32 SW ammunition question

[Larry GA.]

I’m new to this site so I’m not sure of all the right places to post different things so I thought I would start here on this one. If it is the wrong place please help out a newbie
The reason for this question is the scarcity of SW 32 long or short.
My wife has a SW 32 long that is used mostly for plinking I heard somewhere that you can shoot the SW short in a SW Long. Sort of like shooting 38s in a 357 is that true? Of course if she decided to take it a long with her instead of her LCR I would want her to change back.
Larry

 

[oneounceload]

Yes, you can shoot 32 SW in the SWL. If you reload, you can reload these cheaper than the current price of .22

 

[jameslovesjammie]

Yes, you can shoot 32 SW in the SWL. If you reload, you can reload these cheaper than the current price of .22

Sure can reload them cheaper!

I cast as well, but my reloads for my boys run me a little over $3.25/100.

 

[Onmilo]

Another little tidbit,
Many .32 S&W Long chambered guns will also safely chamber and reliably fire .32 acp which is semi rimmed and based on the .32 S&W cartridge.
It won't be terrible accurate in a .32 S&W long but it will give you something to shoot in the gun. HTH

 

[benzy2]

I cast as well, but my reloads for my boys run me a little over $3.25/100.

That's also a number that's rather unrealistic for most people starting today to accomplish. Finding primers for less than $3.25/100 is a challenge on its own, let alone cases, lead, additives, lube and powder, and then comes the cost to heat the melting pot, either with electricity or some form of gas/propane. Then comes all the time put into sourcing components, casting, lubing, sizing, cleaning brass, maybe trimming, all before loading a single bullet. $3.25/100 is an optimistic in today's setting. May still well be worth it, but very rarely is the true cost as little as $3.25/100 for people without exceptional connections or ties.

 

[Jim K]

Sorry, Onmilo, but that is not good advice. The .32 S&W Long operates at a pressure of about 15,000 psi, the .32 S&W at about 12,000, The .32 ACP runs about 20,500 psi. Some revolvers chambered for .32 S&W have blown cylinders when firing .32 ACP.

So, I can only say, DO NOT fire .32 ACP in a revolver chambered for .32 S&W or .32 S&W Long.

Jim

 

[Onmilo]

Jim K. We Aren't talking a breaktop questionable quality .32 S&W here.
We are discussing a hand ejector .32 S&W LONG chambered revolver.
No breaktop bar the Indian and English Webleys were ever chambered in .32 S&W long and all hand ejectors, even the Spanish and South American guns, will handle the pressures of the .32 acp.
Top level .32 acp can generate the pressure levels you mention, Most American made ammunition does not run that high, mainly because people continue to use the stuff in revolvers as they have for decades.
Those Webly revolvers are more than capable of handling .32 acp if you can get it to chamber as well.

I did edit my post to add that key word LONG where I did fail to use it.

 

[AK103K]

We Aren't talking a breaktop questionable quality .32 S&W here.

I didnt see where the type of gun was mentioned. I would also think you need to take care with any of them, but especially those of lesser quality, which seem to be the majority of these type guns.

I have a 4th Model S&W top break that is chambered in 32 S&W. The gun is in real good shape, and the quality compared to some of the others I have is instantly obvious, but its also in the black powder range serial number wise, and thats what I load it with. I wont shoot even lighter smokeless loads out of it.

 

[jameslovesjammie]

That's also a number that's rather unrealistic for most people starting today to accomplish. Finding primers for less than $3.25/100 is a challenge on its own, let alone cases, lead, additives, lube and powder, and then comes the cost to heat the melting pot, either with electricity or some form of gas/propane. Then comes all the time put into sourcing components, casting, lubing, sizing, cleaning brass, maybe trimming, all before loading a single bullet. $3.25/100 is an optimistic in today's setting. May still well be worth it, but very rarely is the true cost as little as $3.25/100 for people without exceptional connections or ties.

What's so unrealistic about it? You can still get American made primers for under $30. If you want Tula, you can get them for $22/1000. A pound of Bullseye is still under $20, and at 2.0 grains per charge you get 3,500 rounds per pound. As far as lead goes, ask tireshops. There are still a majority of places that use lead wheelweights. Can't get lead there? Ask carpenters who do remodeling. Some old roofs have lead sheets that need to be removed. Can't do that? Ask the dentist. They have lead all the time. The cost of bullet lube? $5 for a tin of Johnson's Paste Wax at the hardware store will lube thousands of bullets. My numbers actually come out to quite a bit better.

You may be right about the electricity for heating the pot, but I've never watched the meter while casting, nor do I particularly care. Casting is a hobby; as is reloading; as is shooting. However much I spend on electricity casting is still cheaper than a case of beer AND I don't get the hangover afterwards.

To each his own.

 

[Jim K]

Hi, Onmilo,

Good point, but I am not sure I want to fire my S&W 1896 with .32 ACP. Obviously, a reasonably modern S&W HE will handle the pressure with no problem (as will any gun made for .32 Magnum or .327), but I am not keen on the "sure you can shoot X in that gun", followed by a list of qualifiers that folks don't always read.

Jim

 

[Onmilo]

Jim K, I like to hope the people capable of actually reading posts are not so dense as to construe information provided is intended for all weapons regardless of the age and origin of the firearm.
I sincerely hope the great and vast majority of people are not that stupid but my hopes are often dashed.

 

[hartcreek]

You really need to scour all sources to find .32 S&W loaded rounds or brass. I have an old top break Ivar Johnson and a H&R that I need to chase down some springs for. I would not carry it for CCW as a primary but I did carry it as a secondary.

You are going to have to reload for it if you want to keep shooting it I only have 300 rounds loaded for mine but that is enough to let my great nephew shoot it. He likes it and a 32 H&R that I also have and either is cheeper than a 22.

 

[AK103K]

I only found one place that had any .32 S&W in stock when I was looking, Old Western Scrounger I think, and they wanted $45-50 a box of 50 for it, plus shipping. A few other places showed they carried it, but none had any in stock, and no idea as to when they might.

Midway had brass and bullets, and Lee dies, and 100 rounds worth and the dies cost me $75.

I really only bothered with mine as a project. We found the gun in one of my dads drawers when he died, and had no idea where he got it. No idea what caliber it was either, as nothing was marked on the gun. It is the only gun of its type Ive seen and/or have, that is in the shape its in.

I have a couple of others, H&R, H&A's that others have given me over the years, that appear to be either 32 S&W or 32 S&W Long, and theres no way I would try to fire them, even with black powder loads. The guns that actually work, are badly out of time, and have bores and cylinders that are really rough.

From what Ive read, doing research on my S&W, the Smiths were the top of the line, and most of the copies varied a good bit in quality and materials used, and even the ones in good shape, really probably shouldn't be shot much.

 

[eastbank]

i was at a public auction some years ago and this S&W 31-1 with adjustable sights(not factory) added came up and it started at 400.00,but due to not being factory original quickly dropped to 200.00. well i said 150.00 and the auctioneer knocked it off quickly to me.the rear sight is a original S&W adjustable and the front is a pinned micro. i gave it to my wife as a carry revolver when we ride our fourwheelers in the woods, and we have both carried it when walking on our land. i load 85gr hp,s at about 800fps. it is a very accurt revolver for its size. eastbank.

 

[JSH1]

Not all revolvers chambered in .32 S&W Long will fire .32 ACP or .32 S&W because the rim on the ACP and S&W is 0.010 thinner than a S&W Long. My revolver only lightly strikes the primer when loaded with .32 ACP and the primer fails to ignite.

 

[Kernel]

Eastbank, very cool little .32 revolver. Is it a square butt j-frame?

 

[Kleanbore]

The Model 31 was an I-Frame.

 

[oneounceload]

I have an older I frame in 32SWL, just a shooter to replace the 6" R&P target model I sold to buy another shotgun. I do have some 32ACP left over, but not too keen on shooting them in the I frame