32-40 breech seating loads

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Last Post 1 weeks ago

CBA Member

ten-mile posted this 5 weeks ago

I plan to use a Stevens 44-1/2 in this season's matches. It is a 32-40. I have several moulds, some tapered and some not. I recently acquired a Russ Weber seater and have plenty of brass. I will likely use 4227 or 4759 but wonder what others have had success with.

Next week at Tulsa I am picking up a 38-55 that includes the complete shooting kit but not the long seating rod. I don't think there is enough time in a CBA match to load from the muzzle but breech seating might work ok.

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CBA Member

Aaron posted this 5 weeks ago

Your home range, the BHSC, has a fantastic web site promoting the CBA and its matches!

With rifle in hand, I confidently go forth into the darkness.

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CBA Member

ten-mile posted this 5 weeks ago

Thanks. We have a small but dedicated group of CB shooters and the Minnesota boys like to shoot with us,

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CBA Member

rhbrink posted this 5 weeks ago

Glad to see another breech seater shooting in the CBA. You do have enough time to breech seat and enough time to reload the cartridge barely. The problem is at least with my home range the wind changes so much that if you load the same cartridge over for each shot you do not have time to wait on the wind, you pretty much have to load and shoot. If you have enough brass most everybody preloads the powder charge in the primed brass and that gives you more time during a regulation match. If you are looking for another breech seater for the 38-55 check out [email protected], Rob makes a nice breech seater. Powder: most people are using AA4100, 4227 will probably work OK.

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gnoahhh posted this 5 weeks ago

I breech seat .32-40's in ASSRA competition and pleasure shooting. I stick with the tried and true 14gr. 4227 for the tapered 185 Hudson bullet that's my favorite out of the half dozen or so moulds I have. Works a treat in my two main rifles: an original Pope barreled High Wall and an "unknown" barreled High Wall. We shall see how the two new ones I'm building on a Ballard and a HW action play out. I could muzzle-breech load the Pope but the only advantage with that system is with black powder, in that the act of muzzle loading the bullet clears the BP fouling deposited by the previous shot. Pope himself said that there's little inherent difference between muzzle loading and breech seating save for the cleansing. (That and the very slight advantage of muzzle loading pulling the burrs of displaced lead made by the lands to the top of the driving bands rather than having them project past the base as with a conventionally loaded bullet.)

4759 works equally well for me but I'm saving my last 15 pounds or so for .30 gas checked shooting. AA9 and 5744 have performed beautifully for me too but due to spotty local availability I shy away from them.

Is the chamber of your Weber breech seater made from a case fired in that chamber, with its pusher rod sized for a sweet fit also? If not, you should consider doing so. Breech seating is all about inserting the bullet straight into the rifling and that won't happen if the tool isn't a perfect fit.