32-20 vs .357 vs. .22wmr for silhouette competition?

[shootmore]

Which is better? 32-20 vs .357 for silhouette competition? Why?

I like the 0.4lb recoil of the .22wmr but am at the mercy of factory ammo variations.
32-20 & .357 are 3-4lbs recoil (maybe 1/2 that for a light load 6gr. Titegroup)I . like that I can control the load.

Are 32-20 bullets as easy to get as .357 (under normal supply conditions)?

Thoughts?

[richard]

The answer to your question is "it depends". I have friends that shoot .22 mag and love it. Why? because they hate to reload. I shoot a .32-20. Why? Because I like the old cartridges( I also have a .44-40 and a .45-70). .32-20 is easy to load and I cast my bullets but good lead bullets are available. If I was recommending a caliber for pistol cartridge it would be and has been .38 special or .357. Components are common with a large selection and the cartridge works very well and is very popular.
It really does come down to personal preference. They sure are all fun.
Rick B.

[Merlin]

.357 without a doubt. (IMHO LOL) Common, available and super easy to load. Hot rod it up to be a marginal Big Bore or down to be a very low recoil powderpuff. In a pinch you can use .38 Specials too.

[ppkny]

You give up lot with the convenience of not reloading using a 22wmr, like winning a championship because you ring a pig or a ram with your 22wmr.
ppkny

[cedestech]

What ever you have and like and can get to shoot accurately.

I have loaded for 38, 357, 25-20.... had a 45LC and couldn't get it to shoot good enough, playing with a 44spl now but lack of bullet selection is hampering me....

FWIW, I shot a 22mag at the '19 Nationals, didn't ring anything, shot it at the Texas '20 state match, shot a 56/60 and didn't ring anything I hit.

YMMV.

[shootmore]

all good input and clearly shows my dilemma. BTW my son and I both shoot better scores with our SB & Rifle guns, that's why were seeking a better shooting pistol solution.

We shoot so many disciplines and reload for all, we like the idea of not having to reload for this Pistol division but will if accuracy is much improved.

I have 2 - Henry Frontiers .22 WMR's. Just got one last week and will be testing both with the Hornyday ammo I have 40's and 45's. See which rifle bullet combo it likes best. Would like to do more extensive testing but cannot find ammo.

We have a .357 W94 the kid likes but I think it needs a re-barrel.

[PAndy]

The good news about pistol cartridge is: you can use whatever you want. That's mostly a good thing but doesn't help narrow choices much. I have a .32-20 and a .357. It is hard to guess what bullets/brass/primer availability will be like the next couple years. I say there will always be more options for .357 components, and I think the cases will last forever with mild cast loads. The carbide size die is nice with the straight wall cases. A 125 grainer at 1100 to 1300 fps is a pussycat. No experience with .22 wmr.

[JohnHenry]

I've shot the .22 Mag at several different ranges around the country and have never had any problems with knockdown except at the lever gun range in Ridgway, Pa. A few years ago I used a .22 Mag at that range for their big match in August. I hit three rams in one relay that didn't move and they were all solid hits, using the Hornady critical defense 45g bullet. I will never use a .22 Mag on that range again. I don't know if they have some animals that are heavier or if the targets were set too far forward on the stand. There were others shooters who also experienced this problem.

This is not a condemnation of Ridgway. The people who run the matches are fine folks who go out of their way to accommodate the shooters.

With all that said, I have been using a 25-20 the past few months and really like it. It has more than sufficient knock down power and very little recoil--like shooting a .22 rimfire. The same applies to the 32-20. For years I shot a .357 Mag and, of course, there is no problem with losing hits with that round. But there is some recoil. With the state of this country at the present time, finding reloading components for the.357 will be much easier than the other rounds mentioned. Just my two cents.

[CamP]

Hasn't John Mullins won a couple of nationals with a 9422m legacy?

[JohnHenry]

Yes, John Mullins shoots a Winchester Legacy in.22 Mag, and he has used it to win more than one National Competition.

[shootmore]

yes he does. He gave me a chance to fire it once a few years back when I was a nube to lever action. Nailed 4 pigs in a row and was very impressed with how smooth a pistol grip and worked trigger could be.