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.32 S&W Long Fans?
- Thread starter lizziedog1
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Most barrels they sell are built to order, look at their available chamberings.
Does anyone here fire .32 longs from a .327 match grade machine (single shot, no forcing cone jump) type barrel? Any problems with accuracy do length of jump to the rifling etc. I do not have a .327 yet and I know cottontails need 32 only longs if you want anything to eat. Any help out there?
gunnysmith
Member
Benelli 32 S&W long.
25 meters before sight adjustment.
W.E.G.
Member
Since I see the .32 EXTRA-LONG's are coming out in this thread, here's my Single-Six with some tasteful bling appeal.
In the Triple K crossdraw holster.
In the Triple K crossdraw holster.
Has anyone loaded loaded/fired a 45 grain head in a 32 S&W long or 32 S&W? Accurate molds makes a bulet called .31 airgun in 45 grain. It looks like a collar/acorn button bullet. What loads have any tried? Thanks for any help. Have fun and bangaway.
Since the .32 long is something of a passion for me, I thought I might pop in and say hi in this thread.
I currently shoot about a half a dozen .32's of various flavors, from 3" I-frames, to a custom made bolt gun. Two things they all seem to have in common; They're accurate, and more fun for the money than just about anything else around, assuming you cast and reload.
I have almost a dozen molds for the .32's and burn through a couple of pounds of powder per year with the little guys. (At 2-3 grains per shot, that's saying something!)
In a long gun, I've found the .32 long to be just the thing for small game. It's role in a handgun can be similar, but I can make head-shots on squirrels at 65 yard with a scoped rifle, with a pistol, the quarry needs to be a fair bit closer.
I like the .32 long as a trail gun very much, and I've got a 4" taurus stainless revolver in .32 H&R (that has never fired a magnum shell since I've owned it) that finds itself accompanying me regularly when I take to the field. I don't encounter anything very dangerous, aside from snakes, around these parts, and I carry the little gun more for the targets of opportunity that present themselves than anything else. I can say that no soda can is safe inside of 25 yards, well at least not by the second or third shot, anyways.
I have a 6" barreled K-32 clone that loves wadcutter ammo more than a fat kid loves twinkies, but the rest of the guns I shoot seem to prefer a SWC or round-flat-nose profile.
A fun load is a .313-.315 round ball over a case about 90% full of trailboss. They shoot low from the sights of the pistols, but not too bad from the long guns. Once you learn to hold over, they're fun and economical for plinking, Kids love 'em!
I've been experimenting with the lyman 311033 lately, It's a 110 grain hollow point bullet designed for the .32-20, the solid point version is the 3118 or 311008, at approximately 120 grains. I use a small load of red-dot to push the bullet to about 750 FPS from a 4" barrel. I have no delusions that it would expand very well at that speed, even from a very soft alloy, but I also don't think it needs to expand for small game or soup cans.
As far as wadcutters go, I've experimented with the ideal 313492 for some time. It's a type 3 wadcutter, meaning that it's intended to be seated the same length as a SWC bullet, rather than deeply into the case. The only issue encountered with the load so far, is that some guns have throats too small for the full diameter .3135 nose section of the bullet as it drops from the mold(s). .313 is what I generally size to, (most of my guns like this size pretty well, so I've standardized) and it takes a little finagling to get the "nose" section to size down further, without disturbing the .313 diameter of the main body, but that's another story.. The guns they fit in though, seem to like them okay. I also have the bullets "SWC" brother mold, that is, the 313445.
The 313445 is essentially the same bullet as the 313492, but instead of a button nose, it has a little truncated cone. Some people call this a semi wadcutter, but it certainly isn't very close to what ole' Elmer Kieth designed. I think of it more as a modified wadcutter. I understand that it shoots better at distance than does the 313492, but I haven't experimented enough to say for myself with any conviction.
Lee makes a mold that is almost just like the 313445, except that it's a tumble lube design. I think they call it a "314 90 gr SWC" or something along those lines. I've shot it at 50 yards and 100, and find that it more than doubles it's deviation at the further distance, giving 3/4" from the rifle at 50yds and 2.5" at 100yds.
Lee used to make an 85 grain double ended TL wadcutter mold. I have one of the 2 cavity versions, but it's pretty well worn, and I've had my eyes out for a 6 cavity version for some time. Inside 25 yards this is THE bullet for accuracy from my K-32 clone. I haven't shot this bullet for groups past 25 yards, so I don't know how it would fare. I personally wouldn't have high hopes though, wadcutters don't like to keep stable, and double ended wadcutters especially seem susceptible to destabilization at range.
I haven't used the RCBS or Saeco WC molds, as they haven't presented themselves available at a bargain price while I was looking. I feel pretty well covered in the WC department, so I likely wont go seeking either of those. But who know what might fall in my lap at the next gun show?
The bullet that I shoot the most is the lyman 313631 SWC. This is a gas-check bullet, but it shoots just about as well for me at low pressures without the gas check. Every gun I've shot this bullet in seems to like it. I load everything I shoot in .32 long brass, and to .32 long pressures, so I don't generally use a gas-check, but when I do, I find that my accuracy improves slightly past 25 yards. From the rifles (I have 2 but only shoot one regularly, the other is still "in process") That means going from a 5/8" group at 50 yards, to about 1/2". With the handguns, I simply can't shoot that well, so I can't tell the difference on target between loads with the GC, and loads without. I like this mold so much I have 2 of them. I'm thinking of converting one to plain base, but haven't made the plunge yet.
I haven't found any round nose mold to shoot better than any other. The one thing I will say is that with the light loads that I like, the 95-100 grain versions seem to shoot closer to the sights on the fixed sight guns than do the lighter versions intended for the .32 ACP. With adjustable sights, this is a moot point, but worth noting, as so many of the older S&W I-frame guns have fixed sights.
I have other .32 molds as well, but they generally fall beyond the scope of this thread, as they're either custom made molds that aren't generally available either new or used, or they were made so long ago that they never show up, or I haven't wrung them out enough to even give an opinion.
I plan to continue to shoot the .32's I have, and no doubt I'll acquire more as the opportunity arises. I'm certain more .32 molds are in my future as well, along with further experimentation with what I already have.
And as always, what I've written above are my experiences, and my opinions, and they're worth about what they cost you. Any load data given has proven safe in my guns, but should be worked up to in anything else.
I currently shoot about a half a dozen .32's of various flavors, from 3" I-frames, to a custom made bolt gun. Two things they all seem to have in common; They're accurate, and more fun for the money than just about anything else around, assuming you cast and reload.
I have almost a dozen molds for the .32's and burn through a couple of pounds of powder per year with the little guys. (At 2-3 grains per shot, that's saying something!)
In a long gun, I've found the .32 long to be just the thing for small game. It's role in a handgun can be similar, but I can make head-shots on squirrels at 65 yard with a scoped rifle, with a pistol, the quarry needs to be a fair bit closer.
I like the .32 long as a trail gun very much, and I've got a 4" taurus stainless revolver in .32 H&R (that has never fired a magnum shell since I've owned it) that finds itself accompanying me regularly when I take to the field. I don't encounter anything very dangerous, aside from snakes, around these parts, and I carry the little gun more for the targets of opportunity that present themselves than anything else. I can say that no soda can is safe inside of 25 yards, well at least not by the second or third shot, anyways.
I have a 6" barreled K-32 clone that loves wadcutter ammo more than a fat kid loves twinkies, but the rest of the guns I shoot seem to prefer a SWC or round-flat-nose profile.
A fun load is a .313-.315 round ball over a case about 90% full of trailboss. They shoot low from the sights of the pistols, but not too bad from the long guns. Once you learn to hold over, they're fun and economical for plinking, Kids love 'em!
I've been experimenting with the lyman 311033 lately, It's a 110 grain hollow point bullet designed for the .32-20, the solid point version is the 3118 or 311008, at approximately 120 grains. I use a small load of red-dot to push the bullet to about 750 FPS from a 4" barrel. I have no delusions that it would expand very well at that speed, even from a very soft alloy, but I also don't think it needs to expand for small game or soup cans.
As far as wadcutters go, I've experimented with the ideal 313492 for some time. It's a type 3 wadcutter, meaning that it's intended to be seated the same length as a SWC bullet, rather than deeply into the case. The only issue encountered with the load so far, is that some guns have throats too small for the full diameter .3135 nose section of the bullet as it drops from the mold(s). .313 is what I generally size to, (most of my guns like this size pretty well, so I've standardized) and it takes a little finagling to get the "nose" section to size down further, without disturbing the .313 diameter of the main body, but that's another story.. The guns they fit in though, seem to like them okay. I also have the bullets "SWC" brother mold, that is, the 313445.
The 313445 is essentially the same bullet as the 313492, but instead of a button nose, it has a little truncated cone. Some people call this a semi wadcutter, but it certainly isn't very close to what ole' Elmer Kieth designed. I think of it more as a modified wadcutter. I understand that it shoots better at distance than does the 313492, but I haven't experimented enough to say for myself with any conviction.
Lee makes a mold that is almost just like the 313445, except that it's a tumble lube design. I think they call it a "314 90 gr SWC" or something along those lines. I've shot it at 50 yards and 100, and find that it more than doubles it's deviation at the further distance, giving 3/4" from the rifle at 50yds and 2.5" at 100yds.
Lee used to make an 85 grain double ended TL wadcutter mold. I have one of the 2 cavity versions, but it's pretty well worn, and I've had my eyes out for a 6 cavity version for some time. Inside 25 yards this is THE bullet for accuracy from my K-32 clone. I haven't shot this bullet for groups past 25 yards, so I don't know how it would fare. I personally wouldn't have high hopes though, wadcutters don't like to keep stable, and double ended wadcutters especially seem susceptible to destabilization at range.
I haven't used the RCBS or Saeco WC molds, as they haven't presented themselves available at a bargain price while I was looking. I feel pretty well covered in the WC department, so I likely wont go seeking either of those. But who know what might fall in my lap at the next gun show?
The bullet that I shoot the most is the lyman 313631 SWC. This is a gas-check bullet, but it shoots just about as well for me at low pressures without the gas check. Every gun I've shot this bullet in seems to like it. I load everything I shoot in .32 long brass, and to .32 long pressures, so I don't generally use a gas-check, but when I do, I find that my accuracy improves slightly past 25 yards. From the rifles (I have 2 but only shoot one regularly, the other is still "in process") That means going from a 5/8" group at 50 yards, to about 1/2". With the handguns, I simply can't shoot that well, so I can't tell the difference on target between loads with the GC, and loads without. I like this mold so much I have 2 of them. I'm thinking of converting one to plain base, but haven't made the plunge yet.
I haven't found any round nose mold to shoot better than any other. The one thing I will say is that with the light loads that I like, the 95-100 grain versions seem to shoot closer to the sights on the fixed sight guns than do the lighter versions intended for the .32 ACP. With adjustable sights, this is a moot point, but worth noting, as so many of the older S&W I-frame guns have fixed sights.
I have other .32 molds as well, but they generally fall beyond the scope of this thread, as they're either custom made molds that aren't generally available either new or used, or they were made so long ago that they never show up, or I haven't wrung them out enough to even give an opinion.
I plan to continue to shoot the .32's I have, and no doubt I'll acquire more as the opportunity arises. I'm certain more .32 molds are in my future as well, along with further experimentation with what I already have.
And as always, what I've written above are my experiences, and my opinions, and they're worth about what they cost you. Any load data given has proven safe in my guns, but should be worked up to in anything else.
I would like to have a Taurus 76 (?) in .32 Long. I passed on one back when I was ignorant of the joys of .32 Long. I cannot remember if it was still called the 76 when it was chambered in .32 long, but the Taurus 76 I have is in .32 Mag. Still a very nice shooter. Lots of low recoil fun.
Keeps my smaller 741 .32 Mag company.
Keeps my smaller 741 .32 Mag company.
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EMC45
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I really like the 32-098 from RCBS. Got it on castboolits for $35 shipped NIB! Had to jump on that. It drops at .315 and I size to .314 with a push through I made on a lathe. I also have the Lee TL .314 SWC-90. They drop at like .316! I size to .314 after I goop them up with the Lee Alox. Another mold I have found to work well with my Model 30 3in is a mold I got for free from castboolits. It is a 98gr. RN. it drops at around .314-.315. It gets sized to .314 as well. They all shoot to point of aim with the fixed sights. Just got an SP101 in .32 mag and I am just starting to experiment with it.........
RugerMcMarlin
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- Apr 19, 2011
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- 979
Walkaalong: I have the Taurus 741 as well, but in Stainless Steel, this is my near constant companion when going out in the woods. The model 76 is a neat gun. I don't have one in either caliber, but I've been on the lookout for one of those as well.
EMC45: Is it the RCBS 98 gr WC or the 98 Gr SWC? I've been wanting to try the SWC version for a little while, and I think I may have to buy it new if I don't come across one before too long.
RugerMcMarlin: My wife loves the little I-frame with the 3" barrel and small target grips, otherwise it would have made way for a larger frame gun. I will admit though, it shoots like a house-afire with it's favorite loads... I have the chance to get another one very inexpensively, it's ugly as sin on the outside, but the bore is excellent and the mechanics are tight... Hmmmm
EMC45: Is it the RCBS 98 gr WC or the 98 Gr SWC? I've been wanting to try the SWC version for a little while, and I think I may have to buy it new if I don't come across one before too long.
RugerMcMarlin: My wife loves the little I-frame with the 3" barrel and small target grips, otherwise it would have made way for a larger frame gun. I will admit though, it shoots like a house-afire with it's favorite loads... I have the chance to get another one very inexpensively, it's ugly as sin on the outside, but the bore is excellent and the mechanics are tight... Hmmmm
RugerMcMarlin
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Go ahead. If you get the gun it will always appreciate in value. Your money will slowly get eaten away by taxes and inflation till there is nothing left. It really the only logical choice you have left. It's a win/win chance to protect your money AND your family. Faced with that choice what else can you do?
If you need more just holler, I can always justify a gun purchase.
If you need more just holler, I can always justify a gun purchase.
EMC45
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No Zombies.....It is a SWC. Looks like a little mini Keith bullet, and according to some research, I have read it was a Keith designed bullet he used for loading a good bit of the older .32 cal guns. Nice sharp shoulder and accurate in my I frame Model 30!
This Hornady SWC shoots well for me. I have not tried their full WC of the same type.
RugerMcMarlin
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I think it's in Sixguns, Keith sets forth the opinion that 22lr, is all but worthless as a small game round,and much prefers 32s , 32S&W Long and 32-20.
EMC45
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Next project is taking a 1909 Argie Mauser barrel (slugs at .312) and mount on a tip up shotgun action in some shape form or fashion. And ream chamber to .32 S&W-L or mag...Not sure yet. This ought to be a neat little plinker.....Either red dot it or fab up some sights.....
My wife inherited her mother's 3" model 30 w/ the old S&W high polish blue finish and round butt banana grip frame that was made in the mid-60s and is in practically 100% like new condition. She has severe arthritis in her hands and wrists as a result of botched carpal tunnel surgery, so the little gun produces about the most recoil that she can handle. She keeps it loaded with Fiocchi 100 grain FMJ ammo I bought because it claims the highest velocity and energy of any factory round I could find. I also reload for it with Dardas 100 grain LSWC bullets over 2.8 grains AA #2, and those loads are very accurate and fun to plink with. Most US factory loads claim around 700 fps with a 98 grain LRN bullet, but chrono closer to 575-625 fps due to countless thousands of ancient El Cheapo Saturday night specials still lying in dresser drawers, nightstands, and pawn shops all over the US.
The model 30 is plenty strong enough to safely handle much higher pressure than the round was designed to produce. But even so, I don't think a higher pressure handload would SAFELY develop enough velocity (1000+fps??) in that 3" barrel to expand a 100 gr LHP bullet . But hopefully the Fiocchi round would at least penetrate deep enough to have a deterrent effect on an attacker, and she can still tolerate that much recoil.
The model 30 is plenty strong enough to safely handle much higher pressure than the round was designed to produce. But even so, I don't think a higher pressure handload would SAFELY develop enough velocity (1000+fps??) in that 3" barrel to expand a 100 gr LHP bullet . But hopefully the Fiocchi round would at least penetrate deep enough to have a deterrent effect on an attacker, and she can still tolerate that much recoil.
ThomasT
Member
NoZombies I sure wish you would post a pic or 2 of your 32long bolt rifle. I tried to get an H&R rechambered and bored out using a 22 Hornet barrel but so far no one will do the job. A 32 long would make about a perfect rook & rabbit rifle.
I have a Marlin 1894 32mag that I shoot light loads through and its a hoot. Some of my quiet loads are as quiet as a CB22 and still get 930fps with a 76gr lead bullet. I think 32s are just about perfect for field and plinking use. They are looked down on now for a SD gun but I do keep a 431PD 32mag in my night stand with a wadcutter load that gets right around 900fps from that short barrel.
My 32 long loads get 850fps from my 4" model 31 and just about the same from a 3" model 30 with 96gr Lee SWC tumble lube bullets. Lee used to make a 32cal WC mold in the tumble lube design and I sure wish they would bring it back.
I have a Marlin 1894 32mag that I shoot light loads through and its a hoot. Some of my quiet loads are as quiet as a CB22 and still get 930fps with a 76gr lead bullet. I think 32s are just about perfect for field and plinking use. They are looked down on now for a SD gun but I do keep a 431PD 32mag in my night stand with a wadcutter load that gets right around 900fps from that short barrel.
My 32 long loads get 850fps from my 4" model 31 and just about the same from a 3" model 30 with 96gr Lee SWC tumble lube bullets. Lee used to make a 32cal WC mold in the tumble lube design and I sure wish they would bring it back.
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Just fixed my .32 [S&W Long].
Needed a new latch spring to keep the frame closed, had to make one out of an old hammer spring. Pain in the ass but worth it, I am excited that I have a workable firearm again. So many hours put into restoring this old relic and turning it into something useful.
Probably a gun you'd see in some post-apocalyptic movie: bubba'd bobbed hammer (broken sear makes this a DAO gun), horrible finish of 100 year old nickel, modern blueing, and rust, tape wrapped around the grips, limp firing pin filed down just enough. I should post a picture when I have a chance.
Needed a new latch spring to keep the frame closed, had to make one out of an old hammer spring. Pain in the ass but worth it, I am excited that I have a workable firearm again. So many hours put into restoring this old relic and turning it into something useful.
Probably a gun you'd see in some post-apocalyptic movie: bubba'd bobbed hammer (broken sear makes this a DAO gun), horrible finish of 100 year old nickel, modern blueing, and rust, tape wrapped around the grips, limp firing pin filed down just enough. I should post a picture when I have a chance.
I have an old h+r top-break auto-eject hammerless .32 and it is a small gun with a none-the-less 4 inch barrel. Tiny enough to hide and I would hate to get nailed by a .32 from this pistol. They are fun to shoot from nagants and used to be cheap.
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