.32-20 Winchester

The .32-20 Winchester also known as the .32 WCF was the first small-game lever-action cartridge that Winchester Repeating Arms Company produced. It was initially introduced as a blackpowder cartridge in 1882 for small-game, varmint hunting, and deer. Colt produced a single-action pistol chambered for this cartridge a few years later.

Performance
The .32-20 works well for a variety of small game. It also performs well, having a reputation for good accuracy, when used for handguns. Although it is sometimes used for deer, it is really underpowered for such usage. Because of its low power it destroys very little meat, making it a good hunting round for appropriate sized game out to about 100 yards (90 m).

It is an easy and inexpensive cartridge to reload. Energy and pressure levels for handloading are determined based on the strength of the firearm action to be used. Due to the fact that most firearms chambered for this cartridge are of older age, i.e. early model Winchester model 92 and 94 rifles as well as older Colt and Smith & Wesson revolvers, factory ammunition usually posses weaker ballastics than what can be achieved through handloading. Most factory ammunition exhibits ballistics of about 1,200 fps and 325ft.lb of energy at the muzzle with a 100 grain bullet from an eighteen to twenty inch rifle barrel.

Child cartridges
The later .25-20 Winchester cartridge is simply a necked-down version of the .32-20. In addition the .218 Bee was created using the .32-20 as it's parent cartridge.

Categories
Cartridge:rifles