Loading 38sp to 32spec

[PerdidoMan]

Hi guys,

After my last hand surgery I have become EXTREMELY recoil sensitive. As in thinking 22lr has recoil sensitive., I was trying to sell my carry gun (38LCR) and buy a 327 to shoot low recoil 32 as my defensive rds. But, after a lot of drama the sale fell through and (luckily) I got my gun back.Besides, 32 revolvers are hard to come buy right now - at least for a reasonable price.

So, now I am looking into reloading my 38sp rds to 32 standards to make the gun shootable and use it for defense. (shooting a roundd of commercial 38Sp would not allow for a follow up shot, if you know what I mean. That hand is ***** up!).

I have been looking into the 105 grain WC or SWC at Matt's bullets and am wondering if there is a way to recreate a rd that shoots and recoils more like a 32 S&W that I can practice with and carry. Not ideal but it would beat carrying a 22lr. My thinking is that a 105gr rd at maybe 600+FPS may not be a one shot man stopper but would allow for fa follow up and definitely beats some harsh words.

Thank you!

 

[brewer12345]

In your shoes I would try a light bullet with some Trail Boss. I would also seriously consider trying to get my hands on a heavier gun. I shoot 105 grain SWCs over 4.X (can't remember) grains of Bullseye for a full power standard pressure 38 load. Out of a 357 Security Six, the recoil is negligible because the gun is relatively heavy and the bullet is light.

 

[Jim Watson]

I found mention of 100 gr .38s with 3 gr Bullseye, plus or minus.

A friend loaded 125s with 2.8 gr Clays for his wife to shoot CAS.

Lead only, you do not want to pull a core and stick a jacket by loading a JHP too lightly.

 

[.455_Hunter]

I was confused on how .38 Special relates to .32 Special. Now I understand.

 

[fxvr5]

these links might give you some ideas for light recoil.

see this: https://www.mattsbullets.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=231

and this: https://mattsbullets.com/ammunition/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4&products_id=28

reviewed here; https://www.shootingillustrated.com...atts-bullets-comfort-plinker-38-special-ammo/

 

[Barbaroja]

Is learning to shoot with your other hand an option?

 

[Riomouse911]

Light bullseye-powder loads may be the way to go.

2.7 gr BE under a 125 gr TCFP will do what you want with minimal recoil.

Stay safe.

 

[Bfh_auto]

What about a 380 acp bullet loaded to similar velocity?

 

[Mr_Flintstone]

What about a 380 acp bullet loaded to similar velocity?

I believe .380 bullets are .355” Instead of .357”. That may cause problems with accuracy, but then again, SD loads are often up close and personal loads.

Hornady makes these if you can find them. You can probably hand load them just as easy.

 

[Bfh_auto]

I believe .380 bullets are .355” Instead of .357”. That may cause problems with accuracy, but then again, SD loads are often up close and personal loads.

Hornady makes these if you can find them. You can probably hand load them just as easy.
View attachment 955901

They are. But people shoot 9mm in ruger convertible.

 

[Jim Watson]

It's not the .355-.375" diameter mismatch in the barrel, it is the mismatch in the case. I could not get 9mm bullets to seat tight in .38 Special brass. When Ed Harris did a gunzine article about it, he had a die company make him a sizing die with a slight bottleneck to get the case tight on the bullet.

 

[Monac]

I found mention of 100 gr .38s with 3 gr Bullseye, plus or minus.

A friend loaded 125s with 2.8 gr Clays for his wife to shoot CAS.

Lead only, you do not want to pull a core and stick a jacket by loading a JHP too lightly.

Back in the early 1990's, when I went to gun shows all the time, I found a vendor selling 100 grain wadcutter 38 Special loads. They were loaded to 32 Long velocity, so it was just like firing 32 Long in an 38 Special revolver. Not only did they give very light recoil in an S&W Model 15, they were VERY accurate. Unfortunately, the guy was only there for two or three shows, and I did not buy a lifetime supply. I looked quite a bit, but I have never found such a load for sale since. (Of course, I stopped looking 10 or 12 years ago.)

The seller may have been doing something odd with the bullet alloy. IIRC, the bullets were a wadcutter style, with a large flat indentation at the exposed end. They were a light grey, not silvery, and had kind of a glazed look. He may have been using zinc in the mix, or maybe bismuth - I think this was the heyday of bismuth shot for shotgun shells, but I could very easily be wrong about that.

 

[Jim Watson]

You can cast bullets out of zinc in clean equipment, but you do not want zinc in a lead mix.
I don't know if bismuth will alloy with lead. It would make for expensive bullets used straight.

 

[Monac]

You can cast bullets out of zinc in clean equipment, but you do not want zinc in a lead mix.
I don't know if bismuth will alloy with lead. It would make for expensive bullets used straight.

Thanks, Jim. My handloading and bullet alloy knowledge is pretty much zero.

 

[PerdidoMan]

First of all - thank you guys. I will go through all your comments as soon as I get home tonight. I have already seen some great ideas. Truly appreciate all your inputs

 

[Crosshair]

In your shoes I would try a light bullet with some Trail Boss. I would also seriously consider trying to get my hands on a heavier gun. I shoot 105 grain SWCs over 4.X (can't remember) grains of Bullseye for a full power standard pressure 38 load. Out of a 357 Security Six, the recoil is negligible because the gun is relatively heavy and the bullet is light.

Agreed. 105 grain SWC would be what I would choose. Lee makes a nice SWC mold that I use in 38 and 9mm.

I prefer Titegroup for powder. Trailboss is a good choice if you're concerned about spotting double charges.

The Lee reloading manual has lots of cast bullet load data. The Lyman manual does as well. (Out of town for work, otherwise I'd go look them up.) Try searching for "38 Special Cowboy" loads online too.

 

[Mr_Flintstone]

Agreed. 105 grain SWC would be what I would choose. Lee makes a nice SWC mold that I use in 38 and 9mm.

I prefer Titegroup for powder. Trailboss is a good choice if you're concerned about spotting double charges.

The Lee reloading manual has lots of cast bullet load data. The Lyman manual does as well. (Out of town for work, otherwise I'd go look them up.) Try searching for "38 Special Cowboy" loads online too.

Matt’s Bullets sells 105 gr SWC already cast for those that don’t cast their own.
https://www.mattsbullets.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=65&zenid=5i1lo85l59j92hrs8s022n35s1

 

[PerdidoMan]

I have a S&W 64 that I used to shoot a lot. My go to load used to be 3.2 Bullseye with a 158 SWC. That has been the only reloading I have ever done - ever since somebody traded me full 38sp reloading setup for some work I did for him. The gun is nice and it is set up with CT as my night stand gun. It is just a bear to carry - especially down here in FL. I really like the idea of the 105 SWC for the LCR. Just checked my old Lymann book and there is nothing comparable in there. So anybody who can get me some load data - I would truly appreciate it.

 

[Walkalong]

Plenty of cool little .32 Long revolvers out there, that is my long term low recoil plan.

That said, lots off cool .38 Spl revolvers out there and some good advice here for loading them light. I would suggest Taill Boss, or WST or Competition, ad both of them do very well in large cases with lots of air space left when fully charged. Two of the best for light loads in .38 Spl or .357 Mag cases

 

[whughett]

Is learning to shoot with your other hand an option?

My thoughts exactly. Serious self defense folks, as should all who carry, practice with the off hand. Perhaps you’ll never accomplish the effectiveness of your right hand, assuming, but a full bore shot two inches off center mass is way better than a pipsqueak round that may or may not stop an assailant.

 

[PerdidoMan]

I shoot well with my off hand - just not as good as with my right. As someone who has been there, done that I know of the importance of shot placement and follow up accuracy over "stopping power".

@Walkalong If I could have found a nice 32 I would have bought one. But after already selling my 38LCR and sending it on an odyssey that cost me $120+ to get her back (long and ridiculous story) I will stick with the 38 - especially since I have plenty of brass and reloading equipment set up.The 32 is an awesome round, but it should be possible to load a similar round in 38. I even contemplated cutting cases back to load some 38 s&W

 

[Walkalong]

I love my old Victory model .38 S&W (not Spl), and the short cases are a plus for light loads.