An Accurate 32 H&R Mag Revolver Load?

[jethrow strait]

My results have been a bit disappointing so far, using Water's Pet Loads article as a guide. Have a like-new version of the old Single Six with adjustable sights and a lil H&R 3" stubbie. Grooves and chamber mouths seem to match up pretty well at .312"/.313" but accuracy has so far not compared with larger caliber Blackhawks, using both commercial cast and homecast boolits.

Appreciate any "pet loads" or suggestions.

Thank You, jethrow

[fourarmed]

A friend and I have been shooting a lot of the 311008 in .32mag. Sized .310 it does very well in .308 barrels like the Contender and Merrill with 4 grains of Unique. We have been casting out of his 2-cavity mold, which is new and drops .312 boolits. I just got an old 4-cavity for the 3118, which is basically the same, but which drops them at .314. I sized some of them .310. Haven't shot them yet. They may be great in his Smith M16, which likes bigger boolits.

[9.3X62AL]

I had a Ruger SSM x 5.5", and now use a S&W Model 16-4 x 6". Both did/do fine work with the RCBS plain-base SWC (98 grains) at all velocity ranges from 750-1200 FPS, and powder doesn't seem to matter--I've used Bullseye, WW-231, Unique, and 2400 as appropriate for their respective pressure levels. Sizing to either .313" or .314" works equally well. Surprisingly, the MM 120 grain RFN meant for the 32-20 did not shoot real well from the 32 Mag, but drove tacks in the 32-20 revolvers. Correspondingly, the 32-20's seem to prefer the 115-120 grainers over the 100 grain boolits. I have Lyman #313631 to try in the 32 Magnum next, but the boolit will need to really shine to beat out the RCBS plain base.

With the J-words, AA-7 is THE powder in this caliber with 85 grainers, and WW-296/H-110 with 100 grain bullets.

[Dr. A]

I just used the new gang mold from this forum 314-120, and got good results with 3.5gr. Unique, 4gr. Unique., and 3.2gr. of Titegroup. This last one was the best. The bullet comes out 120gr. in plain wheel weights. I didn't even size my bullets. Tumble lubed, and shot them.

[9.3X62AL]

Sort of a follow-on from the other 32 Mag thread, Dr. A.

Unique in the amounts you show will be my next attempts with the 120 grain Mtn. Mold castings originally intended for my 32-20 revolvers. There's no real reason why these heavier boolits shouldn't work in the 32 Mag, and further work with them and Lyman #311316 will follow.

[Singletree]

I too have tried the bullet from the 314-120 group buy. Cast up 3-400 hundred of them. Used wheel weights and why I water dropped them, I don't know. My S&W Model 16 snubbed them with a number of different loads. Went back to square one, softened the alloy with about a third pure lead and ww. This time air cooled the things. The model 16 is very happy. The load is 6.5 gr. LilGun, not published data so be cautious. This load grouped just over 1 inch at 25 yds. off the bench, 2 power Leupold, 20 degree weather, wind, and snow in the air. I didn't chrono the load, just couldn't get my heart into it.

[digital shooter]

I shoot a Pardini .32 S&W long in competition. My S&W Model 16 is used to shoot any loads that don't perform in the Pardini (very sensitive semi-auto). My most accurate load is a 100gr. H&N wadcutter (DE) bullet with 1.8 grains of 231. This chronographs at 730 ft/sec.
My loads with Meister DEWC(.312), Lapua 98 gr DEWC(.314) don't shoot well in the Pardini, but in the S&W are great. All group within 1" @50ft. and 1.5"@ 25 yards. These loads are too light to perform well at 50 yards.
TJP

[Schnizel_fritz]

Does anyone have a good recepie for a ~100gn plated RN bullet? Preferably that doesent drop much at around 60y? The powders i have is VV 310, 320, 330, 340 and accurate no 2. Im shooting in a M-16 6"

[Nobade]

I like #3118 over 5.5gr. AA#5 in my TC Contender and S&W M-16. Very flat shooting to 100M and holds under an inch at 50M off the bench with the S&W (with scope) and about 1.5 inches at 100M from the TC.

Never liked #2 in the 32 H&R for boolits this heavy. Probably would work well with 90 gr. or so ones.

-Nobade

[Larry Gibson]

What cast bullets are you wanting to use? My original run Single Six with 6 1/2" barrel like a variety of loads with several different cast bullets.

Larry Gibson

[Schnizel_fritz]

I use plated German H&N bullets http://www.hn-sport.de/en/products/bullets/pistol-bullets/32.html (those farthest down)

[Green Frog]

Schnizel_fritz, the VV powders are hard enough to find around here that I don't have any experience with them, but I'll be watching this thread now that it is resurrected to see whether there is something I'll be able to use. I'm not all that crazy about jacketed bullets, just for the expense. Is there something preventing you from using lead bullets that you buy or cast for yourself?

Froggie

[6thtexas]

I had a Ruger Bisley 6 1/2" that I shot for several years. My best load was a RCBS 98-SWC cast out of wheelweights, sized .313", and I used an amount of 2400 that I got out of a Skeeter Skelton article. I won't list it here as I sure wouldn't want to use it in the H&R, but it was great in the Ruger. Velocity was > 1200fps and the cases lasted indefinitely. I still have the original 150 cases I started with and all of them were shot over ten times each. I killed all sorts of small game with it. Only problem was that revolver was LOUD!

[Schnizel_fritz]

Schnizel_fritz, the VV powders are hard enough to find around here that I don't have any experience with them, but I'll be watching this thread now that it is resurrected to see whether there is something I'll be able to use. I'm not all that crazy about jacketed bullets, just for the expense. Is there something preventing you from using lead bullets that you buy or cast for yourself?

Froggie

It`s not jacketed, it`s plated, like Berrys etc

[dubber123]

My last group out of my 6-1/2" Bisley with the RCBS 98 SWC over 3.5 Grs. of Green Dot measured .48 inches at 26 yards. I call it an "Honest 25".. The RCBS boolit is a champ in everything I have tried it in.

[UnderDawgAl]

over 3.5 Grs. of Green Dot

A man after my own heart. GD is my favorite midrange handgun powder these days. I will have to try this in my Ruger 6.5"er.

[Green Frog]

Dubber, have you tried that Green Dot with any heavier bullets? I've got this NOE copy of the old 3118, but they made it enough longer that it runs about 125 grains. I guess I could try your loads with my little MP SWC hollow points that are running just a hair over 100 grains...

Froggie

[dubber123]

Dubber, have you tried that Green Dot with any heavier bullets? I've got this NOE copy of the old 3118, but they made it enough longer that it runs about 125 grains. I guess I could try your loads with my little MP SWC hollow points that are running just a hair over 100 grains...

Froggie
I have an NOE GC RF mold that casts a HP. I haven't done a whole lot of testing with it, but it is far behind the RCBS 98 SWC as of yet. I tried slow and fast, but didn't find much happiness. The mold casts great, and I will continue to try to find a good load. That RCBS boolit just wants to shoot, and does so with many different loads.

[9.3X62AL]

Lots of lead downrange from the 32 Magnum and my 32-20 revolvers since 2005, with numerous rats and jacks donating their services since that time as test media. Conclusions and opinions are as follows......

1) The 32 Magnum (S&W Model 16-4 x 6") is without doubt the most accurate revolver I have ever been privileged to own. With the RCBS 32-98-SWC from 700-1200 FPS, it will meet or beat my sister's truck-axle-barreled PPC Model 10 firing factory Super-X wadcutters or any handload, with either of us "driving" either revolver. The Model 16-4 is box-stock, excepting its grip panels; the Model 10 is highly refined.

2) My 16-4 prefers the RCBS SWC over all other bullets. It will perform creditably/decently with cast and jacketed bullets of all weights from 60 to 130 grains, but no bullet puts the RCBS slug @ .314" in the shade--and that includes small game/varmints to 125 yards. In 92/6/2 metal, it falls free @ .3155" cast at 725*.

3) In the 16-4, the Lyman #313631 (100 grain SWC/GC) shoots indifferently from 800-1200 FPS. Push velocities upward, and groups tighten MARKEDLY, once slower-burners like AA-9, WC-820, 2400, and WW-296 get used. At 1450 FPS, groups at 50 yards run about 25% larger than those produced by the RCBS SWC. This is the only "powder sensitivity" the caliber has shown to date; with conventional pressures/loads, powder labels don't matter--they all shoot that RCBS SWC superbly. Even in the intrepid loads, small pistol magnum primers REALLY screw things up--WIN and CCI SPP both work well, and don't flatten much.

4) With my 3 revolvers in 32-20, all show a definite preference for 115-125 grain bullets over lighter slugs. Run all three at 900 FPS or thereabouts, and the hits will stack atop the sight picture all day. Favored load in these rollers is right from Ken Waters' "Pet Loads" article on 32-20 for wheelguns......6.0 grains of SR-4756 and a SPP in R-P or W-W brass. These same loads run about 1150-1200 FPS in the Marlin carbine, but the Marlin has a STRONG preference for Lyman #311316, whether run at 1200 or 1800 FPS.

[sixshot]

I've taken hundreds of small critters with my Ruger SS 32 maggie using 3 grs of WST & the RCBS slug, it runs about 950 fps in my gun & ground squirrels, rock chucks & grouse hate it. I probably take 300-400 ground squirrels every year with that load. When I want to wind it up I switch to my 8 shot 327, a GC heavy bullet & H110.

Dick

[Schnizel_fritz]

What primer are you guys using for the .32 mag? Should i use a magnum primer?
Im thinking of starting a ladder that starts at 2,5gn of VV n320 and goes up to 3,5 and check pressures for every load.

[9.3X62AL]

S/F--

My experience with the 32 Mag, which includes the use of hard-to-ignite spherical propellants like H-110/WW-296/WC-820/AA-9, indicates that SP Magnum primers are too much of a good thing in these small cases. As stated in Paragraph 3 of my past post, their use degraded accuracy and both CCI and Winchester SP primers had sufficient cup strength to endure even the most intrepid loadings without inordinate flattening or any piercing. My thoughts were and are that in such small cases a magnum primer is "over-priming" the cartridge. With the slowest powders (H-110 and WW-296) a moderate crimp and SP primers gave very little bore trash (unburned kernels) and consistent velocities.

In terms of published data for this caliber, the best and most thorough treatment I've found to date is given in the RCBS Cast Bullet Manual #1 (1986).

[Bullshop Junior]

My results have been a bit disappointing so far, using Water's Pet Loads article as a guide. Have a like-new version of the old Single Six with adjustable sights and a lil H&R 3" stubbie. Grooves and chamber mouths seem to match up pretty well at .312"/.313" but accuracy has so far not compared with larger caliber Blackhawks, using both commercial cast and homecast boolits.

Appreciate any "pet loads" or suggestions.

Thank You, jethrow

Ahh. The single six 32 mag. What a gem. I happen to have one that I got from a member here. When I first got mine, it wouldn't shoot worth a hoot. I tried just about everything (mine slugs at .3105") and just was not happy. Anyway. Long story short, it got set to Ruger to be retimed. Now it shoots great.

Mine likes heavier bullets better. My dad likes a particular 115gn bullet that he has for his, where my pet bullet is a 125gn hollow point.

Im not gonna say for sure, until I have time to look at home, but I think my pet load is 4gn of unique. I tried a few other powders, including bluedot, reddot, titewad, and H110 but it liked the unique load. Mine likes mid range loads, not mouse farts, and not mammoth stompers.

Here is the first target i shot with it after getting it back from ruger. 20 yards off hand. (This is good for me, im a horrible shot with a handgun)

117804

[Bullshop Junior]

Just noticed this thread was from 05. Wow.

Anyway. Should probably mention.

I size the bullets to .312"

And. I cast from ACCOWW

[Bullshop Junior]

Rounded up a few photos of the bullets, and loaded ammo. It comes right the end of the cylinder when loaded.

117812

117813

[9.3X62AL]

I sure wish my 16-4 would perform as well with the heavy-weight bullets like it does with the 100 grain-class slugs. There is some solace in knowing that my 32-20s will sling them well, but I'm greedy--I WANT IT ALL, AND I WANT IT NOW! :-)

[Bullshop Junior]

I wish mine shot the lighter bullets. At 80gn i could get three shots for the same lead as two of these. Thats a extra 25 bullets for every box of ammo.

[Schnizel_fritz]

Does anyone have experience with magtechs .311 74gn plated bullets with a M 16-4? Im thinking about ordering some when i order the brass (only using .32 S&W long right now, they are alot easier to come by here in Sweden). I need a load that is not dropping much at around 50-80 meter since i mostly compete in "field shooting" (fältskytte) where distances can vary from 10-90 meters
Here is a youtube link for anyone intrested, kretsmästerskap is loosly translated "county championship" and this is the revolver division

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxcmMqq3LpY

[Green Frog]

Schnizel_fritz, I'm sure you've answered this before and I've just missed it, but why are you using plated vs conventionally lubed or powder coated bullets? I've shot "classic" cast bullets almost exclusively in my various 32s, except on the rare cases where I've resorted to jacketed factory loads. The only plated bullets I've ever shot were a few old factory rounds from an odd batch I found somewhere, but in such small numbers I haven't gotten a real feel for what advantage they offer. BTW, have you done any bullet casting of your own there? I know that to friends in other parts of Europe, the idea of hand casting at home is a rather "foreign" concept, but I don't know whether that is widespread. I guess I'm just old school, but plain old lubed cast bullets just "feel right" in my 32s, indeed for most of my guns.

Regards,
Froggie

[Schnizel_fritz]

I havent started casting yet due to lack of a good space to do it in. Im using H&N bullets because they are cheap and has good quality.
I talked with a proffesional reloader earlier today and we decided that a good starting load would be 3.2gn of VV n320. Im just waiting for the cases i ordered to arrive so i can start loading.

[Bullshop Junior]

I can't recall ever shooting a plated bullet, ever. I don't remember when I bought a box of jacketed, but it was probably when i still had a 22/250, so a long time.

[Green Frog]

Schnizel_fritz, I wish I could be of more help to you... unfortunately you're outside of my sphere of experience. I will however be watching for the results you get so that I can add that data to my own bank of knowledge. Please continue to keep us informed about your load testing and development. Hopefully some day we will have a variety of powders like the Vitavhouri family available here, and who knows, I may even resort to buying bullets. Then again, I may be able to transfer some of what you learn to use with hard cast bullets too.

All the best,
Charlie, the Green Frog

[Schnizel_fritz]

I just got my S&W Model 16 back from a awesome gunsmith. He fixed some issues I have been having with it, like a to thin yoke and a missaligned fire pin bushing. He also got me a DA-pull from heaven ( around 1.8 kg / 4 pounds ). I tried a .32 mag load i came up with and it seems good. It's 3.2 gn of Vitavouri 320 and 35 mm / 1.377 " OAL. Federal sp primer and I tried it at around 90 yards with my cars roof as shooting support and here are a group: http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/10/13/1eafaf3552d95778a93e6b102ac90101.jpg
I think it was around 2.5" but i never measured it.

[Schnizel_fritz]

Here is a pic of the gun:
http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/10/13/ab1e151a2eeb5557a76b32e74cee6bb1.jpg

[OuchHot!]

90 yards!!! That looks great to me. What bullet is that?

[Schnizel_fritz]

As I wrote earlier in this thread it's a H&N 100gn .314 Rn from Germany.

[BAGTIC]

When I had one of the original Ruger Single-Sixes 6 1/2" I used the SAECO 98 grain SWC mold. It cast HTWW at 104 grains. Unsized ahead of 4.5 grain of Unique it chronographed exactly 1200 fps. It consistently shot <2 inch groups at 25 yards which is about all I can manage with any revolver of any caliber.

It really comes down to how demanding a shooter's personal standards are. For me it was good enough for plinking, rabbits, pests, etc.

[9.3X62AL]

Schnizle Fritz--

My Model 16-4 is nearly identical to yours, and shoots with similar groupings at extended ranges as well. It is among my most treasured firearms, by virtue of its accuracy proven over 25 years of ownership. It is to me the IDEAL small game and varmint revolver, and has taken hundreds of these critters from 25 to 125 yards.

I hope you are able to soon begin making your own bullets to feed your revolver. I heartily recommend the RCBS 32-98-SWC as my single-best bullet in 32 Magnum, in the S&W and in its predecessor Ruger SSM x 5.5". My mould drops bullets at a "fat" .315", and these size nicely for my revolver's throats of .314".

[Bullshop Junior]

Dang. And I was happy hitting the 100 yard gong half the time with my single six. I do shoot off hand though.

[ejcrist]

Geeze Fritz that's some great shootin' at 90 yards! Wish I could do that.

I have two 32's, a Ruger SS and a FA with 32 H&R/327/32-20 cylinders. I just got the FA and haven't had a chance to take her out for a spin yet. The Ruger has done best with 10 grains of H110 for about 1,340 with the 32-98-SWC cast from ww + 2% tin. At first I was a little apprehensive of that load since my velocities were way, way higher than SAAMI and what a lot of guys reported, but to date I haven't had any signs of pressure issues like sticky cases, flattened primers, etc. In fact the fired cases drop from the chambers the same as lower velocity loads - at least I couldn't tell the difference anyway. And, after the velocities 9.3X62AL reported I figure I'm not too much higher than what other's have shot in the SS. Those velocities certainly do make for a nice flat trajectory and it's lethal on varmints.

[Thin Man]

Recently I ran a grudge match test between the RCBS 98-SWC and a Saeco 313-95-SWC (weighs 100 gr.) in my early Single Six. Both boolits were sized .313 and seated over various powder selections with equal charge weights. There were too many loading to repeat here, but the clear winner for group size went to the Saeco. It didn't matter the brand of powder, or charge weight, my revolver had a clear preference. The Saeco has a longer shank and seats deeper in the case when crimped in the designed crimping groove, thus I suspect higher pressure resulted than with the RCBS loads. In spite of this I kept all loads near the maximum for the H&R cartridge, but never over the top. Cases ejected easily, no excessive swelling. I still have work to do to find that one load combination where the firearm groups best but a guy could have worse problems.

[Schnizel_fritz]

Just got a new mold from Mihec. It's a copy of a design from Swedish mold maker Mimek that has closed shop. The "model number" is 98 Swc BB. Maybe Miha can make some more. I have only shoot it in .32 S&W Long this far but i will test it in .32 mag soon. Here are some pics:
Boolits:
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/09/24/034d19eaad379f2be4516eb7cbf34cf3.jpg
25 meters with support sitting down:
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/09/24/2c3ca728a4b778aa1b97da58961803a7.jpg
Revolver, new grips and barrel weight:
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/09/24/0541dcb50d4b4b629d356e1b3c07eae2.jpg
Cartridge:
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/09/24/e2792106f89b2b4e39943d0c7965ce81.jpg

[dubber123]

Just got a new mold from Mihec. It's a copy of a design from Swedish mold maker Mimek that has closed shop. The "model number" is 98 Swc BB. Maybe Miha can make some more. I have only shoot it in .32 S&W Long this far but i will test it in .32 mag soon. Here are some pics:
Boolits:
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/09/24/034d19eaad379f2be4516eb7cbf34cf3.jpg
25 meters with support sitting down:
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/09/24/2c3ca728a4b778aa1b97da58961803a7.jpg
Revolver, new grips and barrel weight:
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/09/24/0541dcb50d4b4b629d356e1b3c07eae2.jpg
Cartridge:
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/09/24/e2792106f89b2b4e39943d0c7965ce81.jpg

Great shooting!

[EMC45]

Great shooting! Are those Nill Grips?

[Schnizel_fritz]

Great shooting! Are those Nill Grips?
Yes it is Nill Phil Hemmil grips. With semi-closed back.