.32 h&r cast loads

[glenkans]

Finally bit the bullet and bought a ssm with a 6 1/2 in barrel. Like I needed another caliber to cast and load for.But I did it anyway cause I wanted one when they were available but always found something else to spend it on. I got one now.Need some loads for 100 gr. cast and I don't push the envelope when reloading.11-1200fps should be more than enough and probably 1000 would be better.Am I gonna have to buy new powders or can I use the same that I load 357 and 44 with?I was at a gun show over the weekend and looked for ammo and found 2 boxes of Fed in the 20 rd.box. 18.00ea..... No thanks .Hope this caliber is big enough to kill something bigger than rats.We'll see. ...........Best wishes,Glen

 

[Epishemore]

Bought 500 rounds of CBC .32 S&W long cartridges in early 90's. Most have been reloaded 10-15 times. Favorite load is 4.4 grains Herco over 90 gr Hornaday swaged SWC. Around 1100 fps from 5.5" Ruger Single Six. Have shot 4" groups at 100 yds from a rest. Commercial cast bevel based SWC at least double group size.

Thanks.

 

[Rodfac]

I've had good luck with both 85 and 100 gr Hornady XTP's with both Win 231 and Unique. For lead alloy at 95 to 100 gr's, Win 231 or HP38 at 3.7 gr charges will give me 1-1/4" gps at 25 yds seated from my 5-5/8" Baby Vaquero. That 3.7 gr charge gives me just under 1000 fps chrono'd. I use Starline brass, after splitting a bunch of Federal factory loads in my S&W M16....

The lead alloy slugs came from Bonus Bullets, now defunct, but the Missouri Bullet company's offerings are identical. Dia. is .312.

Lyman's 311008 is pretty heavy but groups nicely with 3.1 of Bullseye again in Starline brass. I sized these to .311 and got an inch and a quarter gps. Wheel weights, quenched and no leading.

All the preceding are my loads, in my guns and are safe for me...work up slowly as always and check out a good manual.

HTH's Rod

 

[JustsayMo]

I like the RCBS 32-98 SWC ~100 gr with my alloy (20/1 ish). Unique (max published load) really performs well and gets me up over 1100 fps in my 5.5" Single Six. Lil'Gun pushes it a good bit faster and the muzzle flash is pretty impressive too. I'd also echo Rodfac's recommendation for W231, just enough to get it around 950 fps. Good small game load.

 

[glenkans]

Regarding my ssm 32, I measured the chamber throats and they went .309&.310. That seems tight for a .312 bullet.Actually one that I tried pushing wouldn't go through with some strong pushing.I spent the money for a manson reamer for .357 but funds are almighty tight now since I bought the gun and all the reloading components.I did one 357 with emery paper on a dowel with a cartridge case for a center and I could do the same with the .32. This is getting expensive for one gun.(it always is,isn't it).I'll prob. try shooting some mid-range loads before I do anything that I can't undo.I hope this thing is big enough to kill something with or I'll blame all you guys.Best wishes,Glen

 

[5of7]

In the SSM I have been shooting 7-1/2 grs. of 2400 with a 115 gr. RNFP, a bullet intended for the 32/20.

It chronographs at 1050 on an average and groups as well as I can shoot, which is about 3-1/2" at 25 yds. shooting freehand but sitting in a deck chair.

 

[VAdoublegunner]

I acquired a 4 5/8" Ruger SSM as couple of months ago in a trade and have been working with both jacketed and cast bullets for it. However, I have been looking primarily at "Ruger only" level loads since I think the true potential of the little cartridge should be maximized. Most of those are based on Brian Pearce's articles in Handloader although there have been some great suggestions and posts on a thread I have in the reloading section. One notable recommendation for powder is AA No.7.

W/R/T throats, my revolvers throats are also tight. I cannot push either a Hornady or Sierra .312 jacketed bullet through the throats. However, that doesn't mean the gun won't shoot them! Quite the opposite in fact, since I have found that one of Pearce's loads using the 100gr XTP and AA No.9 delivers everything promised. It quite readily turns apples into applesauce at 50 yards. BTW, Pearce reports this load to give 1256fps out of his 6.5" gun, and having found his information to be very close to what I have obtained using his loads in the past, I do not doubt that this load is delivering as expected.

I have been casting bullets from the Lee 90gr tumble lube bullet mould. With my alloy they drop up to about .314, although I have heard of them going up to .315 with some alloys. Considering the chamber throats, I have been sizing them in a Lee .311 sizer with good results. They still hang up in the cylinder throats, but you can force them through. They have proven to be accurate with loads of AA#7. I am also working with higher end loads of WSF and HS-6 at the moment. The HS-6 loads are starting to look pretty good. I haven't chrono'd them yet, but the accuracy is there and they are most assuredly little "magnum" level loads. A combination of Lee Alox diluted with a few squirts of Hornady One-Shot is what I am using for lube. No leading. The alloy is lead:tin about 15:1 with a couple tablespoons of magnum birdshot thrown into the mix to add some antimony and arsenic hardening. They were a little too soft with just lead:tin and the magnum birdshot addition has hardened them up considerably for pushing faster.

 

[flatgate]

I load my .32's just like I load my .44's, i.e. heavy cast bullets, mag. primers, a case full of WW-296 ( case full= amount of powder to reach the bottom of the seated and crimped bullet), mag. primers and a firm grip.

flatgate

 

[joelo]

Regarding my ssm 32, I measured the chamber throats and they went .309&.310. That seems tight for a .312 bullet.Actually one that I tried pushing wouldn't go through with some strong pushing.I spent the money for a manson reamer for .357 but funds are almighty tight now since I bought the gun and all the reloading components.I did one 357 with emery paper on a dowel with a cartridge case for a center and I could do the same with the .32. This is getting expensive for one gun.(it always is,isn't it).I'll prob. try shooting some mid-range loads before I do anything that I can't undo.I hope this thing is big enough to kill something with or I'll blame all you guys.Best wishes,Glen

Glen, my single six vaquero had throats same as yours. Being that way it grouped 1 1/2" at 25 yards with Missouri bullets 100gr. and 3.3gr of Green dot.
Later, I found at the machine shop of work a 5/16" reamer (0.312", that i understand is pretty common) and hand reamed my single six, in 15 minutes. It now groups at an inch, no big difference so don't worry about the throats.

 

[glenkans]

Went shooting today and took a bunch of Rugers along.Four single actions and one sp. Really wrung them out pretty good with at least a box of ammo through each.On the .32, I got a lot of build up on the outside of the cylinder I guess from lead bullet loads but that's just a guess.I'm using 100 gr.cast with 4 gr. of unique and a Horn.85 xtp with AA7.This grayish stuff won't come off even with no.9 nor kroil.I can't feel it but it's visible.What should I try besides something abrasive?Hope you guys got some answers.Best wishes,Glen