The Lee 32ACP Project 1

[zardoz]

Hello Friends:

I have taken so much from the forum, and figured I would contribute my own small experience here. In a previous thread, another member had machined off the top of a Lee mould, which was a C309-120-R I believe to arrive at a 32 ACP boolit.

My idea was to take a 311-100-2R, and apply the same treatment, to arrive at a boolit of 70-80 grains weight suitable for the 32ACP caliber. After a couple of months, I am happy to report a success. Here in pictures, is the conversion.

This was the mould as received.

[zardoz]

Since I'm on dial up, I will post one or two pictures per post as attachment.

I had a machinist friend remove 0.136" of metal from the top or sprue plate area. I asked him to leave the finish a little rough for venting. As it was, the finish on the new mould was VERY rough, and it looked a lot better after using the end mill.

One thing of note was the mould pivot pin holes opened up from the removal of this metal.

Another item was the sprue plate pivot screw. We bottom tapped it to clean up the threads, and I added a couple of flat washers on top of the spring washer to avoid bottoming on the mould handles. Worked like a charm.

[zardoz]

Here is a picture of the finished mould face. The mould closed just fine, and was not unbalanced so bad that it would not close in the upright position.

Also attached is a close up of the boolits that it dropped. I dressed a few leftover machining burrs with a 400 toolmakers stone, very lightly.

The boolits dropped at a weight of 73.8 to 74.1 grains. About 74 grain average. This put it right in the range for 75 grain loading data for cast boolits from the Lyman manual.

In the boolits picture, you can clearly see where the full diameter to ogive transition occurs. About a millimeter above the groove.

[zardoz]

Here is a small tub of the castings. I use those ziploc 1 cup containers for a lot of different things on the reload bench. Previous to sizing, the boolits measured roughly 0.314" diameter. After sizing through a Lee 0.311", they measured in the area of 0.3105". Also, the sized area extended above the lube groove a full millimeter, which was the area of I was going to target for case seating.

I used a pan lube of 50/50 beeswax and vaseline, which I've had success with in the autoloading pistols.

A finished cartridge. As a starting load, I put these over 2.0 grains of Red Dot powder to see how they would cycle in the gun.

One more stat: Overall length ended up at 0.962" to 0.963" measured over 10 cartridges. This is what Fiocchi factory cartridges measured at as well, with the 73 grain FMJ. See the visual side-by-side comparison down the page a bit.

[zardoz]

So far, the rounds have performed comparably to the factory rounds. I have a picture here of a Fiocchi 7.65 Browning round, with the 73 grain FMJ for comparison. My loading is not as stout as the factory, but I wanted to be conservative with the unknowns here.

One advantage with the loading of 2.0 grains Red Dot is that I can find my brass, as it tosses up about 4 feet into the air, and comes down about 3 to 4 on my right.

Given the expense of factory 32 ACP, this is will be a leap in economy.

Just wanted to pass along my results to the forum here. Thanks for your help in my new obsession.

[exile]

What type of .32 are you shooting those out of? I have a NAA Guardian.

exile

[Shooter6br]

Bit heavy but I used itin Davis 32acp Ok for the non mechcanailly inclined I guess Nice mold project!

[9.3X62AL]

Awright, this prompts me to get off my aspirations and get the Lyman #311252 mould warmed up. I received it months back, but haven't done a thing with it.

Nice photo story, and those boolits look like they belong with the caliber.

[zardoz]

Ah, some replies! Thanks.

I am shooting these out of a Kel-Tec P32. I also have the P3AT, and the P11 from them. Been shooting the 105 grain SWC from the P3AT, and the 356-125-2R as well as the 105-SWC from the P11.

My next endeavor, will be to try hollow pointing some of these when my backordered Forster short base, collets, and pilots come in. Already have the other stuff.

Wish I had some chronograph numbers for you folks, but I have not sprung for one of those yet. The urgency of getting one of those is rising a bit everyday the further I get into these experiments and trials. I note that the max load for Red Dot in the Lyman book for 75 grain lead is 2.3 grains, and lists the highest velocity at 940 ft/s for that powder.

Although I have .357 and .44 Magnum calibers in the stable, this little 32 ACP really fascinates me right now. The "James Bond" caliber you know. I may end up getting one of those Walther PPK's in 32ACP before it is all said and done.

[Bret4207]

Outstanding!!! I hereby nominate Zardoz for the "Booliteer of the Month"!!! Excellent pics too. You created a close copy of the Lyman 311252, only without the crimp groove. Good on you!

I know where there are a couple Savage 32's that call to me each time I see them. Work like this makes me want one even more!

[Echo]

Way To Go, Z! This is a great example of booliteering, and I second the motion for a "Booliteer Of The Month" award!

[Dale53]

zardoz;
Congratulations! Nothing like making EXACTLY what you want or need.

Dale53

[Ranch Dog]

Excellent work zardoz... nothing like completely rolling your own! I really like shooting and carrying the 32 ACP.

I've been working on a series of semi-auto designs based on the rifle work I do. I've been shooting the Ranch Dog TL314-70-RF for a couple months now. I've shot the bullet into hog carcasses and that RF meplat does some damage.



My Bryco M-38 is one of my primary CC pistols.



I have a "Ranch Dog" working for my 25 ACP, 380 Auto, and 9mm also. Please keep us posted on your shooting! Good job!

[45nut]

Outstanding thread.

[Buckshot]

............The 32 ACP is a neat, trim, and efficient little cartridge. A friend has 2 of the small turn of the century Colt automatics (which are small works of art IMO) and they're startlingly accurate. As a side note Dave Corbin used the 32 ACP case necked down to 22 cal to create the 22 Flea. His brother Richard made the chamber reamer, form and reloading dies for it.

..............Buckshot

[sheepdog]

Bit heavy but I used itin Davis 32acp Ok for the non mechcanailly inclined I guess Nice mold project!

Wow you went through all this... for a Davis? JKing, nice work.

[zardoz]

Alright! I finally got my chronograph in, and got it set up on the pistol test range behind my abode.

FWIW, I got a Competition Electronics Digital Pro Chronograph. The reviews on Midway seemed to be far more positive, and the cost was well within line. I tested it on my Daisy pump BB gun, and learned some surprising things about number of pumps and velocity.

Anyway, I took 5 of my rounds only, and shot them over the chronograph. Here is what came out with the 2.0 grains Red Dot.

Pistol was a Kel-Tec P32. First sensor about 1.5 feet from the muzzle.

Shot 1: 810 ft/s
Shot 2: 766 ft/s
Shot 3: 771 ft/s
Shot 4: 754 ft/s
Shot 5: 761 ft/s

Average: 772 ft/s
Standard Deviation: 21

Temperature: 73 degs. F
Barometric: 29.86 in.

I am pleased this aligns with data from the Lyman manual (49th) which indicates 695 ft/s for 1.5 grains RD, and 940 ft/s for 2.3 grains out of a 3" barrel for the 75 grain cast boolit.

I'll chronograph some of the Fiocchi FMJ factory tomorrow to see how it compares.

I think I need a more accurate powder scale though, as the little digital one I have is a bit weird when trying to get 1/10 grain accuracy.

About accuracy, well at 12 yards, I was hitting a paper pie plate consistently, and that is all I expect at this point with the Kel-Tec.

[zardoz]

I am a bit astounded here.

I took five of the nice looking Fiocchi factory rounds, and shot them over the chronograph today.

Here is what it measured.

Shot 1: 741 ft/s
Shot 2: 826 ft/s
Shot 3: 761 ft/s
Shot 4: 823 ft/s
Shot 5: 788 ft/s

Average: 787 ft/s
Standard Deviation: 37

Temperature: 71 degs. F
Barometric: 29.85 in.

This has just got to be beginners luck or something. I had tighter numbers than factory with my home brew boolits and hand assembled cartridges. I could have sworn that the factory rounds would have been a lot faster, as the recoil seemed a bit higher. As it was, the average was 15 ft/s more than my home brew.

What can I say? I only started doing this a little over 4 months ago. Just astounded.

[j20owner]

Takes less powder/pressure to move a boolit down a barrel than a j-word. Recoil is partially influenced by the amount of the powder in a cartridge. Very nice job, zardoz.

[drac0nic]

Pardon the thread dredge, did anyone ever make a few of these? I emailed Lee asking about getting something made up by having the cherry moved up a bit. Since they wanted $175 plus the mold cost, it was a bit pricey unless I want to have 30 or so made up. Looking to load some 32 autos up.