Taurus 741 32 Mag, and loads

[sd5782]

I am new to this forum, so help may be necessary. I recently purchased a Taurus 741 32 mag. I have been looking for a kit gun style 32 with adjustable sights for many years to no avail. In the meantime I bought a S&W mod 60 38 special 3" with adjustable sights that is a fine shooter with a fantastic single action trigger. The Taurus is a 4" adjustable sight 6 shooter that is just like the small frame mod 94 22. It was barely shot, and I paid $200. I can find no info on the net about this gun. Back issues of gun digest catalogs show it made from 1991-1995. It obviously is not a strong gun like the sp101, as the stop notch cuts are right over the chambers, and even there the walls are only about .100 thick. This is fine, as I was only looking for velocities in the 750 to 850 range with 90-100gr cast boolits. I
I have Lee 90SWC TL, and 100RN. As the cases are skinny and hard to see down into it would be easy to double or even triple charge old standbys like Bullseye, and 231, I bought Trail Boss, and IMR 700X. Plenty of positive reviews of Trail Boss are around. The 700X looked bulky and is listed as a "target" powder for the 32 S&W long, so I thought I would try it. It is winter here, so I have yet to shoot it. I will probably load around 2.6-2.8 gr. Does anyone have this gun?

[Dale53]

I don't have the Taurus. However, I have a Smith 631 and it is probably of similar strength. Book level .32 mag loads should be just fine.

I mostly shoot 100 gr Keith style wadcutters in .32 S&W Long cases ahead of 2.8 Win 231. They shoot with excellent accuracy and are relatively mild. They are dandy edible small game loads.

I shoot this load in all three of my .32 H&R Mags as it is so pleasant to shoot. I generally load a 1000 at a time so I won't run out.

Dale53

[Harry O]

I agree that you should probably not go over factory loads with your gun.

Trail Boss works in the .32 Magnum, but it is relatively expensive for what you get. I have loaded it with Bullseye, Red Dot, and W231 at 2.8gr to 3.3gr. All work OK and are less powerful than factory. I have used W540 up to 4.5gr, which is very close to factory loads and is accurate. It is also accurate with lesser loads. I understand that HS6 powder has replaced the W540. I have gone beyond factory loads, but only with the Rugers, so I will not list them.

[sd5782]

Thanks. I use 231 in most of my other revolvers, and it is probably one that I will use in the Taurus (j-frame size). Years ago I double charged some 38's with 231, so I like to visually check before seating the boolit. The 32 mag cases are fairly long and skinny, so I wanted to try something bulkier so a double charge would be very obvious- 700X. I also thought with a new gun it was an excuse to try some new powder.
231, Unique, and AA9 are my long time overall favorites.

[9.3X62AL]

FWIW, if you arrange your 32 Mag cases in a loading block, a double charge of either WW-231 or Alliant Bullseye will be VERY apparent.

[sd5782]

Just loaded 2.7 Bullseye and 3.0 231 with my Lee disk measure. I could not get the 700X to flow properly into the small disks. I may dig out my old Lyman drum measure and give it a try. I really like the Lee disk measure better however.

[Harry O]

In watching some other people handload, I notice that many of them put all the empty cases (with primer seated) in loading blocks, then put the charge in each. That seems to me to be a double-charge accident waiting to happen.

I keep all my primed cases in a butter tub. I pick up each one and either fill it with a powder charge or the scale pan (depending on the powder). Only then do I put it in the loading block. After the loading block is full, I take a flashlight and shine it into each one to check them for double charges.

I don't know how it would be possible to double charge one, but who knows. I do know that I have NEVER double charged a case in 40 plus years.

[sd5782]

Harry, that's how I do it also. Perhaps absentmindedly I grabbed a case from the loading block. I now use some type of measuring stick such as a small round headed machine type screw with a nut threaded on, so I can adjust it down near the case, and then insert it into each case. In this way it is easy to spot over/under charges, even with not so good eyes.

[Dale53]

700X is TERRIBLE through a powder measure. I, and several friends, YEARS ago, were having problems with this powder. It would "hang" in the measure (both RCBS, Shotgun presses, etc) and the next round would get a charge and a half, etc.

I looked at the grains under magnification and the edges are like lace doilys - they hold hands and hang up.

So, even tho' this powder shoots very well, burns clean and all of that good stuff, it is poison through nearly every measure I have tried it in. The exception is a MEC (or similar) powder measure WITHOUT the baffle. The holes are big enough in the MEC that it doesn't hang up. My investigation was started because of a complaint about a MEC with a "Jim's Powder baffle". If you used the baffle the powder would hang up repeatedly. Then I had a complaint about a pistol auto loader machine at a nearby commercial loader. It goes on and on...

Had a friend that was "making light" of my warning while at the range. "He had been using it for LOTS of loads with no problems." The very next target he had a bullet stick in the barrel of his .45 ACP 1911. He was VERY quiet after that...

"Word to the wise..."

Dale53

[Newtire]

I have had the Lee Auto Disc Pro model hang up with some of the flake powders including Unique so save it for use on ball powders mainly. I would suggest using the Lee dipper method or a Belding & Mull on any powder that gives those kinds of troubles. A flashlight run over the loads is what I use also. It would just take one round to ruin your day...or perhaps 2, one with just enough to stick the boolit and then the other with the charge + 1/2 to finish it off. Been loading since I was 16 and never double charged one YET...