Newbie Here

[Fairlane]

Picked up new Colt. I know it has been reblued but it was a nice job and it should be a good plinker. Police Positive Special in 32-20. What do you think?

[smkummer]

Then in short time you won't pay more for ammo than the gun. Let us know how it shoots.

[A1A]

Welcome to the forum. There are a number of previous posts about the 32-20 caliber which you might find interesting. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[bmcgilvray]

Hi Fairlane;

Welcome to the Forum! Glad you joined.

Your Police Positive Special does look attractive in the photo. It will be a lot of fun to shoot. Hope you are able to handload. If you are then for you shooting the .32-20 goes from being a pricey cartridge to shoot to really inexpensive.

I've played with the cartridge for 30 years now. It's one of my very favorite rounds. Here's a link to a .32-20 topic thread at another forum. It's only my thoughts and experiences with the cartridge.

http://www.handgunplace.com/forums/index.php/topic,365.0.html

Sorry, I'm not smart enough to add the complete link. The last bit is cut off.

[DFrame]

Welcome. I must agree with the others. I have one just like it and it's a great plinker with enough power for small game. Handloading is the only way to go. One would think those factory cartriges were loaded with gold bullets for what they charge.

[Fairlane]

Thanks for the welcome. This is my 4th Colt and one of only three that I have left. I sold a Diamondback about a year ago in a fit of stupidity! I have this one and a Police Positive in .38 Special and a USGI 1911 made in 1917. I handload for most every thing I own. I have ordered dies in 32-20 and brass. Suggestions on powders? I don't cast my own bulltes and was thinking of using the Hornady XTP 100 grain JHP.

[Fairlane]

PS. Great write up!

[DFrame]

Loading the 32-20 requires a bit of attention to detail though it isn't difficult. First Carbide dies are unavailable so you'll have to clean and lube cases first. Second the case dates to the black powder era so the walls are quite thin, and cases are easily crushed if everything isn't perfectly straight when it goes into the die. I regularly load 115 grain cast bullets which are relatively inexpensive and probably kinder to old steel in barrels anyway. Powders are listed in several load manuals. For the pistol with its short barrel, I would tend toward the faster burning numbers. Brass is available from starline and others.