S&W Model 30, 32 Long

[chill45100]

LGS has a model 30-1, 3" barrel in 32 long for $250. The price seems really good but I know next to nothing about the caliber other than 32 Colt long and S&W long are basically the same. Oh and that the new .32 magnums will not fit.
So the question is how easily can the .32 be reloaded and what is it's effectiveness? Are there any hidden quirks specific to the model 30 or I frame Smiths? I have several .38s I load for and shoot but hoped that a .32 would someday be a good defensive revolver for my wife or even adult daughter.
Thoughts and information please ??
thanks,
Chill45100

[Outpost75]

Buy it!!!!!!!!! DO NOT HESITATE!

The ".32 Popguns" make great small game foraging guns which are more effective on game animals larger than bunnies than a rimfire. The .32 ACP and .32 S&W Long should not be your first choice as defense guns, but loaded with flat-nosed cast lead bullets they will be more effective than LRN and FMJ bullets in those calibers which served in police and military roles for many years. You need only ONE set of dies, one bullet mold, and two shell holders to reload ammunition for the:

.32 ACP
.32 Smith & Wesson
.32 Smith & Wesson Long
.32 H&R Magnum

You "could probably" load .327 Federal also, but I have no personal experience with that cartridge.
Get RCBS .32 ACP dies having a carbide sizer, expander die and seater. Get shell holders for the .32 ACP (or .30 carbine will work if you already have one) and .32 S&W Long (.223 Remington will also work if you already have one). Buy a Lee Factory Crimp Die for .32 ACP, which I consider essential. You don’t need one for the .32 S&W Long.

Get the RCBS 32-90CM mold which casts a 90-grain, flattened roundnose "Cowboy" slug.
This is all you need besides your press.

Cast your .32 bullets from range backstop scrap or wheelweights. Harder alloy is unnecessary. Load your bullets as-cast and unsized. Lube your bullets by tumbling in Lee Liquid Alox. You don't need to buy a lubricator-sizer.

The .32 S&W Long and .32 H&R Magnum revolvers are most accurate with "fat" bullets of .313-.314, which are needed to fill the chamber throats. While normal diameter to size cast bullets for the .32 ACP is .311", using the Lee Factory Crimp die in .32 ACP enables you to load bullets as-cast and unsized, after lubricating with Lee Liquid Alox, because the Lee Factory Crimp Die will size the bullets by compression inside the case and profile all loaded rounds to ensures that all rounds will chamber and extract freely. This removes any bulgs caused by a mismatch of bullet diameter and base profile to case wall thickness.

Use Alliant Bullseye powder and anybody's small pistol primers. Use the RCBS Little Dandy Measure Rotor # 00 to load 1.7 grains of Bullseye in the .32 ACP for about 750 fps from a pistol with 10cm barrel, approximating .32 S&W Long factory load revolver ballistics. This is the minimum load which cycles most pistols. If your Little Dandy Rotor #0 does not throw more than 2.0 grains of Bullseye you can use that for a heavier load, check it by dumping TEN charges onto a scale and moving the decimal point.
1.7 grains is your minimum low noise starting charge in the .32 S&W Long. Factory level .32 S&W Long velocities of 750 fps from a 4-inch revolver are approximated with Little Dandy Rotor #0 for 2.0-2.2 grains of Bullseye and the 90 grain Cowboy bullet.
The maximum charge in .32 S&W Long is metered by RCBS Little Dandy rotor #1 which is 2.5 grains of Bullseye for about 850 in .32 S&W Long brass for general use. This charge with a 71-grain FMJ at 0.98” cartridge in the .32 ACP case approximates the hot Euro loads at 970 fps from a full length (10 cm) barrel, such as the Walther PP and should not be exceeded.

In any revolver chambered for .32 H&R Magnum ammunition, you may use the Little Dandy measure REotor #3 for 3 grains of Bullseye in .32 S&W Long brass with the 90 grain RCBS bullet for about 900 fps from a 4-inch revolver. Consider this a "+P" load for occasional use only in strong, modern .32 S&W Long revolvers such as the S&W Models 30 and 31.

Factory level velocities around 1000 fps in the .32 H&R Magnum are approximated using the RCBS Litle Dandy Rotor #4 to meter 3.2 grs. of Bullseye in Starline .32 H&R Magnum brass with the Federal 200 primer. Power and energy approximate the old .32-20 Winchester black powder load fired in a revolver. Some manuals suggest higher velocities in .32 H&R Mag. loads than this, but they defeat the purpose of a non-destructive small game in which you can “eat right up to the bullethole.” .

My cast bullet handloads in .32 ACP use either the 88-grain NEI #82, the 90-grain RCBS 32-90CM flatnose or a shortened 82-grain hollowpoint conversion of the Lyman #311008 as modified by http://www.hollowpointmold.com/.

I cast handgun bullets from either wheelweights or indoor range backstop scrap of similar 11-12 BHN hardness. For subsonic loads harder alloy is not needed. Wheelweights slowly air cooled after casting are about BHN of 12, which is a good match for .32 ACP or .32 S&W Long or H&R Magnum ammunition.

I tumble-lubricate bullets in Lee Liquid Alox, and load them as-cast and unsized with a charge of 1.7 (LD Rotor #00) grains of Bullseye. Do not seat bullets shorter than 0.95 inch overall cartridge length, because doing so causes bullet bases to protrude into the powder space, increasing load density and raising chamber pressure above maximum limits. Do not exceed 0.975 inch overall cartridge length to prevent flat nosed cast bullets from dragging against the front of the magazine box.

I recommend the Lee Factory Crimp Die for .32 ACP. Mine was custom made by them and costs about $30. This may be a standard item now. It removes any bulges caused by mis-match of the bullet diameter with the internal case wall taper, ensuring easy chambering. It sizes bullets, if needed by compression inside the case. People are confused by the advice given in old Lyman manuals which recommends sizing cast bullets to the groove diameter of the barrel. This results in undersized bullets being gas-cut, causing leading and poor accuracy. Load your bullets as-cast and unsized and let the Lee FCD make the rounds fit your gun. Wide variation in bore sizes coupled with different diameters of factory jacketed bullets between US and European ammo from .309 to .312 explains most accuracy problems people experience with the .32 ACP. Cast bullets of .311-.312 diameter perform best in most guns, but using the Lee factory Crimp Die enables as-cast bullets as large as .315 to be used.


Do not shoot thousands of cast bullet loads with bullets heavier than 90 grains in the tiny Keltec and Beretta “mouse guns” having light alloy frames, because their increased recoil impulse is harder on the gun. The Beretta 3032 INOX pistol has a heavier slide than the original Tomcat which reduces its slide velocity to mitigate against the frame cracking problem which existed with early blued steel Tomcats using European ammo. My replacement INOX has proven far more rugged than the original blued steel Tomcat it replaced and has digested over 2000 of cast loads and 73-grain RWS hardball with no issues.

In my testing Remington, Winchester, Federal and Magtech 71-gr. FMJ ammo averaged only about 850 f.p.s. when fired from a Walther PP with 3.9 inch barrel. European CIP 73-gr. FMJ ammo such as RWS, Geco, Fiocchi or Sellier & Bellot does over 900 in the 2.4 inch Beretta Tomcat and over 950 in the CZ or Walther. Typical US 60-gr. JHPs typically run about 900 f.p.s. but because of their lighter bullets, don’t provide enough recoil impulse to reliably cycle the older European pistols.

My cast bullet ACP loads discussed here approximate the velocity of .32 S&W Long ammo fired from a 4-inch revolver, about 750 f.p.s. Recoil impulse approximates European 73-grain hardball. These cast bullet loads are accurate, fun for for recreational shooting or small game and they run the wartime guns like a pony trotting.

[Outpost75]

MORE!

32 S&W Long Factory Vs. Handloads In Revolvers and Rifle
Remington cases, Federal 200 primers in all handloads:

Ammo Type________________Colt 2”__________Colt 4”___________H&R18”

PMC 98 LRN factory_________687, 13 Sd_______797, 17Sd________945, 16 Sd
Highest velocity factory load__103 ft-lbs._______138 ft.lbs.________194 ft.-lbs.

Remington 98 LRN factory_____645, 20 Sd_______729, 12 Sd________899, 11 Sd

Western 98 LRN factory (1960s)_643, 19 Sd_______658, 22 Sd________912, 17 Sd

Privi-Partisan 98 LRN_________656, 28 Sd_______675, 11 Sd_________917, 21 Sd

Accurate 31-087T, 2.5 BE_____662, 16 Sd_______780, 22 Sd________1000, 15 Sd

Accurate 31-090B, 2.5 BE_____731, 26 Sd_______773, 11 Sd________1066, 16 Sd

Accurate 31-090B, 5.6 #2400__718, 43 Sd_______745, 56 Sd________1094, 36 Sd
Needs heavier bullet or powder charge to improve ballistic uniformity. Bullseye is better!

Accurate 31-114D, 2.5 BE____746, 9 Sd________795, 15 Sd________947, 11 Sd
Max. for pre-1960 revolvers___141ft.-lbs.________160 ft.-lbs.________227 ft.-lbs.

Accurate 31-114D, 5.6 #2400__735, 33Sd_______811, 27 Sd________1083, 38 Sd
Needs heavier bullet or powder charge to improve ballistic uniformity. Bullseye is better!

Accurate 31-114D, 6.3 #2400__768, 22Sd_______839, 37 Sd________1205, 22 Sd
Vertical stringing, still needs a heavier bullet to improve ballistic uniformity.

Accurate 31-125D, 6.3 #2400__820, 19Sd_______890 19 Sd_________1240, 29 Sd
Better, some unburned powder, good accuracy, acceptable, no signs of high pressure.

Accurate 31-134D, 6.3 #2400__828, 19 Sd_______913, 16 Sd________1221, 16 Sd
Max. for post-1960 Colts_____204 ft.-lbs._______248 ft.-lbs._________443 ft.-lbs.!
Ejected cases fall out easily, clean burn, accurate, recoil similar to .38 Special +P.
STOP right there! Time to load in quantity for field trials this hunting season! OMG~!
Accurate in the rifle! Shoots to the sights at 50 yards in the revolver! This one is “it”.
__________________________________________________ ____________________

[Nueces]

As OP75 has so convincingly demonstrated, the 32s can be the apple of your eye. Personally, I would jump on a decent Smith 32 for that money.

One minor point is that the Colt version of the 32 S&W Long is termed the 32 Colt New Police, the only real difference being the flat point on the Colt round vice the full round nose on the Smith. The 32 Long Colt is a smaller diameter case, really a centerfire version of the even older 32 Long rimfire round. It's too small to fire safely in these newer chambers.

I hope you land that wheel gun!

[shooting on a shoestring]

Model 30-1 in decent shooting shape is a bargain at $250. I'd be all over that.

i have a nice Model 30 and it's a great shooter.

The 30s are J-frame guns, modern steel, hardened cylinders can take much more than SAAMI spec pressures.

Reloading 32 S&W Long is just as straight forward as 38 Special. They thrive on cast boolits over powders like Bullseye, Titegroup, Herco.

My 32s all work well with boolits sized at 0.315".
I killed a possum with a RCBS 98 grain wadcutter with mine. Quite dead quite fast.

My wife latched on to one of my antique I-Frame 32s. It's about 100 years old and is her choice for a defensive gun. It fits her well, she has limited hand strength so it's easy action works for her. She's pretty quick with it and keeps them on target, so I don't push her to use a bigger gun.

I could carry a 32 SWL, but have better choices, 327 being one of them.

I highly reccomend you you don't let it get away. You don't often see them. They are lots of fun and cheap to shoot. A Model 30 can be hand loaded into a decent defensive weapon. Mine has pushed those 98 grain wadcutters over 900 fps. Not all 32s can or should do that.

[Zim]

Buy it or let one of us. I really like my model 30 & paid more than that. Check the action to verify tightness, but I'd be surprised if it was loose. Fun little guns. Reloading is easy for the 32 long, but my fingers get in the way playing with the 32ACP. I do it anyway. Cheers!

[Thumbcocker]

Buy it now. You may need to scrounge some bigger grips to get a good hold on it but that is a steal of a deal.

[Guesser]

I paid 550$ for a 30-1 last year, it was nearly perfect; you can't hardly go wrong for 250; assuming it's all there.

[EMC45]

What are you waiting on?...They are really great guns. I have a "few" .32 caliber Smith revolvers and they are my favorite guns to shoot. They are accurate, use little lead and a pinch of powder to make them shine. I have a few molds for them as well. The RCBS 32-098 is a great mold that excels in everything I shoot it in.

[sargenv]

I would buy it in a heartbeat.. I picked up a 31-2 in 32 S&W long many years back before California had it's dreaded "drop test list" and was happy to pay to get it imported back then. It doesn't see a lot of use but even with it's fixed sights and small grip, I can still keep shots in the black at 25 yards if I do my part. It is a fun little revolver to play with and reloading is as simple as loading 38 spl, just a little smaller. Which reminds me, I need to gather my brass and do some loading for it again soon.

[MT Gianni]

I have an older I frame that is amazingly accurate. Shoot the Lee tl 90 gr swc and 2.5 gr of Red Dot and try to wear out the brass. I would be shocked if it happened before 25 loadings.
If you buy alloy at $1 a lb 90 gr gives you 77 bullets per pound or $13 per thousand bullets. 2,800 loads in a lb of powder so if you spend $28 per lb of red dot [an 8 lb keg will bring the cost closer to $18 lb] your cost is $0.01 per load. Primer cost of 0.03 cents, total to load is 5.3cents per round, $53 per thousand + $1 per tumble lube. It is easy to cut that cost if buying bulk, 5K primers cost 2 cents each, powder drops to $0.006 making costs $40 per thousand.
This moves right along at 800 fps compare that to a 22 lr of a 36 gr Rem HP from a 4" bbl at 940 fps. In my mind the 90 gr 30 cal bullet wins every time on small game. The biggest difference for most is you have to pick up your brass.

[Green Frog]

At $250 it's on the cusp of tempting me to drive out from VA to buy it! I bought one at auction for that price about 4-5 years ago and I got one for a favorite niece who is rather diminutive... she can shoot your eyes out with it. That makes the perfect defense gun for her. For general use I like 2.5 gr of Bullseye under a 95-100 gr SWC, with higher performance factory "defensive" rounds for more serious situations. I generally go with Georgia Arms JHPs in my CCW gun.

Froggie

[chill45100]

Thank you one and all for the plethora of information and personal feedback. Didn't buy it today only because I had to work and the LGS is closed today. Tomorrow is another kettle of fish altogether though! Looked more closely at the photos and there is some marring and surface rust but if the internals are unaffected i can live with some patina. Heck I'm a walking case of patina!
Chill45100

[JSH]

If you pass on it let me know. I would like to take a look at it and am local to you.
Jeff

[bob208]

I have one with a 2 inch barrel wish it was a 3inch. mine shoots great. it was made in 1948. got it from a retired security guard that carried it on his rounds.

[rintinglen]

Oh, man--I'd jump on that like a duck on a june bug! 250.00 bucks, these days that's riding the ragged edge of free to good home...
No enablers around here, nope, not a one.

[corbinace]

LGS has a model 30-1, 3" barrel in 32 long

If indeed it is 32 long, it is as others have mentioned a bit different than the Colt and S&W versions of the 32. A bit less latitude with loading and brass availability. The M30 was chambered in both.

They are not interchangeable.

[Scharfschuetze]

Love the 32 S&W long. I bought an S&W 31-1 for my son as it was the perfect size for a younger shooter to learn on, both shooting and reloading.

[Jeff Michel]

One of my favorite carry around the farm guns. Don't buy it for looks, buy it for use.

[9.3X62AL]

A good-shape 32 S&W Long example is among the "holes" in my collection that I want very much to get filled. So much so, that I have pondered having a Ruger Single-Six reworked/re-bored to the caliber. I know--the Single-Seven is in production in 327 Federal. I already have enough mid-caliber "eardrum drills" on hand to more than suit me. I want a 32 SWL. That Model 30 x 3" would already be in my safe if it was local to me. $250 is about half its actual worth.