.32 Winchester
 

"borrowed" it from my Father In Law.

Really impressed with it's accuracy at short distance, although the rear sight loved chewing on my thumb.

I'm not a hunter, don't expect to become a hunter, so far how it's only a range firearm.

What is the typical range expectation out of this firearm?

A few hundred yards. The .30-30 wins at longer ranges due to aerodynamics and is certainly cheaper to shoot, more popular, and the .32 has the reputation for wearing out early (when actually the standard bullet is actually undersized for its rifling)...

Summary: it's a better shorter range hunting gun than the .30-30 which is a slightly better longer range hunting rifle and range gun.

Hello partdeux,

How are things in Detroit? I grew up there.

Winchester made several rifles which were chambered for the 32 WS or Win Special cartridge. Which model and configuration do you have? The two rounds are almost identical in the ballistics. Take a look at the Winchester Ballistics Calculator and you will see that for identical bullet types and weights (power point and 170 grain) with the rifle zeroed at 100 yards there is only .6 inches of difference at 250 yards. I have never heard of the 32 WS wearing out early. All bullets are undersized relative to the rifling diameter otherwise the bullet would not travel down the barrel.
http://ballisticscalculator.winchester.com/

I am not sure what you mean when you say the rear sight "chewed up your thumb". I think that if you were to shoot identical ammo types from identical rifles chambered for each you would find they shoot extremely similar with regard to accuracy. The limiting component is typically the skill of using iron sights at long range. The elevator on these sights are cut or notched at fifty yard intervals starting at 50 on the lowest notch.

Michael

Michael

Is it a .32 WCF which is a 32-20? Or a 32-40 Win? Or a 32 Win special?

Good question Hiwall! I assumed and that could be way wrong. Seeing as 32-40 ammo is darn difficult to get my bet is still 32 WS.

Michael

.32 Winchester Special

The way I'm holding the rifle, the recoil catches my thumb on the rear sight.

the 32 Winchester Special is just an necked up 30-30 in a .321 diameter bullet. ballistics using the same weight bullets are very similar, with only about a 50-150 MV gain. IIRC, Winchester stopped offering them in the M94 about the late 50's or very early 60's. i have a set of reloading dies for the 32 WS and would like to find a rifle in this caliber just for the fun of it. one of these days i will find the right one.

Ain't the Things ya Know, It's the Things ya Know That Just Ain't So
 

Please follow this link to post #26 that includes commentary on the .32 Win. Special including its OWN link I posted to an article on it. So many experts, so little time to correct them...

http://www.firearmstalk.com/forums/f18/am-i-only-one-70003/index3.html#post900894

NICE...

FIL may have trouble getting his father's rifle back from me ;) Especially after my cousin got my dad's dad rifle. Still fuming about that one.

Hock, you are so far out in left field, you are not even worth responding to anymore. :rolleyes: