Little .32 jewels!

[AZ-Stew]

I've been constructing a workshop behind my house for the last 3 years and am finally finished enough with the construction that I can take a little time and enjoy the fruits of my labor. The shop construction has taken all my spare time and I haven't been able to justify the time to do any shooting or much of anything else for the last 3 years.

Since I'm now getting back in the saddle, I'm excited about what I can do with the new shop and just couldn't pass up the opportunity to share some of my joy and excitement at being able to pursue my favorite hobby again.

Here's a photo of some of the .32 bullets (boolits?) I've cast over the last two evenings. I've been dieing to try out the mould and the new Lee Pro 4-20 pot I bought myself for Christmas a couple years ago when I thought the construction would go more quickly. I bought a couple of S&W M16 .32 H&Rs (one 6" and the other 4") and wasn't satisfied with their performance with Hornady swaged bullets or the limited j-bullet load tests I ran with them. I can't wait to try these Keiths in the guns. I'm sure they'll turn in some remarkable groups. If not at first try, then certainly after I do some experimentation with alloys, sizer dies, lubes, powders, etc., etc., etc. Doncha just love this stuff?!?!?!

Now to crank up the Dillon...

Regards,

Stew

[Bodydoc447]

Nice looking boolits! What mould did you use? And where did you find a pair of Smith M16s?

Doc

[Harry O]

My S&W NewModel 16. It is still a .32, but has been rechambered to 32-20.

http://www.sixshootercommunity.org/gallery/albums/userpics/10013/normal_S_W-16.jpg

[AZ-Stew]

:oops: Oops!

I thought I'd put the mould description in the post. That's what I get for posting after midnight.

It's the RCBS .32 SWC. Pretty much a Keith style. I deeply regret not finding this forum until it was too late to get in on Catshooter's .32 K Group Buy. Well, maybe it'll come around again in a year or so. Since I do mechanical design for a living, maybe I'll run my own GB with a slightly heavier .32 Keith I have designed. I'm still tweaking it, so it may be a while.

I picked up one of the M16s (4") at one of the local gun shops out of their "used" cabinet, the other one (6") I got from one of the regulars at our local gun shows. He's a licensed dealer who picks up various handguns and the occasional rifle or shotgun at estate sales. His stuff is always like new and I couldn't pass it up.

Anyway, I can't wait to shoot my little jewels. I expect great things from them.

Regards,

Stew

[9.3X62AL]

Yes, those S&W 32 Mags are jewels indeed. I love mine! (It's a 6")

Overall, the RCBS 98 SWC has done the best work in my M-16, whether driven at 750 or 1250 FPS. Recent work with the gas-checked Lyman #313631 has not done very well at low to medium speeds, though. The RCBS has been a real "go-to" boolit in both 32 SWL and 32 Mag for me.

Harry, every time I see pics of that conversion of yours, it gets me drooling. TRULY gorgeous.

[Harry O]

Deputy Al: The best thing about it is that it shoots as good as it looks.

Your experience with bullets is pretty much like mine. The RCBS is pretty good no matter what I use it in or what powder I use it with. Being plain-base, I don't push it very hard. 1,000fps or so is about my max. When pushing hard, I use Hornady XTP's. I generally use 100gr in the 32-20 and 85gr in the .32 Mag. I have gone up to 1,350-1,400fps with those bullets in the NewModel 16 without any signs of excessive pressure. I generally shoot them at 1,100 to 1,200fps, though. I have not spent enough time with the Lyman GC to sort it out yet. Nothing outstanding, but there is plenty to try before giving up on it.

[Bodydoc447]

Just before I moved cross country last month I picked up a Ruger SP101 as a poor man's substitute for the M16. I am on the look out for one at a decent price. I have only had a limited number of range sessions with it before I moved but it has good potential. I have shot a bunch of commercial cast .32s out of my Ruger single sixes and have found them to really like the 95 grain class of bullet similar to the RCBS SWC. I don't have the RCBS mould yet. I am hoping that the GB 32 SWC will be one that all of the .32s shoot reasonably well.

Doc

BTW, Harry, that is a real honey of a gun you have there. My Smith HE in .32-20 just crawled under a rug in the safe in shame.

[beagle]

The .32 Mag's a great little caliber and will handle any of the .32s almost. I've been shooting a Single Six but luck smiled down on me with a Buckeye .32 Blackhawk so I've been playing with the .32-20 cylinder mostly.

The .32-20 loads listed are pretty anemic for this gun so I resorted to some of Paco's data watered down a bit.

For both the .32 Mag and the .32-20, the 31108 in HP form is the winner from all my shooting closely followed by the 31133 also in HP.

With either of these 1,000 FPS is easily attainable in the mag. I was fortuante to snatch up a batch of .32 Mag tin plated proof cases some years back and these are great if you can find some./beagle

[Dale53]

I have been shooting my 32's quite a bit. I have reported on here before of my pleasant experiences with the 120 gr plain base RF GB. It shoots well in my 631 Smith, my 16-4 6", and my TC Carbine with SSK custom barrel (.312" groove diameter). I have been using a charge of WC 820 surplus (old slow lot) that gives me 1100 fps in the 6" model 16-4 and 1550 in the TC Carbine (22" barrel). Fun bunch...

Dale53

[StarMetal]

For my 32 jewel I prefer the 30 Luger. In my opinion it easily beats the 32-20 and 32mag in performance with alot less powder too. It's an amazing little round and surprisingly accurate too.

Joe

[Dale53]

I really cannot think of any particular rational reason why I like the .32's (and, Starmetal your .30 Luger would fit in here, also). I much prefer revolvers for general informal shooting (even tho' I have autos that work EXTREMELY well). But the fact is, I just flat enjoy the .32's.

My relatively new Ruger SP101 is a delight after I had a trigger job done on it. It is about the perfect size for a companion side arm in the game fields.

I guess I could rapsodize about small size (carry lots of rounds for informal plinking in the field), small powder charge for economy. Likewise, relatively little bullet metal contained in 100-120 gr bullets. Light recoil for pleasant, all day shooting at the range. Accuracy is about all I can use in a handgun. Hey!! What's not to like?:mrgreen:

Oh, and I forgot, straight cases so you can use carbide dies and don't have to contend with removing case lube. These rounds lend themselves to bulk loading on the Dillon or Lee Turret Presses.

FWIW
Dale53

[StarMetal]

Dale,

Thanks for the 30 Luger mention fitting in. Here's a target of what that P-08 Commercial German Luger with 3 5/8 inch barrel will do at 25 yards just resting my hands on top my brick retaining wall using the Lee 100 gr RN over about 4.0 grs of Unique.



Joe

[Bodydoc447]

Dale,

I think I was one of the ones egging you on to buy the SP101 after I had gotten mine. I was lucky and mine has a pretty good trigger right out of the box. Although I have only had a limited number of range sessions with it, it has shot very well with my .32 S&W Long Cowboy load of 1.5 grains of Clays and a 115 gr. FN, and a variety of .32 Mag loads. I have found the .32s to be pleasant for all the reasons you mentioned. Harry O was kind enough to forward me some of his data and articles (Thanks again, Harry!). I really like the GB 120s in the mag case. I load these with a pinch of VV N320 and they are a lot of fun for my wife and her friends to shoot out of our Single Sixes. I load them in some volume on my Dillon SDB. I have loaded a couple of varmint loads with Hornady 85 grain J-bullets but I really prefer the GB 120s and a commercial cast 95 gr SWC I got a couple thousand of (pending receipt of our GB 32 Keith) for most of my shooting.

Of course, I could also wax poetic about the little .32 ACP. I was inspired to renew my acquaintence with that little jewel by a thread on this very forum a few months back. I used the suggested load of Red Dot and a 77 grain RN in my Walter PP, a conversion cylinder of a Nagant 1895 and a well worn Colt 1903. What a great time!

I hope I can get my garage cleaned out enough to start loading and casting again SOON!

Doc

[9.3X62AL]

All the calibers in this class--the 32 Mag, the 32-20, and both the 30 Luger and 30 Mauser by whatever name they are called--give GREAT field results on small game. As Joe's target shows, some of the bottom-feeders can shoot paper well too.

The thing I have trouble understanding is why the calibers all faded from favor. They are all very economical to reload, often show fine accuracy, and are generally very user-friendly. No, they aren't hand cannons--and that is fine with me, I have zero use for a sidearm with more buck-and-bellow than a 44 Magnum. Maybe these mid-calibers just got lost in the noise and hype over THIS WEEK'S ULTRA BLASTER. I mean no disrespect to those here or elsewhere who derive enjoyment from lighting off those BIG ONES--to each his own, and welcome. But a hobby should be enjoyed, not endured--and that's what higher-end 44 loads are like for me, even in that tanker anchor Redhawk of mine.

Joe, post a pic of that TC design for the 30 Luger that you cut the mold for--if ya wouldn't mind. It's a real winner, and enhances the game-taking ability of the mid-caliber bottom feeders.

Bodydoc's mention of the 32 ACP brings to mind that a boolit upgrade for that caliber wouldn't hurt, either. I've used Lyman #313249 in my Walther PP at 800 FPS with good effect, but a 70 grain TC might do better than the RN with full caliber shoulder of the Lyman design, and shoot a little flatter with the increased velocity possible using the lighter boolit.

[StarMetal]

Al I think I can answer your question as to why all those nice little 30/32 calibers rounds fail from grace. I believe it's horsepower. Huh you say...let me explain. Just like Detroit iron, cars didn't start out with big powerful V8's, but when they caught on everyone wanted one under the hood. Remember how Clyde from Bonnie & Clyde wrote the Ford Motor Co. in praise of their new V8 that he was using after he stole it? Same with guns I believe. The magnums come aboard and everyone wanted one, first the 357 then the 44 mag. Yeah I know the 32 mag was tried, but I related it's not too hot success to the comparison again to the V8 engines, most Chevy and Ford hotrodders wanted the BIG block engines, not the small block ones. Same with cartridges I'm afraid. Like you said though they are fine little round, economic to reload and accurate. I think it would be cool if say someone like Ruger come out with a 30/32 calibler single action with a bunch of swap cylinders, like 32mag, 30 Luger, 7.62x25 Tokarev, etc. Kind of like their 357/9mm one. I don't think those little 30 cal round have enough bottleneck and should on them to lock up the cylinder on a revolver like when Smith tried the 22 Jet.

Here's the picture you requested and few more. The TC one is along side the Lee 100 gr round nose, then I posted one of the TC with a lighter TC I made for the 32acp, then the two really long bullets (you guys are really going to like this) are believe it or not a TC nose 124 gr RCBS 9mm bullet and a 150 gr SWC RCBS 357mag/38 bullet, sized down in three steps for my 30 Carbine!!!! Might as well say swaged. You all can ask Larry Gibson about these and how they shoot for me. I did the 150 gr especially for his interest.

Joe

[9.3X62AL]

Thank you for posting the pics, Joe. A Group Buy 6-cavity block--3 of the smaller size, 3 of the larger size--would be real appealing for me.

I guess my real objections to "horsepower" have to do with the sustained micro-trauma that magnum handguns inflict on the shooting hand of the operator. Even Elmer Keith advised against shooting more than 500 rounds per year of his 240 grain/1200 FPS loads from the 44's. I believe Elmer was correct.

[StarMetal]

You're welcome Al. I agree with you on the magnun handgun rounds. For some reason (my best friend and I conclude because it's .44 caliber bore being perfect for perceived recoil) the 44mag seems to have a nasty recoil impulse. Even a hotter loaded 45 LC doesn't seem as bad. Not that we are whimps to shoot a 44mag, they just kick alot for some reason besides being a magnum.

Now that would be one group buy I would get in on Allen.

45 2.1 if you draw it up make sure that the bullet will drop with enough diameter to size to the fat 30's that are out there like 30 Luger, 7.62x25, and 30 Mauser. Alot of those run .311 or over. My TC 30 Luger bullet comes in at 100 gr on the button. The little version for the 32acp is about 80 gr. The 100 gr has to have a wide front band so the case mouth will have something to crimp on.

Joe

[45 2.1]

I have a 32 acp boolit mold from NEI (who doesn't show it anymore) for a nice 60 gr. RF that is very nice in the Walthers. It would make a great group buy if the bands were welongated just a little bit so it would weigh about 65 to 68 gr.

[StarMetal]

I've been shooting the 32acp out of my Walther PP for over 20 years. I've been using the Lyman 311252 which is listed as a 75 gr. My bullets, cast from WW's, weigh about 80 grs. With that said my personal opinion is that 75 grs and down is too light. The 32acp's definately perform better with the heavier bullets. You can ask Deputy Al, I've done some shooting with my TC nose 100 gr out of the Walther and was surprised at how well that shot. I think a six cavity mould with 3 cavities at 100 gr and 3 cavities at 75-80 gr in my TC design would be perfect for alot of applications.

Joe

[dk17hmr]

I used a 32 S&W with a 2" barrel to shoot raccoons out of a mallyberry tree at a job site once. The lady that owns the property was having us put up an addition to her house and mentioned that she had a pistol on the table and we were to shoot any raccoons we saw. I would tree the coon my boss would keep it in the tree and I would run in and get the little S&W. When ya hit one they were out of the tree right now, of course they were about 4 feet from the end of the barrel. Ended up killing 5 with that and overall we shot 17 raccoon with every thing from 22lr, 223, and a .177 air rifle.

[AZ-Stew]

Actually, the post was about the newly cast bullets being "little .32 jewels", not the guns, but I guess it works either way.

I'm going to finish loading 200 rounds (2 powders, 4 different powder charges for each powder, 25 rounds each charge) which gives me 25 rounds of each powder charge to divide between each of the two revolvers. Should be interesting to see what I get for accuracy.

Have a great weekend, all. Since this is my first chance to get to the range in the last few years, I know I will enjoy my weekend!:drinks:

Regards,

Stew

[AZ-Stew]

And given the right load, the shoot nicely, as well :mrgreen: !!

More testing to do. It's a dirty job, but ...

Regards,

Stew