Loading advice for my .32 long rifle bunny gun

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  • Last Post 29 January 2013
fineredmist_7 posted this 13 January 2013

I have been following the bunny gun threads here for some time. I couldn't stand it any longer so I bought one of the 7.62 barrels from green mountain, and I machined an action. If anyone is interested I will post pics later.  The stock work is almost done. I have a RCBS 150gr cowboy mould, and I have a lee .311 rb mould. I am interested today in loading information from Mr. Harris concerning his experience with heavy bullets in small cases. I have 100 ct of 32 H&R mag brass and 50 ct of 327 federal brass.  I saw some loading information about a write up Mr. Harris did on the S&W  casing loaded with the 150 gr bullets, and I am curios to see what he recomends for the longer casings :)

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R Dupraz posted this 13 January 2013

Pictures my man, Pictures of course:taz:

Went to a small annual gun show about 30 miles from here today and spotted two .32 mag revolvers on a table. One a S&W Mod 16 4 inch and the other was a Ruger Single Six 5 1/2, both minty. Don't see them very often around here. $1000.00 and $400.00. Those .32's are a lot of fun.

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fineredmist_7 posted this 13 January 2013

will take a pic of the action with the stocks on it

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fineredmist_7 posted this 13 January 2013

here it is with the stocks on

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fineredmist_7 posted this 13 January 2013

It is a cylindrical falling block action.

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fineredmist_7 posted this 13 January 2013

I have 2400, H 322, and RL-7.  I loaded 8.5 gr, 9.0 gr, and 9.5 gr of RL-7. The 9.5 gr charge was compressed in the starline 32 H&R mag cases. So I don't know how MR. Harris got 10.5 gr into a S&W long casing.

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onondaga posted this 13 January 2013

http://www.castbulletassoc.org/view_user.php?id=1524>fineredmist_7:

If you are actually going to hunt with the .32, I like a mold from Lee in .32 that I hunt Squirrel with in a 7.62X39 at small game velocity about 1160 fps. I size them to .3125” for my rifle. They drop at .314” in #2 alloy.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/115225/lee-2-cavity-bullet-mold-tl314-90-swc-32-20-wcf-32-s-and-w-long-32-colt-new-police-314-diameter-90-grain-tumble-lube-semi-wadcutter>http://www.midwayusa.com/product/115225/lee-2-cavity-bullet-mold-tl314-90-swc-32-20-wcf-32-s-and-w-long-32-colt-new-police-314-diameter-90-grain-tumble-lube-semi-wadcutter

I cast this 80 grain, flat nose in #2 alloy and they shoot as well as target rim-fire ammo from my best .22 at 50 yards.My charge for this bullet in X39 is 3.0 gr H TiteGroup and I tumble lube once before size/once after with 45:45:10 Recluse .

Gary

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Reg posted this 13 January 2013

That is one really neat looking action. Could you post more pics or give out any more information on it ?

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mike morrison posted this 13 January 2013

I'm with Reg. a build thread would be good info. I think everyone would be interested even if all they can do is look. your design or a plan from someone else? thanks for sharing. m

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R Dupraz posted this 13 January 2013

nice work!

Second on the build thread.

RD

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fineredmist_7 posted this 14 January 2013

Okay, I will see if I can get all of the pictures organized. I will have to scan in the drawing I started from.            I have entered the casing, and bullet dimensions into suggest a load and It tells me 9.6 gr of AA #9. I wondered if anyone here has tried a similar load.  I read in an old thread in this forum that Mr. Harris has loaded 150gr and heavier bullets into the S&W casing. Called it his .32 long rifle. He said that he got 10.5 gr into the S&W casing. I was only able to get 9.5 gr of RL 7 into my H&R mag casings. I know my bullet design is probably different from his, but my casings are longer that what he was using.

Gary I have a 7.62x39 single shot rifle that I have built from Frank Dehaas's book of rifle plans. I will take some pics of it soon and post as well. I live in colorado, and as far as I know all of out squirrels taste like turpentine.    we do however have a lot of rabbits. A couple of years ago I built what I call my popgun. It uses .22 cal round balls intended for air rifles and 209 primers for propellent. I get 800 fps from the round balls and it is sighted in at 40 yrds. sure does roll the cottontails.

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onondaga posted this 14 January 2013

http://www.castbulletassoc.org/view_user.php?id=1524>fineredmist_7: Beautiful rifle!

My New York Squirrels taste fine, I use my late dad's very Sicilian recipe for Squirrel Cacciatore , boil the parts in salted water 15 minutes, take meat off bones, add meat to spaghetti sauce, simmer on low 30 minutes and pour over  al dente cooked fettuccine pasta.  Sprinkle with grated Romano cheese.

Hunt squirrels in nut tree groves adjacent to corn fields and they taste the best. I don't eat the cottontail rabbits here, they smell horrible when you open them up to gut them and the smell stays on you 2 days!

Gary

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Reg posted this 14 January 2013

finerredmist_7

Looking forward to any and all info you would be willing to share. I like the appearance of the design, it has a clean look to it. Have thought of making one of the Vault Lock rifles but have seen a couple of them at the Colorado Collectors shows in years past and they are massive to say the least. Strong but there is a LOT of metal there. You seemed to have shrunk things and made it a lot more appealing in size and that coupled with the “bunny gun” concept looks like it makes one nice handling outfit. As a quick thought to John Alexander, would this make a good feature article for the Fouling Shot ?

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Ed Harris posted this 15 January 2013

fineredmist_7 wrote: I have 2400, H 322, and RL-7.  I loaded 8.5 gr, 9.0 gr, and 9.5 gr of RL-7. The 9.5 gr charge was compressed in the starline 32 H&R mag cases. So I don't know how MR. Harris got 10.5 gr into a S&W long casing.

Breech seated, filled to case mouth with 10” drop tube then compressed ala black powder. Was also OLD RL-7 which is denser than the current stuff.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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fineredmist_7 posted this 15 January 2013

Thank you Ed, for your time. I  have been thinking about making a breech seater for this rifle, but that might be a hinderance when chasing bunnies.  What are your thoughts on the AA# 9 load of 9.6 grs that suggest a load gave me?

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Dale53 posted this 15 January 2013

I have a Thompson Center Carbine in .32 H&R Magnum (J.D. Jones barrel).

A load I have used with good results is a hundred grain Keith bullet (group buy) ahead of 10-11.0 grs of H110. I also have used a 120 gr RF cast bullet ahead of 10.0 grs of H110 (both bullets are plain base).

These are excellent small game loads.

FWIW Dale53

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John Alexander posted this 15 January 2013

Reg wrote:

"As a quick thought to John Alexander, would this make a good feature article for the Fouling Shot ?"

Thanks for the suggestion Reg.

I do think it would make a great article for the Fouling Shot and will personally pay for a one year membership to the CBA for fineremist_7 if he will write one.

John

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Ed Harris posted this 15 January 2013

fineredmist_7 wrote: Thank you Ed, for your time. I  have been thinking about making a breech seater for this rifle, but that might be a hinderance when chasing bunnies.  What are your thoughts on the AA# 9 load of 9.6 grs that suggest a load gave me?

Haven't used AA#9 at all. Years ago in my Remington 788 chambered in .32 Long, which Ellis Lea also had, we had good luck with WW630, which is now discontinued, but probably similar to #9. Don't remember what charges we used...

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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Fg1 posted this 15 January 2013

Very clean lines on the action ! More pics and info please !

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fineredmist_7 posted this 16 January 2013

here is the drawing I started from.

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fineredmist_7 posted this 16 January 2013

The action in the drawing is chambered for the 45-70. The drawing doesn't show it but the receiver is 1 1/2” thick. I had some issues with the extractor as it is drawn because the barrel tenon diameter is smaller on my action. I mounted the extractor in the forend.  That is what the slot is for.

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