S&W .32 Hand Ejector Third Model Questions

[PBSmith]

In the ,32 S&W Long, what would have been the frame size equivalent in the more modern revolvers from that maker? Would frame size have been about like that on the Model 30?

For the .32 Long in the Third Model. what might a person expect for cylinder ball end diameter?

Were these guns all round butt? Or was square butt an option?

Thanks.

[35remington]

The older ones were I frame, which is smaller/shorter than a J frame. Mine was made in 1924 and .315” will get it. You may not have asked for that but it is what I can relay. I normally hear of .314-315” and nothing larger.

[PBSmith]

The older ones were I frame, which is smaller/shorter than a J frame. Mine was made in 1924 and .315” will get it. You may not have asked for that but it is what I can relay. I normally hear of .314-315” and nothing larger.

Thanks 35. That ball end info is indeed useful. I'm sitting on the fence about investing in one of these. One of my thoughts was the possibility of using bullets cast in my NOE equivalent of Lyman 3118. Looks like they'd fall through. Back to the drawing board.

[rintinglen]

All the pre-war Hand Ejector 32's that I have seen were round butt. The Regulation Police Guns Had Grips that looked like square butt, still, the frames were round.

[35remington]

Just my opinion, but I think the I frames are best served by a bullet approximating 98 grain standard weight.

[shooting on a shoestring]

Don’t give up so easy.

1. The old revolvers I’ve measured have varied from 0.312” to 0.315”. You can’t depend on the cylinder exits of all the revolvers of that era being a particular number. The revolver you’re considering might be a perfect fit for your boolits. Won’t know until you measure.

2. 35Remington is right. The 3118 is heavy for 32 SWL, but you can still shoot it. It’ll probably hit a bit high. You could use a 6 o’clock hold and for plinking with an old gun, it’ll still be lots of fun.

3. You can grow the diameter of your boolits by adding antimony (elemental symbol Sb) to your alloy and letting the boolits age a few weeks. Could probably get a 0.001” pretty easy that way. Also you could Beagle your mold. Beagle was the handle of a fellow on this board in its early days. To solve this problem he would stick a couple of slivers of aluminum air conditioning duct tape between the mold faces. This would space the mold halves apart about 0.003”. Yes the boolits will be slightly oval if you measured them, but most often they shoot great. I’ve done it.

The guns don’t show up every time you want one. So I say buy the gun now if you can. Shoot it with your 3118 clone. Then if you decide you have to have a lighter boolit, buy a new mold later.

[Char-Gar]

The cylinder throats on mine measure .3145.

[Green Frog]

Don’t give up so easy.

1. The old revolvers I’ve measured have varied from 0.312” to 0.315”. You can’t depend on the cylinder exits of all the revolvers of that era being a particular number. The revolver you’re considering might be a perfect fit for your boolits. Won’t know until you measure.

2. 35Remington is right. The 3118 is heavy for 32 SWL, but you can still shoot it. It’ll probably hit a bit high. You could use a 6 o’clock hold and for plinking with an old gun, it’ll still be lots of fun.

3. You can grow the diameter of your boolits by adding antimony (elemental symbol Sb) to your alloy and letting the boolits age a few weeks. Could probably get a 0.001” pretty easy that way. Also you could Beagle your mold. Beagle was the handle of a fellow on this board in its early days. To solve this problem he would stick a couple of slivers of aluminum air conditioning duct tape between the mold faces. This would space the mold halves apart about 0.003”. Yes the boolits will be slightly oval if you measured them, but most often they shoot great. I’ve done it.

The guns don’t show up every time you want one. So I say buy the gun now if you can. Shoot it with your 3118 clone. Then if you decide you have to have a lighter boolit, buy a new mold later.

Beagle is still alive and well and living in KY… he still drops by occasionally to add a comment or two or answer a question. When he speaks, it is good to listen!

I agree with the consensus. The grand old bullet designed for the 32-20, the Ideal 3118/Lyman 311008 is a wonderful heavy bullet for the 32s, but for routine use, there are a bunch of bullets in the 95-105 gr range that work great. Two of my favorites are the Lyman 313631 (especially as modified by friend beagle to remove the gas check groove) and a so-called “Keith style” SWC made by Lee. Unfortunately, both of these are now discontinued by their original makers, but smaller companies like Accurate and NOE have picked up the slack with good copies.

Any of the 95-105 gr SWCs properly sized for your gun, lubed in your choice of methods and loaded in front of mild charges of 231 or Bullseye are cheap and easy to make and more fun to shoot than any others I can imagine. In your I frame you (OP) describe, you will be able to shoot this type of load extensively then pass the revolver, still in fine shape, on down to your grand kids!

BTW, don’t let anyone tell you the 32 S&W Long is too wimpy for self defense. There’s a whole thread on “The 32 S&W L as a Manstopper” as a sticky on this forum. I wouldn’t take one to Kiev these days, but for casual woods walking or discouraging urban predators, this is a fine gun to have. I love my post War Transition I frame Snub as much as my Baby Chiefs Special for these duties.

Froggie

[PBSmith]

Don’t give up so easy.

1. The old revolvers I’ve measured have varied from 0.312” to 0.315”. You can’t depend on the cylinder exits of all the revolvers of that era being a particular number. The revolver you’re considering might be a perfect fit for your boolits. Won’t know until you measure.

2. 35Remington is right. The 3118 is heavy for 32 SWL, but you can still shoot it. It’ll probably hit a bit high. You could use a 6 o’clock hold and for plinking with an old gun, it’ll still be lots of fun.

3. You can grow the diameter of your boolits by adding antimony (elemental symbol Sb) to your alloy and letting the boolits age a few weeks. Could probably get a 0.001” pretty easy that way. Also you could Beagle your mold. Beagle was the handle of a fellow on this board in its early days. To solve this problem he would stick a couple of slivers of aluminum air conditioning duct tape between the mold faces. This would space the mold halves apart about 0.003”. Yes the boolits will be slightly oval if you measured them, but most often they shoot great. I’ve done it.

The guns don’t show up every time you want one. So I say buy the gun now if you can. Shoot it with your 3118 clone. Then if you decide you have to have a lighter boolit, buy a new mold later.

Thanks shoestring.

When I said "Back to the drawing board," what I had in mind was considering other options in addition to the S & W Hand Ejector. I haven't looked into the 30 and 31 models. Wondering if Smith & Wesson eventually settled on a uniform ball end diameter and if so, what was it? I note in the 3rd edition Lyman CB Handbook they sized to .312 for the S&W Long cartridge, test gun being a Model 31.

Also, Colt had numerous offerings in this caliber, marketed as the .32 New Police. Wouldn't be surprised to find a whole nother story on Colt throat dimensions and bores.

I'm familiar with the Beagle Move and have used it with success in various calibers. Have also upset undersize slugs by various methods. I'd prefer to avoid both tape and upset.

[PBSmith]

All the pre-war Hand Ejector 32's that I have seen were round butt. The Regulation Police Guns Had Grips that looked like square butt, still, the frames were round.

Thanks for bringing this to my attention. Grip style is something I'll have to try on for size. Just finished Chic Gaylord's book, in which he promotes various grip adapters.

[PBSmith]

Beagle is still alive and well and living in KY… he still drops by occasionally to add a comment or two or answer a question. When he speaks, it is good to listen!

I agree with the consensus. The grand old bullet designed for the 32-20, the Ideal 3118/Lyman 311008 is a wonderful heavy bullet for the 32s, but for routine use, there are a bunch of bullets in the 95-105 gr range that work great. Two of my favorites are the Lyman 313631 (especially as modified by friend beagle to remove the gas check groove) and a so-called “Keith style” SWC made by Lee. Unfortunately, both of these are now discontinued by their original makers, but smaller companies like Accurate and NOE have picked up the slack with good copies.

Any of the 95-105 gr SWCs properly sized for your gun, lubed in your choice of methods and loaded in front of mild charges of 231 or Bullseye are cheap and easy to make and more fun to shoot than any others I can imagine. In your I frame you (OP) describe, you will be able to shoot this type of load extensively then pass the revolver, still in fine shape, on down to your grand kids!

BTW, don’t let anyone tell you the 32 S&W Long is too wimpy for self defense. There’s a whole thread on “The 32 S&W L as a Manstopper” as a sticky on this forum. I wouldn’t take one to Kiev these days, but for casual woods walking or discouraging urban predators, this is a fine gun to have. I love my post War Transition I frame Snub as much as my Baby Chiefs Special for these duties.

Froggie

Saw earlier that long sticky you mention. Thanks for the reminder - I will re-read it, knowing the risk I take in becoming afflicted with .32 Revolver Fever. Arrrgghh!!

Incidentally, those of you who shoot the .32 S&W Long as a serious occupation might want to read Ken Waters' treatment of the caliber. Lucky man he was to have a Colt Officers Heavy Target Barrel for his testing.

[rintinglen]

For the 32 S&W Long, SAAMI drawings, at least those in my NRAHandloading book, indicate that the bore diameter should be .303", groove diameter .312", throats should measure .314". Bullets should measure .315" -.0006", +0".

That ain't the way they all are, but them's the rules that they are supposed to follow.
.
301583
{left to right} Lyman 311-316 ~120 grn, MP 314-640 ~100 grn HP, LBT 315-100, RCBS 32-98 WC, SAECO 321(?), 311-008 and the RCBS 32-98 SWC.
These are some that have worked well for me. I generally eschew the heavy for caliber boolits, and most of my loading uses the RCBS
32-98 SWC, or the MP HP mold.

[Gtek]

My new to me 32 hand ejector 3rd throats measure .3145" all the way around even, have not checked groove yet. Have everything to go now, hoping to heat the pot this weekend, Lee SWC TL and Bullseye.