32/20 performance

[boats]

Former Pom ,

If I was to guess larger bullet size would be the advantage of casting for the 32/20 Marlin. .315 instead of 313. However it's not a bench rest gun and tweaking the bullet is not going to make one out of it. CLA Pistol caliber target is not real demanding accucary wise either. However I think it's real important to break a shot and have it impact exactly were you called the strike. It's a confidence issue more than accucary. If you are not sure about the mechanical part no way you can be sure about the Physical and mental part of making a shot.

One change at a time in order to get the best out of this gun though. I have the 4227 cartridges loaded up along with left over Unique loads from last weeks match. Now need a break in the weather to shoot them on paper offhand and bench. This time I am only going to test at the Ram line.

Boats

[Ramslammer]

G'Day
Number 1: Did I hear the EX Pom (who's real nick name is the Sinking Pom) say he was using store bought bullets?
Number 2: You mainly get warts from handling TOADS!!!!! Dave what part of the Amphibian where you handling????

Boats I use a load of 13grns 4227 with a gaschecked lyman 311316 bullet. Once I loaded lyman 311008's with this load and the EX Pom leaded his rifle up in 5 shots So it's definately a gas check load. Shoots well as you can see in my avatar. 10 shots @ 50m williams sights. I also got good results with 5.5 of unique. Be aware as I've stated in other posts we tried 5 marlin 1894cl's at a shoot and none would interchange loads with acceptable accuracy. I think from memory the Ex poms and outback Micks were close.
Juddy

[boats]

Ramslammer agree get that much 4227 in the case it's gas check territory. My Schuetzen 32/40 load is about 14.5 of 4227 plain base 200 gr bullet cast 1/25 It's on the edge with no gas check MV is about 1450 fps. Those matches don't allow gas checks I push the bullet as fast as it will go with out them. If I can avoid the checks on this 32/20 it's easier to work with, don't go too fast they are not needed is my experience. Get up around 1600 fps they are required.

You guys both in Australia ? I worked on and off there for years. Was a member at the Manly Smallbore Club North side of Sydney. Shot a little silhouette in Aussie too but the matches for High Power were too far away, Fell into a good club nearby with some fine shooters. Few years smallbore prone was good training for me too.

I ought to clarify for us Yanks, Tasmania is in Australia, almost.

Boats

[Innocent]

Boats,
Tasmania is closer to OZ than the Pig Islands.

Innocent

[boats]

You are right it's not far but separated by a rough stretch of water at times. We never went into Tazzy passed it a lot going from Melbourne to Fremantle though. Always wished I had had a look around.

Boats

[deadeye dave]

I ought to clarify for us Yanks, Tasmania is in Australia, almost.

Boats,

Nat a bad assumption but a bit out, Tassie was once connected to Australia several thousand eons ago, but now a days Tassie is Tassie and Australia is Australia. Ask any Taswegian ;) ;)

[toad]

HI ALL
the only reason we are not joined to australia is because we cut the ropes and let them drift away


regards toad

[boats]

Did some testing today. Unique vs 4227 Conditions were terrible snow cover cold and windy 15-20 Knots. From 5 o/c though so not too bad on targets except is blows my body around a lot waited out the gust mostly. All shots offhand on paper Silhouettes actual size.

It was not a good day for groups bench rest. Cronoed the 4.5 Unique 115 gr cast flat nose bullet load at 1230 average velocity 10 feet from the muzzle. As expected very consistent if held same way every shot inconsistent if held up one shot down another. 10 grs 4227 1214 fps and not sensitive to how the rifle was held up or down.

Am switching to 4227 get a good day this winter will go to the bench and perhaps bump the load up a bit. Not a conclusive test but good indication of potential.

Boats

[glen ring]

Boats

I loaded a hornady swc above a listed( in the hodgdon manual cowboy section) charge of trail boss and the 50 yard group was great. A little over an inch.

I loaded an 85 grain xtp with a load of 2400 ( out of the new lyman loading manual) and the 100 yard group was about two inches.

I don't know the velocity of either load and shooting was done with peep sights, a Marlin cowboy , and my old eyes.

[L. Rivard]

Bear Creek Supply from Waterford CA makes a 118 moly coated semi-wadcutter that shoots great in my Marlin M94CL. After a lot of trials I am using 6.8 gr of Blue Dot which gives right at 1400 FPS. (chrono at 12 feet) Standard Deviation averages about low 20's. Very easy clean up and under three inch groups at 100 yards, iron sights from a rest. Try it, you might like it.

[boats]

Thanks guys might try those loads however still moving along one change at a time.

Have done some more testing with 4227. 10 grs is giving me the same velocity as 4.5 of Unique. Around 1225 fps. Group size is about the same however the 4227 load is not showing any sensitivity to how the rifle is mounted. Tip up or down they are all in the same group. Around 2 inches at 50 meters

Thing I am thinking about now is any advantage to running the loads faster. Looking at the old loading manuals, pre WW 1, Standard 32/20 black powder lead bullet load was 1225 Later smokless loads with jacketed bullets are shown in other manuals much faster 1450-1600. Pretty sure I can push the plain base lead bullets about 1450 with no problems. Have no plans to use gas checks or jacketed so 1600 is probably out of reach. Even faster on the critters it's going to take some sight adjustment. Less in clicks than the slower load but needing to be changed as the banks of animals change. So I can't see any match strategy advantage to faster for speeds sake alone. In ballistics programs there is a wind drift advantage to more velocity but not a lot. Rams are wide anyway so not so worried about mimimal wind drift one load vs another, what I don't want is elevation inconsistency

Next thing I am going to do is make some 10 shot bench test at 100 meters with 4227 at 1225 and about 1450. Also hang a scope on the rifle just for load testing. See once and or all if faster is more accurate. I sure would like to see 3 inch round 10 shot groups.

Boats