Hunting with a 32-20

Boolit Mold Join DateOct 2008Posts18

Hi Guys
Last year for his 12th birthday I bought my son a 32-20 as his first gun . Its a savage 23c . We have just returned from the farm after a few days off for the school holidays . We hunt in the afternoon and during the day to get his eye in I spend about a hour with the motor bike and set up rabbit targets and balloons . All set up in random places all over the property, he has to find a rest or shoot free hand . I find this better than a bench type of setup as we will be hunting not target shooting. It has shown him the value of a good rest but also the concept that game will not always wait for you to find one.

We ended up shooting off over 150x 115gr cast bullets sparked off by 3gr of trail boss and walking miles and miles away from tv and play station . He got his eye in and pulled off a few good free hand shots.

On our last day of hunting the rabbits where not standing still long enough for him to get a shot off , so I had the rifle and with in minutes a bunny propped @ about 40 m away I did exactly what I told my son not to do and we both learn a lesson . The shot cleaned missed. " And that's why you don't rush the shot" I told him.

We still had about 45mins of light left so we kept on walking . The sun had dropped to the tree line when we heard some sounds to the left of us my son new that this was different and said one word " pig" , he handed me the rifle and said "what do you want me to do". I put my finger to my lips and the other to my ears and we stoped and listened as the sound moved parallel to us. We matched the sound in speed and both the pig and us reached a small clearing at the same time , The pig had no idea we where there . I raised the gun to fire and my son said "take your time " which I did . The 85gr xtp @ 1950 fps struck he pig top of shoulder and going on and smashing the spine. I was dead as it hit the ground. We where so excited and with the adrenalin we dragged the pig for 15 mins where I radioed my wife to pick us up and bring a camera. Unfortunately the night time pic was not very good so the pic is the next morning.
I know that the XTP is dirty word on a cast bullet site but I am going to cast up shortly. I would like to keep the fast speed of the jacketed bullet for hunting. Bullet weight 100 gr to 115gr and hollow point for hunting.

The question I keep asking my self is will the hard cast hollow point going to mushroom or splinter at 32-20 velocity . I would like to use the same bullet for plinking and hunting. The only difference between the two is the speed and gas check. The only other idea I had was giving this company my hollow points for coating rather than gas checkinghttp://www.hrbc.com.au/ I would appreciated you comments
Regards

Boolit Buddy Join DateFeb 2013LocationEastern, NCPosts66

Sorry I don't know the answer as to whether it will splinter or not. Still a good story, kudos for getting your son out in wild to do some practice and some hunting.

Learning is a process, for me it usually starts bass akwards.

My favorite small to medium game load for .308 is pretty close to the old HV 32/20 load. A Lee 113gr flat point slug over 16.1gr unique for 2100fps. I cast from WW/pure + tin, 60/40 respectively with 2 or 3% tin. I've even taken a few deer with this load (target of opportunity hunting 'yotes during holiday bonus antlerless season) so don't think that 32/20 is any slouch. It's not a 500yd "lightning bolt killer" round, but if you'll teach that boy to pick his shots with care and actually hunt within the capabilities of himself and his equipment, he's going to have a bunch of great memories ahead of him.

An old Cherokee was teaching his grandson about life. "Inside me two wolves fight," he told the boy.
"One is evil - he is anger, envy, greed, arrogance, self-pity, resentment, lies, false pride, and ego. The other is good - he is joy, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, generosity, truth and faith. The same fight is inside you - and every other person, too."
The grandson thought for a minute and asked,"Which wolf will win?"
The old Cherokee replied, "The one you feed."

Boolit Master Join DateDec 2009LocationQuilcene, WashingtonPosts927

As said above, I also use the Lee 113 gr boolit and over the years it has become one of my favorite small to medium game (up to 100#) boolits from my Contender pistol 32/20. My load (9.4 gr of 2400) gives a velocity of 1450 and in wet phone books at 40 yards penetrates 16+ inches with moderately soft lead that expands nicely. Using the Speer jacketed hollow point bullet of similar size in the same test, penetration was 10-11 inches.

Any of the GC'd 110 - 120 gr cast bullets of .311 - .314 will do very nicely in FN or RN when pushed to 1800+ fps or so, especially if slightly HP'd with the 1/8" Forster HP tool. No, they won't "splinter" with that alloy if the HP is kept at 1/8" or less. I've shot several medium sized game animals with such from a .30 carbine using the identical bullets and close to the same alloy at the same fps. Terminal results were excellent.

Excellent time, hunt and fun shooting with your son........you are to be envied.

Larry Gibson

boca, first off, great job for hunting with your son. Second off, the 32-20 is an awesome little cartridge and teaching tool for young shooters. 311008 is a great mould for a very good plain base boolit that will do everything needed from a 32-20. If one wants to go with even higher velocities pick one of the gc,d versions and load with magnum pistol powders ( 2400, H-110, AA#9) type. Very versatile cartridge. JW

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Abbreviations used in Reloading
Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt"

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