"hot" .32acp loads for a .303 chamber adapter?

[coosbaycreep]

I've got some dies on order for .32acp. I know it will be a real hassle loading a cartridge that small, but I've got more time than money, and it seems like it might be a fun challenge.

I'll be loading mostly for two keltecs, but I also have a chamber adapter so you can fire .32acp out of an enfield. I've only used it a few times, but have had one squib, and the only round I chronographed with it was moving a blistering 353fps. That's about half of what they chrony out of a keltec.

I'm thinking about trying .2 to .5 grains over the max with either red dot, bullseye, or universal for the enfield, and I'll be using 71gr bullets. Do you think that would be alright?

The operating pressure of .303british is at least twice that of .32acp, but since I have no way of testing pressures, I'm not sure if that would be safe or not.

Obviously I would mark the hot rounds and keep them seperated so I don't accidentally shoot them in the keltecs.

I'm mainly trying to get enough velocity that I don't have to worry about squibs.

Thoughts?

 

[rcmodel]

Do you think that would be alright?

No.
If you have two Kel-Tec's, sooner or later one of your over-max loads will find thier way into them no matter how well you mark them.
That wouldn't be prudent!

Anyway, with the very tiny .32 ACP case, pressure can spike and go through the roof with a very small increase in powder charge.

Buy the books, & read the pages.
Max is Max.

Squibs should not be a problem with normal loads.

rc

 

[coosbaycreep]

I went shooting this morning and tried out the chamber insert in the enfield again. I put 6 rounds through it, and chrono'd 3 of them. The velocities were 712fps to 759fps, and they were way more accurate than the first time I tried shooting .32acp in the gun.

It seems like my bore was real "rough" looking when I got the gun. I've shot around 150 rounds or so since I've had it, and the bore looks much better now than when I got it. I think that may have been why I got a squib and super low velocities the first time I tried the chamber insert.

I see no need to load overpressure rounds now though. I guess I just needed to shoot the gun more and clean all that crap out of the grooves that had accumulated over the decades.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

Sounds like you need a mild abrasive like J & B Bore Paste or something similar to really clean your barrel. It can make a turkey into a shooter.

 

[Clark]

I have damaged a Kel-Tec P32 from really hot 110 gr bullet loads.
The recoil drives the slide back so hard that it sheared off the slide stop / ejector.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I have an adapter to shoot .32 ACP ammo in my 30-06. I use 73gr Fiocchi FMJ ball ammo and it works fine. The Fiocchi ammo is loaded to European standards so it's a little more powerful. I usually shoot it at the 50 yard range and it's fun.

I also bought a 7.62X25 adapter for my Mosin Nagain and that's a hoot to shoot. Since the Surplus Tokarev ammo is rated @~1300 fps it has plenty of velocity to get through the barrel and the bullet is the same diameter so none of the energy is taken up swagging the bullet. I can easily shoot those @100 yards...