H&R .32 top break handgun

[LONGBOWMAN54]

I have a chrome plated H&R top break handgun I just inherited but I don't know "Which" .32 it is.  I would love to shoot it but I need to know if H&R made .32 S&W or what in this type of a gun.  Can anybody help me out?  There is no caliber marked on the gun but measuring across the lands indicates a .32.  Thanks!

[Hank08]

You can usually tell by how long the cylinder is wheather it will take the .32 S&W long or not.
If it's not long enough then it's for the .32S&W which is the shorter one.
H08

[LONGBOWMAN54]

Can I shoot standard .32 S&W's out of the S&W Long safely?

[woodsie57]

32 SW in a 32 long revolver is no problem, except the availibility of 32 SW ammo, even in pre-Obama days, is spotty.

[blpenn66502]

H&R 32 break tops that were designed for smokeless powder had the caliber marked on the left side of the barrel (beginning 1905).

I don't believe H&R started offering the 32 S&W Long until post 1905, so you don't have a 32 S&W Long from your description if there are no markings.

A smokeless powder H&R 32 would be marked something along the lines of: "32 CAL. S.& W. CTGE" to indicate a 32 S&W (short) chambering.  The cylinder will be about 0.925" long for the 32 S&W (short).  For comparison, the 32 S&W Long case length is 0.920" versus a 32 S&W case is just 0.605"

As a rule of thumb, H&R six shot 32s are 32 S&W Long and five shot 32s are designed for 32 S&W (short).

Modern 32 S&W (short) ammo through a break top designed for black powder 32 S&W would certainly be an "at your on risk" thing.  I have and occasionally shoot a 1910s 32 S&W H&R break top but I exclusively reload for it and stay with the starting suggested loads.

[LONGBOWMAN54]

Iwas told by H&R that this was the place to go for answers and I now agree.  Thank you all for the info!