Range report: 32-20 Accurate PB (photos)

[KirkD]

I am finally beginning to get some time to do some shooting. Last winter, I asked Tom at Accurate Moulds to modify one of his 32-20 existing designs. The result was #31-112M http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_...=31-112M-D.png , a 115 grain plain base bullet.

The rifle I used today was an original Winchester Model 53 made in 1929, chambered in 32 W.C.F. (32-20). When chambering a round, the front driving band around the bullet made contact with the rifling just before the lever was fully closed, resulting in a snug fit and a bit more resistance during the final few degrees of closing the lever. The bullets were what I call 'soft cast', pure clip on wheel weights, air cooled. Here is a photo of the rifle ...



The Accurate PB 115 grain bullet sat on top of 9.5 grains of 5744, and averaged 1,239 fps with an E.S. of 17 fps. At 100 yards, the four-shot group with the Accurate mould #31-112M was 1 & 7/8". To compare, I fired a four shot group with the venerable Lyman 3110048 bullet and got a 4 & 1/2" group at 100 yards. Since I use the 32-20 for mostly Woodchucks down in the bean field, and most of my shots are offhand at 50 yards, I was mainly interested in how it would do at 50 yards. I only had five rounds left. The white bullseye was 2" in diameter and way too big for 50 yards. Although I could line the sights up perfectly in windage with the centre of the bullseye, the vertical was a lot harder trying to cut through the centre of the bullseye with the top of the front sight; I was never exactly sure whether I was cutting through the exact centre. The result was a slightly vertically elongated five-shot group at 50 yards of 1 & 3/16" vertical x 5/8" horizontal. I think the 5/8" is more indicative of the group size if I were to use a finer bullseye (or cut through the exact bottom of the bullseye instead of cutting through the centre of the bullseye). Anyway, here is a photo of the target ...



My 32-20 is a 50 yards hunting rifle and I am very pleased with this bullet for that purpose. I have tried a lot of bullets but this is the best I've found so far. I also tried a 3-shot group at 50 yards with a 100 grain Remington JSP bullet and got a group of 1 & 1/8" spread horizontally. Not sure what is going on there; I would have expected better than that.

[rollmyown]

KirkD, is that Accurate link your modded design or the original? Do you have a link to the modified from/to design to see the difference?
Thanks for the great write up, I always enjoy you posts and photo's.

[KirkD]

Here is my original message to Tom, "I like Bullet design #31-112L except that I would like it with a plain base instead of a gas check base. I would like, however, to keep the weight at 115 grains (using clip-on wheel weights) so would it be possible to either put in a wider lube groove, or put in two lube grooves to make up for the weight gained by removing the gas check?"

Tom did the mods and the result is #31-112M.

The original mold was a gas check and is http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_...=31-112L-D.png

[quack1]

Good shooting and really nice gun, I'm a sucker for nice walnut.
When I was doing load development for my 32-20 Model 53 I found small pistol primers tightened groups, no matter what powder I tried. Also, after I found the most accurate load, 5.5gr unique/Lyman 3118, switching from lubing both grooves to just one improved the group average size a little.
Your group is plenty good as is, and every gun has different likes and dislikes, but tweaking a load a little may make the groups even better.

[KirkD]

Good to know, quack1. I might try that 5.5 grains of Unique just for curiosity sakes, as well as the small pistol primers.

[TXGunNut]

Very nice rifle and a great report, as always. My 92 rifle will never look as nice as your 53 but someday it might be a shooter again. Does the boolit drop @ .312 using WW alloy?

[snaketail]

I've always had lust in my heart for a real model 53. In my .32-20 T/C I found PB to be the most accurate, with Unique 2nd.
Great looking rifle!
M

[KirkD]

Does the boolit drop @ .312 using WW alloy?

What I like about ordering moulds from Accurate is that the form you fill out has a space for what size you want to size the bullet too using what alloy. Tom then machines the mould such that the bullet drops out slightly larger than the sizing die. Here is the info for my mould and rifle:

Using clip-on wheel weights with no addition tin, and air-cooled, the unsized bullet after it is completely cool (few months), is .313"

My sizing die says it sizes to .312, but when I measure the diameter of the sized bullet, it is sized to .3115"

The groove diameter of my bore is .3105"

[OuchHot!]

A beautiful rifle being shot exceedingly well! Thanks for doing the development on the mold. I think I'll order one.

[TXGunNut]

My bore is a bit bigger but a liner is probably part of this rifle's future. Revolver's cylinder barely tolerates the .314 boolits the rifle's bore seems to want. I like your version of this boolit; no need for a GC with this cartridge and I think the grease grooves will carry enough lube for BP.

[salvadore]

I had Eric the hollow point guy make my gc NEI mold into a plain base for my 32/20 Colt OP and have since began shooting it in my Marlin 94 (recent issue) and was surprised how well it did. I'm using 3.7 grains of 231.