What intrigues me is that having a sixgun in .327 means you can also run the charming little .32 S&W (not the Long) through the thing. I have always wanted to mess with this little toot and now might have a chance. I did a search here and came up empty, but could swear this has come up before. Jim T -- were you the one?
Loading the .32 Smith & Wesson
Forum rules
Welcome to the Leverguns.Com General Discussions Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here other than politics... politely.
Please post political post in the new Politics forum.
Welcome to the Leverguns.Com General Discussions Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here other than politics... politely.
Please post political post in the new Politics forum.
-
Bill in Oregon
- Advanced Levergunner
- Posts: 10355
- Joined: Sun Jun 29, 2008 10:05 am
- Location: The Land of Enchantment
Loading the .32 Smith & Wesson
I seem to be tumbling down the .32 rabbit hole and I blame Will for the heads up on the .327 brass!
What intrigues me is that having a sixgun in .327 means you can also run the charming little .32 S&W (not the Long) through the thing. I have always wanted to mess with this little toot and now might have a chance. I did a search here and came up empty, but could swear this has come up before. Jim T -- were you the one?
What intrigues me is that having a sixgun in .327 means you can also run the charming little .32 S&W (not the Long) through the thing. I have always wanted to mess with this little toot and now might have a chance. I did a search here and came up empty, but could swear this has come up before. Jim T -- were you the one?
Re: Loading the .32 Smith & Wesson
No sir. I have not messed with the .32 caliber much. I shoot the .31 caliber black powder now and then but that's percussion not metallic cartridge.
- Old Savage
- Posting leader...
- Posts: 16947
- Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2007 3:43 pm
- Location: Southern California
Re: Loading the .32 Smith & Wesson
It has come up, you can also shoot 32 Auto, 32 N.P. and 32 Mag.
- gamekeeper
- Spambot Zapper
- Posts: 18307
- Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2007 3:32 pm
- Location: Englandistan twinned with Palestine
Re: Loading the .32 Smith & Wesson
I hope this is of some help Bill.
.32 S&W used to be common over here used by Fox hunts for humane despatch.
https://massgunownership.com/reloading/32S&W.html
.32 S&W used to be common over here used by Fox hunts for humane despatch.
https://massgunownership.com/reloading/32S&W.html
Whatever you do always give 100%........... unless you are donating blood.
- GunnyMack
- Advanced Levergunner
- Posts: 11517
- Joined: Mon Sep 19, 2016 7:57 am
- Location: Not where I want to be!
Re: Loading the .32 Smith & Wesson
I had a Single Six in 32, it got a full box of longs through the cylinder before it went for reassignment surgery and became my 44 special !
BROWN LABS MATTER !!
-
765x53
- Senior Levergunner
- Posts: 1118
- Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2009 9:12 pm
- Location: Bushwhacker Capitol, Missouri
Re: Loading the .32 Smith & Wesson
I always longed for a Marlin 94 in .32H&R but could never afford one likewise, the Henry .327.
I wondered if they would feed the .32S&W and how many rounds the magazine would hold.
I wondered if they would feed the .32S&W and how many rounds the magazine would hold.
Re: Loading the .32 Smith & Wesson
Deleted.
Last edited by Ray on Tue Jan 14, 2025 8:54 am, edited 2 times in total.
Re: Loading the .32 Smith & Wesson
Deleted.
Last edited by Ray on Tue Jan 14, 2025 8:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
-
Bill in Oregon
- Advanced Levergunner
- Posts: 10355
- Joined: Sun Jun 29, 2008 10:05 am
- Location: The Land of Enchantment
Re: Loading the .32 Smith & Wesson
John, thanks for that link. There is actually data for the 75- and 85-grain lead bullets in .32 S&W in the 51st Lyman Reloading Handbook. Lee makes a 93-grain RN bullet mold that would certainly give a traditional appearance, but it wouldn't be much use to me in the .327. Their 90-grain semi-wadcutter would look a little weird.
Re: Loading the .32 Smith & Wesson
A friend gave me some 85 grain FN .312's that I thought would be pretty neat loaded in 32 Long brass. It turned out that there was enough of a lateral POI shift vs. my .32 H&R load to make it a non-starter for me. Just something to consider if the short case exhibits the same.
Re: Loading the .32 Smith & Wesson
I've got an H&R revolver in 32 H&R mag - one of the original guns that H&R made to fire the new 32 H&R mag cartridge. My dad bought it new around 1985 - not long after the 32 mag came out. I know that overall H&R gets a bad rap but this revolver is really not bad at all and is quite accurate with its 6" barrel.
My dad also formerly owned at least one revolver chambered in 32 long, but must have traded it away at some point long ago, but we had some 32 long and even some 32 S&W ammo laying around in junk drawers.
I've definitely shot LOTS of 32 longs in the H&R revolver and I'm pretty sure even some 32 S&W. If I look I might find some a few pieces of the shorter brass.
However, there is one 32 caliber revolver cartridge that will NOT fire in it - well, it will fire, but it doesn't like to. I was taking a friend shooting one time 20 years ago and suggested that he should stop by the gun store and pick up a box of 32 Long or 32 mag shells. He showed up with something that was different. it wasn't 32 acp either. It was maybe some kind of 32 colt ammo. We shot a couple of them, but the cases would bulge and split when fired. I actually ended up selling that box of shells to someone from this forum - way back in the day - probably back in the original leverguns forum.
My dad also formerly owned at least one revolver chambered in 32 long, but must have traded it away at some point long ago, but we had some 32 long and even some 32 S&W ammo laying around in junk drawers.
I've definitely shot LOTS of 32 longs in the H&R revolver and I'm pretty sure even some 32 S&W. If I look I might find some a few pieces of the shorter brass.
However, there is one 32 caliber revolver cartridge that will NOT fire in it - well, it will fire, but it doesn't like to. I was taking a friend shooting one time 20 years ago and suggested that he should stop by the gun store and pick up a box of 32 Long or 32 mag shells. He showed up with something that was different. it wasn't 32 acp either. It was maybe some kind of 32 colt ammo. We shot a couple of them, but the cases would bulge and split when fired. I actually ended up selling that box of shells to someone from this forum - way back in the day - probably back in the original leverguns forum.
Re: Loading the .32 Smith & Wesson
I’ve shot thousands of 32 shorts out of a Ruger S.S. and many old top break S&W’s and Smith New Departures, usually out back so the noise don’t aggravate my neighbors…..1.5 grains of bullseye and a 71 grain cast. Out of a Ruger SS chambered in 32 mag, the short cartridge with the above load will consistently hit the 8” plate at 75 meters.
This is Boring & Mindless……Wasted Energy
Re: Loading the .32 Smith & Wesson
Ray, I had a '76 Ford pickup with a 460 for years. The previous owner had put a 2 bbl intake and carb on it hoping to improve the fuel mileage but I found an original 4 bbl and manifold and bolted them on. Emissions requirements from a few years prior to mine had retarded the timing by 11° but I found a cam gear intended for marine use that I installed. Yep, the old truck would pass about anything but a gas station. I wouldn't say it was a screamer; it roared.
- Ysabel Kid
- Moderator
- Posts: 28823
- Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2007 7:10 pm
- Location: South Carolina, USA
- Contact:
Re: Loading the .32 Smith & Wesson
I was about to say that Sixgun had a great little recipe for the .32 S&W, and here he shares it!Sixgun wrote: ↑Wed Dec 06, 2023 6:57 pm I’ve shot thousands of 32 shorts out of a Ruger S.S. and many old top break S&W’s and Smith New Departures, usually out back so the noise don’t aggravate my neighbors…..1.5 grains of bullseye and a 71 grain cast. Out of a Ruger SS chambered in 32 mag, the short cartridge with the above load will consistently hit the 8” plate at 75 meters.
Re: Loading the .32 Smith & Wesson
Just dive in head first, into the 32 pool.
When I would shoot 32 S&W Long in the Ruger SS. A little lead would build up in the cylinder. When you went to load 32 H&R, the cartridge would not chamber all the way. Minor cleaning would fix it. I did have a bunch of 32 S&W that I got from buying a bunch of used reloading stuff over a decade ago. But I sold it all and don't have any left other wise I would send some your way. (just to plant the seed).
Slug the barrel on what you buy. The older Rugers run .312 but the later ones .313.
When I would shoot 32 S&W Long in the Ruger SS. A little lead would build up in the cylinder. When you went to load 32 H&R, the cartridge would not chamber all the way. Minor cleaning would fix it. I did have a bunch of 32 S&W that I got from buying a bunch of used reloading stuff over a decade ago. But I sold it all and don't have any left other wise I would send some your way. (just to plant the seed).
Re: Loading the .32 Smith & Wesson
Deleted.
Last edited by Ray on Tue Jan 14, 2025 8:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Loading the .32 Smith & Wesson
Walt ..I had an 86 Ford 3/4 Ton with that engine and the ton and a half drive train. I got the same mileage if it was empty or if I had 2 1500 pound round bales in the back. I did get it up to 11 MPG once by coasting down some of the New Mexico mountains and not counting what I used going up.Walt wrote: ↑Wed Dec 06, 2023 7:31 pm Ray, I had a '76 Ford pickup with a 460 for years. The previous owner had put a 2 bbl intake and carb on it hoping to improve the fuel mileage but I found an original 4 bbl and manifold and bolted them on. Emissions requirements from a few years prior to mine had retarded the timing by 11° but I found a cam gear intended for marine use that I installed. Yep, the old truck would pass about anything but a gas station. I wouldn't say it was a screamer; it roared.
Re: Loading the .32 Smith & Wesson
Deleted.
Last edited by Ray on Tue Jan 14, 2025 8:53 am, edited 1 time in total.
-
Bill in Oregon
- Advanced Levergunner
- Posts: 10355
- Joined: Sun Jun 29, 2008 10:05 am
- Location: The Land of Enchantment
Re: Loading the .32 Smith & Wesson
Had a little luck today. After realizing I was completely out of small pistol primers and had to go pick up a spindle sander in Abilene, I checked the Academy Sports Web site, and lo and behold, they had CCI 500s, limit four trays, at $7.99. The other place in town wants $12 ... 

