Ballistic gelatin test results : 32H&R Magnum

[Brass Fetcher]

Special thanks to SB for providing the gun and ammunition for the test.

Cartridge : Federal Personal Defense Handgun 85gr JHP (Part # C32HRB)

Firearm : Ruger Blackhawk .32H&R Magnum with 5.5" barrel length

Block Calibration : All depths corrected (From 12.5cm @ 603 ft/sec)

Shot 1 - Impacted at 1081 ft/sec, penetrated to 13.3" and was recovered at 0.407" average diameter.

Shot 2 - Impacted at 1022 ft/sec, penetrated to 13.3"+ and was recovered at 0.375" average diameter. The '+' indicates that the bullet actually traveled out of the back of the block and traveled some distance into the bullet stop box.

Shot 3 - Impacted at unrecorded velocity, penetrated to 13.3"+ and was recovered at 0.381" average diameter. The '+' indicates that the bullet actually traveled out of the back of the block and traveled some distance into the bullet stop box.

Shot 4 - Impacted at unrecorded velocity, penetrated to 13.3"+ and was recovered at 0.371" average diameter. The '+' indicates that the bullet actually traveled out of the back of the block and traveled some distance into the bullet stop box.

The velocities for shots 3 and 4 were not recorded because shot placement from 10' was starting to become unsatisfactory (shots were overlapping and those results were discarded) - shots 3 and 4 were fired from a distance of 4 feet to insure that only undamaged portions of block were shot.

 

[Waywatcher]

I was always wondering if those little rounds opened up. Nice! I wonder how much different it would be out of a 2" barrel?

 

[loplop]

+1 Waywatcher; the S&W 432PD looks like a nice little piece.

Has it been discontinued? I went to fetch an image off S&W, and it's gone...

 

[Dain Bramage]

The S&W .32 mag snubs have been gone for over a year now. I managed to snag one of the last 431PDs for my wife in Jan, 2006. Asked three dealers before one was able to find a distributor that had it.

 

[Snowdog]

Excellent work, JE223!

 

[nero45acp]

Thanks, JE223. I carry a S&W 432PD (loaded with the very same ammo you tested), and I've been wanting to see some ballistic gelatin test results with that cartridge.


nero

 

[461]

I love the .32Mag. I've got a 3" SP-101, a 5.5" adjustable sighted Single-Six and a Marlin levergun in it and they are all a ton of fun. I missed out on the Smiths and am actively looking for one here in CA.

Great cartridge that is sadly ignored by most manufacturers.

 

[loplop]

I'll have to buy one before they disappear.

How is the "kick" compared to a 38 spl? My wife is quite recoil sensitive, and the Airweight snubs aren't her choice to shoot. Her Mod 36 (steel) is about as much as she can reliably handle.

 

[Brass Fetcher]

I just confirmed my suspicion

While looking through some old test results...

I think that it is safe to say that the .32NAA is the ballistic twin of the .32H&R magnum, as tested. With handloads, it's possible to propel the 85gr Hornady XTP to 925-975 ft/sec, out of a 2.75" long .32NAA barrel.

Anyways, just thought that I would throw that out there for discussion... Now if Kel-Tec would only make the P3AT in .32NAA .... 7 shots of .32H&R magnum performance in a 8 ounce gun... ...!

 

[loplop]

Too bad there's no good performing SD ammo available in factory loads for 32 NAA. The CorBon didn't impress me in your tests, penetration was very shallow.

 

[Brass Fetcher]

+1. Cor-Bon .32NAA, as it was loaded when I tested it, is a poor example of the capabilities of this cartridge. All that they had to do was to substitute a 71gr (or heavier), limited expansion JHP for the fragmentation-prone 60gr XTP that they went with. Simple substitution of bullets and we go from 'just pissing them off' to an IWBA-compliant self-defense round.

And the bottleneck of the .32NAA cartridge will improve feed reliability in mouseguns, something in my experience, that is a welcome change.

 

[ugaarguy]

While looking through some old test results...

I think that it is safe to say that the .32NAA is the ballistic twin of the .32H&R magnum, as tested. With handloads, it's possible to propel the 85gr Hornady XTP to 925-975 ft/sec, out of a 2.75" long .32NAA barrel.

+1. Cor-Bon .32NAA, as it was loaded when I tested it, is a poor example of the capabilities of this cartridge. All that they had to do was to substitute a 71gr (or heavier), limited expansion JHP for the fragmentation-prone 60gr XTP that they went with. Simple substitution of bullets and we go from 'just pissing them off' to an IWBA-compliant self-defense round.

I wonder if our friend Mr. Sundles is reading this? What could Buffalo Bore do with the round?

 

[loplop]

Good point, because I won't carry handloads, and a properly-loaded factory bullet would make that an attractive platform.

I would actually really like to see what can be done with the 25NAA. That platform is much smaller than the larger framed 32NAA/380 gun.

 

[RyanM]

Not bad. Looks like that'd do much better than a .38 SPL wadcutter for a reduced recoil load. For someone who will absolutely never use .38 +Ps, a gun in .32 H&R may not be that bad a choice.

 

[chipp]

431

loplop I just saw a couple 431 at a local shop in Pa. With hammers. or is that the 432?

 

[wileyj]

Fountain Firearms in Houston, TX shows about 9 or 10 431PD's and a 432PD
http://www.fountainfirearms.com/
281-561-8447

<no relationship to the shop. i have no vested interest in the shop> It is just one that I use and have bought from

 

[71Commander]

Thanks for the info. Much appreciated.

 

[S.P.E.C.T.R.E.]

Wow, excellent test. This means that my 1895 Nagant revolver is now a reasonable backup home defense gun, since it shoots .32 H&R Magnum nicely.

 

[Alan Fud]

Folks, the 432 is a .38 special. The 332 is the .32magnum.

 

[71Commander]

432PD is a hammerless 32 H&R mag. 431PD is a exposed hammer 32 H&R mag, as pictured above.

 

[DMK]

Wow, that round does much better than I expected. It looks like a better choice than .380 or 9x18 to me.

 

[Alan Fud]

432PD is a hammerless 32 H&R mag. 431PD is a exposed hammer 32 H&R mag, as pictured above.

I've got both of them sitting right here in front of me ...

... the 332 has ".32 H&R MAG" on the barrel and the 432 has ".38 SPL +P" on the barrel.

 

[nero45acp]

I own a 432PD, and it's definitely chambered in .32H&R Magnum.

http://gunblast.com/WBell_SW32s.htm


nero

 

[71Commander]

The 431PD pictured above is mine. 431 is exposed hammer, 432PD is hammerless.

432PD
http://www.impactguns.com/store/022188636666.html

 

[Alan Fud]

I stand corrected ...

... the model 332 is a .32 caliber and the 342 is a .38 caliber. I apologize.