Black powder cartridge loads-

longspur rider

Have a Marlin 1893 32-40 black powder rifle. Been loading with Trail Boss powder. Was looking for brass at a local gun show & found some loaded cartridges hand loaded with 21 gr. of Benchmark powder. Never used Benchmark, Is this too hot for tis rifle? The bullets are cast lead, 165 gr. Or should I just pull the bullets & dump the powder?

charliemeyer007

http://www.hodgdon.com/burn-rate.html

On the chart it's listed as slower than IMR3031. One of my old Lyman books has 165 Jacketed with 3031 starting 24.0 gr. 1835 fps, max 28.0 gr. 1955 fps no pressures listed.

Lot safer to just pull the bullets on mystery ammo.

added Slower burn rate usually would produce less pressure than an equal amount of a faster power. I once read all IMR powers have the same energy density it's the rate that they yield up the energy that makes them different.

Pulling lead bullets that were crimped for use in a tubular magazine would make them seconds in my book, I'd recast them or use for fire forming. I like Lyman 323470 in my 8mm's.

longspur rider

The chart I found in the Hodgedon book showed it slower than Trail boss too, but didn't know if that ment higher pressure or lower pressure. But yes I'll probably pull the bullets. Still was way cheaper than any brass I found, plus it has the lead bullets I shoot.

XXCross

If you're strapped for 32-40 brass, why don't you just make it out of
30-30 or 32 Special. Run it through the 32-40 full size die, (I use three passes) and your good to go. (15gr 4759..any lead bullet)

MG1890

Thought I was the only 32-40 loader!

Don't have the load in front of me, but I use IMR4198 & a 165gr. cast lead bullet sized to .323.

Winchester hiwall.

richarda

.32-40 brass made from other .30-30, .32 Win Spec. cases comes up short; may not reach crimping shoulder in seating die. Woks OK in single shot rifles, but may not be OK in use from tube mag in lever action.
On the other hand, since modern big company reloading jacketed bullets are all made with the .32 Win. Special. in mind, and thus have the canelure in the wrong place for the .32-40, maybe a 'short' case would be good for you!

longspur rider

I am shooting cast lead bullets only in this rifle. The barrel is marked Black powder.
The ammo I bought is loaded with 26 gr. of Benchmark powder,(I pulled a couple & weighed it) with 170 gr gas checked lead. I don't want to overload this blackpowder barrel.
As far as resizing 30-30's I would rather stay with brass marked with the correct cal. I've told my wife when she is looking for ammo on my various rifles to look at the bottom of the case to be sure she has the correct one. That leaves no confusion.

charliemeyer007

At the gun shows here there are usually a few ammo/brass guys. I have seen new 32-40 stuff on their tables. I checked Midway and Graf were out.

http://www.GunBroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=400743081

longspur rider

I've got a good amount of brass now. I couldn't believe he sold the rounds for that. I probably should have bought more. It was cheap.