Federal .32 S&W-L velocities?

[Pyro]

On their website they list both their LRN and WC at being 780 fps.
Don't wadcutters generally have lower velocities than other bullets?
Their 38 Special WC (690) has a much slower velocity than their heavier LRN (770).

 

[Walkalong]

WC's are for target use and generally loaded to lesser velocities for such work.

 

[oldfool]

my guess is that Federal just doesn't offer a wide array for S&W 32L
(not much of anybody does that I know of offhand, not a high demand cartridge)
so it's really not the same as with the many 38 varieties; the 38 target wc used to be the king of bullseye
(just not that much point in 'downloading' a 32 caliber anyway, you know)

 

[ThomasT]

I think the wad cutter loads are loaded a little hotter for the european semi auto target pistols. When Gil Sengel wrote his excellent article on the 32 caliber guns a few years ago he listed the Federal WC loads as giving higher velocity than the round nose lead loads.

But I am just guessing here.

 

[Gordon]

Ratshooter is correct.

 

[Stainz]

So, Ratshooter, you have a semi-auto that loads & shoots .32 S&W Longs?

I think they may be the better choice for an old so-chambered revolver - unless you have some full wadcutters. They'd leave a larger wound channel than a LRN/LRNFP - probably not shatter a pevis - unless it was a ferret.

Stainz

 

[Walkalong]

I do. I run the Berrys 83 Gr HBWC at around 825ish in my Benelli MP3-S. Shoots great. The target shooters shoot lead at a little slower velocities.

 

[Pyro]

When I stacked the cylinder [lrn, wc, lrn, wc, lrn, wc] I couldn't feel any real difference in recoil between the two.
The lrn did spit though, that was annoying.

Ratshooter, where could I possibly find that article?

 

[ThomasT]

So, Ratshooter, you have a semi-auto that loads & shoots .32 S&W Longs?

No Stainz, I don't own a 32 auto loader. But that doesn't mean I don't know that they exist.

They are popular guns in europe and used in target shooting and in olympic shooting. Norma also loads a similar load for the same purpose. From the internet if you care to look it up.

Although generally seen primarily just in older revolvers in the United States, the .32 S&W Long is also popular among international competitors using high-end target pistols from makers such as Hämmerli, Benelli, and Walther, among others, but chambered for wadcutter bullet type. The sporting variant of the Manurhin MR 73 is also chambered in .32 S&W Long.[3]