Colt DS .38 vs .32

[Steve C]

For the cost of .32 Long/NP a set of Lee dies and supplies from Midway was less than 3 boxes of ammo, at least a few years back. I bought some Remington brass and 98 gr lead bullets by MagTec from Midway and picked up some LSWC cast bullets from a local Gun Shop. Data was found in my old Speer No. 9 manual. The loads where specific to "Modern solid frame pistols" of which a Colt DS or Police Positive made 1950 or later fills the bill. Most of the data you find on line is rather anemic because they default to the pressure capabilities of the old break action "Saturday Night Specials" made in the early 1900's. I have seen Colt Police Positives and Detective Specials that have been chambered to .32 magnum

The loads I made using Unique duplicated the velocities shown in the data below when chrono'd from my 4" Police Positive. In the small .32 case small changes in charge wt really ups the pressure and velocities so be careful when increasing your charge weight.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/uveji3kokfcbef2/32SWLongSpeer9markup.PDF?dl=0

 

[Shoot66]

Grizz: Thanks for the tip. Prvi is on the market here, it should be possible to order the .32 S&W. And the Sell-Bell is the local ammo. I will order some ammo once I have the necessary papers done. As I do not own a firearm in this caliber yet, I can not buy it otherwise.

Monac: Thanks for your good advice. I consider the money for the .32 spent. The probability of reselling the gun later on is very small. It will stay in the family. As my wife says: We buy guns, we don´t sell! (Although I do occasionaly, but not this types of classic guns).
I am not interested in a acquiring another longer barrel revolver (at least not at this stage). Following a good advice of this esteemed community I used an opportunity to grab a 4´´ Korth for a very reasonable price last fall. I also own a very nice 6´´ Python.

Vern: As you correctly say... The short sight radius is exactly what makes the proposition interesting for me. Anybody can shoot the long guns, right? Last year I played with my P938 at the 100 yards line a lot (steel torso). The .32 DS is to be the next player for this game.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Massad Ayoob wrote of an instance where in depositions in a civil case (a bad guy shot at a storekeeper at fairly long range, and the store returned fire fatally), the shyster for the plaintiff asked with a snotty shyster attitude, "Do you really think a snub nose revolver would be dangerous at that distance?"

Mas replied, "I consider a snub nosed revolver dangerous at a hundred yards."

The shyster made a note, and Mas knew what that meant. He got some friends together and had them shoot man-sized silhouette targets at 100 yards with snubbies, and brought them to court with him.

When the shyster brought up the subject, Mas produced the targets. The shyster lost the case.