Need advise on .32 ACP dies and reloading

film495 said:

to load .32 ACP for my CZ-70, I size the bullets down, and use a 32 long colt expander RCBS sent me. for the life of me I could not get the rounds to plunk it and out correctly until I figured out the chamber was tighter and the specs for 32 ACP were not quite the exact same. I think I could have made it work with the stock RCBS dies, but I didn't like shortening the COAL as much as was needed with the small case and miniscule charge, with very little standard deviation in the charge, it was a hassle - but, seems to work now that I'm set up to do it. You might want to slug your bore to see what you're actually loading for. Fiocchi seems to run well in my firearm, Magtech seemed to stovepipe or jam, so - if a us based ammo runs fine for factory ammo you shoudl be good, but if it isn't consistent, you may have to lean toward a 7.65 browning customized set up.

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Hey, I just now read in some very authoritative-sounding source that “32 acp is .308/.309, not .312 like 32SW.”

That was news to me. I could have sworn 32 acp was .3125. But what you are saying about “plunking” has me wondering...

Am I going to blow something up by sending .312 71g roundnoses down a 32acp barrel?

rfwobbly said:

I think you are more likely looking at 2 different ways of testing. The higher number is probably from a locked breach gun with a longer barrel, such as a lab test gun. Reported numbers would be much higher than when fired in a blow-back action pistol.
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This just made me think: can you lock out the action on a blowback pistol? So that it operates as a single shot?

Lock out a 32acp, and it seems like you’d be half the way to having an awfully quiet gun.

pairof44sp said:

Hey, I just now read in some very authoritative-sounding source that “32 acp is .308/.309, not .312 like 32SW.”

That was news to me. I could have sworn 32 acp was .3125. But what you are saying about “plunking” has me wondering...

Am I going to blow something up by sending .312 71g roundnoses down a 32acp barrel?

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Reloading manuals. Buy one. Read it. Keep it near your reloading bench. Full of all sorts of fun facts.

;^)

pairof44sp said:

This just made me think: can you lock out the action on a blowback pistol? So that it operates as a single shot?

Lock out a 32acp, and it seems like you’d be half the way to having an awfully quiet gun.

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I've done it with a glock 19. Push firmly against the slide and it will not cycle.

Kinda spooky the first time and kinda hard to use the sights. Not very practical.

pairof44sp said:

Hey, I just now read in some very authoritative-sounding source that “32 acp is .308/.309, not .312 like 32SW.”

That was news to me. I could have sworn 32 acp was .3125. But what you are saying about “plunking” has me wondering...

Am I going to blow something up by sending .312 71g roundnoses down a 32acp barrel?

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It is extraordiarily unlikely. You can buy factory .32 ACP off the shelf and use it, and that is the spec for the factory ammo. For me, in my CZ-70, US ammo Magtech and the like, didn't seem to ride quite correctly in the magazine, and I would get FTF issues, and also some stovepipes. Fiocci seems to run with no issues. From my little experience, there are some minute differences between 32 ACP and 7.65 Browning, and for the most part they are the same, many boxes say both on the when buying factory ammo. If there are issues, in my experience, whatever is stamped on the firearm - lean toward that ammo or reloading spec. If the gun shoots US Factory ammo fine, you should not have any issues, but it would be worth slugging the bore to check the diameter, just to do it and know for sure. You just need some soft lead balls, and push through and measure.

To quote Lyman's 48th: "Comments: The loads listed may be used with 0.311" jacketed bullets in pistols which have a groove diameter as small as 0.309 inches. Groove diameter variations are extensive in handguns chambered for this cartridge. Chamber limits make it unsafe to attempt to use larger diameter bullets, regardless of groove diameter measurement."

The 44th Ed. was more nearly blunt: "A wide variation in groove diameters is present in handguns of this caliber. The loads listed may be used with .311" jacketed bullets in pistols which have a groove diameter as small as .309". Our test accuracy with all bullets (cast and jacketed) was generally poor."

I use 77gr. LFN with 1.6gr of Bullseye and do not typically have stovepipes, FTE or FTF problems. My 1913-made Savage Model 1910 is the odd duck. It tends to like to short cycle with low-powered loads. I do use the Lee 4-die set and I do use the FCD to smooth out any wrinkles and put a nice tight taper crimp on them. Leading is not an issue but it's a low power load of Bullseye so there's a good amount of smudge. It cleans up easy and doesn't travel into the action so I don't worry about it.

Best of luck. This is a round I reload seldom as my arthritis progresses and my farsightedness gets worse. Such tiny bullets!

.32 ACP is what I started on, and out of the 7 cartridges I now load for, it is the most finicky and difficult with the tiny little cases, small cases that bulge easy, and then there's the 32 ACP vs. 7.65 Browning question ... I did .38 Special next and was just like - this is way better to load ... no mystery, little bigger cases and bullets .. but, I sure do like shooting .32 ACP to plink with .. best plinking round IMHO in a smallish semi-auto.

When I can find bullets to load, I'll be loading for a Beretta 81, a CZ 70 and a couple of Savage 1907's. Very glad I checked in to this site. There isn't much discussion about 32 ACP, especially reloading, on other sites I read. Glad to have the experience of others to review. Thank you.

Thanks Walkalong, appreciate that. I didn't know Taurus made a 32. Looks good! How does it shoot for you?

blackgang said:

Thanks Walkalong, appreciate that. I didn't know Taurus made a 32. Looks good! How does it shoot for you?

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I reload for two of those: the Savage (1910) and CZ. I also have a Colt hammerless that is fun to play with. The last time I checked on range brass (Saturday) the cheapest I found was $150/1000 delivered. Sadly my desire to make squish .32ACP isn’t up to my spare cash so I had to decline.

Walkalong said:

I'm lucky, I bought 2K of "indoor range brass" years back when I got my first .32 ACP when brass was cheap. I haven't touched the 2nd 1K. IIRC, I paid something like $40 per 1K. 1K from a seller here at THR, and 1K from an online outfit.

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In my experience, careful planning takes more than just luck. You done good. I appear to have failed to plan properly. This is where my habit of donating brass from self-loaders back to the indoor range is biting my butt. Machts nichts.

I start loading for the 32ACP not long ago,for a Ruby pistol I was given by a family member. I definitely prefer carbide dies for all pistol and revolver rounds,but they aren’t absolutely necessary. Powder selection is something to research,with ball powder being the smart choice,unless you don’t mind weighing every charge. My Lyman 55 throws very accurate light charges,but I still check every fifth charge for this round. The small case doesn’t give much room for error in charge weight. I load Berrys,mostly,which are relatively inexpensive and function well. I load for plinking and paper,and have no delusions of the round being adequate for self defense when I own plenty of better guns for carry,but the little 32 is just plain fun to shoot.

rudyc said:

I'm pretty sure I'll do the reloading on a 550 Dillon, but if you have any other ideas, I'm all ears. I'll be reloading for a Beretta Model 81bb.

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I reload 32ACP in a 550. A special note about the 550 when used with 32 anything. There is some concern that the case may not be stout enough to fully lift the tool head every time, thus resulting in OAL variations and possible inaccurate operation of the powder measure. The cure, as explained to me, is to insert one or more slips of office paper when the tool head is installed. This removes all the up-down free play between the tool head and press body, which in turn eliminates the variation issue.

You might try that.