Gamerancher wrote:You can up it to 4.5 grains,(slowly), but if the chamber is slightly loose, it will split necks, especially starline brass. ( All brass is thin necked, so go easy when sizing, it is very easy to bugger cases, ask me how I know. )
Had my first causalty only last night - going too fast with the expander damaged the neck, so down to 99 cases already Slow and steady seems the go. Dunno whether you were following a while back Gamerancher - but I also picked up a 2006 built, short-run, 20" JM 1894CB in 32H&R. I much prefer working with 32H&R brass: straight-walled (carbide), thicker than the 32-20. And it is insanely accurate benched with optics - easily sub 1" at 50m, but that shorter sight radius and the williams receiver forward of the hammer makes it more challenging to use (particularly offhand). You were bang on with your 24" barrel/tang recommendation - really does make silhouette shooting that much easier. Meanwhile, my Chiappa 1892 clone is a piece of junk - although this could partly be to do with over-use (from cowboy action I'm guessing).