Beretta 81 dimensions

[Thumbcocker]

Just tried to load some .32 acp. for the 81. I have a lot of 88 grain swayed. 314 boolits for the .32 s&w's. Lyman and RCBS manuals had data. .314 boolits wont chamber. No way no how. Tried sizing to .311. Nope. Slugged bore. .311 or there abouts. Checked bullet on Fiocci factory load. .309. I have an accurate mold for 77B to cast at .314 on order. Had hoped to use the boolits in .32 auto and the .32 long. Do I need to change the order? 77b looks like it seats pretty shallow so I may be ok.

Looks like these pistols have tight bores and short throats.

[Outpost75]

Bullet diameter is also brass dependent.

If you have mixed headstamp range brass you are more likely to have trouble. My Beretta 81 hasn't arrived yet, but in my SIG P230 and Beretta M70 .32 ACP I size the Accurate 31-077B or 31-087B to .311" for loading in Starline brass with 2 grains of TiteGroup, metered with RCBS Little Dandy Rotor #00. I seat bullets to 0.955" OAL and use the Lee Factory Crimp Die. Runs like a pony trotting.

[Thumbcocker]

Turns out my crimp die was not adjusted properly. Both guns will chamber. 314 boolits now.

[Divil]

I have been using Meister .312 77 gr. RNL bullets in mine with no leading in my 81FS. Sitting on top of 2.1 gr. Of Red Dot function has been perfect. The .312 bullet will not chamber in my Hungarian PA-63, which I suspect will need a .310 sized bullet.

[Outpost75]

Picked up my pistol last week. Field stripping for inspection looks almost new, no wear of anodize on rails. Great DA trigger pull just like a revolver. SA trigger pull is like a .45 hardball gun.

First range trip it eats everything, JHP, short-nosed Buffalo bore, heavy big meplat flatnosed cast bullets. The 3.82” barrel length gives really good velocity. Quick recovery for rapid, 2-second double and triple taps, very light recoil.

248102

Chamber is tight! No issues with any factory loads, but cast bullet handloads must be run Lee Factory crimp die, because if there is ANY case mouth bulge from excessive crimp, or bullet base impingement against the case body wall taper, the slide won’t close fully. SIZE BULLETS .311".

After running all cast loads through the carbide insert of the Lee Factory Crimp all the re loads ran, even Accurate 31-095T which has HUGE ¼” diameter flat nose! No bobbles then with any of the ammos.

Buffalo Bore 75-grain FN only 0.915” Ctg. OAL. It jams in every other .32 ACP pistol I have, but runs in the 81 like a pony trotting. POI is 3” above front sight, all in bull of timed& rapid-firerepair center at 25 yds. with 6:00 hold. 1016 fps, 5 Sd, 11 ES for 12-shots

Fiocchi 73-grain FMJ 964 fps, 26 Sd, 65 ES, all in the timed and rapid-fire black, 4” group at 25 yards. typical accuracy for a .32 ACP pistol firing ball ammo.

Remington 71-grain FMJ 914 fps, 23 Sd, 62 ES, again typical grouping well centered.

Old Western “Bullseye” logo box, WW2 era 74-grain FMJ 1050 fps, 25 Sd, 84 ES, round 3-inch group well centered in bull using 6:00 hold. Hottest factory load fired today, but I didn’t bring any S-B to shoot...

The Ed Harris “Buffalo Loads”

Accurate 31-087T, Starline case, Fed. 200, 3 grains AutoComp, OAL 0.955” 992 fps, 26 Sd, 93 ES
Equals .380 ACP energy!

Accurate 31-095T, Starline case, Fed. 200, 2 grains Titegroup, OAL 0.945” 946 fp[s, 13 Sd, 36 ES.
Equals .380 ACP energy!

After running 50 rounds of the heavy-bullet, hot loads, no apparent peening of frame from slide impact.

248059

[Divil]

Some pretty spicy stuff you are feeding that beast. Glad it worked. You may want to consider a new recoil spring if the spicy diet of Buffalo loads are forecasted to continue.

[Outpost75]

Some pretty spicy stuff you are feeding that beast. Glad it worked. You may want to consider a new recoil spring if the spicy diet of Buffalo loads are forecasted to continue.

I measured the recoil spring load and it is the same as in the Beretta .380 ACP Model 84, a full 10 kg! (22 lbs.). Of course that stuff is NOT intended for steady diet, but for carry. I feed these also to my SIG P230 in 7.65mm, and my Colt M1903 Type II, which has .380 springs in it, as well as my Beretta M1935, which has new .380 springs for an M1934.

The RWS, Fiocchi, Geco, S-B, Norma and WW2 Western and German ammo I use for practice is also pretty spiffy.

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