Not a 300BLK, I hope this is OK.

[BrianK]

But it is .308 in my barrel even if in a 140 year  old cartridge. If not OK just delete it. Not a big deal.

Not a new gun or barrel, in fact the barrel is probably close to 30 years old. It's a Contender in .32/20 and designed to use .308 bullets. Back then barrels weren't normally threaded. I sent it out for threading because I wanted a 300BLK barrel for the Contender but didn't want to spend the $400ish that was wanted. Then remembered the gun safe and the .32/20 barrel. It should sorta be similar to the 300BLK in performance esp' since I'm now loading for subsonic so it would be my "300BLKish" cartridge in a quiet action. I don't intend to push things. I have a mould for 150grain bullets and 220 gr bullets, and other bullets on the shelf and on hand. My supersonic .32/20 load pushes a 125 gr bullet to under 2000fps but I don't shoot many of them and my can isn't rated for supersonic loads. I have a mould for 220s should I wish to go that heavy. But frankly I have no real use for the cartridge so 150s might be fine for plinking. 

Anyway, UPS tells me that tomorrow it will be back in my hot little hands and I'll be able to reassemble things and other than other projects in front of it, it being on a back burner, I can start to get going on it.

Oh, so why didn't I just buy a 300BLK  barrel? I priced them out at $400ish and I couldn't find a factory barrel. I did consider rechambering the .32/20 but I have lots of brass so why not use it? At my age I'll die before I use it up.

If anyone has load data for heavy subsonic loads (150, 200, 220) I'd appreciate having it.

[98Z5V]

I like this topic.  I don't know where it's gonna go, but this isn't gonna be boring, that's for sure.  Let's get into this thing, and see what happens. 

[shooterrex]

Interesting project.

[98Z5V]

Found some info, but it's old.  That doesn't mean it doesn't work - it just means that some of the data is out-dated, since it's from 2007.

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?14389-32-20-subsonic-heavy-bullet-load

https://www.levergunscommunity.org/viewtopic.php?t=62726

[BrianK]

Thanks! That's good data 98Z5V! The heaviest bullet data I could find was 150 grain. Did I already write that?

Anyway, for those who don't know, when the velocity is capped the only way to get more energy into the bullet is to up the bullet weight. 

My barrel is on the brown truck for delivery very soon.  Then I can reassemble the handgun.

Edited April 12, 2022 by BrianK

[BrianK]

The barrel was delivered. SSK looks to have done good work and they crowned the barrel as well. Kudus to SSK! Tomorrow I'll reassemble everything, but since it's a range toy and other things are ahead of it don't expect data  until I get my 300BLK up and running with it's loads.

I did lose the threaded hole for the front sight, but I expected that and since I can't use iron sights anymore so while it's a loss, it's really no loss. This barrel uses an optic 100% of the time. 

[BrianK]

I would have preferred to edit the above, but that isn't an option, so a new post.

Everything is back in place and where it should be. But w/o subsonic ammo the combo of handgun and suppressor is going nowhere (for now) since the can is only rated for subsonic. 300BLK first, toys later.

[BrianK]

Definitely not subsonic, and it definitely wouldn't be used with a can.... 

I just got to brainstorming and means LOOK OUT!

When I get around to loading .32/20 again, and playing with loads, I have some .30 sabots and some 33(?) or are they 35 grain(?) .22 bullets. I wonder how fast I can push them? And how wildly fast a burn rate I'll need to use to get them there?  In a .308 handgun with a far too fast powder for .30 bullets I got 55grain bullets up 3600 fps. I never got much better than 3" at 100 yards and the mfgr told me that was about all I could expect, so while an interesting loading project I scrapped the load. Blast was impressive. Yet another project for a cartridge that I have no real use for, except for kicks. 

Edited April 18, 2022 by BrianK