S&W 32-20 speedloader?

[wonderwolf]

Have a friend who recently picked up a 32-20 k frame 5" Smith and was wondering if someone, makes speedloaders for it. My search only brings up 32 mag.....

[rintinglen]

A 9 mm speed strip is about the only "speed loader" that I have found for 32-20. I bought a pair of tuff strip loaders that I used with mine.

[wonderwolf]

Thanks, this is a woods walking gun for him so I think the strips may be a better choice anyway

[Mk42gunner]

I doubt any where ever made for the retail market, the .32-20 in revolvers were long past being made when speedloaders became a common thing.

That being said, you might try asking HKS if they ever made any.

Robert

[slughammer]

Maybe HKS 547 ?
I don't have one to try, but the rim sizes are close, with the 9mm being just a little smaller than 32-20.

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[Green Frog]

Maybe HKS 547 ?
I don't have one to try, but the rim sizes are close, with the 9mm being just a little smaller than 32-20.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

I would be most interested to hear from anyone who tries this and whether they are successful. It’s doubtful any manufacturer will tool up to make a dedicated speed loader for a model that was discontinued about 80+ years ago. I’d love to have a couple though! :coffeecom

Froggie

[rintinglen]

Given that HKS 547 speed loaders are not very thick on the ground, we might be waiting for a good while. Anyways, I think the .014 difference most likely will exceed the tolerances of the locking mechanism. I had to Vaseline the Tuff Strips to get the 32-20's in. I wonder what I did with them? My 32-20's have been taking a rest while my .327's got all the attention.

[.45Cole]

Anybody ever figure out on the 32-20 speedloader? I just got a 32-20 J frame and would like a speedloader.

[Green Frog]

Anybody ever figure out on the 32-20 speedloader? I just got a 32-20 J frame and would like a speedloader.

Tell us more about this 32-20 J frame. All the S&W 32-20s I'm familiar with have been built on K frames. I didn't know there was room to make a 32-20 cylinder in the J frame platform.

Froggie

[Finn45Colt]

So its seem that 32-20 dont have any speedloaders, but how about .32 S&W (allnight) Long:-?

[Green Frog]

So its seem that 32-20 dont have any speedloaders, but how about .32 S&W (allnight) Long:-?

I'm not sure they are in current production, but I have gotten both 32-J and 32-K speed loaders from HKS. I regard the HKS as more of an ammo storage unit than a speed loader, but I guess they are a little faster than loose ammo.

Of course the same loaders can be used for 32 S&W L, 32 H&R, and 327 FM.

Froggie

[rintinglen]

I'm with the Frog on this one. While there is no reason a 32-20 can't fit in a gun that chambers 38 Specials, I have never seen a J-frame that had been so altered. They aren't listed in the standard catalog.

[david s]

Have the six shot J frame 32 Long/H&R HKS loaders, so at one time they were made, can't help out with the 32-20 loaders though.

[Mk42gunner]

There are two basic styles of speed loaders that I am aware of. The push to release Safariland style and the twist to release HKS style.

The arguments as to which is best is more divisive than Ford vs Chevy.

I think which style you like comes down to what you learned on and how the worn out training speed loaders worked for you. When I was going through rangemaster school, (one of the last cases that taught revolvers) we had HKS ones that worked, and the others didn't always.

Consequently, I tend to like HKS. They work for me. I never did learn to like the push style; although they do work for a lot of people.

I have a couple of the 32-J's for my I frames, and a bunch for K frame .38/.357.

I too don't believe S&W ever made any J frames for the .32-20, even though it should fit. Perhaps a custom made piece?

Robert

[Outpost75]

The HKS 32-K are for .32 H&R Mag and .32 S&W Long. For my .32-20 Hand Ejectors I use the Tuff Strip in 9mm to carry a reload, which works well. Not aware of any S&W I- or J- frame produced in .32-20. I have two 1905 .32 -20 Hand Ejectors in 4" and 5" which are daily farm carries.

[.45Cole]

:oops: ok I'm coming over from Colts so I'm not very familiar with the S&W frames other than the N frames. This is a "S&W 6-shooter" as described by auctioneer but looks like a hand ejector w/ 6" barrel in great shape, not sure which frame it is I figured J as the smaller 32 frames I though I read were modified to be longer to accept 38's. But I also read that 32-20 was one of the original chamberings of the first solid frame S&W's. HKS speedloaders in 32 are for 32 S&W/Colt/long/short/ect but I'm not so sure for the 32-20 as the rim is so large. Maybe I'll start there and file it out

[shooting on a shoestring]

There are 5 S&W DA revolver frame sizes. Small, medium, in between, large and then cartoonish huge.
The Hand Ejectors only came in small, medium and large.

The small frame Hand Ejector is often referred to as the 32 frame. Later in the 1950’s when the letter designations came out it was the I frame. When Smith wanted to do the 5-shot snubby Chief’s Special they used the small frame but lengthened the cylinder and frame to accommodate the .38 Special. This is the J Frame.

The medium frame is often called the 38 frame. Although the cylinder length was chosen to be long enough to fit the 32-20. .38 Special is shorter than 32-20. All the Smith 32-20’s were built on this medium frame. Later this was called the K frame. It’s what the Model 10 is built on. It’s a 6-shot frame. It’s a good frame for 32-20 and 38 Spl. Smith also chambered it for .357….but shouldn’t have. Lots of the Model 19’s cracked their forcing cones with 125 grain bullets.

The big frame Hand Ejector came out as the Triple Lock 44 Special. Later the frame size was designated N. When Smith did a 44 Magnum they put it on this frame….but it’s marginal for 44 Magnum. Lots have been shot loose with a few thousand full throttle loads.

There was a ‘tweener frame that came out in the 80’s that was heavier than the K but smaller than the N. It’s the L Frame. It was brought out to be a solid platform for .357 that could shoot as many hot rounds as the Ruger GP100. And it did that. Recently they did a 5-shot version as 44 Magnum, Model 69.

And then there’s the oversized X Frame for the 500 and 460 Magnums.

So if you’ve got a Smith 32-20, it’s on the medium frame, aka the K frame.

[Larry Gibson]

HKS also made/makes a 32-J for use with S&W I and J frame 32's. I have three and they work great.

[Mk42gunner]

:oops: ok I'm coming over from Colts so I'm not very familiar with the S&W frames other than the N frames. This is a "S&W 6-shooter" as described by auctioneer but looks like a hand ejector w/ 6" barrel in great shape, not sure which frame it is I figured J as the smaller 32 frames I though I read were modified to be longer to accept 38's. But I also read that 32-20 was one of the original chamberings of the first solid frame S&W's. HKS speedloaders in 32 are for 32 S&W/Colt/long/short/ect but I'm not so sure for the 32-20 as the rim is so large. Maybe I'll start there and file it out

Gotta watch those auctioneer descriptions. They rarely have any resemblance to reality. One near here routinely describes any nickel plated gun as stainless, and they tend to measure revolver barrel length from the front of the frame not the cylinder.

Its not that they are intentionally wrong or misleading, they just aren't gun people.

Robert

[Green Frog]

AFAIK, only HKS makes cartridge loaders for I/J and K frame S&Ws. I have never been able to make either the K frame model nor the smaller (used in my case on an I frame) work at a pace much faster than loading loose rounds... that's why I hesitate to call them "speed loaders." I don't think anyone else makes anything for the 32s. I'd love to have the spring powered "Jet Loader" type units in 32, but unless they are some sort of uncatalogued special order, they just don't seem to be available.

Froggie

[Larry Gibson]

Back in my LEO days when speed loaders came out I was weened on the HKS 38-K. I used them often in PPC and PSC matches (when I shot my service revolver. I could do very close to a 1 second reload with them. I still have my original 5 of them along with my S&W M15 with 5" service revolver. Not near as fast these days with the HKS 32-Js but they are a lot faster than single loading. However, speed isn't really why I carry and use the 32-Js with my M30 S&W. Convenience is the reason. I can put the 3 speed loaders in my pocket ready for use much more readily than loose rounds. Also I can cary one loaded with WCs for small game and can pull that one speed loader out of the pocket just by feel. I do also have a double fold cartridge carrier for the belt.

287137

[Green Frog]

I didn’t mean that with sufficient training the HKS can’t be fast, but for the average person, they do require a lot more training if you want them to work quickly. I know a lot of LEOs felt like they had left the Stone Age when they started using them instead of dump pouches, but remember the Bronze Age came after the Stone Age and we still think of that as primitive. :drinks:

Your Phriendly ‘Phibian

[Larry Gibson]

I started off with loading from belt loops to dump pouches to speed strips then to the HKS speed loaders......indeed I had left the stone age and actually felt I had entered the space age........

The trick to using them was to use ammo that went into the chambers easily and to grasp the loader by the knob not the body especially when taking them out of pouches or pockets. Also learning the correct method to dump the empties and hold the revolver with one hand for loading greatly improved the speed. I was a LEO firearms instructor and found the little extra training didn't take all that much. Most that had problems with them were fumble fingers anyway and also had real problems even single loading. Some are just have better coordination than others. Still even they greatly reduced the reload times using the speed loaders either the HKS or Safarilands.

[Green Frog]

Those of us who are coordination challenged discovered the “Jet Loader” design with its spring assist, and that was the end of the story. Sometimes a simple answer stops me from trying something that requires work on my part.
[smilie=l:

[Green Frog]

Hey Larry, what kind of speed loader did you use with that Blackhawk?? I can’t find one on any of the lists. :kidding::kidding:

[Larry Gibson]

Hey Larry, what kind of speed loader did you use with that Blackhawk?? I can’t find one on any of the lists. :kidding::kidding:

Easy, just pop the cylinder out....put pistol between legs to hold or in arm pit.....shake out the empties load empty cylinder with speed loader......put back in frame......:guntootsmiley::guntootsmiley: :roll:

I might just have to try that one of these days.......:drinks:

[ddixie884]

Easy, just pop the cylinder out....put pistol between legs to hold or in arm pit.....shake out the empties load empty cylinder with speed loader......put back in frame......:guntootsmiley::guntootsmiley: :roll:

I might just have to try that one of these days.......:drinks:

That will work......

[.45Cole]

I've thought of a tube for the single action, my big RN .45's slide in like butter. I use HKS speeedloaders in my dick special and my big .45 625, both give nice reloads quickly. I too carry a speedloader carrier on my belt and I think it's the best way to carry ammo for a revolver.
287154

I think it looks like it's in decent condition. I took up the S&W and passed on a early army special in 32-20.