What is a good powder for 32 ACP

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JONWILL

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I got a nice 32 Beretta 81 a bit ago. 32 ACP is crazy expensive. I got lucky and found 32 bullets plated bullets and dies at Midway. I do have some factory ammunition so I will have brass
I have never loaded this small of a case.
Powder is hard to find. I do have plenty of Winchester 231. Some Tite Group. I also have Autocomp
Anyone have some pet loads with any of those powders with a 75 grain bullet?
Also do you use a powder measure or weigh each charge
I have a Lee disc powder measure with the disc
 
Berretta 81 is a blow-back gun, so you need a fairly "fast" powder to burn before the chamber opens.

My best results are with VV N310 at around 800fps. But other fast powders like N320, W231, No2, Ba10 and Competition also do very well.

Stay with bullets in the 70-80gr range for best accuracy. I'm liking the 78gr coated LRN from T&B extremely well. Seat them down around 0.950".

This is my stock Model 81 at measured 30ft, supported...
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Before the sights were moved...
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My son's young eyes...
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When I had my Walther, Universal, Clays and Bullseye all did decently enough. There really is no room for error as min/max window is tiny
 
My RCBS Uniflow powder measure seems to have a difficult time with really small charges of flake powders, like Win 231, although they shoot well enough. They are just more of a hassle to load. If I try to throw 2.1 gr., the variation I get is all over the place. Move up to 4+ grains for a larger cartridge, and it hits dead on for weight every throw.

I have had better luck with small charges of AA#2, or even AA#5.

The 71 gr. Berry's plated do decent in my 81BB. I think the 76 gr. LRN bullets I bought from Midway did a bit better.
 
2.5 Grs AA #2 and a 60 Gr XTP @ .912 OAL was very accurate and gave me an average 841 FPS from a 3" Taurus PT-132 & 918 FPS from a 3 3/4" Beretta @ 98 Degrees 34% RH.

Accurate doesn't show data for the 60 Gr XTP or similar bullet, so work up very carefully. The Accurate 8.0 PDF shows a max of 2.2 with a 71 Gr FMJ @ .955 OAL.

Speer # 13 shows the 60 Gr GD-HP @ .940 OAL with a 2.6 Gr DNR for 963 FPS from a 3.8" Walther PP.
 
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I use a Redding 10-X for my handgun reloading. It works well with the smaller 32 caliber cartridges such as 32 ACP.

It has been a while since I loaded 32 ACP and I forget what powder I use and I am not covieniently locatedto my reloading records. But, the 10-X works well with small powder charges.

I have one 10-X modified to work with a Hornady case activated system and one for use with single stage press reloading.
 
have a Lee disc powder measure with the disc
Live life had a mod for the Lee disks so you can adjust the charge. (here someplace)
Take a disk that is one size larger than you will need then drill a hole thru the side.
For .32 looks like the .3 cavity would be best, since it is the smallest one you have and is probably to big for any charges you want for .32.
Since it is to big already not much to loose by trying the screw mod. I think Livelife used a 8/32 machine screw.
Thread in a machine screw then by making part of the screw stick into the cavity you can make the charge smaller than what the disk would normally throw.
Then you can back out the screw to the edge to let the disk trow what you want.
Another way would be to purchase the Lee drum measure..
Given that you wan to load .32 it might be worthwhile to purchase the drum measure since the smallest cavity in the disk measure is to large for most anything you would want to use for .32.
Lee used to make a set of micro disks for smaller pistol cailbers but they are no longer available.

Crummy drawing but this should give you an idea, screw sticks into cavity from the side making it smaller
upload_2021-5-14_10-54-41.png
 
I load a lot of .32 acp and use CFE-P and Unique.

And Yes, Dudedog, that is a pretty crummy drawing. :neener: However, my drawing would have been worse. :(
 
I have used 231 and PB. PB is discontinued but I have a few pounds left. Those tiny porous discs meter very well.
I developed some great loads for 380 acp using my first ever pound of powder purchased (PB). Should work for 32 acp if you are patient and keep good reloading notes.
 
I got a nice 32 Beretta 81 a bit ago. 32 ACP is crazy expensive. I got lucky and found 32 bullets plated bullets and dies at Midway. I do have some factory ammunition so I will have brass
I have never loaded this small of a case.
Powder is hard to find. I do have plenty of Winchester 231. Some Tite Group. I also have Autocomp
Anyone have some pet loads with any of those powders with a 75 grain bullet?
Also do you use a powder measure or weigh each charge
I have a Lee disc powder measure with the disc


One of my best loads for the Beretta 81 is a cast 73gn SWC with 2 grains of Titegroup @892fps avg velocity. For consistency I use custom powder dippers made from spent 22lr shells soldered to a length of copper wire.
 
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