My .32 Auto carry load

[FergusonTO35]

This is the load that I carry every day in my little Kel-Tec P-32. It is the most consistent one I've ever tried and loads, fires, and ejects perfectly. The bullets are a wide flat point design from Accurate Molds that I cast.

Powder: 2.1 grains Hodgdon Titewad
Bullet: 76 grain lead flat point, 50/50 beeswax-alox lube
Primer: Federal Gold Medal small pistol
Case: Remington
Overall length: .945

Chronograph Data
Low: 863.4
High: 893.6
Average: 886.5
Extreme spread: 30.22
Standard deviation: 8.94
Energy in foot-pounds: 132.60

[Outpost75]

81634

My velocity with 2 grains of Bullseye in Beretta Tomcat isn't as high as yours, but load functions reliably and shoots well. These groups fired at 50 feet,

[FergusonTO35]

Looks good! I must emphasize that this is my carry load, on the range I use something more mild. Titewad is a winner in the .32. It meters great and fills the case well. Very clean burning and is cheap and nearly always in stock. Next Im going to try it in snub nose .38 Special.

[NoZombies]

Is that titewad, or titegroup? I ask because I've been loading with titegroup for a while, but hadn't ever seen any .32 data for titewad anyplace.

[FergusonTO35]

Yes, that is Titewad. Not too bright on Hodgdons part to give the two powders easily misremembered names, kind of like how there used to be (still are?) three versions of Clays. I bought it initially because it was the only really fast powder I could find in stock, everything else vanished a long time ago. There is almost no non-shotgun data out there for Titewad. I decided to start on the low end for similarly fast burning powders and work my way up. I started at 1.7, then 1.9,then 2.1. 1.7 is a mousefart, 1.9 is a good target load, 2.1 was the most consistent across the chronograph and gave me the velocity I was looking for. As a bonus it fills the case to 60-70%. I'm not going any farther because I think this about as strong as one should load for the little Kel-Tec.

My initial testing shows that Titewad may be as close to ideal a powder one can find for this little gun and cartridge. Most .32 Auto data and factory ammo is still produced with the traditional pre-war style .32 Auto pistols in mind such as the Walther PP and Mauser HSc. The data still hasn't caught up with today's micro size .32's and I doubt it will given the usual craving for ever larger cartridges in small guns. The .32 Auto is, I think, the finest of all rounds for true pocket pistols and its unfortunate that its true potential remains undiscovered by so many shooters and the industry.

[NoZombies]

Interesting. I'll add titewad load development to my long list of things to do when I get some extra time.

[9.3X62AL]

Two of the designs seen on Accurate Molds' catalog pages are of the weight and form you mention--one has micro-bands for tumble-lubing, the other has conventional lube groove. Could you specify which mould design number your bullet is?

I share your view that little R&D is done lately concerning the 32 ACP, and that goes for both the modern micro pistols as well as the classic platforms. It's all about the 9mm and 40 S&W these days. I've used both Lyman #313249 and #311252 in my Walther PP for years, and both have run well and their full-caliber "shoulders" work well on smaller varmints. I do think the flatnoses on the two Accurate designs would be a better and smoother-feeding boolit, though. My interest is in small game and small varmint hunting, not so much with counter-goblin applications.

[Outpost75]

I'm using the Ranch Dog tumble-lubed flatnose, which weighs 71 grains in 92-6-2 "hardball" alloy or 74 grains in Wheelweights. The Accurate bullet is quite similar.

The NEI #82 pictured below,
82099

but shortened to 87 grs., removing the gascheck heel, bottom lube groove and band, works well with the same 2 grain Bullseye charge in steel framed pistols only, as it is a gutsy load I use only in my CZ27, CZ50 and Walther PP.

[FergusonTO35]

I use the conventional lube groove version of the Accurate mold. The RD bullet is a good one, unfortunately the ogive is too short to seat the boolit at .945. It will chamber but is a bit sticky in the chamber which is not acceptable for a defense round. RD designed his to seat at .915 if I remember correctly. That OAL is rim lock city in my gun although it apparently works fine in many others.

I really like my little Kel-Tec. It is my favorite carry piece and I can shoot it quickly with good accuracy. Parts are very cheap for this gun and no special tools or expertise are required to work on it. Mine has about 1,000 rounds on it and I recently gave it a tune up with new springs and a good disassembly and cleaning. In all likelihood I'll treat myself to a second one some day.

[9.3X62AL]

Thank you!

[tejano]

I tried Titewad in the 32 acp for the first time this past Thursday. My Lee Micro disk .27 consistently dropped 1.8-1.9 grains. Recoil was okay but I did not shoot it as well as my regular W231 load. However, perhaps that was because I was a little apprehensive about using new powder with no official published pistol data. The pistol (a Beretta Model 84 converted to 32 acp), fed all 50 of Rimrock's 75 gr. FP and the primers all looked normal. That said, instead of going up to 2.0-2.1 grains, next time I load for it I am going to go down (Lee Micro .24 ) and see what happens.