32 S&W Long

[Sakogun]

I recently became the owner of a very nice Hand Ejector in 32 S&W Long.  I have been reloading for it with out much success (I'm a rifle guy).  I have been using 1.9 gr Bullseye and an 85 gr bullet.  I would like to duplicate the actually 98 gr factory load as that shoots very well in the gun.  Any suggestions on loades?

I would also like to carry this small caliber gun with me when I prairie dog hunt... has anyone ever loaded this caliber as a snake charmer?  If so what will I need to get started?

Thanks,

[MS Hitman]

Mine likes a 100 gr. SWC with 3.0 grains of Unique.  Shoots fine and hits with as much authority as the round can muster.  I have not loaded shot shells for this caliber, but you can must likely get away with using some gas checks to hole the shot in place.

[Savage]

sakogun,
The old Lyman 45th edition doesn't give a factory duplication load for your cartridge. Your load sounds like it's in the ball park. It shows 1.4grs of BE as a starting load for 462fps, up to 2.7grs of BE for 846 as a max. Both with the 93gr cast bullet out of a 3" Mdl 30 S&W. Don't know of any shot capsules being made in that dia, but I loaded some in 38spl cases using a gas check over the powder (minimum charge of BE) then filling the case with #9 shot with a thin cardboard wad over the shot and sealed with wax. This was before Speer started making the shot capsules. It worked reasonably well. That's to say better than nothing! Be sure to weigh the shot load and the gas check to get an idea of payload weight so you'll be able to stay within the safe pressure range. Enjoy shooting the old .32!!
Savage

[Larry Gibson]

Sakogun

Like Savage I too have a 3" M30, nice little trail gun.  With Speer or Hornady HBWCs I have found 2.1 gr of BE to be an excellent load and a max one as accuracy goes with more powder.  Velocity is 722 fps.  The Hornady 90 gr swaged SWC or the Lee 314-90-TL with 2.7 gr of BE runs 872 fps and is a very accurate load.  However, with the solid frame S&Ws 3.2 gr of BE with either SWC is a better load.  It runs 925 fps and shoots to point of aim and is the most accurate load.  I seat the HBWCs and the SWCs to the first canelure groove and use a light tapered crimp.  You have a very nice revolver, enjoy.

Larry Gibson

[Ed Harris]

The .32 S&W Long case is really too tiny to make much of an effective snake load, although you could try.  Best would be to use very small shot, such as No. 10 or 11 if you could find any.  Otherwise use 9s.  Use 2 grs. of Bullseye and a .30 cal. gascheck cup-size down, over the powder, fill the case with shot and crimp another gascheck into the case mouth to keep the shot from falling out.  Limit distance to about 8 ft., as this will be less effective than the Speer-CCI .38 Special or 9mm shotloads, but probably better than a .22 LR rat shot.

At those close distances, you could just as well use regular ammo, unless you are using them inside fram buildings and don't want to poke holes through floors, walls, plumbing and electrical work.

The S&W Model 31 is one of my favorite walking around guns.  I load mine with the Saeco #325 85-gr. SWC loaded with 2.5 grs. of Bullseye for about 850 f.p.s. from a 4" barrel.  Very accurate, pleasant and more effective on small game than a ..22 rimfire.

[Savage]

Ed pretty well summed up the potential for the .32 shot load. You can buy #12 shot, problem is, you have to buy a 25# bag. At least I've not seen it in smaller lots. The only thing I would do differently from Ed is I would reduce the power charge to 1.5gr of BE and use the wax sealed thin cardboard overshot wad. The reason for these changes are: a reduced velocity shot load usually patterns better, and the carboard wad causes less pattern disruption. I'd still weigh the total payload to make sure I didn't get into over pressure loads. In my manuals 2.1 grs of BE is max with the 115gr.
Savage

[michbob]

You can get 5 pound jars of #'s 10, 11, and 12 shot for $10 from Ballistic Products, Inc.

E-mail is:  www.Ballisticproducts.com

I have tried to produce shot cartridges in .32 Mag, and you all are right;  use as small shot as possible, because there isn't much room.  But, it is fun to tinker with.

As a different light load, you could try using a single 0 buckshot over a light load of Bullseye.  I haven't done it yet, but I've read that it is quite accurate, and good enough for vermin.

Michbob.

[Sakogun]

Thanks guys,

I actually was quite disappointed with the 1.9 grn load and the 85 gr Hornadys.  I think of the 20 or so rounds fired I actually lodged 6 in the barrel.  Did I do something wrong with the crimp, or just not enough powder?  You can tell a great deal of difference with going back to the facotry loads.

I will try some of the suggestions on the shot reloads.  Can I get away with using cardboard between both powder and shot and then also over just the shot?  I am guessing that these cardboard pieces need to be compressed over the powder right?  

I realize that the .32 may not be the most effective handgun, but I don't want to carry a heavy gun when pdog hunting.  See, I have a problem with running into snakes in SD and just want something to whack them with that will be easy to carry on the hip.

[Savage]

Sakogun,
I've loaded hundreds of shot loads in 38spl using thin cardboard wads both over powder and over shot. I used a fired case and a hammer on a wooden block to cut out the wads from corn flake boxes. I used the eraser end of a thin pencil to seat the overpowder wads. They worked as good as most shot loads of the day.
Savage

[Jim Stacy]

Easiest and beat load I have for my 32 long is Hdy 90 grain and 2.6/231 with a good crimp. Mine does 900+ actual chrono readings and shoots point of aim from my fixed sight 32 . I have a K-32 , Colt official police 32L and a Ruger sp-101 32 mag that I shoot this load out of . It is the most accurate load that I have shot out of the S&W or Colt . It would be a good snake load , shoot them in the head. Out of the K-32 this load will shoot 1.5" at 25 or a little better when I do my part . It will shoot 1.75 out of the Colt and the stubby Ruger will shoot about 3" but that is a function of short barrel also.

[Savage]

Sakogun,
Get your micrometer out and check the dia of those bullets!!! With 1.9grs of BE there shouldn't be any problem with making it out of the barrel!!! Something is amiss here!!!!
Savage

[Sakogun]

Savage,

The bullets are the Hornady 85gr HPXPs.  The primer is a Win small pistol and the powder is 1.9gr Bullseye with a light crimp.  Now, as I have mentioned I am not a pistol man.  Maybe I didn't crimp them enough.  The powder charge was thrown from an RCBS charger and weighed over my RCBS digital scale ever fifth round.  According to my Hornady reloading manual 2.1 grs is max... but it seems everyone on the board has talked about more powerful loads.  I don't know if Hornady is hedging themselves since there are still a few of the .32 break actions out there being used.  

As I have mentioned the factory lds shoot as well as I expected from a gun with fixed sights.  And they have noticeably more power than my reloads.  Should I jump up to 2.1 or so grains of BE?  

I would also like to shoot cast bullets, but don't currently cast.  What are my options for buying cast bullets?  Who should I contact?

Thanks for all the help guys.

[Savage]

Sakogun,
Use a good firm roll crimp on all revolver cartridges.
The correct dia cast bullets for the 32 S&W long is .312-.313. The jacketed shoud mic .310-.311. I can reccomend:
Valiant Cast Bullets
P.O. Box 556
Ranburne, AL 36273
Our club orders in quanity a couple of times a year, and this guy delivers! We're talking a couple of states away. I order in lots of 5000 for the calibers I shoot most. Of course you could order in small lots from:
www.midwayusa.com
Savage

[mec]

Try Meister bullet company either on line or through the Dillon catelog. They have a wadcutter and a 93 grain rnfp.  Otherwise, if you can find them, the speer hollowbaed wc works very well.

[Ed Harris]

I wouldn't attempt to load jacketed bullets at all in the older revolvers, as you can't safely run high enough pressures to ensure that they will always exit the barrel.  You can just about depend on getting about 100 f.p.s. less from a jacketed bullet with the same charge that you would for a soft cast bullet of the same weight.  This is because the jacketed bullet doesn't upset to seal the bore in a light load, and also has much greater friction than a lubricated lead bullet.

If you don't want to cast your own bullets, I'd suggest buying the Hornady 90-gr. lead SWCs and loading those with about 2 grs. of Bullseye for your .32 Hand Ejector.  The 2.5 grain load I use is too hot for the older pre-1957 S&Ws, and should only be used in the later Model 31, or stronger guns like the Rugers.

[Sakogun]

Thanks guys,

I just got my package from Midway with the 94 gr RN, 90 gr Hornady HBWC and finally the 90 gr pointed WC.  I will start back at this process and use lead bullets and see if I can come up with better results.  

I had the 85gr jacketed hp left over from when I owned a Smith in 32 H&R.  I think that I will be more satisfied with lead anyhow.