Loading For A #2 Rolling Block

I have a Remington #2 Rolling Block. It started life as a .32 Rimfire. Before I got it it was converted to center fire but, of course, there is no ammunition available for it. So I sent it off to John Taylor to be relined and chambered for .32 S&W Long. He still has it so in the interim I have been planning for its return. I got a 98 grain RNFP Plain Base mould from Arsenal and have cast up a bunch of boolits. With Clip-On Wheel Weights the boolits weigh 100 grains. They measure .313 - .314" in diameter.. I also have some of the same boolits fom a professional caster but don't know the alloy. I lubed the Arsenal boolts with Lee Liquid Alox and they are living in a nice plastic box.

I have brass, primers, etc. What I don't have is load data. I find a minute amout online and in manuals but I dunno about their safety.

Looking at SAAMI's website I find that they consider the pressure range to be 15,000 PSI with a low of 12,000 and a high of 18,000. I don't think I need the higher end for my rifle. Prolly aim for 12-15K. I just don't know how to achieve that. Loading manuals no longer list pressures for their recommended loads and with the confusion caused by the diffeerence between CUP and piezo readings I can see why.

I worry about accidental overloads because loads in that pressure range will not cause flattened primers or sticky extraction, the normal way to spot a load that's too hot.

In the meantime I ordered a couple of 50 round boxes of factory Aguila 98 grain round nose cartridges. That should keep me going until I get this reloading thing figured out.

Thoughts?

Jim

The #2 Rolling Block is a pretty robust action that was chambered in some pretty high pressure cartridges. Mine is in .32-20, and still very tight. And I think with common sense reloading you wont have any issues with the .32 S&W Long.
I personally would never order a bullet mold prior to having the gun in my hands and slugging the bore. I want my bullets to be as close to .001" over groove diameter, as that gives me the best results. So I don't cast or buy bullets until I slug the bore.

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Originally Posted by marlinman93

The #2 Rolling Block is a pretty robust action that was chambered in some pretty high pressure cartridges. Mine is in .32-20, and still very tight. And I think with common sense reloading you wont have any issues with the .32 S&W Long.
I personally would never order a bullet mold prior to having the gun in my hands and slugging the bore. I want my bullets to be as close to .001" over groove diameter, as that gives me the best results. So I don't cast or buy bullets until I slug the bore.

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Thank you. I may be worrying about nothing but this gun is different. It is my first gun for just fun. No game or games in mind. When I was young I gave myself a case of tinnitus with a .357 Blackhawk. Now at 75 it hasn't gone away or lessened. I have hunted all my life but would like something that isn't likely to make my hearing worse. Something that keeps boolits below Mach 1.

Since I posted this thread this morning I have done some exploring and came across this from Ed Harris. He built a rifle in .32 S&W Long and loved it. His was a conversion of an H&R .410 single shot. He worked up loads and even measured the muzzle report in dB. He favored the 120 grain boolit from Saeco. His conclusion was similar to what I kind of expected. Slower powderrs like H4227 or H4198 worked better in his rifle than in his revolver. His most accurate rifle load was the Saeco #322 and 8.0 grains H4198 which is subsonic at just 1,000 fps and 80dB at the muzzle. That is the kind of information I was looking for.

There is loading information for handguns but little for rifles.

I don't have a mould for the 120 grain boolits, just for the 98-100. If I find I am lacking killing power I may get the heavier mould. It would give me nearly three times the energy of the .22 LR. But 100 grains at the same velocity ain't far behind.

Thanks again.

Jim

As long as you're not pushing your loads to near max levels, it wont matter if you use handgun load data. Keep your loads below 900 fps, which is likely higher than most .32 S&W Long data anyway. All my loading manuals show no loads over 900 fps with any powder, and most are down in the 700-750 fps range.
I've owned numerous Ballard cast frame rifles in .32 Long, and they're not as robust as the #2 Rollers, but never had any issues. The long barreled .32 rifles are much quieter than pistols, or other larger rifle calibers too.

I'm not sure I'd shoot heavier bullets myself. Uncertain what twist rate the TJ's liner you'll have is? If it's not fast enough twist the heavier bullets may not be very accurate.

http://www.lasc.us/FryxellThe32S-WLong.htm
This is a pretty good article on the .32 S&W Long, although I don't think the Long came out until 1896.

For use in my little Model of 1903 hand ejectors, I settled on using 2.5 grains of Red Dot with either a 95 gr Lyman 313445 or the RCBS 32-098-SWC. The little guns aren't very big, and I see no reason to try to make them perform as a big gun.

My #2 is still the original bore and chamber, but I wouldn't try loading one much over marlinman93's recommended 900 fps.

IIRC Frank DeHass did not recommend the high speed loadings for the .32-20 versions. (I wish I could find my copy of his book).

Robert

Someplace I read where the original load for the 32 rim fire was 9 grains of black powder. The Remington #2 actin is the same size as the old Remington pistol which was made in 50 caliber so the action is a bit stronger than the #4. As long as you don't get carried away with bullseye or other fast burning powders you should be safe, follow the loading manuals. The action is stronger than some of the pistols that were chamber for the 32 S&W.HP-38 try 2.0 up to 3.6 grains
Bullseye 1.8 up to 3.1 grains
W-231 2.0 up to 3.4 grains
Unique 2.6 up to 3.5 grains
Ramshot Competition use 3.4 to 4.0 grains

Thanks everyone,

My worries about possible over charges seems to be put to rest. And the suggestion to keep loads below about 900 fps seems like good sense. Of the powders John suggested I only have a small amout of W231 so I will be trying other powders.

Thanks again.

Jim

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Originally Posted by Jim22

Thanks everyone,

My worries about possible over charges seems to be put to rest. And the suggestion to keep loads below about 900 fps seems like good sense. Of the powders John suggested I only have a small amout of W231 so I will be trying other powders.

Thanks again.

Jim

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I should have put a disclaimer on the loads, I found them online. I find that Unique is a very good powder and has many uses, I have used it in 45-70, 45 Colt and 38-55 for plinking.

Unique has been one of my favorite powders for many years. I've used it in larger rifle cases, but use it more in smaller cases. I'm mostly used H or IMR 4198 for most of my old large capacity rifle cases now, because it has such low chamber pressures, and consistent velocity spread. But it's not good for smaller cases.

Because of this thread I have searched suppliers for some Alliance Unique powder. Ammoseek lists one supplier that has any and they only have it in 1 lb containers. I have ordered both powder and primers online but I prefer to getseveral pounds of powder to make the Hazmat fee not seem so bad. I will keep looking, though.

As an old fart I want this popgun just for woods exploring. I have other guns but if I put this one together right I will want to get up from my computer chair and go out for a coupl hours. A few years ago I searched this area via Google Earth looking for hidden water sources. I found some, too. Some on or near the mountain top. Nice thing about Google Earth is if you find something it willl provide Lat. & Long. so you can enter it into my hand held GPS. Funny. I went on one of these explorations with a buddy. He had hunted the area for years and knew of two lakes. GE said there are three. So we found them all. Kinda fun.

Jim

I see you're in Eastern Wa. so maybe you might check one of the Spokane gun shows to possibly find some powder and not have to pay the hazmat fee.

All my guns are just for fun.
I believe in a lot of fun.

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Originally Posted by Jim22

Because of this thread I have searched suppliers for some Alliance Unique powder. Ammoseek lists one supplier that has any and they only have it in 1 lb containers. I have ordered both powder and primers online but I prefer to getseveral pounds of powder to make the Hazmat fee not seem so bad. I will keep looking, though.

As an old fart I want this popgun just for woods exploring. I have other guns but if I put this one together right I will want to get up from my computer chair and go out for a coupl hours. A few years ago I searched this area via Google Earth looking for hidden water sources. I found some, too. Some on or near the mountain top. Nice thing about Google Earth is if you find something it willl provide Lat. & Long. so you can enter it into my hand held GPS. Funny. I went on one of these explorations with a buddy. He had hunted the area for years and knew of two lakes. GE said there are three. So we found them all. Kinda fun.

Jim

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If you'r not too far from Lewiston you can stop by and I will donate some unique to the cause. Several years ago someone gave me a bunch and I won't be able to use it up in my lifetime.

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Originally Posted by John Taylor

If you'r not too far from Lewiston you can stop by and I will donate some unique to the cause. Several years ago someone gave me a bunch and I won't be able to use it up in my lifetime.

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Now that is an offer. I have toyed with the idea of driving over to Lewiston when you tell me my rifle is ready. I don't know your schedule but have tought of inviting you to lunch. I'd like to meet you. Be glad to pay for its value too. I work Thu, Fri, and Sat at our local Ace Hardware. Other than that my schedule is pretty open. Google says it is a three hour drive,. Whaat do you think?

Jim