Anyone load for one? Visited with a buddy from Texas who had a nice 1961 Model 94 chambered in it. Couldn't stand it and found a really nice 1962 94 that's on its way to my FFL. Ammo is sky high for it, if you find it. Bullet selections is pretty limited, 170gr RN Speer Hot Cor or Hornady Interlock, or the 165gr FTX. About to order the Speers and 100 pieces of Starline brass, and get to tinkering. If I can get a load around 21-2200 I think I will be happy. Dont know why I go off on these oddball caliber tangents. Will probably be like most of my rifles, spend a bunch of money , shoot it 10 times, and back to the safe.

My brain has been pondering something and I’m not sure if it will work. I have 2 Marlin 336s. 1 in the 30-30 and one in the 308 Marlin Express. I love the 308MX but I’m not real fond of the 160gr FTX bullets. My thinking is if I could load a better bullet for the MX such as a bonded soft point or Barnes and only put 1 round in the barrel and 1 in the tube, would it work?

Yes you can do that safely. The issue with 32 Win Specials is the bullet diameter is .321” and only a few bullets out there that size. The more commonly available 8mm bullets are .323”. Most of these are spitzer style bullets, and being slightly oversize may be an issue in a barrel without much wear. Have heard folks using them in older guns with a bunch of rounds through them.
Being 336s and easy to mount a scope on one, you may have something to gain using spitzer bullets for increased range. My scoped 336 35 Remington shoots the Leverevolution 200gr FTX exceptionally well, so I haven’t done much messing with it.

The MX shoots the 160 FTX really good also and I’ve killed lots of deer with them from down here on the coast all the way up to NE Missouri. Very few that I shot had complete pass throughs. They kill just fine but as my eyes age I need better blood trails. Also this is a rifle my mother bought me as a wedding gift and really love hunting with it and would like a better performing bullet. And this is the only safe way I could thing to use pointed bullets.

Time to break out the bulk lead and bullet molds.

I've had the same thoughts.. if I were to attempt that, I'd be looking at the lightweight 30 cal pills so they could be easily loaded deep enough in the case to give that one round in the tube a chance to cycle well into the chamber.... the 125 sierra prohunter, maybe the 125 nosler ballistic tip (this pill works faboulously out of a 308 Win).. and maybe the sleeper bullet no one would think about trying ... the 130 gr speer hollow point. Any of those are going to kill deer at 200 yds and in... and the speer HP may be the best round out of the lot due to the lower velocities? Hodgdon claims a 130gr pill out of a 30/30 is going to get to 2300-2400 ft/sec on the high end with varget or 4064 out of a 24" bbl. With a shorter bbl like on most 30/30s, I would expect at least 2200.

If I had a 30/30, I would have already experimented with it.

I’m more concerned with the 308MX. I really think this rifle could shine with the right bullet. I’m gonna have to look at this hard when I get back from the camp next week.

Sorry for the hijack!!!

Odd calibers and bullets? Nobody on Aldeer shoots/loads for weirdness...Uhmm nevermind. Seriously for the MX I'd look at Barnes Originals 150&190 grain over some Varget no not the most dynamic 3X expansion but I'd bet both of them would truck through any deer in the south and that big ol'190 would make elk tremble in fear.

Odo - I have and shoot a pre-64 Win 32 SP. Basically, any load that works in a 30-30 with 170 grn load will dup/work in the 32. Having said that, there are tweaks that may make the 32 better. I would recommend Waters' Pet Load data (I have). Couple powders form Waters are IMR 3031 and RL 7. I also cast and have the Speer 170 HCs. In the process of working them up. Feel free to reach out and we can discuss/share info.

No worries, nothing wrong with a good lever gun conversation.


Appreciate it Oscar. I wondered why Winchester created the 32 Win Special since it was so close to the 30 WCF ballistics wise. What I read was that while designed as a smokeless powder cartridge, the slow twist rate compared to the 30 WCF made it good for cast lead loads with blackpowder, which were still popular at the time. Once I get the rifle and components in hand I'll message you about some load data.

Stuffed 20 cnt ea of the Speer 170s with IMR-3031 and RL-7. Hope to get to the range this week.

Looked at Speers online data for the 170gr HotCor. Six loads listed but the only two powders I have on hand are R-15 and CFE 223. They're showing 2400fps with Power Pro 2000-MR out of a 24" barrel. May have to try some of that as it's 150-200fps quicker than other loads, but not sure how it would be in a 20" barrel. My experience with slower burning powders in short barrels is wicked muzzle flash. Brass and bullets should be here this week for me to start working. Gun isn't here just yet, waiting on that call from my FFL.

Don't know what else you might have, but also check Hodgden Reloading online. Or send me a list of powders you have and I'll look at some data.

Got all of my components in the mail Saturday to start prepping cases. Some of the case mouths are severely dented from shipping. Having to use a wooden dowel on some to try to smooth them out so I can run them in the die. I printed out Hodgdon data, need to do inventory on what powders I actually have and I'll get back to you. Thanks!

I spent the evening sizing the new cases, trimming, cleaning and priming. Have an unopened pound of CFE223 and it shows good velocity with it. Gonna give it a run. Loaded the first round to set up the seat die at their suggested 2.560” COAL and it wasn’t quite to the cannelure. I bought a Lee FCD and was gonna use it instead of the roll crimp. Thinking I’m gonna crimp them as such and see what they do.

I'm interested in this also as I have a Marlin in 32win spl also. I was able to find a couple boxes of factory ammo but still haven't taken it out to the range yet

Finished up the first 50 rounds. Ran all the brass through the sizing die and set up to trim to 2.030”. None required much trimming but some truing up of the case mouths. Loaded a couple different charge weights of CFE223 with a maximum weight of 39.0grs. Speer 170gr seated to 2.560”. Wasn’t quite in the cannelure but Lee says their factory crimp die doesn’t have to be in the groove as it will make one. I adjusted the FCD to where it just barely wanted to cam over with a loaded round in the die. This takes a little tinkering with the die until it feels right, but make small adjustment until you get there. Have 50 more primed pieces waiting for powder charge and bullets after I test this first round. The good thing about the CFE is it’s a fine grain ball powder so meters excellent. Set my powder throw to toss just under, trickled up with a few turns. But a charge master would be nice!

Outstanding!! I use CFE223 in my 35 Whelen and man that thing will stack them. I’m curious to see your results because I’m wanting to load either some 170s or 190s for my 30-30 and wanting to try the CFE223.