.32 S&W black powder?

[Ragnarok]

Ehh yes, the ones I bought were, and I'm getting a little tired of people telling me I didn't see what I saw.

Granted, there's no telling how long that box of ammo had been sitting there.

Oh I believe you...wouldn't have bought a box of those if I didn't

[Thundermaker]

I can see if he still has that brass if you're interested in playing with it.

[Ragnarok]

I'm getting along ok with the solid brass but I do appreciate the offer.

[Larry Gibson]

FYI;

Recently I pressure tested some 32 S&W loads.

Some old WRA factory with 88 gr RNL bullets over 7+ gr 4fg BP in balloon head cases went bang very nicely and ran at 10,800 psi.

Another lot of WRA with 88 gr RNL bullets over 7+ gr BP in solid head cases ran 16,200 psi.

Winchester 88 gr Lubaloy of recent manufacture had 1.8 gr of a ball powder in solid head cases and ran 18,900 psi

Remington UMC 88 gr RNL of relatively recent manufacture had 1.0 gr of flake powder in solid head cases and ran 13,300 psi.

Many older manuals show 1.5 gr Bullseye to be a max load with 88 - 98 gr cast bullets. The Hercules data showed 2.5 gr. I tested 1.5 gr Bullseye under the Lee 90 gr SWC seated to the 2nd lube groove. It ran 19,300 psi.....!!!

The old Hercules Data, circa 1968, give a load of 2.3 gr Red dot as a load with a 88 gr RNL bullet. I used a 90 gr Lee SWC loaded out to the 2nd lube groove. 1.5 gr Rd Dot ran 20,400 psi....!!! The max load of 2.3 gr ran 32,500 psi........yikes......

I also tested 5 gr GOEX 4fg in solid head cases under the Lee 90 gr SWC. Out of 10 shots I got one psi measurement of 9,400 psi. The other nine shots were less than that.

[curator]

Thanks Larry! I will be sure I stick with my 5-6 grains of Goex 4Fg black powder and the Lyman 77 grain LRN boolit in my S&W top break revolvers. They may lack in ballistic performance but they make up for it in a good loud BANG and lots of smoke.

[DaveM]

Timely thread, I just picked up a very nice S&W Number 1 1/2 Single Action, shipped from the factory in April 1878.



On Sunday I won an eBay auction for an Ideal No.2 .32 S&W reloading tool. I'm hoping that the mold cavity is in good enough shape to produce useful bullets. I intend to use only black powder.

[DaveM]

Loaded some up today with bullets cast from the Ideal mold, 0.3cc Olde Eynsford FFFg, and CCI No.500 small pistol primers in once-fired Remington brass (I shot the smokeless Remington ammo in my Ruger Vaquero .32 H&R.)

[Tracy]

Loaded some up today with bullets cast from the Ideal mold, 0.3cc Olde Eynsford FFFg, and CCI No.500 small pistol primers in once-fired Remington brass (I shot the smokeless Remington ammo in my Ruger Vaquero .32 H&R.)

I have one of those loading tools in .32 S&W Long. I rarely use the built-in mold, but I do use the loader occasionally.