Old/antique H&R revolvers

[Remiel]

I'm debating on picking up these 2 little pocket pistols, ones a 38 the other is a 32. How difficult would it be to reload for these? I assume both are black powder only. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20201216/fdf4639d5d949c91915ffbb529a9b16a.jpg

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[Winger Ed.]

I load some FF holy black in loads for .45-70.
Rather than use a powder measure/hopper like I do smokeless,
I weighed the right charge, then made and use a volume measure to fit the powder weight like those Lee dipper things.

[Remiel]

I load some FF holy black in loads for .45-70.
Rather than use a powder measure/hopper like I do smokeless,
I weighed the right charge, then made and use a volume measure to fit the powder weight like those Lee dipper things.Kinda like what my friend made me for adding cornmeal to my 44cal. It was made out of a cut down 9mm shell.

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[leadeye]

I like these things, everything from Merwins to topbreaks, 32SW and 38SW. I use FFF black and soft lead bullets, no fillers.They work quite well for what they they were designed for, close range personal protection.

[Remiel]

I like these things, everything from Merwins to topbreaks, 32SW and 38SW. I use FFF black and soft lead bullets, no fillers.They work quite well for what they they were designed for, close range personal protection.I haven't decided yet but I would have to go over the border for the holy black and find dies, I assume that the 38/357 dies work for 38 s&w, but the 32 looks harder to find. I can get both pistols for 50 bucks and the gunsmith says they look good for shooting.

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[35isit]

38/357 dies won't load 38s&w. Their diameters are different. 38/357 dies size the case down too far.

[Remiel]

38/357 dies won't load 38s&w. Their diameters are different. 38/357 dies size the case down too far.Good to know.

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[35remington]

Dang....somebody needs to keep their tools in a humidity controlled environment!

They are easy to reload for and I predict you will find t rewarding. It is not unheard of to use very mild smokeless powder loads given appropriate loadings

[Milsurp Junkie]

32 can be loaded with 32 acp/32 SW long dies.
38 SW are there own dies...maybe get 9mm Makarov to work.

[Magnum Wheel Man]

I once had a very large collection of these revolvers, & kept about half of the nicest when I held a big sell off over the last year... all of mine were shooters...

if your revolvers time out OK, they are shootable with Trailboss... my starting loads for 32 S&W only used 0.5 grains with no fillers needed, & I went up from there with 3 load levels... if your barrels are highly pitted, I either recommend not shooting them, of it you fell you must ( I always did ) I had a load that I crimped a soft 32 caliber lead round ball into the case

some of my collection even gets a couple mild self defense loads occasionally

https://i.ibb.co/nDwFwNk/SANYO-DIGITAL-CAMERA.jpg (https://ibb.co/p31S1BX)

At one time I had more than 30 of these revolvers in 32 & 38 S&W... pictured in this post are a couple I've kept... I really like the 32 & 38 Hand eject models quite rare & more positive ejecting

https://i.ibb.co/tcP3NXD/H-R-hand-ejector-001.jpg (https://ibb.co/BjKw7NB)

https://i.ibb.co/2cT9qZ7/engraved-H-A-32-S-W.jpg (https://imgbb.com/)

https://i.ibb.co/xfdWFBw/original-S-W-red-grips.jpg (https://imgbb.com/)

https://i.ibb.co/XCKps6c/Iver-Johnson-bicycle-gun.jpg (https://ibb.co/Tg7R8J9)

[Remiel]

Dang....somebody needs to keep their tools in a humidity controlled environment!

They are easy to reload for and I predict you will find t rewarding. It is not unheard of to use very mild smokeless powder loads given appropriate loadingsThat was a set he dug out of somewhere cause we needed a tiny bit for something else.

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[Remiel]

I once had a very large collection of these revolvers, & kept about half of the nicest when I held a big sell off over the last year... all of mine were shooters...

if your revolvers time out OK, they are shootable with Trailboss... my starting loads for 32 S&W only used 0.5 grains with no fillers needed, & I went up from there with 3 load levels... if your barrels are highly pitted, I either recommend not shooting them, of it you fell you must ( I always did ) I had a load that I crimped a soft 32 caliber lead round ball into the case

some of my collection even gets a couple mild self defense loads occasionally

https://i.ibb.co/nDwFwNk/SANYO-DIGITAL-CAMERA.jpg (https://ibb.co/p31S1BX)

At one time I had more than 30 of these revolvers in 32 & 38 S&W... pictured in this post are a couple I've kept... I really like the 32 & 38 Hand eject models quite rare & more positive ejecting

https://i.ibb.co/tcP3NXD/H-R-hand-ejector-001.jpg (https://ibb.co/BjKw7NB)

https://i.ibb.co/2cT9qZ7/engraved-H-A-32-S-W.jpg (https://imgbb.com/)

https://i.ibb.co/xfdWFBw/original-S-W-red-grips.jpg (https://imgbb.com/)

https://i.ibb.co/XCKps6c/Iver-Johnson-bicycle-gun.jpg (https://ibb.co/Tg7R8J9)Timing on both is good and the bores are too. Cylinder lock up is tight and the 32 top break doesn't have any play in the frame.

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[Magnum Wheel Man]

it's been a while since I loaded... let me look at my recipes... 0.5 grains sounds like a very tiny amount, but Trailbosse's lil donuts are bulky any the 32 S&W case pretty tiny, but it worked well as my test load... thinking my mid level load was maybe 1.5 grains, but I'll need to check to confirm... when I got into stronger guns I had a 3rd hotter load

32 & 38 S&W are very easy to load... 38 S&W I was able to load with lighter weight larger diameter cast 38 special bullets with acceptable accuracy

[leadeye]

I once had a very large collection of these revolvers, & kept about half of the nicest when I held a big sell off over the last year... all of mine were shooters...

if your revolvers time out OK, they are shootable with Trailboss... my starting loads for 32 S&W only used 0.5 grains with no fillers needed, & I went up from there with 3 load levels... if your barrels are highly pitted, I either recommend not shooting them, of it you fell you must ( I always did ) I had a load that I crimped a soft 32 caliber lead round ball into the case

some of my collection even gets a couple mild self defense loads occasionally

https://i.ibb.co/nDwFwNk/SANYO-DIGITAL-CAMERA.jpg (https://ibb.co/p31S1BX)

At one time I had more than 30 of these revolvers in 32 & 38 S&W... pictured in this post are a couple I've kept... I really like the 32 & 38 Hand eject models quite rare & more positive ejecting

https://i.ibb.co/tcP3NXD/H-R-hand-ejector-001.jpg (https://ibb.co/BjKw7NB)

https://i.ibb.co/2cT9qZ7/engraved-H-A-32-S-W.jpg (https://imgbb.com/)

https://i.ibb.co/xfdWFBw/original-S-W-red-grips.jpg (https://imgbb.com/)

https://i.ibb.co/XCKps6c/Iver-Johnson-bicycle-gun.jpg (https://ibb.co/Tg7R8J9)

Nice group!

[quail4jake]

Do you plan to cast for these or buy boolits?

[Larry Gibson]

I've loaded a few 32 S&Ws ....where, with any powder, does one find room for a filler[smilie=l:

[quail4jake]

I've loaded a few 32 S&Ws ....where, with any powder, does one find room for a filler[smilie=l:

No filler, ever...

[dtknowles]

I don't know about the quality of antique H & R revolvers but I have 5 antique S & W top break revolvers, 32 S & W, 38 S & W and 44-40 calibers and I load them with smokeless powder at black powder pressures and shoot them without concern. I have a Merwin Hulbert double action in 38 that I use the same ammo in.

Tim

[RU shooter]

Would black powder substitutes work is these old low pressure guns . I don't use subs or even have gun like that but am just curious

[pietro]

Would black powder substitutes work is these old low pressure guns . I don't use subs or even have gun like that but am just curious

They should - just be sure to use loose powder, not pellets.

.

[smkummer]

I have a 32 S&W long solid frame H&R that looks just like your solid frame but yours appears to be 38 S&W. I shoot smokeless loads in it. I initially used 9mm dies to load 38S&W and now have 38 S&W dies.

[Remiel]

Do you plan to cast for these or buy boolits?Buy until I get a mold, if I grab them.

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[quail4jake]

missouri bullet may be a good option, I've used their .313 78 gr RN for .32 S&W and .361 145 gr RN designed for .38 S&W both BHN 14. Now I cast using NOE 315-75 rnfp .314 and NOE 363-150 RN .362 both cast in 40:1 BHN 8 using 1.5 gr Trail Boss or 1.2 gr Titegroup in the .32 and 2.5 gr Trail Boss or 2.3 gr Titegroup in the .38. The fat soft boolits pushed with reasonable charges of fast burning pistol powder are the most accurate load I've found for these little top breaks, very easy on old guns too.

[Magnum Wheel Man]

:goodpost:

[ndnchf]

I really like Blackhorn 209 black powder sub. Its very accurate, clean burning and non-corrosive. I shoot real black in a lot of guns and have tried many of the subs. BH 209 is the best in my opinion. It is a bit pricey, but well worth while. I just loaded some in 38 S&W for my 1880s vintage S&W lemon squeezer.