.32 acp ammo vs Ruger single six

[Navahojoe]

A good friend just gave me several boxes of .32 acp ammo. Can I shoot this ammo in my Ruger Single Six .32 H&R Mag?
Thanks for your replies!
NavahoJoe

[subsonic]

I have heard of it being done. It will likely not shoot very accurately, if it fires. I do not think its dangerous to try.

[MtGun44]

I believe that .32 ACP uses a .308 diameter boolit and .32 H&R is more like .327, or
something like that. The second issue is that .32 is rimless, so even if it were to fit, without
a rim, there is no way to headspace the case properly against the firing pin hit.

Do some research, but I'm pretty sure you are way off for shooting this stuff.

Bill

[BCall]

32 ACP is semi-rimless. Most measure .311-.312, while 32 mag jacketed stuff runs .312. I know people who have done it, there is no real danger. Main problem I have ever seen is the thinner rim of the 32 ACP. Several guys I know who have tried had problems with FTF because of light primer strikes due to the thin rim.

[btroj]

Bullet diameter is fine, how to get the stuff to headspace so it will fire is another.
I would find someone with a 32 ACP who can use the ammo and get some 32 HR instead.

[EMC45]

.32 ACP is semi-rimless. I have shot a good bit of it through my Smith revolvers. Nominal bullet diameter is .311-.312 in this ammo. The ammo I shoot is Lyman 77gr. RN over 1.7gr. 700X. Shoots and extracts just fine. And it's fairly accurate. You should have no problems.

[NoZombies]

The real problem with 32 acp in .32 revolvers comes when people try to shoot it in the old .32 S&W top breaks. It's a higher pressure round than the .32 S&W, and has a thinner rim. The higher pressure is much like firing a proof load every time you pull the trigger, and the thinner rim means excess headpace, and that tends to batter the breach face of the old revolvers (that are normally made from fairly soft steel)

The Ruger will likely have no problems with breach face wear, and certainly none with pressure.

[MtGun44]

I stand corrected - I have shot .32 ACP a few times, but never knew it was semi-rimless!

What is the nominal bullet size for the .32 Mag? Isn't it really around .320 or larger??

I guess I should have stayed out of this one, not loading for the .32s. Sorry for the bad
info.

Bill

[WARD O]

32 H & R Mag is .312. I size my boolits to .313. (32-20 is the same.)

Thompson used to make the contender barrel to shoot 32 mags with a .310 bore to take advantage of the various 30 cal bullets.

Ward

[Shooter6br]

Works fine in Ruger Blackhawk 327 fed. 32 auto is .311 32 mag .313-.314 nice to plink with

[Navahojoe]

Thanks for the replies, Fellows! I thought maybe I could do it, after having placed a live round in the cylinder of the Ruger, but I wanted to check with someone maybe wiser than myself. Gonna be a long jump for the bullet but hopefully it will work out fine. I have a 3032 "Tomcat" that I could shoot them in, but that's not the fun of it. Always wanted to try the .32 acp in the Ruger, now, next trip to the range, its gonna happen. Thanks again
NavahoJoe

[9.3X62AL]

Both calibers are (practically) straightwall casings with .335"-.337" outside diameter. Bullet diameter in 32 ACP runs from .309"-.311", while the revo rounds run roughly .003" wider. That little semi-rim will hang onto a cylinder end.

MtnGun, we gotta get you briefed-in on these mid-caliber dimensions, before you hurt yerself. Some of them can raise quite a welt.

[MtGun44]

Somehow, I bought the .327 as the actual bullet diameter for the .32 Mags. OOPS.

Learned something today.

Bil

[EMC45]

I size my .32 ammo for my wheel guns at .314 with my homemade sizer. They do fine. The 77gr. ACP bullets drop at .312. I shoot as is.