32 H&R loads

[BigSlick]

Finally got a chance to work with the new 32 H&R this week.

Lovin every minute of it.

EXCEPT

Most of the published loads I've been working with show signs of pressure being too low. Lot's of soot and some unburned powder.

Accuracy has been outstanding, so I am happy there, but I gotta clean these loads up or it will make me crazy.

I know most published data has to allow for old(er) guns that aren't as robust as the Ruger SP101. This being said, the published lead data I have used this week has me thoroughly underwhelmed.

I talked to a tech at Hodgdon regarding a 93gr RN. They don't have published data for that bullet (no suprise), and the tech recommended I use published data for jacketed 90gr bullet. He said the data for the lead was pretty old, and they don't have any plans to update the 32 H&R data at all, jacketed or lead.

I'm OK with that, but I'm wondering if the published lead data is of any practical value at all.

I know I've got to get the pressure up or use a faster powder, but most of the quicker powders are all relatively the same with regard to low pressure signs. I fully expect the same soot and unburned powder with a load of ANY smokeless powder that runs at 12,000 PSI. Tried a mag primer, but that yielded no real improvement.

Most published lead data indicates pressure ranging in the 12-14,000 PSI range. Most jacketed data shows in the neighborhood of 18-20,000.

I've tried Unique, HS-6, H4227, AA#5 and LilGun. I really don't care for 231 at all, and I know at 45 ACP pressures it is pretty nasty for the most part.

$64k question here is do any of you know of a relatively clean 32 H&R load ? I'm thinking of looking at AA#2 and maybe Nitro 100 to see if that helps things, but I'm not optimistic they will burn cleanly at lead data pressures either.

Do you guys use jacketed data and pretty much disregard lead data as watered down for old revolvers or have you found success with published lead data and been able to get a load to clean up a little ?

I can deal with the soot, I guess, if I have to, but the unburned powder plays hell when it gets under the star and makes closing the cylinder a problem.

I worked with one LilGun load with a 120gr bullet that cleaned up nicely when I pushed it pretty hard. I don't usually fly by the seat of my reloading pants like that, but zero data exists for a 120gr bullet with a 32 H&R.

I've found accuracy, so I'm good there, just need to clean things up enough to keep it from being too much hassle.

Open to suggestions.

Thanks in advance

'Slick
________
LovelyWendie

[9.3X62AL]

Slick--

The most load data "in one place" I've found to date is in the RCBS Cast Bullet Manual. It is now a little dated, but lots of powders listed.

There isn't much data out there for this caliber. A number of folks here use it in some quantity. I don't know of a source for data anywhere listing 120 grain boolits. As I said earlier, that one was a 32-20 boolit--and I haven't done a lot with it in the 32 Mag.

The original H&R revolvers chambered for this round always seemed light to me for experimental work. The Ruger Single Sixes were made better, but I don't know if a 22 rimfire platform has any business being used for high-end 32 Mag loadings. Something could bend. Your Ruger.......my S&W Mdl 16-4.......and FOR SURE the Buckeye Special Blackhawk 32-20/32 Mag swappers can absorb stronger loads--but no one coughs them up, if they use them.

Basically, I think 32 Mag shooters are on their own if they want to extend the caliber past H&R levels--just like CZ-52 shooters and the 7.62 Tokarev exceeding Broomhandle Mauser and TT-30/33 ballistics.

Check for PM.

[chevyiron420]

hey slick, i still havent loaded my 32 yet with my new cast boolits. i think the mold my son and i bought will be ok size wize as cast for my taurus but dont know yet for my son ruger. they are dropping at .3125-.313 from the mold. i need to take the gun to the range and empty some brass so i can load some cast boolits. i guess im going to try unique or bullseye. i have been less than pleased with unique in my jacketed loads. with 4 grains and a 85 grain xtp bullet i get ocasional flatened primers and others look fine even though i trickel every load and seat and crimp very carefully. also i will have three hole touching on the target at 25 yards and two will be 2 inches off, randomly???
is this the same slick i see on GT?--phil

[scrapcan]

Big Slick,

There have been some good threads on the 32 mag and 32S&W long in the past months. You might do a quick search.

Also have a look at HarryO's articles on sixshooter society

http://www.sixshootercommunity.com/a...x/harry_o.html

Also on the casting Fellows page that has articles by our members there is an article by Beagle

http://hgmould.gunloads.com/casting/32hrcast.htm

I am shooting a colt police positive w/ 4 inch barrel in 32 S&W Long using the lyman 3118 (now 311008) that is 118 grains lubed with my alloy. I am using 3.0-3.3 grains of unique and it is a good load both accuracy and velocity wise. you might have to go up a little with the mag case.

take a look at the above and do a search, there is alot of good info for these cartridges here an on the board. Or send the above 2 members a pm to see what they know.

[Glen]

My favorite load for the .32 H&R is the RCBS 98 grains SWC over 6.5 grains of Acc. Arms #7. That load gives me 1100 fps from a 6" S&W Model 16, excellent accuracy, and is very clean. (A good crimp is important with this load)

[BigSlick]

My favorite load for the .32 H&R is the RCBS 98 grains SWC over 6.5 grains of Acc. Arms #7. That load gives me 1100 fps from a 6" S&W Model 16, excellent accuracy, and is very clean. (A good crimp is important with this load)

Looking at AA lead data, max published for 100gr cast SWC shows to be 6.0gr

http://www.accuratepowder.com/data/P...0page%2086.pdf

My thoughts are to cautiously work past max listed loads as long as I don't see any anomolies due to excess pressure. Looks like you have done the same.

Do you see any issues with this load ? Is brass life decent ? Primers look good ? Easy extraction ?

I think the published data is just watered down as can be, but I am cautious to take that blanket assumption to heart without a lot of careful workup.

Thank you Glen, for posting that info, it gives me some relief from thinking maybe my pressure reading skills were getting rusty. I've conditioned myself to observe published data not as a strict limit but more of a general guideline. I'm not one to hotrod too many calibers/bullets. When I find suitable accuracy, good burn and functionality, I quit because that's all I'm after.

Now where's that bucket of H5010/R1 mix I had laying around
________
Zx14 vs hayabusa

[Newtire]

Your Ruger.......my S&W Mdl 16-4.......and FOR SURE the Buckeye Special Blackhawk 32-20/32 Mag swappers can absorb stronger loads--but no one coughs them up, if they use them.

Hi Al,

I have been working up loads slowly for my .32 mag and came across a nice accurate one in my Blackhawk. It is either the RCBS 32-98 or the old Ideal #4 mold 100 gr. that looks kind of like the Liberty Bell with a lube groove and 9.5 gr. H110. CCI 550 primer and Lars Carnauba Red lube. No sticky cases great accuracy.

[9.3X62AL]

The small bit I've done pushing the 32 Magnum to or past max listed loadings show no bad things happening. Quite the opposite, actually--esp. Lyman #313631, the GC 100 grain SWC. Run that one at 1000 FPS, and it's not real great--push it to 1250-1300 in a revolver or 1500-1550 in a rifle, and it does VERY well.

[Larry Gibson]

BigSlick

I mostly use two loads out of my Ruger SS with 6 1/2" barrel but actually developed the loads in S&Ws. I had no problem with unberned powder under the extractor. The first is the Lee 314-90-TL over 3 gr of Bullseye. I shoot a lot of this load as it is very accurate and I've a 6 cavity mould for it. It runs 1005 fps out of the SS. The second load is the "magnum" load. It is the 313631 (105 gr SWCGC designed for this cartridge) over 6 gr of Unique. It runs 1350 fps and is quite accurate. Lyman's 311316 (GC's 118 gr 32-20 bullet) over 4 gr of unique runs 973 fps and is very, very accurate. I'd use it more but my mould is a single cavity so it's a pain. A friend gave me some RCBs SWCs (98 grs I think) and I loaded them over 4.5 gr Unique and the shot well but I didn't chronograph them.

Larry Gibson

[BigSlick]

I've been working with the 32 Mag quite a bit over the last few weeks.

I just love the gun. I added the Wolff main spring and return springs, polished the burrs and roughness off the interior mating surfaces and lubed it up real good. Now the trigger is a whole lot better and (so far) the 8lb main spring lights off CCI 500's every time without a hitch.

Had the throats trued up to .3125+, but less than .313 by Stillwell. I don't have the correct equipment to measure them precisely, but I slugged all the throats when I got it back. All are exactly the same with the needle of the caliper in exactly the same spot between .312 and .313, just a hair under .313.

I've had some moments with it. Some good, some aggravating as can be. I've found accuracy, and I've gotten to a point where I don't get any leading, and the spreads are in line (finally), but nothing yet that is (definitely) going to be my go to load.

I've ran a few 313631's with very good accuracy (THANK YOU Deputy!), just under 1300 fps, a few more RCBS 98 SWC's with outstanding accuracy, a Saeco 105gr (forget the mould number) with so-so results (still working on it) and a whole bunch of Ballisticast 115's (actually 117gr) with suprising results. I've run maybe 100 of a 78gr Ballisticast bullets crazy fast, but ran out of bullets before I could really work with it.

The 313631's are excellent in every respect, but like Deputy says, you gotta drive em. The RCBS 98gr SWC's are the most accurate across the spectrum by far with the loads I've tried. I've run em at 800 fps and just over 1400 fps, still accurate as all get out.

I've run a couple of 115 (117) and 120gr bullets well over 1400 fps before the brass started getting a little sticky. So far, the Ballisticast 115 bullets are working well, proving to be consistent. Consistently crappy at less than 1000 fps, and consistently impressive about 1300 fps.

I've also ran a couple a thousand of the store bought Meister 94gr RN's at various speeds. They do OK for the most part. Not overly accurate compared to the others, but still very useable.

I've been working with a variety of powders from H4227, LilGun and H110 to #7, #5, #2 and Nitro 100, to TiteGroup, LongShot and of course Unique. In a word, none of them stand out, except #5 which delivers very good spreads, very good accuracy and about the crappiest burn this side of Unique. Not as bad as others, but nearly.

Nitro 100 burns clean, but is erratic with heavier bullets. LongShot is nice but brass life is adversely affected when you drive the 115gr loads enough to get them to perform accuracy wise.

The 98gr, 100gr and 105 from Saeco all seem to like just about anything that'll spit em out the tube.

85gr Hornadys, 90 and 100gr Sierras and 100gr XTP's all do OK accuracy wise with just about anything, but don't seem to be ideal for higher velocities. The Hornady 85gr XTP's are great up to about 1150 ish or so, but start to open up past 1300. The 90gr Sierras seem to be the best of the lot, with accuracy holding up to well over 1200 thru 1350 or so. The 100gr bullets from Hornady or Sierra get crazy inaccurate at about 1300 fps. Sticky extraction, brass measurements out of whack and loosening primer pockets from all of these if you drive em hard.

So far, the 98gr RCBS and the 115gr Ballisticast along with the 313631 seem to be the best all around performers, with an honorable mention going to the Ballisticast 100gr RNFP. When that bullet is run at 1150 fps, it is incredible. I can cluster cylinder after cylinder with it. A little faster, or slower and it goes out the window.

I've run all of these with 2400 too. The heavier bullets seem to do best, but none are anything to get excited about.

So far #5 and HS-6 are showing the most consistency, but they are so close in burn rate and pressure curves, there really isn't any practical difference between them.

I'm still looking for a faster powder to finalize on. Nitro 100 is nice, but not ideal. If it were a tad slower, I think it would be perfect. I've got a can of Red Dot, and a can of WSF to finish working with yet. WSF is proving to be very, very good with the 100gr bullets and lighter, haven't tried anything heavier because I've been traveling for work. I've got some Red Dot loads worked up, but haven't gotten the chance to give it a thorough workup, just sent a few outbound.

So far, I've had the gun just over two months. I've sent almost 5k down range. 95% of the loads I've been working with have been over book loads. I had (another) a long talk with the techs at Hodgdon and Sierra and one fellow at Ruger. The powder company tech said they knew their published data was somewhat anemic, but that was by design to allow for older, less robust guns, same as last time. Just repeating what they've been told it seems.

The fellow at Ruger flatly stated they do NOT recommend any handloads in any of their weapons. I understand his reasoning, due to liability concerns. I asked if it would be prudent to assume since the SP101 is built like a tank (he agreed on that), and it was safe for a steady diet of full power loads in .357 Magnum caliber, would it be easy to assume the .32 H&R is no less strong ?

He froze for a moment, and finally stated that 'we do not suggest or condone any reloaded ammo in our guns - period, but all I can say is the 32 H&R guns are made the same as .357 Mag caliber guns that are safe to fire .357 Magnum ammo in with pressures within SAAMI specs'.

He was really uncomfortable, which I understand, but he did admit, based upon their testing, the .357 Mag version could easily withstand 40k psi loads without any damage to the gun, and yes the 32 Mag chamber was theoretically stronger since the cyliber walls were thicker. But he abruptly reminded me that his comments were *NOT* an endorsement of using any reloaded ammunition in *ANY* Ruger firearm - period.

He was very nice during our conversation, but stuck tight to the party line. I asked if he really thought all the millions of Ruger owners out there and not a one reloaded ? He chuckled a little, and said he was completly sure nobody would do that, certainly not Ruger owner.

As it stands, I don't know where the top end of this gun, or caliber truly is. I know for damned sure published data just makes me crazy. No wonder a lot of people think this caliber is anemic as hell. Trust me when I tell you, it ain't

So, still carefully working with it, no consistent joy yet, but #5 and the 115gr bullets come close, I don't have a 313631 mould, or I would work that one up some more. I've finally got a 98gr RCBS mould, but no handles and no time.

I am going to continue working with it until I find something it likes, that burns reasonably clean.

Brass life for the Federal brass has kinda suprised me a little. I bought a couple of batches online that were previously fired. I say previously fired because the sellers didn't know how many times they had been loaded. I've got about 450 pcs with 6 firings on it so far and about 400 Starlines I bought new with 5-6 firings. Only scrapped 50 that I was shooting with the jacketed stuff at about 1400 fps. I could probably load em again, but it isn't worth taking the chance.

All I know at this point except this little gun is more fun that a barrel of monkeys. Even with all the trials I've run into working up loads, I'm having more fun shooting this gun than I've had in many moons.

Everything (cast) I've shot with the exception of maybe 200 bullets total have been from 50/50 mix clips ons/stick ons, or straight ww's alone, lubed with Lar's Red.

No leading at all, even over 1500 fps with a 78gr Ballisticast bullet.

It might be a while before I shoot anything else
________
Honda E Series Specifications

[Newtire]

I've been working with the 32 Mag quite a bit over the last few weeks.

Nice write up Big! I was just going to go online to look at Brownells trigger stoning outfit that I saw a writeup for in a book I was reading about handgun smithing. I shot a few guns at the range yesterday with nice triggers & it gives me a hankering for one on my gun. Just a deburring and lube is as far as I plan to take it but might give the Wolf mainspring a try also.

I have some HS-6 that I have played with in .32-20 & got good results with but would like to give it a try in .32 mag. now that you mentioned it. Any suggestions where to start? I have 2, 98-100 gr. molds. Any advice given is strictly for entertainment purposes I understand & I too would never think of using any handloaded ammo in my Ruger

[9.3X62AL]

GREAT write-up, Slick. I knew you had been doing a lot of work with that SP-101, and your writings here and on Glock Talk are some of the most extensive writings on the caliber I have read to date--and I jumped on this caliber's bandwagon in 1985. As I said before, 115 grain boolits at 1300 FPS are well into 30 Carbine revolver country.

It sounds like Sturm, Ruger & Co. use the same law firm employed by Gaston Glock--Moronic & Mediocre Mantra Chanters, LLC.

[BigSlick]

I would start with the data from Hodgdon's website and work up slowly. HS-6 is a great mid range pistol powder, but I have found it will spike on you in a heartbeat.

I started with the suggested starting load of 4.4gr I got from one of the Hodgdon tech's. My impression of that load isn't a good one, but nonetheless it will get the bullet out of the barrel, which, is as good a place to start as any.

With the Ballisticast 100 and RCBS 98 SWC, I ended up with a charge that exceeds Sierra 14 jacketed data published max. The max listed charge is very accurate, but left some heavy soot in the gun. I went to a mag primer, and found no joy, so I kept increasing the load slowly until it got better.

I figured I would either split the case or blow a primer before things got too far outta hand, but I still don't know what charge level that occurs at. Primers still look great, brass isn't balooned out, and cases fall out without issue (in my gun, under the conditions I shoot).

I kinda wondered if I was losin it and tried a few of the near Sierra 14 max loads in a J frame and quickly realized, I wasn't. Mid range loads in the J frame will rattle your bones.

I strive in earnest to keep in mind, the 32 Mag will likely never be a recoil beast out of the SP101. Somewhere along the line, I just have this (flawed) assumption felt recoil and load range is somewhat commensurate; it ain't.

I've been shooting for well over 35 years and always thought I could kinda tell a hot load when I fired one. Almost every pistol or revolver I've fired (many) over the years seem to have a threshold where recoil is really a warning sign. I can shoot 45 ACP all day long, and tell you when I encounter a hot load. 10mm, 40SW, 9mm, 500 Mag, and a host of others share this characteristic.

Shooting 32 Mag in the SP101, this ain't the case.

I have blown 115gr bullet to 1500 fps and the recoil wasn't appreciable stronger than a 1100 fps load. So, when working up loads for it, keep in mind, some of the tell tale signs you might habitually look for may not be there at all.

With me, I have been very careful to bear this in mind. It's a little odd, but, oddly enough I like it

I've read up a lot on the stuff Paco did, a lot of the CE Harris stuff and a couple of other folks with significant .32 experience. Some of the stuff, I'm finding very useful, some is a load of hogwash.

One of the best reads I've found is on the CastPics site that Beagle authored.

http://www.castpics.net/memberarticl...R%20Magnum.htm

I've read it several times and found the info there to be very, very good. Results posted mirror mine almost exactly. I don't have all the same bullets, but I do have a variety of weights and the bullets are somewhat similar. Not an exact comparison I know, but close enough to be very useable.

Give it a read and see what you think

'Slick
________
Amc Amx-Gt

[BigSlick]

GREAT write-up, Slick. I knew you had been doing a lot of work with that SP-101, and your writings here and on Glock Talk are some of the most extensive writings on the caliber I have read to date--and I jumped on this caliber's bandwagon in 1985. As I said before, 115 grain boolits at 1300 FPS are well into 30 Carbine revolver country.

It sounds like Sturm, Ruger & Co. use the same law firm employed by Gaston Glock--Moronic & Mediocre Mantra Chanters, LLC.

I couldn't have come close to the stuff I've done so far without a lot of qualified help and inspriation from you Deputy

I am *really* staying away from the Smith forum and don't even look at Smiths online, because I know if I run across a 16-4, I'm in trouble.

I'm really close to having things kinda worked out, but close is as good as 100 miles away when you aren't there.

But, I'm going to stay with it, cause I just love the caliber and the gun is a hoot.

Best money I ever spent on a handgun in my life, bar none.
________
Motorcycle tires

[Dale53]

I shoot the .32 S&W Long and the .32 H&R magnum a good deal. My load for the .32 S&W L is 2.8 grs of Win 231 behind a 100 gr Keith bullet (solid frame guns only) and the for the same purpose in .32 H&R Mag cases, 3.2 grs of 231 behind the 100 grain Keith.

Full loads in the .32 H&R magnum is 10 grs of H110 or my old slow version of WC820 behind the 100 gr Keith. You'll get about 1100 fps depending on barrel length, etc. 1100-1200 fps will do all that I expect out of a .32 with a hundred grain bullet.

I also have gotten excellent results from the GB .314" 120 gr bullet ahead of 9.5 grs of H110 or SLOW WC 820. I've gone higher but I prefer 9.5 grs. This is good solid frame guns like the Ruger SS or in my case, a Ruger SP 101 and an S&W 16-4. These loads work well in my TC Carbine (.32 H&R with custom SSK barrel).

Dale53

[Newtire]

I have been using Richard Lee's book among others for my Ruger. For my H & R 586 I stick to 4.0 gr. Unique with the RCBS 32-98. Not a gun to play around loads with.

I see the Lee book lists up to 5.0 gr. HS-6 with the 95-100 gr. loads. their pressures are pretty low and they're seating them deeper so will start low & work up to see what happens. One thing I remember Felix saying is that if the bullet has to make a long jump (which is the case with the .32 H & R cyl in the Hawkeye Blackhawk) to use a slower burning powder. Makes sense not to get it moving too fast before it hits the rifling. I was pretty amazed at how it did get more accurate with the RCBS as I increased the charge like BigSlick says. Ya sure learn alot of useful stuff here..It'll come in handy one day if we ever have to shoot reloads in our Rugers.

[Lloyd Smale]

ive got some favorite powders in the 32 mag but as you didnt state what kind of gun your shooting them out of id hesitate to give load data. For top end loads i like h4227 wc820/aa9 and lilgun. Im not a fan of lilgun but it seems to really work in the 32mag. probably the best overal powder ive found in it. One thing that ive found is the 32 mag seems to be a primer sensitive round. Differnt primers really make a differnce in the loads. All of these powders tend to give much better results with mag primers. even some of my plinking loads using faster powders do much better with mag primers for some reason.

[BigSlick]

I'm shootin a 4" SP101.

I've been thru std and mag primers with CCI and Win, (so called) match Mag primers with Fed. Haven't tried MagTech, Wolf or Remingtons... yet.

I like H4227 for the most part. It is fantastic out of my 500 and other guns I use it with. No matter how much (or little) I stuff in a load, or with any of the primers I've tried so far, in 32 Mag it leaves quite a bit of unburned flakes that play hell getting under the star.

I'm getting better at remembering to point the barrel straight up when I dump the brass, and this does help.

I would really be interested in any load data you have had good success with. Post it, PM me or e-mail any will work.

I've found some pretty good accuracy, but I'm really trying to clean things up a little and get some consistency out of a load. I like LilGun for performance and accuracy with the 115's and 120's but it is more than a little nasty and still leaves a lot of flakes.

I know cleaning a gun, or wiping it down good and keeping it lubed (all I usually do unless it gets waxed up real bad) isn't a huge problem, but I would like to stop fertilizing the range so much.

Weeds are getting too high to get in and out of the place.
________
Bmw m12

[Bass Ackward]

I no longer have anything in a 32, but when I did, neck tension was critical. Those were the hardest things to reload quality ammo. You should be able to burn anything you want really. If you are not sure, try reloading an unprimed case. Use two small sets of pliers and try rotating the bullet. It's hard to describe what you should feel, so I would compare that to a larger round that you are reloading for that shoots (burns powder) well. That's your goal.

I would check my dies. Mine required total full length resizing and I still had to grind some of the bottom of the die as I recall. Then I had to cut down the stem on the expander. All I wanted was a guide for the case until the mouth was flared.

Another thing I caught was used brass. If you are getting spring back, this will add to your woes even more.

Reloading quality ammo is 98% of the accuracy ball game especially with a handgun. The unburned powder is a sign that you have something a miss. When I finally got reloading things right, you could almost do no shooting wrong.

[Lloyd Smale]

for an sp1o1 try 10 grains of 4227 with a cci mag primer and a 115 or same thing with 9grains of aa9/wc820 or 9.5 grains of lilgun. 4227 leaves a residue behind but its not unburned powder its unburned filler.