.32 suprise

[Thumbcocker]

Took the little 31-1 to the range. Shot it at 25 yards from a Weaver stance. Load was RCBS 98 swc over a powder charge I didn't write down. 6 o'clock hold on the bull. Yeah I know 1/2 the shots missed the bull and 2 missed the plate. Lot of glare this afternoon and dust in the air and probably an aftershock from the Tennessee earthquake but still pretty good for a small gun with small fixed sights.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[birch]

That is a sweet little revolver! ......and one dandy group. I bought a bunch of brass, dies and a mould from a gun show about a year ago. I am still waiting for the Smith revolver to accompany the goodies!! .32 is a sweet little cartridge. Congratulations.

[Green Frog]

For years the small frame S&W 32s were the "red headed step child" of the revolver world. Now they have been discovered and their popularity (and prices) are going through a major upswing. I'm kinda wishing I had kept the 4" Model 30 I sold off to buy my current Baby Chief, but I still have 4 I-frame 32s, so I don't guess I should complain. My favorite, which sees duty for EDC, is a 1949 vintage Transitional Model with 2" barrel and original round butt grips. It has always just felt right to me, and performs accordingly whenever I shoot it. I thought I was overpaying for it to the extreme when I paid $350 out the gunshow door for it about 7-8 years ago, but I actually "bought it about 6 months early."

The longer barrel pre-War RPs are fun as well... especially the one Target Model I managed to find. Yep, those little S&W 32s are definitely a hoot to shoot! Remember to really get the most out of them, you need to put the most into them... RELOAD! I'm loving me some 95 grain LSWCs over light loads of Bullseye. Ten or twenty pounds of lead and a pound or two of powder go a LOOOOOONNGG way!

Froggie

[Thumbcocker]

I have a 4" flat latch model 31 that seems to be sighted at 50 feet. It groups well at 25 yards just about 8" high. The 31-1 seems to be sighted for 25 yards. I love the 4" one but I am still trying to get it to shoot to sights.

[rking22]

I like those grips! I also have a M31-1, it's a 4 inch and seems to be zeroed at 25. Picked up a 3 inch Rossi 69 (j frame clone) to keep it company. They make great woods walking guns, plenty of power for pinecones and accurate enough to be fun. I am sure both are more accurate than me, when I miss it's on me not the gun. Nice shooting, by the way

[Thumbcocker]

Grips are Altamont. I couldn't do anything with the tiny originals.

[GhostHawk]

Lovely little revolver, wish I had one like it!

I get by with my H&R 732 2.5" double action in .32sw long and the Ruger New Model Single Six in .32H&R Mag. (She likes to be refered to as "her Royal Majesty" but after a good cylinder of .32sw longs she'll accept "Princess".

Don't know why it took me so long to catch the .32 bug, I love em.
Plus they are darn thrifty on both powder and lead.

[Dale53]

I’ve had my share of fun with the little .32’s, too ( as the Green Frog can attest).



My treasured S&W Model 631

FWIW
Dale53

[Green Frog]

I’ve had my share of fun with the little .32’s, too ( as the Green Frog can attest).



My treasured S&W Model 631

FWIW
Dale53

That’s sure an ugly gun, Dale53. I know a guy in VA who would reluctantly take it off your hands for what you paid for it so you won’t feel so bad about making such a terrible faux pas. Of course I (I mean “he” ) would immediately change out the grips by Goodyear. Don’t thank me, that’s what friends are for!

Your Friendly Frog

[RJM52]

Froggy...since you like stainless you probably would not be interested in the .32 I picked up last week...



...naw didn't think so....

[one-eyed fat man]

The .32 S&W long is a accurate cartridge and pleasant to shoot. At one time it was considered suitable for police work. A Colt Pocket Positive from 1938. Colt called the cartridge .32 Police. The Smith & Wesson "I" frame Hand Ejector is from 1952. The same revolver with a square butt Smith sold as the "Regulation Police." The large frame, 6 shot Iver Johnson dates to 1928.

The RCBS Mold 32-098-SWC mould produces a bullet that resembles the old flat nosed Colt New Police bullet. Mine drop around 100 grains and I size them to .314. Loaded over 2.2 grains of Bullseye they have proven accurate in all three revolvers.

[Mk42gunner]

The little I frames in .32 S&W Long sure are fun, although the sights on the Hand Ejectors are getting pretty hard for me to see now. I wish I had discovered them in my twenty's instead of late forty's, I do miss being able to focus on individual striations on the front sight.

The small cylinders don't instill much confidence for hot rodding, so I picked a decent load from Glen Fryxell's article http://www.lasc.us/FryxellThe32S-WLong.htm and stick with it for the .32 S&W Long.

The worst thing I can say about my first I frame is that it likes the Ideal 313445 that is a PITA to cast with.

Always willing to give an unwanted .32 a home,

Robert

[EMC45]

My 2 HE Smiths do better with the heavier 3118, but the Models 30, 31 do great with the Lee 93gr. SWC and the RCBS 32-098. All over Bullseye.

[Outpost75]

Here are a few more:

Attachment 232223Attachment 232224

[Petrol & Powder]

I played with the 32's years ago and now wish I had held onto them. The dies, brass and guns all went to fund something I just had to have at the time and now I can't recall what that was.
The 32 S&W Long is a great cartridge in terms of potential accuracy and economy. The 32 H&R magnum is an excellent small game cartridge.

[shooting on a shoestring]

I have a 2” S&W Flat Latch J Frame that shot disappointingly high with 100 and 105 grain boolets. Got a mould from Accurate 31-088, an 88 gr wadcutter, shoots to the sights now. Boolit weight makes a big difference in the 32s, at least the short ones.

Mine is in good shape and has the lightest single action trigger of any of my Smiths. A sweetheart to shoot. It has some pitting on the cylinder from where it laid a few decades in someone’s sock drawer. It occasionally rides in my pocket for real world duty...on days I’m optimistic...and pretty sure I won’t see anybody...

[EMC45]

The .32 S&W long is a accurate cartridge and pleasant to shoot. At one time it was considered suitable for police work. A Colt Pocket Positive from 1938. Colt called the cartridge .32 Police. The Smith & Wesson "I" frame Hand Ejector is from 1952. The same revolver with a square butt Smith sold as the "Regulation Police." The large frame, 6 shot Iver Johnson dates to 1928.

The RCBS Mold 32-098-SWC mould produces a bullet that resembles the old flat nosed Colt New Police bullet. Mine drop around 100 grains and I size them to .314. Loaded over 2.2 grains of Bullseye they have proven accurate in all three revolvers.

I have the twin brother to the one in the middle.

[Green Frog]

The little I frames in .32 S&W Long sure are fun, although the sights on the Hand Ejectors are getting pretty hard for me to see now. I wish I had discovered them in my twenty's instead of late forty's, I do miss being able to focus on individual striations on the front sight.

The small cylinders don't instill much confidence for hot rodding, so I picked a decent load from Glen Fryxell's article http://www.lasc.us/FryxellThe32S-WLong.htm and stick with it for the .32 S&W Long.

The worst thing I can say about my first I frame is that it likes the Ideal 313445 that is a PITA to cast with.

Always willing to give an unwanted .32 a home,

Robert

OK, I have to ask, Robert... what makes your 313445 "a PITA to cast with"? I've got old Ideal moulds in single and double cavity in that number and they are pretty easy for me. Are you having sticking problems, failure to fill out properly, wrinkled bullets, or what? As you say, the little I-frames really seem to like those bullets, and light loads of Bullseye make them work pretty accurate as well.

Froggie

[Green Frog]

Froggy...since you like stainless you probably would not be interested in the .32 I picked up last week...



...naw didn't think so....

I bought one just like it but with a 6” barrel and helped my dad buy both a 4” & a 6” when they first came out, but this was all before my tastes in fine revolvers matured and they all got sold at a small profit. The total we got for all three probably wouldn’t buy back one of them today.

Froggie

[rking22]

My 31-1 and a few friends in 32

Would love to find a K frame too, someday!