Saturday, November 14, 2020

Loaded Some .32 Smith & Wesson Longs

 Today I loaded up 50 rounds of .32 Smith & Wesson Long. My recipe today was:

  • Mixed brass, mostly Fiocchi
  • Sellier & Bellot small pistol primers
  • 2.7 grains of Alliant Bullseye powder
  • 96 grain round nose flat point bullet from Desperado Cowboy Bullets
Actually, since I used a RNFP bullet, I could call them .32 Colt New Police loads. :)

   




I ran into an issue priming the cases, however. I generally use a Lee hand priming tool, but today it decided it didn't like the combination of Fiocchi brass and S&B primers. Fiocchi brass tends to have snug primer pockets. I would up using my antique Ideal tool for .32 S&W to prime the cases. It's slow, but it works.




According to the data I have from Loaddata.com, this should give about 910 FPS from a 4" barrel. I'll probably shoot this batch from my Ruger Single Six Vacquero, chambered in .32 H&R Magnum.

I have plans to head to a friend's place tomorrow to burn it up.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I only have one gun that shoots .32 S&W Longs, and it will surprise you what it is. A Mosin-Nagant 91/30 chambered in 7.62x54r. I bought a bullet adapter that fits the chamber and the .32 goes inside the sleeve. Makes shooting the Mosin like shooting a .22LR. Last time I shot it, the sound of the 90 grain bullet striking an old frying pan was louder than the shot itsef.

Dave Markowitz said...

That sounds like it could be a lot of fun.

Anonymous said...

I have an old ( 1st incarnation of Charter Arms, before the first move for the company) Undercover, which holds 6 rds of .32 S&W long and is the very image of what a hide out snub nose revolver looks like- small all over. Also have a current Charter Arms Professional in .32 H&R Magnum. The Undercover flat out shoots the newer gun! The jewel in the safe is a S&W Model 31 in .32 S&W long. Thumb cocking the hammer,it is capable of groups that are one ragged hole at 7 yards. 85 grain RN lead using Tite Group powder. Not a max loading, but near the top.