The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - 32-20

RevGeo · April 25, 2012, 11:06 AM

Just a note here - You might want to be a little careful if you buy any used 32-20 brass. A few years back I bought an original Marlin '94 full length rifle in 32-20 at a gun show. At another table I bought a bag of used brass. They were all tumbled and polished and real shiny and purty. I loaded some of them with the starting load of Bullseye and on the second shot I had a case separation at the rim and a lot of gas and powder granules came back through the firing pin hole in the bolt right into my face. I was lucky I was wearing sun glasses because my nose and cheeks were burned pretty good.
The offending cartridge was marked .30WCF (the old name for 32-20) and it was an old balloon head case. I didn't notice the difference in headstamps and I paid for it.
I went out and bought brand new brass the next day.

April 25, 2012, 11:06 AM	#6
RevGeo Senior Member Join Date: September 18, 2011 Location: North Idaho Posts: 161	Just a note here - You might want to be a little careful if you buy any used 32-20 brass. A few years back I bought an original Marlin '94 full length rifle in 32-20 at a gun show. At another table I bought a bag of used brass. They were all tumbled and polished and real shiny and purty. I loaded some of them with the starting load of Bullseye and on the second shot I had a case separation at the rim and a lot of gas and powder granules came back through the firing pin hole in the bolt right into my face. I was lucky I was wearing sun glasses because my nose and cheeks were burned pretty good. The offending cartridge was marked .30WCF (the old name for 32-20) and it was an old balloon head case. I didn't notice the difference in headstamps and I paid for it. I went out and bought brand new brass the next day.