32 S&W Long Squirrel Loads ??

Today I got to help Dad get a Chopper that extends out on a arm from a local Farm Auction
OK I got to open up covers and see if there was leaks and grease where it wasn't wanted

Dad was the only bidder , so that was easy

But I just had to look at the few guns and hunting supplyes

I saw a custom ( I think ) barrel on a H&R Handy Rifle
The Rifle and barrel looked new , expect for the scope
A 22" barrel with no sights , just a Weaver type Scope base & rings and a cheap Tasco Scope
Stamped 32 S&W , nothing else

When it came up to be bid on , there was ammo , brass , dies , bullets and powder added

There was only 1 other person bidding also bidding on it
I had to pay a WHOLE $45 for everything in that lot LOL

Not sure why I bought it
But I figure I can load ammo to hunt Squirrel a lot cheaper than 22 Lr
IMO if the barrel is decent , accurate enough for head shots should be easy

LOL So that means I will need to cast a few bullets to try

But I will admit , I have never cast for or loaded 32 S&W Long
Not even had a chance to check what bore size it is , with a custom barrel it might be .308 to .314 .... but I am betting on .308 or .310

I will see what molds I have
But good chances I sold all but the 1 - 130 gr mold I use for the 32 H&R mag

2 Questions
Good weight for a low power and accurate load in the 22" barrel
And with what ever bullet weight a starting load

I will most likely make a mold or 2, so a range of weights is fine

Thanks
John

Sounds like a question for Outpost 75.

Sounds like a great deal you got. Now we need pics.

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Outpost will get here, he is the king of the .32's from what I have seen.

I have a Rolling Block takedown chambered in .32sw long. I have not got it totally tweaked yet.
Still working on finding what it wants.

My favorite boolit is the Lee .314 90 gr truncated cone.
This shoots in my H&R 732 2.5" revolver exactly to point of aim at 20 feet. As in 6 shots in an inch, offhand.

The other mold I have is the Lee .311 90 gr round nose.

I have also run 00 buckshot through my Lee .314 sizing die, and loaded those. They shoot pretty good as well, and cast a lot faster than the others.

I am sticking to 2 grains of Red Dot under mine as those H&R's are fairly old and I have no desire to blow one of them up. Plus that makes for a very relaxed enjoyable shooting experience. No significant recoil or muzzle blast. Just a little pop not much more than a .22lr. Easy on old hands.

I am looking for a Heritage Rough Rider with 6.5" barrel in .32H&R mag.
I think I found out why they were discontinued. They are chambered, tested for .32H&R mag, but the cylinder would load and fire .327 fed mags. Which was significantly more pressure than they were designed for.

Outpost75 is likely your best source of info.


Years ago I loaded for 32 S&W Long but it was for revolvers. The gun, dies and brass were sold many years ago to fund something else that I just had to have. I was a lot younger in those days and regret that move, but live & learn.

My common load used a full wadcutter and WW-231. I don't recall the details but the bullet was right around 100 grains and it shot well. In fact, I used the same bullet in 32 H&R Magnum with a bit more powder.

There can't be any recoil when firing that thing. For $45 I would have bought three.

You are going to LOVE that rifle.

In the .32 S&W Long you only need one mold, I recommend Accurate 31-105T
Attachment 223671

If your rifle is chambered for the .32 S&W (the short case)
good bullet choices are 31-087B or 31-087T
Attachment 223673Attachment 223674

If you have a measure which will meter tiny powder charges, 1 grain of Bullseye is quiet like an air rifle and will exit the barrel reliably.

A good, start load which is low noise is 1.5-1.7 grains of Bullseye, approximates .32 S&W (the short case) factory load with 31-087B bullet. RCBS Little Dandy Rotor #00

Factory loads in .32 S&W LONG are approximated with 2 grains of Bullseye
RCBS Little Dandy Rotor #0

Max. in .32 S&W Long for pre-war solid-frame revolvers S&W 1903 Hand Ejector, I-frames, small frame Colt Police Positive is 2.5 grains of Bullseye. Will be subsonic in rifle. RCBS Little Dandy Rotor #1

Heavier rifle .32 S&W LONG load which is OK in S&W Model 30 and 31, is 3 grains of Bullseye, treat as "+P"

Another rifle load which works well is 6.3 grains of Alliant #2400, about 1250 fps. from a rifle,
OK in S&W Model 30 and 31, but treat as "+P".

John: Let me know if you'd like to triple your money. I'd pay the shipping. Gp

I had a H&R Handi rifle 1871 to have a barrel made for it to shoot 327mags, You will like that gun. Outpost is a good help on this.

Wow what a deal, any booolit from 70-100gr. at 800-1000fps would do the job. Todd/3leg

Thanks for the info
I will have to wait to order the mold as $$ is tight
I am in the process of changing to permanently disabled Ohio Workmans Comp
No Workmans Comp Checks for up to a year , but a big check after all the paperwork and lawyer & Experts do their job

John

Lee TL314-90swc and 2 grs of Bullseye worked great in my .32 magnums, it would work in your rifle, too.

I would love to have such a rifle. I have a ruined Savage 219 .30-30 barrel I will eventually turn into a Rook rifle like that, but it'll sure cost more than $45.

Several years ago I bought an Iver Johnson top break in the short .32. Trying to figure out how to throw the tiny charges to load for it, I figured I'd give my old Lyman 55 a try and it turned out that it will throw accurate charges of Bullseye at 1.1 grain all day long.

I'm jealous of that rifle. I've hunted squirrels with a little H&R in .30-30 and very reduced loads and it's a lot of fun.

Right out of high school I was working as a carpenter and we were remodeling an old farm house. The widow that owned the place gave us permission to kill some of some of the raccoons that were talking up residence in the old barns.

I borrowed her 32 revolver one day that she kept on the kitchen table and shot a raccoon point blank in the side that was about a foot over my head sleeping in an Apple tree. When I brought the revolver back in the house she said it hasn't been shot in 20 years and had been on the table for the last 15 years she was concerned it wasn't going to fire.

Well I slugged the barrel .308
Did a chamber cast and best I can tell a .314 bullet would be a touch tight

So I will try bullets sized to .312

I talked to a guy at the Gun Club and will have 4 molds to try next week
As he has not loaded for his 32 S&W Long in 20+ years
He said any brass he can find , will be mine also as he is TRYING to clean up his reloading bench LOL

It looks a bit strange , but I took off the old scope and put on a Leupold 3 x 9 x 40

As it didn't have a home and a decent scope sure helps
Also I will not be able to blame the scope if I miss

John

32 S&W Long is not going to be very useful in a 32 S&W. Star Line makes good new brass at a price that would keep me from bothering to trim 32 S&W.

I have an H&R in 32 H&R Magnum. I load the 70 grain Rimrock bullet. I would like to have another in 32 ACP. It would be ideal for squirrel shooting.

Always a good read;

http://www.hensleygibbs.com/edharris...gamerifles.htm