Ugly Sauce
Member
- Joined
- Oct 26, 2020
- Messages
- 6,282
Sign the waiver, heed the warnings: Do not follow any of my load data. These loads are intended only for MY revolver, with replacement non-fluted cylinder. They are too hot for small semi-auto handguns designed for the .32acp. Firing such loads in your pistol may result in death or injury, and may blow your face off. So there!
The .32acp cylinder I have for my Nagant is very accurate. The group above is below average. Usually six of seven shots will/would be in the bullseye. As my interest in this pistol is primarily a small game gun, the group above would represent six dead grouse out of seven. Also, it does that with any factory ammo I have tried. So my mission is to develop an equally accurate, small game hand load. And at the same time, develop a "power load" that exceeds "normal" .32acp ballistics for wolf and cougar repellent.
The group on the left, my first try, looked like it had promise. So, for small game I figured if I dropped the powder charge way down, I might "be there". But look, it strung the group vertically, like a string! So, back to the drawing board for the small game load.
Switching gears, for a try at a "power load" I grabbed the Hornady 30 Mauser bullets and put some over 2.5 grains of the Bullseye. I think the group would still be on the plate at 25 yards, so it's not "too bad" for a wolf or cougar size target at that range. (I would never shoot at one if it was over, or beyond the 25 yard line) But I don't like how five of the seven, or the group prints to the right. So I'm not going with this load.
What does seem to work is the Hornady 100 grain Short Jacket bullet. 2.3 grains of the Bullseye under a 100 grain bullet is where we get on the edge, or over the edge a bit as far as normal .32acp ballistics are concerned. But not over the pressure limits (IMHO) of the Nagant, the 7.62X38mm cartridge, or the beefy non-fluted cylinder. On the left group, 1.9 grns, all seven shots are there, look closely and you'll see one hole is a double. The right group, 2.3 grains of B.E., looks like it's not really getting bigger. It is a six shot group, with the flyer (first shot) in the middle of the green and black dot. !!?! Considering the horrendous trigger pull of this pistol, I don't see a practical difference, so I'll move up to 2.5 grains if I can, tenth grain at a time, and call it good. I like the fact that the Short-Jacket is grouping high, a little more point-blank range, which for the purpose of this load, won't be a bad thing.
Aim point on all targets was a six o'clock hold on the dot. Range was 15 yards, which is where I see the grouse and bunnies at.
For the small game load, I have some 71 grain .312" FMJ's loaded up for tomorrow. Ran out of light today. The Hornady bullets are .308", and the cast bullets were sized .309", so maybe the larger diameter will give better results. I may cast up some more 90 grain bullets, and see what they measure as-cast.
Also tried some Speer 100 grain, half jacket "Plinkers". .308". For some reason they bulged the case badly, and would not chamber. Strange as the Hornady is also .308" and does not do that. I suspect the half jacket on the Speer is thicker than the Hornady, and perhaps the Hornady squeezes down a bit. Those tiny cases are stout, not like loading bigger calibers. And, there is not much case before you are hitting the thicker head section of the case. On the other hand, the .312" FMJ did not bulge the case and they chamber fine. And yes, I measured the "Plinkers". They are right on at .308". ?
The .32acp cylinder I have for my Nagant is very accurate. The group above is below average. Usually six of seven shots will/would be in the bullseye. As my interest in this pistol is primarily a small game gun, the group above would represent six dead grouse out of seven. Also, it does that with any factory ammo I have tried. So my mission is to develop an equally accurate, small game hand load. And at the same time, develop a "power load" that exceeds "normal" .32acp ballistics for wolf and cougar repellent.
The group on the left, my first try, looked like it had promise. So, for small game I figured if I dropped the powder charge way down, I might "be there". But look, it strung the group vertically, like a string! So, back to the drawing board for the small game load.
Switching gears, for a try at a "power load" I grabbed the Hornady 30 Mauser bullets and put some over 2.5 grains of the Bullseye. I think the group would still be on the plate at 25 yards, so it's not "too bad" for a wolf or cougar size target at that range. (I would never shoot at one if it was over, or beyond the 25 yard line) But I don't like how five of the seven, or the group prints to the right. So I'm not going with this load.
What does seem to work is the Hornady 100 grain Short Jacket bullet. 2.3 grains of the Bullseye under a 100 grain bullet is where we get on the edge, or over the edge a bit as far as normal .32acp ballistics are concerned. But not over the pressure limits (IMHO) of the Nagant, the 7.62X38mm cartridge, or the beefy non-fluted cylinder. On the left group, 1.9 grns, all seven shots are there, look closely and you'll see one hole is a double. The right group, 2.3 grains of B.E., looks like it's not really getting bigger. It is a six shot group, with the flyer (first shot) in the middle of the green and black dot. !!?! Considering the horrendous trigger pull of this pistol, I don't see a practical difference, so I'll move up to 2.5 grains if I can, tenth grain at a time, and call it good. I like the fact that the Short-Jacket is grouping high, a little more point-blank range, which for the purpose of this load, won't be a bad thing.
Aim point on all targets was a six o'clock hold on the dot. Range was 15 yards, which is where I see the grouse and bunnies at.
For the small game load, I have some 71 grain .312" FMJ's loaded up for tomorrow. Ran out of light today. The Hornady bullets are .308", and the cast bullets were sized .309", so maybe the larger diameter will give better results. I may cast up some more 90 grain bullets, and see what they measure as-cast.
Also tried some Speer 100 grain, half jacket "Plinkers". .308". For some reason they bulged the case badly, and would not chamber. Strange as the Hornady is also .308" and does not do that. I suspect the half jacket on the Speer is thicker than the Hornady, and perhaps the Hornady squeezes down a bit. Those tiny cases are stout, not like loading bigger calibers. And, there is not much case before you are hitting the thicker head section of the case. On the other hand, the .312" FMJ did not bulge the case and they chamber fine. And yes, I measured the "Plinkers". They are right on at .308". ?