S&W 32 Hand Ejector

[roysha]

I picked up this little guy from the dealer this morning. One might say it "was rode hard and put up wet" but mechanically it is sound and the price was for darn sure right, $150. Took it out and shot some wadcutter loads I had made up years ago for a target pistol. WHAT FUN! The original grips, hard plastic, are very small so I put on a set of walnut, Herrett J-frame square butt grips and although they will require a bit of fitting, served the purpose of test firing. This is the prewar model with the flat mainspring.

Fortunately for me, with my hold, and this particular load, it shoots very close to POA at 10 yards. I didn't do any real extensive testing because I want to dissemble it and get it throughly cleaned and lubed.

The recoil is no more than a 22 RF, if even as much. Using a homemade bullet (full wadcutter), 2 grains of 700X and a WSP primer, I can shoot this for just about what decent 22 RF costs. I think I'm going to have a lot of just plain old fun with this little gun.

[Mk42gunner]

They sure are neat little guns, I just wish someone at S&W had discovered sights big enough to see when they were made.

Robert

[shooting on a shoestring]

Ah yes another I-Frame success story!
They are wonderful guns. Not hot rods, but oh what fun they are! Accurate!
One thing they do is make 38 Special feel like a powerhouse!

My wife took the first one I brought home. It'll probably still be with her long after I'm gone.
I managed to find a couple more for my fun. They are definitely bargains when it comes to turning money into fun.

[Drm50]

I've got an old one, not a show piece either. Shoots pretty decent for a fixed sight gun. I'm using
a 98gr SWC / Unique in mine. Just got a RN mold, going to cast up a few and see how they fly.191364

[FergusonTO35]

Sure would like to see those I frames come back with six shots of .32 H&R.

[Outpost75]

The I-frames are nicely turned out and made like a Swiss watch. DO NOT push the loads if you want it to last. About 2 grains of Bullseye, TiteGroup, 700-X, Red Dot with 98-100 grain bullet similar to Saeco #325, #326, RCBS 32-098CM are correct.

WONDERFUL field and trail guns!

191375

[9.3X62AL]

Sure would like to see those I frames come back with six shots of .32 H&R.

Most assuredly! Just a 32 S&W Long would be fine with me, a Classic Series with the current J-frame and 4" barrel. I could even ignore the excreble glory hole and MIM metal. My preference would be a 4" Model 30 or 31, made between 1957 and about 1974. These can safely run the RCBS 32-98-SWC to about 850 FPS, about a 15% up-tick for field usage. The late Frank Barnes in the early editions of his "Cartridges of the World" showed data for 98 grain bullets to 1000 FPS in 32 SWL, using 4.0 grains of Unique IIRC. No, thank you--varmints and small game won't know the difference between 850 and 1000 FPS, and won't appreciate the gesture in any event.

[Char-Gar]

They are fine little pistols. I feed mine an 85 grain double end wadcutter over 2/Bullseye.

[EMC45]

I have that gun's twin Char

[Green Frog]

I've got several I-frame 32s including a 6" RP Target. My most carried and most fired example is a circa 1949 vintage snubbie that does CCW duties with lots of aplomb. For grins and giggles I shot it at 50 yards while visiting the Ohio home range of friend Dale53 and had no trouble staying within a foot shooting two handed single action. :Fire: I've got a rebarreled 6" RP that may end up getting re-rebarreled with a 4" and having an adjustable rear sight from a Model 34 installed to make the ultimate 32 kit gun. Friend Hondo44 has often posted a picture of one like this that I absolutely lust after! :wink:

Froggie

[Mk42gunner]

Mine are round butted 3¼" and 4¼". I have been contemplating ordering two of the wondersights so I can get them sighted to POA/POI. No more than I shoot them though, it isn't all that hard to hold off a few inches.

Robert

[richhodg66]

This thread got me interested in shooting mine again. It's a little I frame, 3" barrel. Had a big lot of wadcutters cast up, about 90 grainers, not a true wadcutter as it's not designed to be seated flush. Loaded them with 3 grains (#3 rotor for the RCBS Lil Dandy) of old Alcan 120, which I have been using Red Dot data fr in various things. Shot pretty well, but I think it's a little hotter than I want and hit a little high at the distance I was shooting (maybe 25'). Going to switch to the #2 rotor for the next batch, it throws 2.4 grains.

I'm not the best pistolero out there, but off hand, one hand, any rabbit or similar would have been in real trouble. I think I'll find a good holster and start carrying this little gun around the place.

[Green Frog]

Richhodg66, I'm guessing you really will like that lighter load a lot better. The little I-frames don't lend themselves well to ground shaking loads. That wadcutter to which you refer is one I finally got in an old Ideal D.C. mould. I need to make up a bunch next time I'm casting. What diameter do you size yours to and what lube?

Froggie

[roysha]

A couple of questions.

Mine is the early version with the flat main spring and the long and rather complicated looking trigger spring. How fragile is that spring? It sure looks like a weak point. Unfortunately, they are quite costly so would having a spare laying around be worth tying up the money?

Mine is a bit slow on the timing and as long as I shoot DA there is no problem but in SA it comes just shy of lock up. The star looks pretty good but the hand looks a bit shaky. Any thoughts where to find another hand? Numrich doesn't have any nor do a couple of other places I checked. I haven't checked Jack First because of their policy of dealer only. It doesn't appear that a later one can be adapted so I'm pretty much stuck with what I have.

[John Allen]

The 32 hand ejectors are so much fun. I really got into the 32's especially the hand ejectors. They are just fun to shoot.

[Dale53]

A good pistol smith can easily solve the timing issues. I use Jack Basham in the Cincinnati area. He is super good and quite reasonable.


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[Mk42gunner]

Richhodg66, I'm guessing you really will like that lighter load a lot better. The little I-frames don't lend themselves well to ground shaking loads. That wadcutter to which you refer is one I finally got in an old Ideal D.C. mould. I need to make up a bunch next time I'm casting. What diameter do you size yours to and what lube?

Froggie
For my 4¼", I use the Lyman313445 sized to .313" and FWFL in front of 2.5 grains of Red Dot. It shoots inside of a coke can at twenty five yards; from a rest, I'm not that good offhand anymore. Why .313"? I already had the sizer for my Ruger SSM, I have not slugged either one of the Hand Ejectors.

I have not really shot the 3¼" one other than function firing it.

I do have a new to me RCBS 98 SWC that I need to try; if it works okay the 313445 will go into semi permanent retirement (its a Royal PITA to cast with).

Robert

[richhodg66]

The wadcutters I was using are a big stash my Dad gave me and they come out big, .315 or so. Whatever he shot them in must have had a big chamber as he was shooting them as cast it appears. I sized them to .314, might even try .313. I believe this is the Ideal 313492.

I do have this mold, I got it several years ago at a gun show, but only cast one pot with it and have since shot them all up. This big can of dad's will keep me going a while, but when I cast with mine again, I'll post some results.

[Outpost75]

Cylinder throat size is what matters for proper fit of bullets in revolvers. Barrel groove diameter doesn't matter.

ALWAYS fit revolver bullets to the cylinder throats. A .315" diameter is fairly typical for most .32 S&W Long revolvers and also the .32 Colt New Police. Colt .32-20s typically run .313", whereas S&Ws in that caliber more often run .315 like the .32 S&W Long. Ruger .32 H&R Mags run tighter, some VERY tight, depending upon when they were made. If cylinder throats in a .32 revolver run tighter than .3125" I recommend honing them to .3135-.3140" if you have a choice.