32ACP Reloading Questions

[sigep1764]

Hey Fellas,
I just picked up a new to me 32ACP NAA Guardian. Not a caliber I have ever shot, cast, or loaded for. What do those in the know use for molds? Powder? What are you using to drop that small charge? I am setup with a Star to traditionally lube boolits, so if we could stick to traditional lube groove or tumble lube boolits Id appreciate that.

Kyle

[Outpost75]

I have no experience with the NAA Guardian, but factory advice is to severely limit loads in the Beretta Tomcat and Keltec pistols to not exceed 130 ft.-lbs. I would presume the NAA would fall into the same category.

Heavier loads after prolonged firing, [over 1000 rounds] are “frame crackers.”

My Beretta Model 3032 INOX Tomcat test platform, digested about 2000 rounds of hot CIP-Euro and heavy cast bullet hand loads before eventually failing.

In personal defense handguns of small caliber, generating less than 150 ft.-lbs., reliable function and adequate penetration, not less than 20” of water or 12” of gelatin, are more important than expansion. Experienced users of deep-concealment, hideaway guns agree, based on police undercover, clandestine service and military experience dating all the way back to Fairbairn and Sykes experiences in China before WW2, and continuing through the Cold War era.

I use the RCBS Little Dandy measure to meter charges for the .32 ACP:

Rotor #00 meters 1.7 grains of Bullseye. This is a mild and reliable practice load in the .32 ACP with cast bullets from 77 through 90-grains. The Accurate 31-077B or Ranch Dog 78-grain flatnosed bullets are of similar shape to the Buffalo bore and are more effective than FMJRN. The 77-grain load can be used continuously and without worry in your NAA, Keltec or Beretta Tomcat.

The #00 rotor also meters 2 grains of TiteGroup, a maximum load with 77 or 78 grain bullets for safe use in the tiny guns. It also measures meters 2.5 grains of AutoComp, a standard-pressure load with heavier 87 to 95-grain bullets giving about 850 fps from a 3.4” pocket pistol like the Beretta M1934.

Rotor #0 meters 2.2 grains of Bullseye, a widely published load in .32 ACP with standard weight 71-73 grain FMJ or 77-78 grain cast bullets. Bullseye, like TiteGroup, peaks quickly with small changes in charge weight or seating depth, so you must be cautious.

Rotor #1 meters 2.5 grains of Bullseye. Mine actually averages 2.35 of current Alliant product and 2.4 of older Hercules. This is a full charge load with the 71-grain Magtech, Hornady or Remington FMJ bullets at 0.97” OAL for 968 fps, from a 3.5” barrel, approximating CIP-Euro factory ammunition.

Substituting Green Dot in LD Rotor #1 throws 2 grains of that powder, producing about 800 fps with the 77-78 grain NOE and Accurate bullets, being a safe practice load for continuous use in the micro-pistols.

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Table 1 - .32 ACP Current Euro-CIP and Buffalo Bore +P Factory Ammunition In Micro Pocket Pistol

Ammunition ________________Beretta Tomcat 2.4”

RWS 73-grain FMJ_____________896 fps, 29 Sd
Fiocchi 73-grain FMJ___________848, fps, 32 Sd
Buffalo Bore 75-grain LFN_______883, fps, 6 Sd
Buffalo Bore 75-grain Energy____128 ft.-lbs.

Loads exceeding 130 ft.-lbs. of energy are not recommended for use in Beretta Tomcat or Keltec Pistols

Table 2 - Velocity to Equal “Factory Energy” In Micro Pistol With Various Bullet Weights

_________________________Beretta Tomcat ▪2.4” Barrel”
Buffalo Bore Actual Energy____▪128 ft.-lbs.

77 grain bullet______________▪865 fps
87-grain bullet______________▪815 fps
90-grain bullet______________▪800 fps
95-grain bullet______________▪780 fps

▪ Loads intended for Beretta Tomcat and Keltec pistols should be kept below these limits.

.32 ACP Hand Loads OAL 0.945,” suitable as a "steady diet" for use in micro pistols:

Ammunition ________________Beretta Tomcat 2.4”

Acc. 31-077B LD#00 2.0 TiteGroup__790, 12 Sd
Acc. 31-077B LD#0 2.2 Bullseye____757, 16 Sd
Acc. 31-077B LD#1 2.5 Bullseye____835, 16 Sd
Acc. 31-077B LD#0 3.0 AutoComp__837, 10 Sd
Acc.31-090B LD#00 2.5 AutoComp__729, 11 Sd
Acc. 31-095T LD#00 1.7 Bullseye___640, 11 Sd - Feeds in Beretta Tomcat, your mileage may vary.
Acc. 31-095T LD#00 2.5 AutoComp_741, 25 Sd
Acc. 31-095T LD#6 5.2 #2400____750, 17 Sd

[RED BEAR]

I use a lee powder measure with a little work i got it to drop charges as small as .7 grains. Just take apart and remove the little lip that stops the plunger from contacting the rotor. It will drop very small charges of bulls eye, red dot and unique. And they are cheap so if you mess it up no big deal. I use an rcbs 77gr , and two lee molds that i cut down a 93 gr rn cut down to 65 gr ad a 100gr rn cut down to 80 gr . The 80 gr is my favorite cycles in all my 32. Now i will caution you there is kinda a 32 caliber obsessions my wife asked if 32 was the only gun they made anymore i now have 5 ,32 sw 4 ,32 long 2 ,32acp and 1 32 hr. And just love shooting them. Very cheap to shoot and a blast at the range.

[T_McD]

I have reloaded for .32 acp for a while now. I use the Lee powder measure and don’t have any issues with small charges, but I do monitor it a little more carefully anyway. Limit yourself to 71 grain round nose and you will be fine (no heavy bullets). I don’t cast for it as berry’s plated are cheap enough for me.

[sigep1764]

So far the consensus is stay away from heavies in blowbacks and keep the charges fairly midrange. I had been looking at that Accurate 77 grain mold and like the fact I can get multiple cavities. Anybody use Red Dot with success?

[mattw]

I have been loading for 2 32 acp's for awhile now. I am loading for the Kel-tec and a CZ70. The CZ70 should take anything fed it's way, steel frame and steel slide. The little Kel-tec is another story. I have a few factory FMJ bullets at 77 grains, I cast an 81 grain round nose and recently started working with an 84 grain full wadcutter hollow point. The hollow point actually feeds in both! My CZ70 loads target 150 ft/lbs of energy, regardless of the bullet. My Kel-tec loads target 110 ft/lbs regardless of the load. The Kel-tec is very snappy at that level of load and not a lot of fun to shoot.

I have found that the Lyman 55, properly set up, will measure very well down into the 1.1 grain range with Bullseye. I have also found that if you lap the internals of the Lee measure it will also do very well on tiny charges. The RCBS Uniflow really stinks when trying to go that low.

Remember that when throwing 1.7-2.0 grains of any thing, a 10% change could just be standard error for your measure. I would and do weigh each charge and dump them into primed cases. I have also found that when working with US vs. CIP brass cases that one should actually order an undersized Lee expander for use with most headstamps of CIP cases and the standard Lee expander for the US cases. Both of my pistols want between .312 and .313 diameter bullets. This also happens to be the diameter that my 32 H&R mags want as well, they would really like .313 if given the choice. I really like Titegroup, but it has given me reason not to use it in this tiny cartridge.

I would suggest that you find and study the related posts that Outpost75 has presented overtime. The dude is a 32 master!

[RED BEAR]

I use 1.8 gr of red dot for my keltec and 2.2 grains with my cz 50. With a rcbs 77 gr round nose. This last load proved to be to hot for the kel tec as the cases buldged excessively but workes great in my cz. I also like bulls eye in the 32. 80 gr is as heavy as i go but have zero problems with them. But watch your overall length if seated to deep the pressure can rise quickly. I would suggest seating as long as will function in your gun.