S&W 16-4 32H&R Mag

[Marvin S]

I should have one of these some time next week, a 4". Does anyone have one and could you offer some thoughts of it and maybe some favorite loads.

[canyon-ghost]

Ed Harris at CBA came up with a subsonic (quiet) load at 1.8 grains of Bullseye for a heavy 32 bullet. Just starting some 32 Mag myself.

[Larry Gibson]

I had a M16-4 for quite a while some years back. It was a very good shooter but not what I wanted in a .32. In Starline cases with WSPs I used 2.3 gr Bullseye under the Spear 98 gr HBWC seated flush for 720 fps and excellent accuracy. Best load was the 311316 which is a GC'd 32-20 bullet over 4 gr of Unique for 973 fps and excellent accuracy. Attached is a target of 12 shots at 25 yards twice around the cylinder with that load.

Larry Gibson

[Glen]

Great little small game gun! My favorite general purpose load for the .32 H&R is the RCBS 98 grains SWC over 6.5 grains of AA #7 for right at 1100 fps from a 6" gun.

[MT Gianni]

PM 9.3x62AL if he doesn't respond. his is a shooter.

[Rodfac]

I've had a 4" barreled one since 1990. It's very accurate but heavy for the cartridge size so I rarely carry it afield. Fit and finish are excellent and it came with S&W's superb single action trigger.

Here are some of my loads...they were safe in my gun as assembled. You should work up to them in yours. Regards, Rodfac

Bull-X, 100 gr SWC, sized .312" with 8.0 gr of H-2400, WSP Mag primers and Starline brass = 1.0" gps at 25 yds

Bull-X, 100 gr SWC, sized .312", 4.1 gr of Unique, Starline brass and WSP primers, 1.25" at 25 yds.

Bull-X, 100 gr SWC, sized .312", 3.1 gr of Bullseye, Starline brass and WSP primers, 1.25" at 25 yds.

Lyman #311008 cast of WW, sized .311", 3.1 gr of Bullseye, seated to a LOA of 1.41" in Starline brass with WSP primers = 1.0" at 25 yds

Lyman #311008 cast of WW, sized .311", 2.6 gr of Win 231, seated to a LOA of 1.27" in Starline brass with WSP primers = 1.5" at 25 yds

[9.3X62AL]

Gianni called it--my model 16-4 is a 6", and it is likely the most accurate revolver I've ever owned or fired. For real.

Just about any load sending the RCBS 98 grain SWC downrange between 750 and 1200 FPS will shoot at least decently. I've used Glen's load above (6.5 grains of AA-7), and it is a GREAT one.

My revolver's throats are all .314", and the RCBS casting just "cleans up" in a .314" H&I die. In 92/6/2 alloy, they are right on the money out of the die at .314".

I've run a few of the #311316 boolits out of this roller, and they don't shoot quite as accurately as the RCBS SWC. I've just started in 32 Mag with a Mountain Molds Fat 30 revolver-specific design that does GREAT work in the 32-20 wheelguns, 118 grains in WW metal. One other boolit that is kinda interesting is the Lyman #313631, a SWC/GC of 100 grains. It wasn't much at 1000 FPS, but run that critter at 1250 or faster and it pays attention to business and steps up.

[McKenzie]

Lyman #311008 cast of WW, sized .311", 3.1 gr of Bullseye, seated to a LOA of 1.41" in Starline brass with WSP primers = 1.0" at 25 yds

Lyman #311008 cast of WW, sized .311", 2.6 gr of Win 231, seated to a LOA of 1.27" in Starline brass with WSP primers = 1.5" at 25 yds[/QUOTE]

You indicate that you load the two 311008 loads to different OALs. I've been thinking about getting that mold, and being relatively inexperienced, I am very curious why the two different lengths?

Thanks for enlightening me.

[Marvin S]

Thanks guys, I really like the 586s so the 16-4 just seemed like the thing to get plus it will just add the the other 32s.

[Dale53]

I have a 6" S&W Model 16-4 with a Red Dot sight on it. Federal stopped component sales to reloaders right after I got mine (before I had a chance to buy any new cases). That was a BUMMER! On top of that, the original .32 H&R Federal factory ammo had LOUSY brass. I got several splits everytime I shot a box.

The salvation was a friend who was a commercial loader. He sold me a couple of thousand once fired .32 S&W Long brass. Using the Group Buy 100 Keith bullet or the RCBS 98 gr SWC and 2.8 Win 231 it makes a dandy target and edible small game load. I have shot thousands of those. Every time I am left with a grin on my face. I have also shot Hornady HBWC's (90 gr) with 2.0 grs of Bullseye in the same S&W Long cases. They shoot extremely well (well lunder an inch at 25 yards).

Recently I have been shooting some heavier loads in .32 H&R Magnum cases:

10.0 grs of H110 behind either the 100 gr Keith SWC or the 120 RF Group buy.

I shoot nothing but cast bullets in mine and size them to .313".

FWIW
Dale53