Old/antique H&R revolvers

[Remiel]

I'm debating on picking up these 2 little pocket pistols, ones a 38 the other is a 32. How difficult would it be to reload for these? I assume both are black powder only.

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[Winger Ed.]

I load some FF holy black in loads for .45-70.
Rather than use a powder measure/hopper like I do smokeless,
I weighed the right charge, then made and use a volume measure to fit the powder weight like those Lee dipper things.

[Remiel]

I load some FF holy black in loads for .45-70.
Rather than use a powder measure/hopper like I do smokeless,
I weighed the right charge, then made and use a volume measure to fit the powder weight like those Lee dipper things.

Kinda like what my friend made me for adding cornmeal to my 44cal. It was made out of a cut down 9mm shell.

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[leadeye]

I like these things, everything from Merwins to topbreaks, 32SW and 38SW. I use FFF black and soft lead bullets, no fillers.They work quite well for what they they were designed for, close range personal protection.

[Remiel]

I like these things, everything from Merwins to topbreaks, 32SW and 38SW. I use FFF black and soft lead bullets, no fillers.They work quite well for what they they were designed for, close range personal protection.

I haven't decided yet but I would have to go over the border for the holy black and find dies, I assume that the 38/357 dies work for 38 s&w, but the 32 looks harder to find. I can get both pistols for 50 bucks and the gunsmith says they look good for shooting.

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[35isit]

38/357 dies won't load 38s&w. Their diameters are different. 38/357 dies size the case down too far.

[Remiel]

38/357 dies won't load 38s&w. Their diameters are different. 38/357 dies size the case down too far.

Good to know.

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[35remington]

Dang....somebody needs to keep their tools in a humidity controlled environment!

They are easy to reload for and I predict you will find t rewarding. It is not unheard of to use very mild smokeless powder loads given appropriate loadings

[Milsurp Junkie]

32 can be loaded with 32 acp/32 SW long dies.
38 SW are there own dies...maybe get 9mm Makarov to work.

[Magnum Wheel Man]

I once had a very large collection of these revolvers, & kept about half of the nicest when I held a big sell off over the last year... all of mine were shooters...

if your revolvers time out OK, they are shootable with Trailboss... my starting loads for 32 S&W only used 0.5 grains with no fillers needed, & I went up from there with 3 load levels... if your barrels are highly pitted, I either recommend not shooting them, of it you fell you must ( I always did ) I had a load that I crimped a soft 32 caliber lead round ball into the case

some of my collection even gets a couple mild self defense loads occasionally



At one time I had more than 30 of these revolvers in 32 & 38 S&W... pictured in this post are a couple I've kept... I really like the 32 & 38 Hand eject models quite rare & more positive ejecting

[Remiel]

Dang....somebody needs to keep their tools in a humidity controlled environment!

They are easy to reload for and I predict you will find t rewarding. It is not unheard of to use very mild smokeless powder loads given appropriate loadings

That was a set he dug out of somewhere cause we needed a tiny bit for something else.

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[Remiel]

I once had a very large collection of these revolvers, & kept about half of the nicest when I held a big sell off over the last year... all of mine were shooters...

if your revolvers time out OK, they are shootable with Trailboss... my starting loads for 32 S&W only used 0.5 grains with no fillers needed, & I went up from there with 3 load levels... if your barrels are highly pitted, I either recommend not shooting them, of it you fell you must ( I always did ) I had a load that I crimped a soft 32 caliber lead round ball into the case

some of my collection even gets a couple mild self defense loads occasionally



At one time I had more than 30 of these revolvers in 32 & 38 S&W... pictured in this post are a couple I've kept... I really like the 32 & 38 Hand eject models quite rare & more positive ejecting

Timing on both is good and the bores are too. Cylinder lock up is tight and the 32 top break doesn't have any play in the frame.

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[Magnum Wheel Man]

it's been a while since I loaded... let me look at my recipes... 0.5 grains sounds like a very tiny amount, but Trailbosse's lil donuts are bulky any the 32 S&W case pretty tiny, but it worked well as my test load... thinking my mid level load was maybe 1.5 grains, but I'll need to check to confirm... when I got into stronger guns I had a 3rd hotter load

32 & 38 S&W are very easy to load... 38 S&W I was able to load with lighter weight larger diameter cast 38 special bullets with acceptable accuracy

[leadeye]

I once had a very large collection of these revolvers, & kept about half of the nicest when I held a big sell off over the last year... all of mine were shooters...

if your revolvers time out OK, they are shootable with Trailboss... my starting loads for 32 S&W only used 0.5 grains with no fillers needed, & I went up from there with 3 load levels... if your barrels are highly pitted, I either recommend not shooting them, of it you fell you must ( I always did ) I had a load that I crimped a soft 32 caliber lead round ball into the case

some of my collection even gets a couple mild self defense loads occasionally



At one time I had more than 30 of these revolvers in 32 & 38 S&W... pictured in this post are a couple I've kept... I really like the 32 & 38 Hand eject models quite rare & more positive ejecting

Nice group!

[quail4jake]

Do you plan to cast for these or buy boolits?

[Larry Gibson]

I've loaded a few 32 S&Ws ....where, with any powder, does one find room for a filler

[quail4jake]

I've loaded a few 32 S&Ws ....where, with any powder, does one find room for a filler

No filler, ever...

[dtknowles]

I don't know about the quality of antique H & R revolvers but I have 5 antique S & W top break revolvers, 32 S & W, 38 S & W and 44-40 calibers and I load them with smokeless powder at black powder pressures and shoot them without concern. I have a Merwin Hulbert double action in 38 that I use the same ammo in.

Tim

[RU shooter]

Would black powder substitutes work is these old low pressure guns . I don't use subs or even have gun like that but am just curious

[pietro]

Would black powder substitutes work is these old low pressure guns . I don't use subs or even have gun like that but am just curious

They should - just be sure to use loose powder, not pellets.

.