Some questions on .32 S&W long

[Argentino]

Hi guys

I thought you could help me with this. For almost a year I have been reloading .32 S&W long.

In that time I have reloaded and shot more than 1500 rounds of different combinations of powders, primers and bullets.

Trouble is that it seems that I can´t find a proper target load for it.

I´ve tried bullseye and ww231 (both from 1.5 to 2.0 grains), unique (from 2 and up to 3.0 grains) but I´m afraid I still don´t get proper groups
(my groups are no less than 3 1/2" or 4" at a distance from 15 yards in 10 to 15 shot strings).

So far my only mold is a Lee .314"-90 grain SWC designed for tumble lubing but I have used some other SWC or WC boolits with similar (poor) results.


My feeling (just a feeling-I have no way to prove this) is that all that free room inside the case is giving me some erratic ignition of the small loads of powder.

I have tried to use some filler (small discs of tissue paper slightly pressed against the powder load) but rather to improve it seems that burning gets even more erratic than before: some shots are noticeable "heavier" in terms of recoil than others. The diference in POI increases as consequence.

I could really use some help in order to improve my groups.

I really like this little caliber (so far I have 2 S&W HE 1903 Models) but it doesn´t seem to give me the accuraccy I intend to obtain from it, despite of my efforts.

Many thanks in advance for your help.-

[Argentino]

Another thing to take in consideration: I lube my boolits with LLA. Even when completely dried it is very possible that part of the powder
charge loaded in the case sticks to the base of the bullet coated with LLA.

A couple of days ago I decided to make a little test; I took a boolit coated with LLA (completely dried) and I put it in a small pan containing powder (Bullseye).

A lot of grains of powder sticked immediately to the surface of the boolit. Same thing happened with other powders (ww231 and Unique).

I guess the same could happen with part of the powder charge sticking to the base of the boolit in a loaded cartridge. Maybe this situation combined with a lot of empty space inside the case could led to some erratic ignition like the ones I´ve experimented.

I would really appreciate your opinions about my "theory".

Many thanks in advance.

[GBertolet]

Argentino, Try slugging the bore and cylinder throats. I have an older .32 revolver that the cylinder was bored straight through by the factory, at case diameter. It would not shoot either. Maybe it's your problem also.

[rond]

I use Titegroup with that boolit in .32 S&W long, it's not position sensitive according to Hodgon.

[32ideal]

Argentino purchase some 90 to 98 grain hollow base wadcutters seated about flush with the case mouth, test with the same loads of W231 you tried with the plain base wadcutter bullets, if your gun does not shoot them accurately I'd be very surprised. I use to purchase Tarus 98gr HBW .312" bullets years ago, think they came from Brazil and they shot as good or better than the high dollar ones from Lapua.

32ideal

If they work for you this is the only company I can find that makes 32 HBW moulds!
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=115711

[9.3X62AL]

Argentino--

I have no experience with the Lee Tumble-Lube moulds, can't help with that part of your question.

EVERY S&W revolver I've owned in 32 S&W Long--32 Magnum--and 32-20 has had throats of at least .3135", most were .314", and a couple ran .3145". None of them will shoot a boolit under .314" worth a darn. I would check dimensions carefully and size bullets accordingly.

Those old Hand Ejectors and my Colt Pocket Positive have sighting gear that is pretty crude and difficult to see well unless lighting is PERFECT. My 6" Model 16-4 has GREAT open irons, though--and it always shoots far better than the Colt PP. Now, if you REALLY want to see the 32 SWL stand up and SHOOT, find a Walther GSP variant and run some good wadcutter rounds through it. Incredible accuracy, but EXPENSIVE. They do have "upper units" that change out to 22 LR and 22 Short, but those aren't cheap either. I had a shot at a 3-caliber GSP set that had had some use, but was priced at $1500 USA about 10 years ago. I'm still kicking myself over THAT brain fail. MSRP for such an assemblage NIB now is ~$4200.

[MT Gianni]

If you have access to Red Dot, Glenn's load of 2.5 gr Red Dot and a 90-100 gr boolit work well in my Regulation Police Smith.

[Outpost75]

In my .32 S&W Hand Ejector my best load use the Saeco #325, 98-grain Keith style SWC, cast 1:20 tin/lead, loaded as-cast and unsized at .315" lubed with Lee Liquid Alox and 2.5 grains of Bullseye. Velocity is 824 fps from the 4-1/2" barrel and groups are about an inch at 50 feet.

[Dark Helmet]

Make sure all of your cases are trimmed to the same length. Helps keep all the crimps the same. Separate your cases by headstamp- lots of variation in the weights of various makes of cases. Helps to keep case internal volume the same.

[NoZombies]

With that bullet, try 1.9 grains of bullseye. Give it a nice tight crimp into the 3rd little groove.

That load has been universally acceptable (ranging from not bad, to downright accurate) with all of my .32 long and .32 magnum revolvers, including the 1903 hand ejectors. I got sporadic results before tightening up my crimp, but once I started using the tighter crimp, I saw the groups tighten right up.

[Carolina Cast Bullets]

Straight LLA does not dry, ever. It remains somewhat sticky and tends to gather dust, lint and of course powder grains. Try the 45/45/10 mixture developed by Recluse. Very easy to use, a little goes a long way and it DRIES ! ! ! !

This may solve your trouble of powder sticking to the bullet and smoothing out your erratic results. JMHO

Jerry
Carolina Cast Bullets

[MT Gianni]

Straight LLA does not dry, ever. It remains somewhat sticky and tends to gather dust, lint and of course powder grains. Try the 45/45/10 mixture developed by Recluse. Very easy to use, a little goes a long way and it DRIES ! ! ! !

This may solve your trouble of powder sticking to the bullet and smoothing out your erratic results. JMHO

Jerry
Carolina Cast Bullets

Johnson Paste Wax will probably be impossible to find in Argentina. You might be able to mix the Alox with a paste furniture wax containing Carnuba wax.