Original Winchester Model 1885 low wall

[wch]

I have an opportunity to own an original model 1885 in 32-20 caliber.
My question is, if I handload for this rifle, what strength category do you feel it fits into?

Does anyone have an opinion of the rifle/action, good, bad, or not?
Thanks.

[Scorch]

Winchester 1885 High Walls are very strong actions. They have been chambered for more cartridges than any other rifle ever made. That said, 22 Hornet does not respond well to hot rodding.

Also, your bore is likely .223" instead of the now-common .224" for 22 Centerfires.

My opinion is that those old rifles are much sought-after by collectors.

[Jim Watson]

All current load data for .32-20 is at the SAAMI limits suitable for revolvers and '73 rifles. The Low Wall ought to take heavier loads but how do you know when to quit? I think it would be a fun plinker but see no gains from hotrodding it.

[Buzzcook]

.32-20 is an old black powder round. It's about .30 m1 in strength.

Unfortunately you can't load it very hot because the shell is only rated to 9000 cup.

[Jim Watson]

You are contradicting yourself, Buzz.

The .32-20 IS (or was) a black powder cartridge and is substantially less powerful than .30 Carbine.

But it is not limited to 9000 cup, the SAAMI spec is 17,700 and a sound Low Wall will handle that easily. It would handle more, but as I said, how do you know when to stop?

[eastbank]

i shoot a hornady 100gr bullet with 14grs imr 4227 in a 1918 win. 1892 lever action and have killed deer with a double lung hit out to 125 yds standing. if you can pick your shots it will kill deer as dead as a 300 mag. eastbank. THAT LOAD IS FOR STRONG ACTIONS AND NOT 1873 WIN,S OR WEAK ACTIONS.

[sc928porsche]

Reload with BP, use cast bullets.

[Buzzcook]

Looks like I shouldn't have trusted Wikipedia.
That's where I got the 9,000cup and
110 gr (7.1 g) SP 2,100 ft/s (640 m/s) 1,077 ft·lbf (1,460 J) Which is why I compared it to the .30 M1 carbine

Hogdons has the .32-20 at between 11,000 and 17,000
Velocity tops off at 1102fps. That may be from a pistol barrel rather than a rifle barrel.


how do you know when to stop? When the brass splits all the time.
The hot load limitation is with the shell not the 1885