well. I'm not certain if that load is Ballard friendly.

I've also tried patched bullets in the .32-40. They worked ok, but not as well as breech seated GG bullets. I think I made the wrong mould choice though.

Chris.

[Gunlaker]

Don I've also used some SR-4759 in one of my .32-40's. A Ruger #1 with a Ron Smith barrel. That was with a Hoch 200gr Pope style bullet. I don't remember the charge weight, but it shot better than a minute of angle at 200m as long as I wasn't having a bad day.

Watch the barrel fouling, those tiny parlour guns are really sensitive to it.

Nice rifle by the way :-)

Chris.

[Hiwall55]

Don I don't have any load data to share, but that's a sweet rifle. You might try ASSRA forum, they are some helpful folks. Bill

[Kurt]

Nice rifle Don.
Now find a palm rest and breach seating tools and let us know how it works.

Here is a .323" pope bullet. 1.140" long 206 gr.
It looks like it should fly pretty good.

[Don McDowell]

The former owner used that 220 gr saeco bullet. Jack Odor suggested today that bullet aa#9 with rp small pistol primers as the best load.
This rifle is a Cody Ballard.

[Gunlaker]

Oh, being a Cody Ballard I guess it has a faster twist. Don I've heard others mention that powder as well for the .32-40. I haven't tried it myself, but I would certainly listen to Jack :-)

I've got a good collection of .32-40 molds as I have a few different .32-40's and each has a different throat. The Saeco tapered ones seem to work well. I also like the Hoch molds if they fit the bore and throat. Interestingly my Hoch 322200D which is specifically what CPA recommends for their throats in a Douglas barrel doesn't fit either of my CPA's at all :-). Steve Brooks makes some nice .32 cal molds too. I got him to make one with the shank of th Saeco, but the smaller meplat of the Hoch 322200. It works very well in a couple of my rifles.

Chris.