Took the .32 plunge yesterday.

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AZAndy

AZAndy

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Last year, I spent months paring down the number of chamberings I load for. Got rid of everything except .38, .357, and .45ACP. I banished .32ACP, .380, 9mmMak, 9mm, and a couple I didn't load for, like the Tokarev and Nagant. "Keep it simple," I thought. "Focus on the ones you like most." And then, doofus that I am, I came home with this yesterday:

32.jpg

Three-screw I frame in .32 S&W Long, with 4" barrel (a "pre-31"), which I'm told shipped in 1957. It has the wrong grips, of course, because everything I find has the wrong grips. I'll track down some correct ones.

The shop I found it in didn't even have ammunition for it, though another local one (J&G) does. Now I'm off to Starline to order some brass, and Midway to get some dies. Yay?

The store it was in is about twenty minutes away from me. I'd gone in to pick up a holster, saw it in the case, said to myself ".32, no way," got home, did some reading on .32 long, went back, discovered I didn't have my wallet, went back home, got my wallet, and finally went back and picked it up. Drove back and forth for an hour and a half to get it... ;)
 
Nice revolver. Enjoy shooting it.

I found a 4" Model 30 (round butt version of the Model 31) several months ago and was amazed how accurate it is.

It is too bad the gun buying/shooting environment abandoned the 32 S&WL. If sales volume and choice of guns had been high enough and more varied, the 32 S&WL could have been a center fire option for 22LR.
 
AZAndy

Worth the drives back and forth, and then back again! I would have done the same thing (though usually I forget my cell phone but not my wallet), to get an oldie but goody like that! Congrats on the great find!
 
I don't think you'll regret it. .32 wadcutter is very available and such a joy to shoot. While I think a Ruger .327 is more versatile, I wouldn't doubt the quality or smoothness of a pre war Smith. If you keep it in that nice condition, the value will hold and should go up in the next 20 years.
 
Col. Harrumph said:
Andy, you are a gentleman and a scholar... the best kind of doofus. Now, what are you gonna say to the Mrs?
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I made a trade for it, thus neither spending money nor increasing my inventory. All is well on the home front. She was more concerned about the wallet failure, as that's not the first time I've forgotten it this year. I've already addressed that problem by switching from a jacket-pocket tall wallet to the regular back-pocket sort, so that it will be on me all the time.
 
TTv2 said:
I don't think you'll regret it. .32 wadcutter is very available and such a joy to shoot. While I think a Ruger .327 is more versatile, I wouldn't doubt the quality or smoothness of a pre war Smith. If you keep it in that nice condition, the value will hold and should go up in the next 20 years.
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AZAndy's gun was made in 1957. What war do you have in mind when you call it pre-war? :)

32 Long is one of my favorite cartridges to shoot because of its mild recoil and report. Although I do not handload, I have read that it is very economical to load for. Some people claimed they could shoot it for less than the cost of 22 LR, and that was back when 22s were cheap.

If you use factory ammo to get brass, Fiocchi loads round-nose FMJ 32 Long ammunition that is often less expensive than other brands. It used to be loaded a bit hotter than American made 32 Long, but I don't know if it still is.

That S&W is also an excellent gun to shoot them from. I have one like it (also a flat-latch), and it is a honey. The factory grips (like the ones on your gun) did not suit my hands well, so I found a pair of S&W J-Frame Target grips, which are excellent. They are long out of production, and many people ask big money for them, but sometimes you can find a pair at a decent price on Ebay. I hope you enjoy shooting it.
 
I'm a big fan if the I frame revolver. I downtown one (yet) but have shot several.

I'm not sure why my the .32 caliber hadn't gained acceptance in the USA but it should.
 
Monac said:
AZAndy's gun was made in 1957. What war do you have in mind when you call it pre-war? :)

32 Long is one of my favorite cartridges to shoot because of its mild recoil and report. Although I do not handload, I have read that it is very economical to load for. Some people claimed they could shoot it for less than the cost of 22 LR, and that was back when 22s were cheap.

If you use factory ammo to get brass, Fiocchi loads round-nose FMJ 32 Long ammunition that is often less expensive than other brands. It used to be loaded a bit hotter than American made 32 Long, but I don't know if it still is.

That S&W is also an excellent gun to shoot them from. I have one like it (also a flat-latch), and it is a honey. The factory grips (like the ones on your gun) did not suit my hands well, so I found a pair of S&W J-Frame Target grips, which are excellent. They are long out of production, and many people ask big money for them, but sometimes you can find a pair at a decent price on Ebay. I hope you enjoy shooting it.
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While I don't have any load data for it, I saw on Midway that Berry's .32 ACP FMJ bullets are about 5 cents a round and using those bullets would drop the price of reloaded .32 S&W Long or H&R Magnum to around 10 cents.

That's almost impossible to beat, so yes, .32 is very value oriented with reloading and I think more accurate and lower priced than match .22 ammo is.
 
Very nice! Definitely worth the multiple trips. That is a revolver you could shoot all day long if you wanted.

Would it be impolite to ask what you traded in for it?
 
While I don't have any load data for it, I saw on Midway that Berry's .32 ACP FMJ bullets are about 5 cents a round and using those bullets would drop the price of reloaded .32 S&W Long or H&R Magnum to around 10 cents.
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Measure the cylinder throats before you buy any of those. My S&W 32 longs have throats that measure closer to .314 and the Berrys bullets will be a tight .3125. I have some of the 32 wadcutters so I know this to be true. You will most likely get you best groups with lead bullets sized .313 to .314.

Congrats on a cool gun. I have three of the S&W 32 longs myself. Also four 32 mags. If you find you like shooting 32 longs keep your eye out for one of the Ruger single sixes in 32 mag. They are more of the same but just a little better. I am glad the 327 is popular but it never appealed to me because I seldom load the 32 mag to full power. But lots of shooters like theirs. I would almost buy a new Ruger 327 single six just for the 7 shot cylinder and the stainless steel construction.

Be prepared to be sucked down the 32 caliber hole. Its one fun round to shoot and play with. Easy on powder and easy on lead. Brass last a long time.
 
Congrats OP on a nice pickup. The 32 has grown on me. I picked up a 2.5" H&R 733 a half dozen years ago. Last year I snagged a 1939 4" Colt Pocket Positive. Over the last few months, I have added pair of 4" Colt Police Positive's (one was made in 1925 and the other 1926). I'm still on the lookout for a 3.5" 32 hand ejector to add to the collection.
 
jdavis123 said:
I recently inherited this 1955 .32 hand ejector ( pre-model 30) from my father in law. He kept it in his closet with 2 boxes of cartridges for over 50 years. It has aftermarket genuine mother of pearl grips on it but, I have a set of period correct diamond magnas should I wish to change them.
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Whoooo, that's sharp! The nickel's sure held up nicely, and the MOP grips go really well with it.
 
Ratshooter said:
Measure the cylinder throats before you buy any of those. My S&W 32 longs have throats that measure closer to .314 and the Berrys bullets will be a tight .3125. I have some of the 32 wadcutters so I know this to be true. You will most likely get you best groups with lead bullets sized .313 to .314.
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When I ordered bullets, I thought the .32ACP seemed too small and light. I have 500 .313 98 grain wadcutters on the way!
 
Love 32 H&R Magnum,, have a Dan Wesson revolver set from the good years, Most accurate gun I own.

Have several Charter Arms revolvers in same caliber.

Oh, well, if it doesn’t start with a 4.
 
AZAndy said:
When I ordered bullets, I thought the .32ACP seemed too small and light. I have 500 .313 98 grain wadcutters on the way!
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Good call. The round nose bullets even with a maximum charge don’t have much power, and aren’t very accurate for me. The wad cutters do great, and from what I have seen the heavier they are the better they do, plus they shoot a lot better and hit a lot harder. Nothing to dislike about the wadcutters.
 
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