The .32 Winchester Special (or .32 WS) is a rimmed
cartridge created in October 1901 for use in the
Winchester Model 94
The Winchester Model 1894 rifle (also known as the Winchester 94 or Model 94) is a lever-action repeating rifle that became one of the most famous and popular hunting rifles of all time. It was designed by John Browning
John Moses Browni ...
lever-action
rifle
A rifle is a long-barreled firearm
A firearm is any type of gun designed to be readily carried and used by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see Legal definitions).
The first firearms originated ...
.
It is similar in name but unrelated to the
.32-20 Winchester cartridge (which is also known as .32 WCF).
History
The .32 Winchester Special cartridge, like the
.30-30 Winchester cartridge of 1895, is necked down from the
.38-55 Winchester cartridge of 1884. The .32 Winchester Special (.321 in) differs from the .30-30 Winchester (.308 in) in bullet diameter. More significantly, Winchester decreased the rate of rifling twist in their Model 94 rifle, from 1:12 when chambered for the .30-30 to 1:16 when chambered for the .32 Winchester Special. Winchester used the slower twist to reduce fouling retention when creating a new cartridge for sportsmen who wanted to reload their own ammunition using black powder and cast bullets.
It was also marketed as something more powerful than the .30-30 and yet had less recoil than the
.30-40 Krag, AKA
.30 Army.
This new cartridge enjoyed only moderate success, and remained hampered by the small selection of available bullets in the .321 diameter.
There is a wide selection of bullet types and weights for the .30-30, while the only commonly available bullets in .321 diameter are 170 grain and 165 grain. Also, due to the slow twist of the barrel, accuracy suffered when the barrel exhibited wear.
Performance
Ballistics are similar to the .30-30 cartridge and its .308 caliber (7.62 mm) bullet, but the larger diameter .321 (8.15 mm) bullet of the .32 WS will create a larger wound. However, given the same weight of bullet in both calibers, the .30 caliber has a greater
sectional density, and correspondingly greater penetration.
[The .32 Winchester Special]
by Chuck Hawks According to Winchester's original claims, the .32 WS has 5-10% more energy than the .30-30 at close ranges, and less at longer ranges due to increased drag due to the .321's greater diameter and reduced sectional density.
" by M.L. McPherson at Levergun.com
Dimensions
See also
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8 mm caliber
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List of rifle cartridges
List of rifle cartridges, by primer type, calibre and name.
File:Cartridge Sample 2.jpg, 350px, From left to right: 1 .17 HM2,2 .17 HMR, 2.5 .17 wsm, 3 .22LR, 4 .22 WMR, 5 .17/23 SMc, 6 5mm/35 SMc, 7 .22 Hornet, 8 .223 Remington, 9 .2 ...
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Table of handgun and rifle cartridges
This is a table of selected pistol/submachine gun
A submachine gun (SMG) is a magazine-fed, automatic carbine designed to fire handgun cartridges. The term "submachine gun" was coined by John T. Thompson, the inventor of the Thompson sub ...
References
External links
Extra SpecialThe .32 Winchester Special.32 Winchester Not So SpecialAn Impulsive Purchase Turns Out To Be A Good Deal*
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{{DEFAULTSORT:32 Winchester Special
Pistol and rifle cartridges
Winchester Repeating Arms Company cartridges