1894 S&W Lemon Squeezer .32 s&w

[Blackpowderwarrior]

I got lucky 2 days in a row.

I took a gamble on buying a old lemon squeezer that looked to be in good shape.

I also took a gamble on ebay and purchased some stag grips that looked like they went to the old smith and wesson lemon squeezer.

The s&w is in excellent condition. The bore looks like its brand new.

The stag grips also fit it perfectly.

I'm excited to start loading s&w shorts with Black powder.

Do any of you load 32 s&w BP loads?

 

[jbhighroad]

I use a 22lr case, holds 4 gr of pyrodex in a 32acp shell with 77gr coated lead bullets in my 1897 h&r police break top.

 

[Navy Six 2]

I have a couple similar S&W guns, one was built in the Black powder only era, so to be safe I only load black powder 32 S&W. This is the short cartridge. Anyway, I've only been able to cram about 4.5 grs of 3F Swiss in the case., and that took a bit of compression. Even so, the guns' report on firing is nice and sharp. I will probably try some 4F Goex in the future, but I doubt if there will be much of an improvement over the Swiss. Blackpowderwarrior, good luck with your nice S&W find. Loading and shooting the 32 S&W short is just as interesting as any other cartridge and as much fun to shoot.

 

[Johnm1]

I have several 32 short revolvers that I load BP cartridges for. Some are actually rated for smokeless but all I load are BP cartridges. The most fun load is a 0.310" round ball over a case of 3F. I have no idea how, but at 5 yards it is actually quite accurate.

I bought the 310 round ball but it doesn't work in either of my cap and ball revolvers. On a lark I tried the 310 ball in my BP loads and was pleasantly surprised. A 0.315" round ball would be more appropriate but I'm going to load the 310's until I run out of them.

 

[Blackpowderwarrior]

I took her out for her maiden voyage today, she shot excellent and grouped well to boot!

 

[Slamfire]

Those hammerless pistols were not cheap. Now the inflation calculator I used only went back to 1913, but $11.75 in 1913 is $346 in today's money. Biden inflation will change that number to $500 by the end of this year. I think it just amazing that your pistol is in such excellent condition. Given the era's corrosive primers, a lot of owners did not know how to clean the things, and rusted the barrels out. And then there were those stuck in a holster, or sock, and rusted away for decades till pulled out.

 

[Blackpowderwarrior]

Those hammerless pistols were not cheap. Now the inflation calculator I used only went back to 1913, but $11.75 in 1913 is $346 in today's money. Biden inflation will change that number to $500 by the end of this year. I think it just amazing that your pistol is in such excellent condition. Given the era's corrosive primers, a lot of owners did not know how to clean the things, and rusted the barrels out. And then there were those stuck in a holster, or sock, and rusted away for decades till pulled out.


View attachment 1087800

My friend I feel blessed and honored to have it. I intend on shooting it and keeping it runni g to give to my son.

 

[WestKentucky]

Pyrodex makes nice 32 short rounds. The 32 safety hammerless that I have is so small that I can barely shoot the thing. My middle daughter laid claim to it when she was 8 so I guess that means I can’t part ways with it for another few years.

 

[Blackpowderwarrior]

@WestKentucky I bought a bunch of remington s&w 32 shorts for the brass.
Though I cast lead rounds myself the 32 us so small I didn't fool with it and just bought 500 already cast.

I'm a pretty good sized boy myself, @ 6ft and throw couches around for a living I know what you mean about the safety hammerless being to small for your hands.

The pictures I put up with the original grips is how it looked when I opened up the usps box. The metal looked dry and screaming for oil. I gave it a quick rub down with some ballistol and cleaned the bore and then put on the stag grips.

You cant tell from the picture but stag grips have one side that is extremely thick to give a better grip. They changed the way the gun feels for the better.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

I don't load .32 S&W regularly, but I do have a S&W Model 1-1/2 Single Action that shipped from the factory in April 1878. After buying it I found an Ideal No.6 reloading tool with an integrated mold. After I shot up a box of factory Remington .32 S&Ws in another gun, I loaded some BP rounds using the Ideal tool with bullets cast in it. (I did decap and resize the brass in my Lee press, however.)

I used ~5 grains of 3Fg black powder. Bullets were lubed with 50/50 beeswax/mutton tallow.



They shot well enough to keep them all on a ~10" gong from around 10 yards. Those sights aren't easy to see when you're north of 50.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

I have a few Smith and Wesson 32 Caliber Top Breaks.

This 32 Safety Hammerless 2nd Model shipped in 1905.






This 32 Single Action shipped in 1899.






There is no such thing as a 32 Short. The proper name is simply 32 S&W. The cartridge was developed in 1878 along with the 32 Single Action. Later, in 1896 when the Model 1896 Hand Ejector was released, the new 32 S&W Long cartridge was created for it. But the older cartridge is simply known as the 32 S&W.






I seem to be lacking information about when this 32 Double Action 4th Model shipped.






I load Black Powder into larger cartridges all the time; 45 Colt, 45 Schofield, 44-40, 44 Russian, and 38-40.

I have never loaded 323 S&W with Black Powder, but a few years ago I loaded up a box of 38S&W with APP. I chose APP because it does not require soft lube like real Black Powder does. I did this because I could not find any soft, lead bullets for 38 S&W that had a large lube groove for soft, BP compatible bullet lube.

I suggest you try APP, for the same reason.

I don't allow Pyrodex to get near any of my antique revolvers.

 

[Blackpowderwarrior]

driftwood,
pretty good looking 32's ya got there brother.

I also have a 1896 hand ejector 1st model in 32 long

 

[dickydalton]

This 4th model from the 1800s is still unfired.

 

[Blackpowderwarrior]

This 4th model from the 1800s is still unfired.
View attachment 1089041

its time to sling some lead outta that thang!

 

[Johnm1]

I'll put in my cents. Its been so long since I researched this one to confirm smokeless. But I still mostly shoot black powder round ball cartridges. Yours is much nicer.



I have carried it with smokeless. It is a fun gun to shoot.

 

[Blackpowderwarrior]

I have shot the smokeless remington rounds out of this little guy to get the brass. Today I shot a 5 gallon water jug full of water. All of the bullets passed through both sides save one. I was able to capture that projectile.

I will try this test again with Old eyensford 3f crammed in a 32 s&w brass with a 78 grain bullet and see of it performs on the same level or better

 

[dickydalton]

I'll put in my cents. Its been so long since I researched this one to confirm smokeless. But I still mostly shoot black powder round ball cartridges. Yours is much nicer.

View attachment 1089156

I have carried it with smokeless. It is a fun gun to shoot.

That's a first model. I have one of those too.

 

[Johnm1]

That's a first model. I have one of those too.

You are correct. I had to look it up. Being it was made between 1888 and 1902 it would make it a black powder model. I've always thought that pushing down to release the barrel was a more elegant way to do it. Just seems more of a natural motion.

Mine has functioned flawlessly since I bought it over 10 years ago except tonight. The firing pin got stuck in the extended position. I had never had the sideplate off of this firearm before tonight. Easy enough to clean. And it needed it.

@Blackpowderwarrior , if you know how to remove a S&W sideplate I'd suggest going no further unless you want to learn how every part functions. They aren't too difficult to reassemble, but it does take some know how. All of which is available on the internet or in books. The trigger spring is the `Fun` part.

Mine is quite easy to stage the trigger. But I don't think that was intentional. I'll be interested to hear how your BP cartridges perform.

 

[dickydalton]

You are correct. I had to look it up. Being it was made between 1888 and 1902 it would make it a black powder model. I've always thought that pushing down to release the barrel was a more elegant way to do it. Just seems more of a natural motion.

Mine has functioned flawlessly since I bought it over 10 years ago except tonight. The firing pin got stuck in the extended position. I had never had the sideplate off of this firearm before tonight. Easy enough to clean. And it needed it.

@Blackpowderwarrior , if you know how to remove a S&W sideplate I'd suggest going no further unless you want to learn how every part functions. They aren't too difficult to reassemble, but it does take some know how. All of which is available on the internet or in books. The trigger spring is the `Fun` part.

Mine is quite easy to stage the trigger. But I don't think that was intentional. I'll be interested to hear how your BP cartridges perform.

I believe that trigger staging was intentional and like it!
As an aside, I have relatives in your area and almost found the Dutchman's gold several times back in the 1990's.

 

[Jackrabbit1957]

I believe that trigger staging was intentional and like it!
As an aside, I have relatives in your area and almost found the Dutchman's gold several times back in the 1990's.

I will give you credit for being gutsy, that country can kill you in a hurry. Especially in the summer. Almost don't count except for horse shoes, hand grenades and atom bombs!

 

[Jim Watson]

Those hammerless pistols were not cheap.

Right, I have an old catalogue or two and a second or third tier .32 is priced $2.95-$4.10. A lot of people got by with an IJ, HR, FW, or Sears house brand for 1/3 the price of a Smith.

 

[dickydalton]

I will give you credit for being gutsy, that country can kill you in a hurry. Especially in the summer. Almost don't count except for horse shoes, hand grenades and atom bombs!

I always went in January! On top of the Flat Iron.

 

[Blackpowderwarrior]

This 5 gallon jug was full of water.

Remington wheelgun smokeless 32 s&w

Attached is projectile. It engaged rifling very well

I will reload the brass with 3f Old Eynsford and a 79 grain pill. I will try the test again and note any changes.

 

[Blackpowderwarrior]

While the lowly 32 sw is often looked down upon and truly is a weak round I still wouldnt want to be on the recieving end of that 84 grain pill moving at 720 fps.

 

[Jim Watson]

Especially in a bygone day without antibiotics.