32 Long Colt...

[BCB]

I've been reloading this little critter for nearly 20, I think...

Anyhow, I have been using really small charges of fast burners but since I got QL, there seems to be a couple more powders that might work...

Regardless, would anyone have an old manual that has actual published data for the 32 Long Colt?...

It would be nice and nostalgic to see such data and maybe even get a copy of the page, if it exists...

Thanks...BCB

[Nueces]

I checked my first edition of the Lyman "Handbook of Cast Bullets", c1958, and found a brief bit on what they called the ".32 Long Colt N. P."

From the listed case measurements and strenuous loads, it's clear that this is not the 32 Long Colt, but the 32 Colt New Police, otherwise the same case as the 32 S&W Long. The same book has loads for the 25-35, 303 Savage, 348 and the 45-90. Seems you have to go back some to reach the day of the 32 Long Colt - maybe an old Pacific or Belding & Mull manual. I can't quite reach my copies of those oldies.

[Gewehr-Guy]

BCB,Sharpe's Complete Guide to Handloading shows loads for the .32 Long Colt, all with 80 gr. bullet. Bullseye is the only current powder shown , 2.1grs gives a velocity of 770 fps,and a breech pressure of 8,000 .
A Belding&Mull handbook of 1943 only shows loads with DuPont No. 5, No 6, and No.80. No loads shown for Hercules powders.

[Chev. William]

There are at least two "on line" web sites that list loads.
Ammoguide Interactive, a subscription site.
LoadDATA which is also a subscription site.
You will need to sort between .32 Colt (Long) and .32 Long Colt New Police.
The 'New Police' is the same case as .32 S&W Long.
Chev. William

[BCB]

I figured if there was any old data, it might be with obsolete powders. Of course, Bullseye had been a survivor for a good many years…

I guess the subscription sites might be a source, but I actually have some data, maybe not published, but I have been using very small charges of fast burners and working up slowly…

Bullseye, HP-38, Red Dot, AA#2, etc., but I think I have settled on 2.8 grains of Unique. I was shooting 3.0 grains, but QL starts to give warnings, approaching maximum, on that charge, so I throttled back a couple of tenths…

I was just curious as to what that little cartridge may have been loaded with in the very beginning is why I asked the question…

Thanks…BCB

[Chev. William]

From Memory:
I believe somewhere in the 27 pages of The 'reloading .32 rimfire' thread on this forum there Are Quotes from Old Colt, Marlin, and Ideal catalogs on loads and performance of the .32 Colt Short and Long along with .32 Short And Long Rimfire cartridges.
ADDED 20180405: The 'Original Loads' for all of this family, both RF and the CF replacements of the same body diameter were Black Powder, full net case volume charges in many instances.

Chev. William

[Chev. William]

I experimented and made a Swaging / Sizing die from a Hardened Alloy Steel "O"(.316") Drill Bushing and a PT&G Blank Reloading Die body.
I tried it first on some commercial .32 Colt Long cases with no issues found.
Today I tried it on a .327 Fed. Mag. case and the case came out measuring ~.315" at the mouth and ~.317" at the web.
I did NOT touch the rim to the die Mouth. No Issues were found.

NOTE: I did Lube the Brass case prior to the swaging process.
Chev. William

[Chev. William]

Yesterday, i received back from my gunsmith my Ruger .32H&R Single six modified with two completed and fitted Cylinders; the first is the recut original .32 H&R cylinder that is now slightly shorter to fit in my Modified Single six revolver, and the second is a Ruger Six Shot .22 Mag cylinder modified into a six shot .32 Long Colt Cylinder.
My Ruger revolver had to have the barrel set back to allow use of both cylinders with very close cylinder to forcing cone clearance.

I have some other cylinders that are fitted for length but not reamed for the .32 Cartridges yet. These are Stainless Steel six shot Ruger .22 MAG cylinders eventually to be chambered for .32 "Colt Family" black powder cartridges.

I intend to use blued steel cylinders for Smokeless powder .32 "S&W Family" cartridges in this Revolver.

Chev. William

[enfield]

lyman ideal # 39 1953 98 gr 2.7 bullsye 2.5 #6 4.3 unique 100gr 2.1 BE 2.4 #6 and 4.0 unique some of the charges they have in this book seem a bit stout by todays standards.

[John Boy]

90gr Ideal 299153
11 grains FFFg black powder, or 2 grains weight, Hercules Bullseye powder

[kootne]

Ideal Handbook #32, page 145;
.32 Short Colt, 299152 bullet @ 80 gr. 1.8gr. Bullseye = 732fps
.32 Long Colt, 299153 bullet @ 90 gr. 2gr. Bullseye = 750fps

[BCB]

Yesterday, i received back from my gunsmith my Ruger .32H&R Single six modified with two completed and fitted Cylinders; the first is the recut original .32 H&R cylinder that is now slightly shorter to fit in my Modified Single six revolver, and the second is a Ruger Six Shot .22 Mag cylinder modified into a six shot .32 Long Colt Cylinder.
My Ruger revolver had to have the barrel set back to allow use of both cylinders with very close cylinder to forcing cone clearance.

I have some other cylinders that are fitted for length but not reamed for the .32 Cartridges yet. These are Stainless Steel six shot Ruger .22 MAG cylinders eventually to be chambered for .32 "Colt Family" black powder cartridges.

I intend to use blued steel cylinders for Smokeless powder .32 "S&W Family" cartridges in this Revolver.

Chev. William

Wow, that is interesting…

I have been shooting the 32 LC in the Model 1892 Marlin for a good many years…

Recently I got the crimping die made by Old West Bullet Molds and this improved the accuracy of that lever gun immensely…

What would be the procedure to do what you did? Would finding the 32 H&R Ruger handgun be the first move?...

Sounds like a neat project to allow both handgun and rifle to work together. I am sure it would be a unique pair of firearms in this area—I would bet that no one would have such a setup. Most people I know are pretty enticed by my 32 Long Colt in general…

Thanks…BCB