Avoiding Rim Lock in .32 ACP

[Gun Master]

I have been pleased with loading my autoloader mags with my UpLULA and BabyUpLULA magazine loaders. This is especially true since I've developed a severe case of arthritis in my hands within the past year. It surely is a lot more comfortable (and faster), than doing it entirely by hand.

Could some of you guys share your experience of whether the UpLULA loaders have overcome the rim lock problem, especially regarding the semi-rimed ammo, like the .32 APC.

Thanks.

 

[usp9]

Rimlock is found in certain pistols but not in others, as a result of design factors, not how the magazine is loaded.

 

[Hurryin' Hoosier]

I've never had the dreaded rim-lock problem with my Česká zbrojovka vz.50 or vz.70. I do use a Baby Lula loader and give the magazine being loaded a couple of "taps" after 4 rounds and again after all 8. I also stick with European 7.65 ammo (S&B, Prvi Partizan, Fiocchi, and GECO).

 

[rcmodel]

Rimlock is only a problem with shorter then standard FMJ-RN ammo.

JHP is especially prevalent in causing it because it is loaded to a shorter OAL the FMJ-RN.

More info here concerning your P32.
http://www.1bad69.com/keltec/rimlock.htm

If you use JHP in your P32, you should be using a rimlock preventer kit from Kel-Tec in every magazine, or the homemade Flyer wire shown in the link.

rc

 

[MedWheeler]

^^ Remember to source a second magazine, so you'll have another from which to shoot "full-length" ammo without having to alter your already-altered first one.


And, yes, the KT P32 seems to be more prone to rimlock than many other .32ACP pistols. This may simply be due to the higher popularity of the gun, making rimlock something we hear more about. But, there may also be something to the magazine itself. This gun, when it was released, was "breaking some boundaries" in its construction, after all.

 

[Vodoun da Vinci]

Technically .32 is prone to rimlock and any pistol in this caliber can rim lock. The only gun I have personally seen do it is the Kel Tec P-32. I have put thousands of rounds thru my Colts and before that several Beretta 81 and 82 and we have shot several Walthers and a Beretta Tomcat in .32 at the range.

Never have seen a rim lock in any other gun. Not saying it *can't* happen...just saying I have tried to make it happen and can't. The Colt's will strip the next round off even if you deliberately push the top round over the rim of the underlying round. I don't know why but it may have to do with grip angle and steepness of the resulting magazine or maybe magazine design.

I dunno.

VooDoo

 

[Robbins290]

Never heard of it till now, I never seen it happen in my cz70 and 1903. I have had it happen in a few ww2 guns. Mostly mosins and a enfield once

 

[usp9]

Rimlock is only a problem with shorter then standard FMJ-RN ammo.

Rimlock can and does occur in 70+ gr. ball ammo as well. It depends on the mag design, depends on the gun. The CZ83 is a prime example of this. CZ redesigned the mag to lessen the problem. That said; rimlock results when the rounds are able to shift, probably due to roomy mags.

 

[Onmilo]

I've only had rimlock twice, with my Kel-Tec P32, with European fmj ammo.
Got in a hurry loading the magazines and had a case pop behind the one below it.
I slow down and take my time and be careful loading these and all my other .32 acp magazines and haven't had and issue since.

CZ came up with a novel way to avoid rimlock in their double column CZ83 magazines by adding an indentation to the back of the magazine body just below the feedway.
Since a double column magazine loads by pushing the cartridge down and back, the rounds naturally ride forward of the ones below and the indentation keeps the rounds in the same position once they are down in the box.
Very cool idea that works great with all kinds of .32 ammo, from FMJs to hollowpoints.
Here's a picture of the original magazine that came with my gun and the new improved CZ83 32 acp magazine on the left

 

[berettaprofessor]

To a Kel-tec P32 mag, there's this solution made by Kel-tec:

http://www.keltecweapons.com/p-32-and-p-3at/p-32-accessories/p32-314-rim-lock-spacer-7451/

You can also make a homemade solution yourself. Directions are below, or you can search "FlyerWire".

http://www.keltecforum.com/articles/a5/a5.html

 

[Onward Allusion]

Use FMJ or add a Flyerwire. Personally, I'd stick to FMJ for 32 ACP and call it a day.

 

[Gun Master]

.32 acp fmj

Use FMJ or add a Flyerwire. Personally, I'd stick to FMJ for 32 ACP and call it a day.

Good call. Would you like to buy some Winchester Silver Tips HP in .32 ACP?

 

[MedWheeler]

Personally, I'd stick to FMJ for 32 ACP and call it a day.

That's what I do. In fact, when I installed the KT rimlock spacer in one of my magazines, that magazine stopped working reliably in my gun. So, I took it out.

 

[Gun Master]

Kel-Tec Rimlock Kits for .32 ACP Mags

To a Kel-tec P32 mag, there's this solution made by Kel-tec:

http://www.keltecweapons.com/p-32-and-p-3at/p-32-accessories/p32-314-rim-lock-spacer-7451/

You can also make a homemade solution yourself. Directions are below, or you can search "FlyerWire".

http://www.keltecforum.com/articles/a5/a5.html

Thanks for the two online references.

I tried the 1st one, and was told the kit was out of stock. I then emailed Kel-Tec, asking them to put me on backorder. Yesterday they answered, and said they hadn't made any of the kits for a long time and didn't expect they would ever resume. Also, the didn't have an accessory notification list.

I don't feel secure in making my own "FlyerWire", as shown in the 2nd one.

Now I plan to just use FMJ in my mags, and possibly have JHP in the chamber, for the 1st shot only.

 

[MedWheeler]

^^ You can use a JHP as your second shot, too, if you feel so inclined. The topmost round in the magazine is safe from rimlock.

 

[Potatohead]

Sounds like a disease, Is it contagious?

 

[Onward Allusion]

^^ You can use a JHP as your second shot, too, if you feel so inclined. The topmost round in the magazine is safe from rimlock.

. . . the topmost round in the mag is *safer* from rim-lock. If the gun is jostled with a fully loaded magazine, there is a chance that the topmost round locks with the 2nd round in the mag. I had this happen to me with one of my P32's.

I'd dropped my P32 onto carpet at about 3 feet and didn't think anything of it. Took it to the range a few days later and the thing locked up on me after the 1st round. It is my EDC, too! Man, was I glad I found out at the range! Granted the entire mag was loaded with JHP at the time.

Nowadays, ANY time my gun gets jostled around hard, which is not often, I double check the mag and at a minimum do a mag slap on my palm. These days, I only carry FMJ for 32 ACP.

 

[Gun Master]

Thanks. Good to know.

 

[Onmilo]

About .32 acp ammo.
I have been shooting .32 acp pistols for 40 years now and .32 acp fmj is the ONLY ammo to use in these guns, preferably European fmj which is loaded a bit hotter than the US stuff.
If you carry a .32 as a primary gun in winter hollowpoint is the worst stuff to use because it WILL underpenetrate when plowing through heavy winter clothing.

 

[Weevil]

Only rimlock I've had is using WWB with the flatpoint in a Colt 1903.

I've never had a problem with roundnose FMJ in any of the .32s I've owned over the years.


I've never really seen the point of using HP in a .32, and when you consider the rimlock issue I definitely don't see it as being a good idea.