Bear with me as I tell my tale of woe:
I own a Marlin Model 1892 rifle in .32 Long Colt caliber. It was made around 1908.
.32 Long Colt ammo has not been made for about 25 years. Winchester still makes .32 SHORT Colt ammo, however, and it may be fired in a .32 Long Colt chamber.
Now, to the particulars:
The .32 Long Colt case was originally designed for a heeled bullet. Therefore, the diameter of the case is the same diameter of the bullet, which closely matches the bore. Think of it as an oversized .22 Long Rifle.
Anyway, the .32 Long Colt was introduced about 1875 for a variety of Colt revolvers. Some rifle makers such as Marlin and Stevens chambered for it.
In the early 20th century, Smith & Wesson introduced the .32 Smith & Wesson Long. It was a better cartridge because it was designed to have most of the bullet's body inside the case, where the bullet lubricant was protected.
Colt recognized this new .32 as a good cartridge but couldn't bring itself to chamber its revolvers AND acknowledge its greatest competitor.
So, they took the same cartridge, put a little flat tip on the end of the lead bullet, and renamed it the .32 Colt New Police.
Follow me so far? .32 Long Colt vs. .32 Colt New Police?
So, the .32 Smith & Wesson Long and the .32 Colt New Police are basically identical cartridges and may be fired interchangeably.
However, the .32 Long Colt has a case smaller in diameter. It will fit into a .32 S&W Long / .32 Colt NP chamber but usually splits when fired and releases gas back to the shooter's face. It's a dangerous practice. Don't do it.
Curses on Colt for renaming the S&W round as they did!
Every time I ask, "You got any .32 Long Colt ammo?" at a gun store or gun show, I get handed a box of .32 S&W Long Ammo.
"No, that's not it. I need .32 Long Colt ammo."
"Same thing," is the usual reply.
"No, it's not. The .32 Long Colt case is smaller in diameter."
"Nahhhhh .. .32 is .32," they typically say.
And it doesn't stop there. Finding bullets for reloading is another problem.
The interior diameter of a sized .32 Long Colt case is about .294 inch. Bullet size should be about .299 inch.
When I tell people that I can't use regular .32 bullets in the .32 Long Colt, they tell me I'm crazy and, "Sure ya can."
"No, I can't, because then I'd be trying to squeeze a .312 or .314 inch diameter bullet into a case opening of .294 inch. It won't work."
One guy insisted it would work, but admitted the case would bulge some. I asked him how I could ever chamber such a cartridge and he walked away t talk with another customer.
Then there's the matter of headstamps on .32 Long Colt ammo and .32 Colt New Police (which, remember, is identical to .32 S&W Long cases).
The .
32 Long Colt headstamp is typically 32 COLT, 32 C, 32 LC, 32 LCF, 32 LONG or 32 LONG COLT.
The
.32 Colt New Police is typically headstamped 32 POLICE, 32 COLT NP or 32 CNP.
Folks, you think the laughable .45 GAP has problems? I've been fighting this ammo and headstamp battle for nearly 10 years! :banghead:
But, I've managed to get the old Marlin rifle shooting again. And it's a fun shooter, too. Picture an octagon-barreled Model 39 in .32 caliber! Great on small game.