32 S&W long, A Cult Following ?

[psweigle]

I've often thought about an old llama mini 1911 in 32 acp.

[NoZombies]

Like most things that have a cult following, some people love them, and other folks just kind of shrug their shoulders and don't understand.

I'm in the former category, but most of my friends are in the later.

[Cheeto303]

Well. . .here's the conundrum: That it will have a full-length magazine tube is a given. Do you shorten the barrel for convenience with a suppressor, or leave it long and let the chips fall?

Now heres a question for the more knowlegeable .32ers: is the semi-rimmed .32 auto shootable in .32 revolvers (or this hypothetical .32SWL Winchester) or is the headspacing nowhere close? The thing I love about the Winchester 1890(variants)/1906/62A is the ability to shoot all the lengths of .22 rimfire. That kind of plug-and-play in a reloadable .32 would be. . .entertaining. . .

I have shot 32 ACP in my Ruger Single Six 6.5" bbl 32 H&R,Ruger Single Six 4.5"bbl 32 H&R w/Birdshead grip, S&W 30-1 32S&WL 3"bbl and 1928 Colt Police Positive 32 S&WL 6"bbl with no ill effects. Real pleasant. Of course my Walther PP 7.65 Browning is awesome. Amazingly accurate with the none existent sights.

[GhostHawk]

I wondered about the .32acp, and wondered, and thought, and looked, and wondered some more. Then I saw where Classic Firearms was selling Italian trade in Beretta Model 81's for 209$. I ponied up the bucks, added 20$ for a good looking one. Got one that looked new. Took it to the range with factory ammo, was not hugely impressed but saw potential.

Bought some brass, cast up some boolits, loaded them over 2 grains of Red Dot. Dang if it did not put them all in one nice tight group right dead center where they belonged.

I don't wonder anymore. Shoots a lot like my .32sw long only twice as many bangs between reloads.
That is a win/win in my book. YMMV.

[P Flados]

For my 4" SP-101, I home crafted a 2 cavity 55 gr NLG boolit mold. The boolits worked pretty good for light practice loads and I shot thousands of them.



Eventually I decided that I really did not like all the empty space in my 327 cases. Now I shoot a 98 gr PC coated NLG boolit over a medium stout charge of Unique in the gun.

For light load target practice, the 32 ACP case seemed to be near perfect for launching my little 55 gr economy special boolits.

I used a chunk of an old scrap 30 cal rifle barrel to make a short barrel stub tube for my Contender.

Then I found that my stash of 32 ACP range pickup brass had a big variations in rim dimensions. Most of the brass really did not fit in my available shell holders worth a darn.

I tried some S&W short brass. Them little things are just too short for me to easily handle while reloading.

So I fabbed up a decent size batch of 32 ACP length brass with rim dimensions closer the the S&W case. For me, this has become my favorite round for standing target practice. They load easy, and they shoot great with as low as 1.7 gr or as much as 2.5 gr of Titegroup. The 55 gr boolits cast easy, are easy to lube (BLL works fine) and I get a lot per pound.

[Cheeto303]

Anybody ever try loading the 32 T/C Maxi Ball in a 32 S&WL or 32 H&R Mag? I thought it would be fun for the heck of it.
I also have the following molds:
RCBS 32-90-CM 2 Cavity
LEE 311-74-2R 1 Cavity
LEE 311-93-1R 2 Cavity
LEE 311-93-1R 1 Cavity
LEE TL314-90-SWC 2 Cavity
Last but not least an 32 S&W Ideal Tong Tool w/mold that casts beautiful boolits.

[GhostHawk]

I have loaded 00 buckshot I cast, ran it through a .314 lee sizing die, lubed with BLL and loaded. Shoots fine single, or with a single #1 buck dropped in below it.

[JoeJames]

Like most things that have a cult following, some people love them, and other folks just kind of shrug their shoulders and don't understand.

I'm in the former category, but most of my friends are in the later.

Agreed. But most of my buddies are used to my shooting calibers like that. But when one of them does come across say a Webley in 38/200 I'm the one they turn to.

[NoZombies]

Agreed. But most of my buddies are used to my shooting calibers like that. But when one of them does come across say a Webley in 38/200 I'm the one they turn to.

Indeed, since my local friends aren't a part of the cult, it means I get first dibs on the .32's and oddball stuff.

[jrayborn]

The 32's that I own are all just FUN. I am always looking for another.