This is my SP101 327 with a Burris fast fire III.I use lite loads in it for target shooting and for carry when I am out and about in the fields on my tractor.
This is my SP101 327 with a Burris fast fire III.I use lite loads in it for target shooting and for carry when I am out and about in the fields on my tractor.
Nice! Hard to think of a better gun for that cartridge.
Currently casting and loading: .32 Auto, .380 Auto, .38 Special, 9X19, .357 Magnum, .257 Roberts, 6.5 Creedmoor, .30 WCF, .308 WCF, .45-70.
You guys are making me jealous with your custom Smith's and very nice Ruger's...
I was up at about 4 this morning for a diaper change and bottle, and remained awake after the newborn was back asleep, so I loaded about 50 rounds of .32 S&W long ammo, and that's about the closest I've been to doing anything with a .32 in a while sadly... Maybe I'll get to shoot them next week...
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Collecting .32 molds. Please let me know if you have one you don't need, cause I might "need" it!
First, I would like to thank Green Frog from the S&W forum and rjm52 from the single action forum, for there great write ups on a similar project. This one started life as a pre-lock S&W model 66, that Jack Huntington installed the 617 barrel, that was bored and rifled to .32cal. by Alan Siegrist. Jack also rechambered the 648 cylinder to 327 Federal. Been busy with work,so I haven't made it to the range yet.
S&W needs to make this revolver variant. K-frame, 6", 327 Federal, stainless steel, call it the Model 616. I enjoy the Ruger SP-101 well enough, but as arrived from the factory it needs some civilizing.
1) Spring kit, to lessen the ungodly D/A trigger tension. The S/A stroke borders on "tolerable", the little roller needs more shooting, which I plan to give it during NCBS this coming weekend.
2) Remove and replace that god-awful Ray-Bar glow-worm front sight that is one step to the right of blinking Christmas lights. Gotta find a Patridge post or Baughman ramp front sight to fit its dovetail--or have it made up.
I don't paint bullets. I like Black Rifle Coffee. Sacred cows are always fair game. California is to the United States what Syria is to Russia and North Korea is to China/South Korea/Japan--a Hermit Kingdom detached from the real world and led by delusional maniacs, an economic and social basket case sustained by "foreign" aid so as to not lose military bases.
You do know that the factory 327 FM rounds are primed with small rifle primers don't you? This is the reason all 327 guns have a stiffer hammer spring, drop that hammer spring very much and I bet you'll be getting misfires. If you want to do reloads with small pistol magnum primers you'll be ok till you start flowing the thinner primers and lock up the revolver with real 327 pressure loads. Been there, done that!
I don't paint bullets. I like Black Rifle Coffee. Sacred cows are always fair game. California is to the United States what Syria is to Russia and North Korea is to China/South Korea/Japan--a Hermit Kingdom detached from the real world and led by delusional maniacs, an economic and social basket case sustained by "foreign" aid so as to not lose military bases.
You know what? When your eyes go bad, you might appreciate the "glow worm." I've put red dot sights on my target pistols because the eyes just seem to not be the same as youth. If you can't see the front sight, sort of makes it hard to hit anything.
I want to see it, just don't need it to be so bright. Orange paint serves the purpose for me, and a bit more open rear blade. Biggest recurring issue I find is too narrow rear sights, hard to fix on fixed sights too!
Attachment 232488
Fixed the SP101 low shooting can't see it eith a piece of brass,file and orange paint! First run 3 inch 327Fed.
“You don’t practice until you get it right. You practice until you can’t get it wrong.” Jason Elam, All-Pro kicker, Denver Broncos
I use lightened springs. Small rifle primers are not much different, if at all from small pistol magnums. Most standard small pistol primers are flat, but not extruded at 45k psi full power loads. I have had problems with Federal small pistol, they are significantly thinner and softer. Rifle primers are relatively flat at full pressure loads too. The original argument was safety, but almost all load data uses pistol primers.
Y would never run a reduced power hammer spring, this is asking for consistency issues. Just because a primer fires does not mean you have consistent ignition. It may not mater at 25 to 50 yards, but the H&R is usefull out past that. Benchrest shooters have proven this with extensive testing, it can cause higher than normal standard deviation with wider ES in multiple shot strings. It has also shown with an obvious loss in accuracy, probably from the velocity spread it created.
It also slows lock time, allowing more human error. The big misconception with reduced power hammer springs is those thinking it gives a noticeable difference in trigger pull,,, NOT!
The Federal primers not firing are most likely a good example of what I am saying, Federal are known to have a harder cup, and why most use them in Benchrest, nobody loads hotter than them boys! But it is a good indication if you are having caps not firing, your working with a borderline firing system, this never an asset!
I have only ever ran Federal 205M small rifle match primers in my 327, and yes I do er on the side of high pressure with my loads, but get excellent result with 3 or 4 bullets and powders, this all seven shots 1 is under the tape.
Last edited by wildcatter; 01-19-2019 at 09:19 PM.
Anybody ever try the RCBS 32-90-CM in .32 Auto? I figure you could start with the Lyman 85 grain data and carefully work up.
Currently casting and loading: .32 Auto, .380 Auto, .38 Special, 9X19, .357 Magnum, .257 Roberts, 6.5 Creedmoor, .30 WCF, .308 WCF, .45-70.
I don't load for 32 auto (it's about the only 32 handgun cartridge I don't load!) but if I were trying to develop the load you describe, I would start a bit under the load for the lighter bullet. You might be able to go up some from there, but your starting pressure behind a heavier bullet will be higher to start with. Of course you will need to have a load with enough power to cycle your auto's action, but you also want to avoid an excessive amount of pressure and recoil on the action. Be sure and post your results for the good of the masses.
Froggie
"It aint easy being green!"
I have tinkered with a 32 auto a little, the boolit I use is a 85 gr. made from a cut down 100 gr. mold. I have tried to use the Lyman but it doesn't work in my CZ very well. I think 90 grs. is about as heavy as I would use in the 32 auto. I tried a 100 gr., 1 gr. of BE would function the pistol but 1.4 seemed hot.
One thing I did find out is that with the small case the pressure will increase fast so start low and work up slow and adjust OAL for proper feeding. I stopped when my pistol started to function correctly.
I also use a cut down 100 gr mold must have cot mine a bit more as i get 80 gr and they work great i load for sw , sw long , hr mag , and acp still need 32-20 and 327 to complete my 32s. I just love this cartridge great for plinking and self defense.
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |