32s&w load needd

[hornsurgeon]

I have a first generation h&r top break revolver in 32 that I want to start loading for. This was designed for black powder. Anyone here load for this? I was thanking of a light boolit or roundball and a light charge.

[Springfield]

I load .32 S&W for my pocket pistols. I use the Big Lube 32 bullet as I have the mould, but I think most any light soft bullet would work fine in a short pistol. The hardest part was loading that tiny amount of powder on my Dillon, had to modify the powder measure slider.

[hornsurgeon]

I hear you about the powder as I load 25acp as well. Any powder suggestions?

[hornsurgeon]

Also, can I use 32 S&W long dies to load short as well?

[Nobade]

I have a first generation h&r top break revolver in 32 that I want to start loading for. This was designed for black powder.

There's the answer - the standard load for 32 S&W was 9.0gr. FFFg and a 85-90 gr. bullet. I don't know that you can get that much powder into a modern made 32 S&W case, but pretty much as much as you can fit in there will be your load. The little Lyman 85gr. boolit would be the one to use, don't remember the number. You could shoot round balls but they likely will hit very low and might tie up the cylinder because of the primers sticking out after they are fired.

You can size cases with 32 long dies but not seat boolits or crimp, they're too long. You may not need dies depending on the size of your chambers. Probably be able to thumb press boolits back into fired cases if they're not too sloppy.

[hornsurgeon]

I do know of the original BP loading, is there a safe smokeless loading that wont overstress the top latch?

[Mk42gunner]

Don't know about a safe smokeless load; but if you are going to buy a new set of dies the Lyman sizing die I have is marked 32 S&W/32ACP, while the seating die is marked 32 S&W Long/ 32 ACP. I don't know if the seating die will roll crimp the ACP or S&W case, but Lyman also sells a taper crimp die meant for the 32 ACP.

Robert

[olafhardt]

I use Hornady 0 buck shot and about 1 grain of 231 I made me a dipper out of wire and a 22 short fired case. It does hit low and is sufficient for animals smaller than cape buffalo(much smaller.)

[Urny]

In our Smith & Wesson 1 1/2 we use the 0 buck shot, as olafhardt has mentioned, with 1.1 grains of Bullseye also from a home made dipper. I don't resize the case, but press the shot in by hand to just past the major diameter, and crimp with a C & H 32 long size die adjusted just far enough to provide a form of taper crimp. The decapping stem is removed for the crimp of course.

At a range of about 15 feet, the ball will not penetrate the raised lid of an old washing machine.

[JLDickmon]

Also, can I use 32 S&W long dies to load short as well?

depends.
My RCBS dies will
couldn't tell you about others..

I have a PDF file of an ancient Lyman/Ideal #38 manual (1950?) that lists a max charge of 1.4gr Bullseye under a Lyman #313249
But I believe I'd start about 1.1

[swamp]

I use the Lee 90gr. RN and a small charge of Unique(1.2?). I will have to measure the charge again to be sure. Use a cut dowm 22 lr case for dipper. It has less felt recoil than the factory loads I have tried.
Mine is a Marlin Mod.87 topbreak. A fun gun to shoot.

I use Lee Die set for 32 S&W,

swamp