Ruger Vaquarito and black

[Nobade]

I have a Ruger single six Vaquero 32 H&R mag that I have been fighting with for some time now. It has way excessive headspace and if fired with normal BP loads, the primers back out enough to tie up the cylinder. It works fine with smokeless loads, but that's no fun. So yesterday I tried duplex loading for it, to try to boost the pressure enough to get it to work. Presto, it did! 2.0gr. AA#2 plus .7cc KIK FFFg and Accurate's BP boolit made the cases seal the chambers, and generated enough pressure to get them to slide back over the primers so they ended up flush after the shot. I ran 50 rounds through it with zero problems. Of course the smokeless cleans up the fouling too, but in this short barrel gun that's never a problem anyway. But the primers sticking out is and this fixed that. I have pondered sending it back to Ruger for repair, but they always say it is within specs so it's a waste of time to try. So anyway, I guess the point of this is if you have a similar problem and are working with a modern gun that you don't have to worry about pressure limits this is an easy way to get it to work. I didn't chrono it, but it makes some pretty powerful ammo as well.

-Nobade

[TXGunNut]

What brand of brass?

[Nobade]

Federal this time, but it is the same with Starline. Annealed or not, it never seemed to matter. That little case just doesn't build much pressure with black, I guess.

-Nobade

[TXGunNut]

I don't use Starline for BP any more, makes it easier to keep the BP loads segregated from the SP loads. Wonder what would happen if you only partially resized the cases?

[44Vaquero]

SAMMI spec for head space in .32 H&R Mag is min .056 to max .070. What does yours measure?

[Nobade]

I need to measure it and put a number on it. Haven't done that yet. But with a normal BP load, the primer is halfway out of the case after the shot.

I also have been meaning to polish the chambers to allow the cases to slide rearward at the shot. I need to get a round tuit and see if that doesn't help - I suspect it will. They're not bad now, the cases can be extracted with a fingernail after they are fired. But a finer finish can't hurt.

-Nobade

[Dark Helmet]

Magnum primers?

[Nobade]

Magnum primers?

Doesn't matter. Tried it both ways, same result.

-Nobade