Buckeye 32-20

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sixshot

Buckeye
Joined
Aug 20, 2006
Messages
1,835
Location
soda springs, idaho
The last 2 days have been constant rain & cold so I decided to finally shoot my 32-20 cylinder in my Buckeye. I've had this gun for a while now but never shot anything but the 32 H&R magnum cylinder since I have some 327's for the heavy lifting. This is the only small caliber I have that has a scope on top (1 1/2-4) so I wanted to see just how accurate it might be with some quality high speed cast loads.
My load was 12 grs of 2400 in new Starline brass, Winchester SP primers & a 116 gr Miha powder coated gas checked HP. In the 32-20 using a small pistol primer is kind of guess work, some will use small rifle depending on powder, others, small pistol. If I happen to switch to H110 powder I'll definitely give small rifle primers a try.
Since these loads will be used almost exclusively for Ground Squirrels, and most shots at them are in the 20 yd range that's the distance I zeroed the load at. Shooting off of sandbags & under the roof of the range because of the rain I began to shoot. The third target you see is the first target I shot. I threw it away & later got it out of the garbage can to show everyone something.
Next you see the 6 1/2" Buckeye with a very nice & tight group at 20 yds that measured .564" for 6 shots, with the first 5 shots going into .346", I was very happy! Here are the 3 targets, remember target #3 was the first target that I shot and the two loads were exactly the same except for one thing. And that thing involves reloading, any guesses?
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My dies are Redding, a 3 die set & I'm guessing the old pro's here have already figured out the two different targets. The first six rounds were loaded just using the seating die as usual, seating & crimping in one step since I don' yet have a profile crimp die. After loading those first six rounds I changed my dies so that die #3 only seated the bullet but no crimp, then I adjusted the dies again & came back & crimped all of them as you would a 4th die, or a profile crimp die, see the difference in the 2 groups. That's why I dug the first target out of the trash can. Imagine if that group had been shot at 50 yds!
Do NOT use this load in your gun without working up your own loads!

Dick
 

rkrcpa

Single-Sixer
Joined
Aug 18, 2009
Messages
353
Location
SE Pennsylvania
The difference in group size is remarkable.

Some time ago I started acquiring profile crimp dies for all of the calibers I load. It's nice to see confirmation that it was money well spent.
 

contender

Ruger Guru
Joined
Sep 18, 2002
Messages
25,385
Location
Lake Lure NC USA
When I was studying the pictures,, the first thing that caught my eye was the 2 loaded rounds. The one on the left,, didn't appear to have much of a crimp, while the one on the right appears to have a bit of a roll in the crimp. So,, I was kinda close,, but not quite right. It did make me wonder. But I also know you are thorough in reloading,, & I was scratching my head a bit too!
 

Johnnu2

Hunter
Joined
Jun 26, 2003
Messages
2,910
Location
NYS
OMG I was gonna say holy crap, but didn't want to get flamed.....

Without realizing it, I guess I'm doing the same thing with cases that headspace on the case mouth i.e. 45ACP (seat the bullet with one die and then use a taper crimp die to crimp the case)... (?)

SUPER NICE SHOOTING GUN YOU GOT THERE DICK...

J
 

sixshot

Buckeye
Joined
Aug 20, 2006
Messages
1,835
Location
soda springs, idaho
I didn't do this on purpose, I started out trying to get by with just the 3 dies but I was shaving a bit of lead right at the crimp stage so after loading 6 rounds I knew I would have to make a change, I just didn't expect that much difference at 20 yds. I've been shooting Rock Chucks all day but I'll be getting a profile crimp die ordered tomorrow.

Dick
 

contender

Ruger Guru
Joined
Sep 18, 2002
Messages
25,385
Location
Lake Lure NC USA
"I didn't do this on purpose,"

Ahh,, the mystery has been solved! :D
I will readily admit to the occasional attempt at a shortcut,, only to find out it was the wrong direction. Glad you caught it quickly.
 
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