.32 ACP "Balls Up" Serious Loads with Accurate 31-087T

[Oyeboten]

Is anyone her Loading for the SAVAGE .32 Pistols?

The ones I have definitely work a lot better with 'hotter' than usual Ammo, or, require to to cycle properly at all...and I expect US .32 ACP was peppier in the early 1900s than it is now.

[Outpost75]

Is anyone her Loading for the SAVAGE .32 Pistols?

The ones I have definitely work a lot better with 'hotter' than usual Ammo, or, require to to cycle properly at all...and I expect US .32 ACP was peppier in the early 1900s than it is now.

I no longer own a Savage pistol, but they are well made and shoot well. However, I would not load any hotter than needed to cycle reliably, due to the difficulty of finding replacement parts. Accurate 31-081H with 2.5 grains of Bullseye is max. load which functions well. Air cooled wheelweights are fine. No need to quench. Size .311 withLee Liquid Alox. Work up from 2 grains at 0.955" OAL until you get reliable function, the sweet spot in most pistols is around 2.2-2.3 grains of Bullseye. DO NOT EXCEED 2.5 grains of Bullseye.

Attachment 274799

Some chronograph data for WW2-era .32 ACP ammo I have tested:

.32 ACP “WW2 Vintage,” and Current Euro-CIP Factory Ammunition
Ammunition ________________Beretta M1935 3.4”
WW2 Geco Steel Cased FMJ____977 fps, 11 Sd
WW2 WRA 73-grain FMJ______1001 fps, 15 Sd
RWS 73-grain FMJ____________981 fps, 16 Sd
Fiocchi 73-grain FMJ__________917 fps, 11 Sd

Attachment 274800Attachment 274801Attachment 274802Attachment 274803

[Oyeboten]

I no longer own a Savage pistol, but they are well made and shoot well. However, I would not load any hotter than needed to cycle reliably, due to the difficulty of finding replacement parts. Accurate 31-081H with 2.5 grains of Bullseye is max. load which functions well. Air cooled wheelweights are fine. No need to quench. Size .311 withLee Liquid Alox. Work up from 2 grains at 0.955" OAL until you get reliable function, the sweet spot in most pistols is around 2.2-2.3 grains of Bullseye. DO NOT EXCEED 2.5 grains of Bullseye.

Attachment 274799

Some chronograph data for WW2-era .32 ACP ammo I have tested:

.32 ACP “WW2 Vintage,” and Current Euro-CIP Factory Ammunition
Ammunition ________________Beretta M1935 3.4”
WW2 Geco Steel Cased FMJ____977 fps, 11 Sd
WW2 WRA 73-grain FMJ______1001 fps, 15 Sd
RWS 73-grain FMJ____________981 fps, 16 Sd
Fiocchi 73-grain FMJ__________917 fps, 11 Sd

Attachment 274800Attachment 274801Attachment 274802Attachment 274803

Thank you Outpost 75..!

Just out of curiosity - what would you think of the old IDEAL .32-20 Target Revolver Bullet, of 93 Grains, for possible .32 ACP use?

( Sorry, this Mold had the light rust on it when i got it and I have not cleaned it yet )

Hosted on Fotki

[Outpost75]

I would be worried about seating depth, being excessive when seated deep enough for wadcutter shoulder to chamber.

[Led]

This is from another thread I started on this topic.



This is a RimRock 100g RNFP (On my scale it's 96g). Seating to the crimp groove requires .25 inches according to my calipers. OAL of the bullet is .57 inches. A fully assembled round measures .002 longer than published 32 acp max length. In my opinion this seats as deep as one can go in a 32 acp case. In some brass (PPU) the rounds have to be sized in a LEE factory crimp die to chamber in my Beretta 81. Chronograph and load data below.

10 round string, Ave 956 ft/s, ES 69 ft/s, SD 18 ft/s, energy 195 ft/lbs.

Load is 5 grains of 2400 slightly compressed. It ran fine in my Beretta 81 with aftermarket Mecgar mags. With factory mags it's just a hair too long and will jam in the mag body on the nose. A slight wack on the mag will allow the stack to move.

This was based on Outpost75's research and powder recommendations.

Thanks,
Stephen

[GBertolet]

I would like to try some of these loads in my HSC Mauser. Where would I find a heavier recoil spring? Wolffe lists the same spring for the 32 and 380. I don't want to risk cracking the frame on my gun.

[Led]

I don't have exp with the HSC. Is it steel frame or aluminum? Since Wolff lists the same spring for 32 or 380 you'd probably be fine. My 81BB is running the factory spring. Beretta lists the same part number for the 81 (32acp) and 84 (380) recoil spring.

Thanks,
Stephen

[GBertolet]

It's a wartime, steel frame HSC.

[Oyeboten]

I would be worried about seating depth, being excessive when seated deep enough for wadcutter shoulder to chamber.

I'd crimp lower on, below the Shoulder, so as to have right over-all length...and or find out empirically with a 'dummy' round, what OAL is good for things to behave properly in the Magazine, and go from there.

It's just such a cool little Bullet! It'd be nice if it can work well for .32 ACP.

[Gray Fox]

Do you know if your load of 2400 and the Accurate 87T will function safely in a Seecamp? GF

[Outpost75]

Do you know if your load of 2400 and the Accurate 87T will function safely in a Seecamp? GF

Will not~!

[Gray Fox]

OK, I guess that was clear enough. I was thinking it might be stronger than a tip up Beretta. GF

[Outpost75]

OK, I guess that was clear enough. I was thinking it might be stronger than a tip up Beretta. GF

I wouldn't bet on it.

[Led]

Greeting all. I've been absent for a bit but I return with new data. Below is a comparison of Alliant Blue Dot and IMR Blue.

First the Alliant Blue Dot, I've posted these results before but am posting them again for comparison.

Beretta 81BB, 78g Rimrock RN .313 Dia, 4.0g Alliant Blue Dot, PPU cases, 10 round string, 1009 ft/s ave, 125 ft/s ES, 42 ft/s SD

Now the IMR Blue results,

Beretta 81BB, 78g Rimrock RN .313 Dia, 4.0g IMR Blue, W-W cases, 10 round string, 922 ft/s Ave, 100 ft/s ES, 32 ft/s SD
A note about the W-W cases, the available powder capacity was noticeably smaller than the PPU cases. I could see the difference
visually with two charged cases sitting side by side on the bench. If I used the 4.0g IMR Blue charge in a PPU cases I would expect
to see some velocity loss do to the larger case volume of the PPU cases.

Beretta 81BB, 78g Rimrock RN .313 Dia, 4.4g IMR Blue, W-W cases, 10 round string, 1027 ft/s Ave, 58 ft/s ES, 19 ft/s SD
This load was compressed a touch in the W-W cases and I consider it MAX for the W-W cases. This load shot great and had the feel
of Outpost75's other heavy 32 ACP loads.

Based on this comparison I would speculate the IMR Blue is a touch slower than the modern Alliant Blue Dot. The IMR Blue burns very cleanly just like Blue Dot does. IMR Blue very much reminds me of the old Hercules Blue Dot. I also intend to re-shoot these loads with the higher capacity commercial cases like R-P, PPU or Aguila.



Reference load shot from this Beretta 81BB as requested by Outpost75.

PPU Factory 73g FMJ, 10 round string, 876 ft/s Ave, 68 ft/s ES, 24 ft/s SD

[Outpost75]

Good info. Thx. for posting. If possible next time please fire a factory load for reference, whatever you have. Fiocchi 73-grain FMJ is a readily obtained CIP load I use for that purpose.

[Led]

I have data for PPU 73g hardball from the same Beretta 81BB.

PPU Factory 73g FMJ, 10 round string, 876 ft/s Ave, 68 ft/s ES, 24 ft/s SD

Thanks,
Stephen

[Outpost75]

Outstanding!

[BobbyJ]

I no longer own a Savage pistol, but they are well made and shoot well. However, I would not load any hotter than needed to cycle reliably, due to the difficulty of finding replacement parts. Accurate 31-081H with 2.5 grains of Bullseye is max. load which functions well. Air cooled wheelweights are fine. No need to quench. Size .311 withLee Liquid Alox. Work up from 2 grains at 0.955" OAL until you get reliable function, the sweet spot in most pistols is around 2.2-2.3 grains of Bullseye. DO NOT EXCEED 2.5 grains of Bullseye.

Attachment 274799

Some chronograph data for WW2-era .32 ACP ammo I have tested:

.32 ACP “WW2 Vintage,” and Current Euro-CIP Factory Ammunition
Ammunition ________________Beretta M1935 3.4”
WW2 Geco Steel Cased FMJ____977 fps, 11 Sd
WW2 WRA 73-grain FMJ______1001 fps, 15 Sd
RWS 73-grain FMJ____________981 fps, 16 Sd
Fiocchi 73-grain FMJ__________917 fps, 11 Sd

Enjoyed reading your 32 acp posts.
I just started reloading for it but only have two powders to fit the bill HS6 and Win 244 (similar to 231)
I bought a bunch of Berrys 71 gr FMJ it was priced right doubt I'll be casting bullets at least for now.

I plugged in your 2400 numbers into Quickload using 87gr and .975 seating. 5.6 gr of 2400 is around 100 percent fill -+ and pressures show 16.760k (cant rely on quickload for accurate pressures though) But you are dead on with it being safe, can't double load it, self limiting.

The only thing that was a negative was it lists the amount of powder burned as only 47% while 231 gives 95 percent burn.
Does it have more muzzle flash vs like red dot?

I put other powders in to see which could fill 100 percent and either the pressures were way high or too low. So 2400 fits the bill for case fill and pressure and safety. Maybe the burn rate is not correct on quickload.

I made up 2.1 to 2.4gr win244 loads with the 71 grain at .984" Next time out I'll chrono it. Have a 1951 VZ 50 and 1980s
CZ 82 to test them with.

[Led]

In my exp with Outpost75's 2400 loads it burns better than indicated by the modeling software. The heaver the bullet the better with 2400 in 32 acp. I've gone as high as 100g with excellent results.

I've had some success with Alliant Blue Dot in 32 acp.

Later,
Stephen