Dad's 32 Special sory

Jack O'Conner

New member
Dad's 32 Special story

BACKGROUND

My Dad: 1922 - 2004. He loved Jesus and was kind to strangers and children. He was primarily a meat hunter but as luck would have it, he toppled some very large Wyoming animals with his lever action 300 Savage. Many people mourned his death. Dad bought me one rifle and only one. The year was 1995. It is a Winchester 94 Legacy in 30-30 and I like it alot although I sure enjoy hunting with my Glenfiled 30 GT.

My Dad was born in 1922 and had vivid memories of the "dirty 30's". Dad was a WWII Veteran of many European battles. He grew up as the youngest child on Grandad's cattle ranch in Park County, Wyoming. Grandad was what they used to call a "big operator". He leased grazing rights throughout the Bighorn Mts as well as eastern Washington and central South Dakota. My Grandad was President of the Wyoming Stockman's Asso. 1956 - 1966.

In the mid 1970's there was quite a bit of construction activity for the new electric power plant in Guernsey , Wyomning. Skilled tradesmen were in short supply and guys came in primarily from the Great Lakes Region to construct this enormous facility. My Dad was there as a Construction Manager. He met many ironworkers and this story is about a guy from Minnesota. Truthfully, I do not not know his name.

North of Guernsey is a long piney ridge with a Nat'l Guard training site and related buildings. 30 years ago, it was open to elk hunters but now it's all fenced off. This guy from Minnesota told Dad he would try for a bull elk on opening weekend. Dad asked what rifle he would hunt with and this fellow said he had a 30-30 that had knocked down many big Minnesota whitetails. Dad suggested he hunt with a "bigger gun" as elk were a lot tougher than deer.

At breaktime the following Monday, this guy told all the ironworkers about the big bull elk he toppled with two shots through the chest. Dad asked what rifle he used and this guy said, "George, I got a bigger rifle like you said and I borrowed a 32 Special from my Landlord". The other guys made faces but Dad held out his hand and shook hands with this fine woodsman and rifle shot from Minnesota.

This is my Dad's story and not mine. Please do not say unkind things about these events. Thank you.

Jack
 
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I don't doubt it at all. The .32 Winchester Special is similar to the .30-30, so not all that powerful, but elk are supposed to have a glass jaw.
 

44 AMP

Staff
Elk

Are big, and reasonably tough, but as many or more have been humanely taken with "underpowered" rifles than have been taken with "proper" elk rifles.

And old (1947) game survey in Washington lists the .30-30 Win as being the most used round for elk. Why not the .30-06, or something bigger? Because more hunters had a .30-30, so that is what they used. The .300 Savage and the .348 Win are pretty high on that list too. So is the .45-70.

Years ago I met an old gentlemen who had just taken his 6th elk with (get ready) a .243! He loved it, for it's light weight and low recoil. He was in his late 70s or early 80s, was a master stalker, and only took "neck shots". For him, the .243 was a fine elk rifle.

Balance this against all the tyros taking cross canyon shots (4,5,600+yds) with their super magnums! It isn't the round, it's the shooter!
 

support_six

New member
I used to hunt Mule deer in my home state of Utah with a Winchester Model 94 in .30-30 while my boss had a Win .32 Special. We both did well.

In my younger, pre-career days, I was professional game processor. You shot it and brought it to me. I gave you your hide and packages of tasty meat for your freezer as well as cured deer hams. Out of the several thousand deer and elk I've processed, I was never impressed by a guy who told me he shot his animal from 300 or more yards. My comment was, "couldn't you get closer?", implying he didn't like the challenge of the stalk. A killing shot from a .223 (in states where legal), at under 100 yards is much more thrilling to me than a 400 yard shot with a .338 Win Mag.
 

rem33

Moderator
Good Story , good memories for you.
Hey,,, a 32 is bigger lol

30-30 was looked on much higher 50, 60, years ago than now. Guy in my dads hunting party in the late 40's killed a bull with one.
I own one made in 49 , year of my birth, I have shot deer with it. I don't hunt elk with it but wouldn't be afraid to shoot one if the right shot presented it's self. I killed a elk with black powder last year and would feel more confident with my 94 and it's multiple shot capabilities than I did with a 50 cal BP.
 

JAXX

New member
Great story! I would be interested to know what part of Park County he was in, as I live in Park County Wyoming as well. Sure is some great hunting up here!
 

L_Killkenny

New member
Great story and your dad sounds as if he was a great fellow.

The 30/30 was looked upon with greater favor in years past than it is today. Many other rounds and calibers are too. Today, in the US, we live with magnumitus. Bigger, harder, faster is the motto of todays gunners.

LK
 

thedave1164

New member
Great story,

The .32 Winchester Special, has a special place in my heart. I took my first deer with a borrowed .32 in a Win 94 :)
 
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