New to reloading, need help with .32 ACP

So, I sat down at my desk with my Lee Auto-Primer, and discovered the tool requires a shell-holder different from those used in the press. Grrrr!
So I guess I can order a shellholder, or maybe Cabelas will have it. I may have an extra shell-holder I can modify to work if need be.

But I'm not real sold on this Auto-Primer. it doesn't seem like it will get along with my arthritic thumb that well over 100 or cases.
What are my alternatives to prime my cases?
 
Very aware of the OC danger. I'd be just the guy to do it! So what powder has about 3 times the volume, to fill this case?

Measuring groove diameter - What do you do, drive the bullet or ball ball through the barrel? With a press perhaps?
Wood dowel and a hammer, tap gently to start, tap harder if needed. Use a liberal amount of lubricating oil.
 
Very aware of the OC danger. I'd be just the guy to do it! So what powder has about 3 times the volume, to fill this case?

Measuring groove diameter - What do you do, drive the bullet or ball ball through the barrel? With a press perhaps?
CBI, but I don't know anyone that's tried it in 32acp.
 
Very aware of the OC danger. I'd be just the guy to do it! So what powder has about 3 times the volume, to fill this case?

Measuring groove diameter - What do you do, drive the bullet or ball ball through the barrel? With a press perhaps?

I loaded up couple rounds that only had like half a grain of powder in them, just enough to drive them through the barrel and shot it into an old plastic 6 gallon bucket full of water.
The slug was laying in the bottom of the bucket, even if it sticks in the barrel, you can drive it out, they don't drive out easy but it's not that hard either.

Look at the end of the "empty" barrel first and count the groves, If it's an odd number you can't measure it with a caliper anyways so there would be no point in going through with this exercise.
 
So, I sat down at my desk with my Lee Auto-Primer, and discovered the tool requires a shell-holder different from those used in the press. Grrrr!
So I guess I can order a shellholder, or maybe Cabelas will have it. I may have an extra shell-holder I can modify to work if need be.

But I'm not real sold on this Auto-Primer. it doesn't seem like it will get along with my arthritic thumb that well over 100 or cases.
What are my alternatives to prime my cases?
My personal favorite: The Lee Ram Prime https://leeprecision.com/ram-prime.html
 
So, I sat down at my desk with my Lee Auto-Primer, and discovered the tool requires a shell-holder different from those used in the press. Grrrr!
So I guess I can order a shellholder, or maybe Cabelas will have it. I may have an extra shell-holder I can modify to work if need be.

But I'm not real sold on this Auto-Primer. it doesn't seem like it will get along with my arthritic thumb that well over 100 or cases.
What are my alternatives to prime my cases?

380 takes a #4 autoprime shell-holder. You can save time if you eventually plan to reload more calibers and just order a set: https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1011210770

Easier on the hand is the Lee Auto Bench Primer. Picture shows somebody using a whole hand; mine works better with one or two fingers and a "flip" action: https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1017749087?pid=978504

Or you can prime on that lee classic press: https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012837891?pid=548630. I use this on a Turret but it's not much easier on your thumbs and takes a little "breaking in." On the plus side, it's one less time to handle that brass.

(The Ram Prime is okay, but you have to handle the primers; also tough for arthritis).

(The #4 shellholder is also used for 223, 32 S&W, 32 colt, and other caliber reloading if you plan to expand).
 
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I think that Lee Auto Bench Primer is what I'm looking for, thanks
I have that shell-holder set, and it has one for .32 which I missed earlier (chart was wrong)
Ram Primer looks good but I don't want to add any more repetitive motion on the press. My shoulder can't handle that and I'd drop half the primers on the floor (and the dog would eat them)
I'll prime a few with the old primer until that bench-mount comes in.

So now I'll have a press, powder dropper, and primer to bench-mount. Looks like I need a dedicated bench.
But you guys already knew that ;)
 
New challenge. these SP primers just drop into the pocket and fall out.
Primers measure. .175", pockets are .176"
Non-S&B measure .171"-.172"

Large primers are .220"

So these are some bastard size?
 
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So now I have 14 reloadable (non-S&B) cases.
Starline is out of stock, and so is Brownells

Starline is taking backorders on 32 auto so you should get some ordered ASAP. They're usually good about shipping as soon as they start a production run, typically 3-4 weeks. If you wait until retailers have it in stock you'll pay more along with tax and shipping. Starline is a flat price with shipping included, no tax. I just received my order of 32 Magnum from Starline. 500 cases for $107 to my door.
 
Starline is taking backorders on 32 auto so you should get some ordered ASAP. They're usually good about shipping as soon as they start a production run, typically 3-4 weeks. If you wait until retailers have it in stock you'll pay more along with tax and shipping. Starline is a flat price with shipping included, no tax. I just received my order of 32 Magnum from Starline. 500 cases for $107 to my door.
Wow! That’s only a little more than I paid in 2019. Then it was $17/100 and I bought 500 to get free shipping and a bulk discount. You done good!
 
So now I have 14 reloadable (non-S&B) cases.
Starline is out of stock, and so is Brownells
"Backorder" for Starline means that it is in the schedule to be made. Place your order now. My observation is that they use the backorders to know how big of run to make. If you wait, you may miss out.

Last time I placed a backorder, it arrived in less than two weeks.
 
New challenge. these SP primers just drop into the pocket and fall out.
Primers measure. .175", pockets are .176"
Non-S&B measure .171"-.172"

Large primers are .220"

So these are some bastard size?

Might have something to do with you messing with them, reaming, boring buggering them?. 32 Acp uses a SPP just like all the rest, nothing unusual about SB other than they are a tight fit (which is good)

There are many places online that sell once fired 32 brass. Treat yourself to some, You are making it all more difficult than you need to
I have loaded many for a 32 SeeCamp which is very fussy,
Brass
Primers
Bullets
Dies
Press
Powder measure

seat and shoot
 
Hey Rex B, if you pm me your name and address. I will send you a partial box of Federal Hi-Power 32 ACP. I have no idea where they came from, do not have a 32 ACP pistol, and never had one. There are 30 or so remaining in the box. If you are interested, let me know, and they are yours.
W/Vickers1938
I really like this forum. It's people like you that make it good. Way to go W/Vickers...
 
New challenge. these SP primers just drop into the pocket and fall out.
Primers measure. .175", pockets are .176"
Non-S&B measure .171"-.172"

Large primers are .220"

So these are some bastard size?

Rex,
I think what you have there are berdan primed brass that was drilled out by someone to try to make them work with boxer primers. I would just put them in the scrap bucket. If you look at the picture of that brass, it looks like what happened.
 
Wood dowel and a hammer, tap gently to start, tap harder if needed. Use a liberal amount of lubricating oil.

Oil and primers don’t react well.
Oil deadens primers, water doesn’t.
I’ve used a 5/16” hardwood dowel and flat of an anvil to seat primers, but a hand tool is better as primers need to be seated 0.002-.003” below flush.

A shooting buddy swapped me some primers about 25yrs ago. He left them by the door of his apartment on a flower pot. Box of 1,000 Federal SPP.
Before I could drop by, they got drenched by an afternoon thunderstorm! Sopping wet!

Knowing that the primer compound was water soluble, I took the individual trays of primers from the sleeves and left them laying open on my bench in my reloading shed with the a/c running for a couple of days to allow them to completely dry. I loaded a few .38 cases with them. They all popped! All 1,000 fired, not a single dud.

OP, it sounds like you have a bunch of CCI Blazer aluminum cases. They are Berdan style primers and an odd size, too. Toss them!

Grafs has Prvi Partisan brass in stock at a good price. It’s really good brass. I’ve got a lot of it from range pick ups. Academy Sports sells it under the Monarch brand.

https://www.grafs.com/catalog/product/productId/74096
 
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Rex,
I think what you have there are berdan primed brass that was drilled out by someone to try to make them work with boxer primers. I would just put them in the scrap bucket. If you look at the picture of that brass, it looks like what happened.


Yes, It definitively is a Berdan Primed. I got curious and searched through my 32 ACP brass and managed to find one of the little "*****"!
Tried to deprime it with my Lee sizer/primer die and it will not deprime without pushing the pin up (Lee is the best deprimer dies!:)

So, I stand corrected on my previous post,:oops: throw the darn things away and use some other brass,
 

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Oil and primers don’t react well.
Oil deadens primers, water doesn’t.
I’ve used a 5/16” hardwood dowel and flat of an anvil to seat primers, but a hand tool is better as primers need to be seated 0.002-.003” below flush.

A shooting buddy swapped me some primers about 25yrs ago. He left them by the door of his apartment on a flower pot. Box of 1,000 Federal SPP.
Before I could drop by, they got drenched by an afternoon thunderstorm! Sopping wet!

Knowing that the primer compound was water soluble, I took the individual trays of primers from the sleeves and left them laying open on my bench in my reloading shed with the a/c running for a couple of days to allow them to completely dry. I loaded a few .38 cases with them. They all popped! All 1,000 fired, not a single dud.

OP, it sounds like you have a bunch of CCI Blazer aluminum cases. They are Berdan style primers and an odd size, too. Toss them!

Grafs has Prvi Partisan brass in stock at a good price. It’s really good brass. I’ve got a lot of it from range pick ups. Academy Sports sells it under the Monarch brand.

https://www.grafs.com/catalog/product/productId/74096
He was asking about measuring groove diameter, not whacking dead primers out.
 
"Backorder" for Starline means that it is in the schedule to be made. Place your order now. My observation is that they use the backorders to know how big of run to make. If you wait, you may miss out.

Last time I placed a backorder, it arrived in less than two weeks.
What cases did you order? I'm guessing more common stuff doesn't take as long to hit a magic number to crank them out, but something like 10mm Magnum probably takes a while.
 
What cases did you order? I'm guessing more common stuff doesn't take as long to hit a magic number to crank them out, but something like 10mm Magnum probably takes a while.
Right, I ordered 380. somewhat common.

My point is... When they put an item up for backorder, they are planning to make it in the near future. If they are not going to make it in a while, it just shows as sold out and not available.
 
Much obliged W/Vickers!

Update on thread. I set the .32ACP aside until brass becomes available. I toyed with the thought of boring out those holes for large primers and making some "sans Poudre" rounds.

Working on loading some 380. Cleaned and capped, Lee primer worked fine. Will add powder and flare cases, then press some boolits.

Ordered dies for 38SPL. Came in yesterday. Lee carbide.
Will order die set for 32 revolver rounds.
 
OP, it sounds like you have a bunch of CCI Blazer aluminum cases. They are Berdan style primers and an odd size, too. Toss them!
Grafs has Prvi Partisan brass in stock at a good price. It’s really good brass. I’ve got a lot of it from range pick ups. Academy Sports sells it under the Monarch brand.

https://www.grafs.com/catalog/product/productId/74096

Definitely not CCI nor aluminum. I know not to pick up aluminum cases. These are Sellier & Beloit out of a box of 500 I bought years ago.
I have set them aside. Someday when I'm bored I may modify them to make wax loads for my 32 revolver.

That's a good price at Graf, but for one pack of 50 the shipping is equal. If I buy enough to make shipping worthwhile I may as well get the Star brass. Good site though, bookmarked.

I've set the 32 stuff aside for now, working on 380. I have stopped to figure out the powder measure volume vs weight. Looks like some math involved.
 
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