Manurhin MR32 32 SWL Revolver

Mark_Mark said:
I like your new gun! I think if I saved up for a year and get better at shooting DA. Might be fun to own a MR32

what brass, bullet, powder, primer, die combo are you using?
Click to expand...
I currently use what brass I have in hand, mostly some Magtech, S&B and PPU. but I have a large stash of Starline on hand.

I have moulds for 98 gr solid base wadcutters and 98 grain SWC bullets. I just bought a 1000 Missouri bullets 98 grain wadcutters.

So far, the only powder that I have used in 32 SWL is W231/HP38. It meters well for the small powder charges

I have not shot much 32 SWL, that will change soon, so mostly I have been buying ammunition to accumulate the cases.

My dies are RCBS. Redding or Lyman would have been another choice. Redding and RCBS are my favorites, I buy which ever one I find in stock.
 
I've shot a Smith 32 side by side with a vintage 38. Both were massive accurate and would no doubt meet the advertised standard of 1.5" at 50 yards. Shooting "NRA" slow-fire at 25 yards, I made prettier groups with the 38 but this might have beein an illusion because the bigger holes looked close together. I currently own a near-perfect Colt Police Positie from 1938 and an H&R like the one in the 1940 Shooter's bible. IMG_0111.JPG
iverandcoltloads.jpg
 
Nice pistol!
I my country 32 caliber pistols are very rare compared to the lower 48 states. It seems the further west you go 32’s are encountered with less frequently. But Alaska is not only west but north and in my experience 32’s are very hard to find.
I did come across a 3” model 30-1 new in the box a a reasonable price so it came home with me.

I have a 4” Ruger SP101 327 which is a great little gun which I have shot 32 SW, 32 SWL, 32 H&R and of course the nasty 327 mag. The gun came with 8 boxes of 327, 4 boxes of 32 HR and 2 boxes of 32SWL.
It was part of a crazy trade deal but obviously the very quantity of ammo was certainly a kicker. But after shooting a couple cylinders of 327’s I’m definitely not a fan of that cartridge. Shooting 32 HR and 32 SWL in the pistol is a pleasant experience. I’ve all ready broken down 200 327’s to be loaded with Lyman 311-316 with a more sedate charge and have plans for a 137 grain slug as well.
Here’s another “but”, it’s not a S&W which is what I was wanting. I have only shot the model 30 once but that will change in the near future. A little wintry up here at this time.
IMG_3407.jpeg
I would love a model 16 with sights but that might be a while as funds and availability are both in short supply.
 
Last edited:
I've never shot a 327 magnum but seems t mirror the 30 MI carbine from a Ruger blackhawk with, I suspect with the samd degree of LOUDNESS.
 
Yes the 327 is just flat rude. A 100 grains at 1400 - 1500 fps just seems out of balance to me. I have a 137 grain and a 145 grain NOE molds that I’m going to see how they work but at 900 to 1100 fps range. The Lyman 311-316 at about 1000 to 1200 should be a good one.
A fellow on another forum will use his 327 at the range if there’s annoying people at the next bench. He says the 327 muzzle blast clears the area pretty fast.
But the 32 S&WL is very pleasant and I do have that chambered in a Stevens tip up which will make a nice companion to the model 30. That little rifle is not only a pleasure but lights out accurate.
 
I read that some ISU/ISSF shooters cling to the revolver because they are more reliable than a blowback .32 SWL wadcutter auto.

S&W only made about 3600 K32s.

Back in the 20th, J&G Rifle Ranch got a large number of Colt Officers Model Target revolvers in .32 SWL. Big ads in Shotgun News and Gun List. They had them in a wide range of condition and price, from VG used to NIB.
Coltforum says that there were 700-850 guns sent to the Massachusetts National Guard in 1939. Was that all that was available with war in Europe soaking up .38s for Lend Lease? Did a clerk typo .32 for .38? I have seen both theories but the proud owners on Coltforum don't say.
 
The Model 16/32 played a part in the 32 MAGNUM! genesis. Dean Grennell got the ball rolling loaded the thing up to 1000 or 1200 fps, I don't remember which with the hollow-point version of the115 grain -32=20 bullet that cast out at 105 grains or so andit sounded pretty neat at the time 1960s or there -about/.. It didn't put too much strain on the k-frame platform. When the 32 H-R came out, Smth and wesson did some k-frames and came out with it in the j-frame also. Skeeter Skelton filled the cases with Herc.2400 and this was said to be the reason Smith did away with their 32 Kit Guns. Those loads reached into the 1200 fps range and the ones I shot in Ruger Single sixes were into the 1200 fps range with HUGE velocity spreads. My most consistent H&R loads were with WW231 loaded to the velocities of the Federal factory loads.
 
Last edited:
An acquaintance in CAS got a "set" of .32 H&R, two Ruger "Vaqueritos" and the scarce Marlin .32 "Cowboy".
Less recoil? Nope, it suited him to load them to the SASS maximum of 1000 fps revolver, 1400 fps rifle. BANG!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: mec
mec said:
I've never shot a 327 magnum but seems t mirror the 30 MI carbine from a Ruger blackhawk with, I suspect with the samd degree of LOUDNESS.
Click to expand...
I have a SW 632 327 mag, 3 inch barrel, comp'ed, hammered. I have said this before. With full power 327s it's a beast. It will slam your hand.

I've shot it outlaw in matches for fun. Usually 32 SW Longs, mild. Now I found that round had a hard time knocking down steel. So I would load a speed loader with 327s and time my reloads to get to the steel with the 327s. When I fired one, the SO jumped. The crowd gasped. They thought the gun blew up! It's blasting, flame thrower! Love the gun though. With some max'ed out Buffalo Bore hard cast lead - nothing to be sneezed at.
 
Jim Watson said:
S&W only made about 3600 K32s
Click to expand...
Which is what makes them rare and expensive.

The S&W Model 16-4 was made in 1990s. It is a K-frame chambered in 32H&R Mag. They were made in the era when full length under barrel lugs were all the rage.

Still, a nice revolver, I like mine.

S&W made a bit more than 8000 guns during its production life so they are a bit easier to find than K-32’s.

Even so, I’ve only seen two of them, the one I bought and one other.

I load wadcutters in 32 H&R Mag cases for the gun. It shoots them well.
 
GEM said:
I have a SW 632 327 mag, 3 inch barrel, comp'ed, hammered. I have said this before. With full power 327s it's a beast. It will slam your hand.
Click to expand...
I have my 327 Fed Mag Ruger Sp101 set up to shoot hot 32 H&R Mag loads for dispaching ground hogs around my hobby horse farm. So far, the ground hogs have been smart and avoided us but I'm ready.:)

A couple years ago, a ground hog would go out in the pasture and not run from us. I shot it with a S&W Model 317 (22LR) but it took a couple hits to put it down permanently. I'm hoping the 32 caliber SWC bullet will do a better job but no ground hogs have cooperated yet.

Admittedly, I do not sit out and stalk the ground hogs. I just hope I see them when feeding the horses and put them out of my misery.

We see a few round hogs around the property from time to time.

As the OP, I enjoy seeing all the 32 caliber revolver stories.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

il.bill
  • Locked
Save your recyclables for Cash - Manurhin MR73
2
Replies
36
Views
2K
Master Blaster
Master Blaster
H
  • Locked
New Manurhin MR73: Is it Worth it?
2 3
Replies
58
Views
7K
Jim Watson
J
T
  • Locked
Manurhin revolvers ?????
Replies
5
Views
2K
dao
D
cfullgraf
  • Locked
S&W 8-3/8" and K-frame revolvers
Replies
24
Views
738
CraigC
CraigC
TTv2
Taurus 74 and 741 .32 revolvers
Replies
14
Views
1K
Walkalong
Walkalong
Back
Top