America and the .32 Revolver

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I visited the NYPD Museum 50 years ago, recall an exhibit which said they switched from 32 to 38 caliber in the 1890s, found the 32s lacked stopping power.
 
I visited the NYPD Museum 50 years ago, recall an exhibit which said they switched from 32 to 38 caliber in the 1890s, found the 32s lacked stopping power.
Teddy Roosevelt, then Police Commissioner issued the first standard revolver, a Colt in 1895 in .32. Along with it came standard training. Was a while before the .38 Special came into service. The .32 stayed around for quite a while though. Was not uncommon to see someone’s grandfathers duty or off duty gun in .32. Different times and mentality. Early on revolvers were not even displayed they were pocket carried in reinforced uniform pants pockets with leather pouch pocket holsters. Not sure about today but in mine the wool dress choker uniform was still made with heavy canvass pockets on the choker “reefer” coat and the wool uniform dress pants for that reason.


Edit: 1927 for official adoption of .38 Special.
 
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Whether the industry decides to actually try to help support the caliber or just keep running off 9mm because it's a cash cow is another thing entirely. As it stands after 9mm the gun makers seems more interested in 5.7, however the ammo makers haven't been following and in the case of Federal decided to do .30 Super.

One thing is certain: the 5.7 is never going into a P365 type of pistol while .30 Super absolutely will and when the slim doublestacks like the 365 are what are selling, the demand for .30 Super will be higher than 5.7 will.

So maybe, just maybe the .32 is breathing new life. I don't think that will translate to revolvers, revolvers are losing popularity fast, but for autoloaders the .30 Super may not be be a thing in the 2020's, but could find itself roaring come the 2030s.

Hell, Taurus should make a .30 Super with that name: Roaring 30.

Re: the .30 Super, ammo is being sold on sale relatively inexpensively if AIM is any indicator. Either AIM justs wants to get rid of it because it isn't selling, or the ammo companies are giving incentives, trying to increase interest in it. In any case, AIM has two brands of it on sale at $14.95 a box of 50, same as 9mm. There is certainly no economy of scale on .30 Super, so that's very cheap.

https://aimsurplus.com/products/remington-umc-30-super-carry-100gr-fmj
 
32 caliber revolvers are ridiculously underrated and underproduced. If the average gun store worker was more properly educated on the numerous attributes of 32s then perhaps interest in - and subsequent sales - could finally bring about a better selection of both guns and ammo in this caliber. I think that a +p 32 magnum cartridge and revolvers chambered for it would be such an excellent option!
 
IMHO, 32 revolvers "should" be more popular than they are.

For someone who is not a "gun person" and doesn't tolerate recoil well, it's a far better choice than 9mm, 38, 380, 22, etc.
Leave .32 out of it, revolvers are what "should" be more popular than where they are now. The consumer has responded tho and all they care about in a handgun is capacity and cheap, common ammo in a conceable pistol that doesn't have too much recoil, but meets FBI specs.
 
I wish I could read those (complete) articles.

I did find some articles at shootingtimes.com, but the handloader one, I'm not sure it's available online...
 
Hey, Old Hobo, you actually have that original Colt pump? Wow!
Handled a replica in .45 Colt; local shop had it, thot' the price too high, and tried to wait it out 'till the price went down. That hardly ever works for me...
Anyway, neat carbine.
Moon

Sorry dude, but it is my wish that I had one! Saw one that I wanted. The price was a king's ransom.

What with the prices we witness today, I would that I'd broken the family budget decades ago and bought stacks of rifles. Same for silver coins. The dollar is dead. Now, we need our firearms and food stores for when the economy collapses ... which will be soon. No electricity / no dollar, people are going to go psycho! Good luck to all members!
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Re: the .30 Super, ammo is being sold on sale relatively inexpensively if AIM is any indicator. Either AIM justs wants to get rid of it because it isn't selling, or the ammo companies are giving incentives, trying to increase interest in it. In any case, AIM has two brands of it on sale at $14.95 a box of 50, same as 9mm. There is certainly no economy of scale on .30 Super, so that's very cheap.

https://aimsurplus.com/products/remington-umc-30-super-carry-100gr-fmj
Wow, thank You for saving me a bunch of money!
 
I have an S&W Model 30-1 and Model 31-1, 32S&WL revolvers, that shoot crazy small groups with 32 S&WL wadcutter ammunition. I just wish they had adjustable sights.

I'd like to have a K-38 or S&W Model 16 but they are as rare as hen's teeth. I did find an S&W Model 16-4. 32 H&R magnum, which shoots target loads in 32 H&R Mag cases pretty well but it is not the same as the 32S&WL revolvers.

Ditto with 327 Fed Mag revolvers. I have a Single Seven, SP101, and GP100 chambered in 327 Federal Magnum. All shoot well but just do not match the group size I get with the 32S&WL model 30 and 31.

I feel that 32S&WL could be the "reloadable" 22 RF but I doubt that gun and ammunition manufacturers would consider it in their best interest to try and market the combination.
 
I want to find a revolver that shoots .32 ACP!

Yes, that would be cool but personally, if the revolver was not chambered for 32 ACP, i would not try it. I know lots of folks shoot 32 ACP in their 32 revolvers, but I feel it is a recipe for disaster. Fortunately, 32 ACP is a low pressure round.

Wouldn't it be awesome to have a .32 ACP revolver that uses moon clips? :D

Yes, moon clips rock.. Cylinders chambered for rimmed revolver rounds and having the cylinder cut to accept moon clips would be great.

I have three S&W j-frames cut for 38 Special moon clips. I like it much better than fooling with speed loaders.

I'd like my 32 Fed Magnum SP101 machined to accept moon clips.
 
If .32 ACP works in a H&R Magnum or .327 Pistol go for it. Only problem I see is the lighter bullets. Keep them out of the .32 Long guns though. 20,000 vas 15,000 PSI max, don’t ruin a cool old gun.
32 ACP in a 327 Mag chamber is a HUGE jump to the cone; it wouldn’t accurate. Like shooting 45 Colt in a 410 revolver.
 
Re: the .30 Super, ammo is being sold on sale relatively inexpensively if AIM is any indicator. Either AIM justs wants to get rid of it because it isn't selling, or the ammo companies are giving incentives, trying to increase interest in it. In any case, AIM has two brands of it on sale at $14.95 a box of 50, same as 9mm. There is certainly no economy of scale on .30 Super, so that's very cheap.

https://aimsurplus.com/products/remington-umc-30-super-carry-100gr-fmj
Also, Everyone, AimSurplus is a fine company to deal with.
 
I have my 31-1 inside my waistband right now @ 4:00. 115gr RNFPs over a stiff load of Alliant powder.
 
32 ACP in a 327 Mag chamber is a HUGE jump to the cone; it wouldn’t accurate. Like shooting 45 Colt in a 410 revolver.
So is the .32 S&W in a Long, H&R or .327 but they work. I don’t see the need to shoot .32 ACP in any of them other than knowing if they can in an emergency. Good to have options but like I said be careful in the old .32 Long guns as the pressures are a bit different.
 
So is the .32 S&W in a Long, H&R or .327 but they work. I don’t see the need to shoot .32 ACP in any of them other than knowing if they can in an emergency. Good to have options but like I said be careful in the old .32 Long guns as the pressures are a bit different.
That “semi-rimless” case is a bit wonky for a wheelgun.
 
I want to find a revolver that shoots .32 ACP!
Smith and Wesson J frames will do it. I have done it a few times from my 30-1 but it’s not incredibly accurate. Seems to have enough freebore to adversely effect both accuracy and power. Dirtiest thing I have ever shot that’s not black powder. Likely because with that much blow-by it’s not building pressure to get great combustion which is a recipe for poor shooting and dirty guns.
 
Smith and Wesson J frames will do it. I have done it a few times from my 30-1 but it’s not incredibly accurate. Seems to have enough freebore to adversely effect both accuracy and power. Dirtiest thing I have ever shot that’s not black powder. Likely because with that much blow-by it’s not building pressure to get great combustion which is a recipe for poor shooting and dirty guns.
I think it has some to do with lighter faster jacketed bullets in guns that like lead. Neither of my revolvers like the 71 RNL as much as 85 grain and all prefer 98 to that. I am sure freebore has something to do with it but in some guns the .32 S&W will shoot just fine in .32 S&W Long revolvers. I think it’s an gun by gun situation. Ultimately it wasn’t made to go there but always good to know if it can, you never know.
 
Leave .32 out of it, revolvers are what "should" be more popular than where they are now. The consumer has responded tho and all they care about in a handgun is capacity and cheap, common ammo in a conceable pistol that doesn't have too much recoil, but meets FBI specs.

That is the gun people are being told they need by all the tactical bros that dominate the internet.

When researching "what gun should I buy", polymer striker guns are almost all that come up, both by the prolific bearded, tattooed, tier 1 operators that insist one is undergunned unless carrying a micro compact 9mm and at least four 15 round magazines, and of course by the manufacturers who make a lot of money selling injection molded plastic guns.

One needs to go pretty far down the rabbit hole to happen across a .32 revolver and ever farther to decide it would be a great firearm to own. A neophyte is very unlikely to find one on his own.
 
…Good to have options but like I said be careful in the old .32 Long guns as the pressures are a bit different.

And yet, the SAAMI pressure is measured in a SAAMI chamber, firing a .32 ACP in a .32 Long chamber means quite a (around 0.30”) of freebore, lowering chamber pressures. Is the ACP then safe in a century-old .32 Long? Don’t know, neither does anyone else, but the pressure of the former will be lower than its listed SAAMI pressure. Is all ammunition loaded to the maximum SAAMI pressure? What do you think?
 
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