Calling all .32

M

M118LR

Buckeye
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Still got an itch for a Stainless PPK/S.

So what can all y'all.32 caliber folks tell me about the .32 ACP?

Been watching some U-TUBE, actual chronographs have the Remington UMC 71 grain FMJ actually rated as highest velocity from 3 inch barrel.

What ammo do you use and how does it match POI to POA on fixed sights?

How does your ammo perform?
 
I run Speer Gold Dot JHP in my Seecamp pistol.
Winchester Q 4255 (not sure about the stock number) White Box truncated cone flat point works also as range only ammo.
FMJ round nose is unusable in Seecamp pistols generally, factory installed spacer at the back of the magazine tube for keeping FMJ RN out of the magazines.
Seecamp pistols don't have any sights on the slide, it's totally bare, not even a trench.
Sighting over the top of the slide I found I could hit a steel IPSC "gong" target with every shot at 50 yards IF you did your job.
I also have an old Savage antique in .32 ACP but it is more a collectable, but I have fired it a few times.
 
So without sights the Speer Gold Dots hold an 8 inch group at 50 yards easily. Or is that the Win White Box? Any hiccups with either load?
 
cee_Kamp said:
I also have an old Savage antique in .32 ACP but it is more a collectable, but I have fired it a few times.
Click to expand...


I have my Grandpa's Savage 1907! I love that little gun! It goes on a range trip about once a year. I have some pretty old Czech ball ammo that's surprisingly accurate (about 3" 10 shot groups at 10 yards), and some really old Remington Ammo that I don't want to shoot. Still want to get another mag, but I don't want to pay $125 for one!

I'll have to grab some pictures.
 
cee_Kamp said:
I run Speer Gold Dot JHP in my Seecamp pistol.
Winchester Q 4255 (not sure about the stock number) White Box truncated cone flat point works also as range only ammo.
FMJ round nose is unusable in Seecamp pistols generally, factory installed spacer at the back of the magazine tube for keeping FMJ RN out of the magazines.
Seecamp pistols don't have any sights on the slide, it's totally bare, not even a trench.
Sighting over the top of the slide I found I could hit a steel IPSC "gong" target with every shot at 50 yards IF you did your job.
I also have an old Savage antique in .32 ACP but it is more a collectable, but I have fired it a few times.
Click to expand...
I also run Speer gold dot jhp in my Seecamp and also in my beretta tomcat cat
 
I have an old FN Browning model 32 ACP that is a WW2 bring back. I had some 71 gr Remington UMC FMJ that I fired along with some Norma 73 gr FMJ. The Norma was quite a bit hotter and much more accurate. S&B makes a 73 gr FMJ that is just as hot as the Norma. You can check ammoseek.com and find out who carries it there.
 
3 1/2 or 4 1/2 inch barrel on that FN Browning? Norma was more accurate, you didn't happen to run them through a crono by chance? Thanks.
Gun Sam didn't find Norma or S&B to be hotter out of shorter barreled Kel-Tec. But 3 1/2 or 3.3 inch barrel could make a big difference?



I love Gold Dots in 6 inch barreled 9 mm. But in a 3.3 inch .32 ACP maybe not so much?
 
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I have several 1903 Colts, a CZ83, a Rem 51, and a PA-63 in .32acp so I guess you could say I am a fan of the cartridge. None of them are very particular on what you feed them and all are “fairly accurate” in the 30-45 foot range considering the short barrels and small to almost non-existing sights, but then I’m mostly just putting holes in paper for fun but the goal is always to shoot a tight group and they all accomplish that.
 
Really enjoy this topic, as .32s are about my favorite. I have several Colt 1903's - some with bushed barrels, some without; Savage 1907, Mauser Model 34, Walther PPK (WWII bring back) and a S&W .32. Regarding the PPK, it doesn't like new Remington ammunition until the feeding ramp is a little fouled. Apparently, Remington got a little lazy and quit beveling the case mouths sometime back, leaving a sharp edge to get hung up on the ramp until it gets a little dirty. All foreign ammo seems to function flawlessly. Regarding accuracy, the latter Colt 1903's, types III and IV seem the most accurate. Now the S&W is a machining and fitting work of art. The trigger pull isn't great, but I did kill a 200lb+ hog with it using a Critical Defense HP; admittingly, the shot was probably more lucky than good.
 
We talking just 32acp?
I own a Cz 50/70, colt 1903, Origies, converted CZ82, Styer 1912 and Beretta the newest one.
 
The FN has the 4 1/2" barrel and on the Norma box it says 984fps. I assume it's with the usual 4" barrel. No chrono but I can tell you from first hand experience that Norma was much hotter with more recoil than the Remington UMC, but easily manageable with that heavy little FN.
 
fiasconva said:
Just checked and saw that SG Ammo has the 73 gr S&B FMJ ammo too.
Click to expand...
fiasconva said:
The FN has the 4 1/2" barrel and on the Norma box it says 984fps. I assume it's with the usual 4" barrel. No chrono but I can tell you from first hand experience that Norma was much hotter with more recoil than the Remington UMC, but easily manageable with that heavy little FN.
Click to expand...
A quick watch of the linked videos gives a real good comparison of less than 4 inch barrel performance with the greater than 4 inch barrel performance you achieved. Ammo quest goes into even deeper detail with 9 mm performance from 3 inch barrels common with the micro nines readily available today. Snubies take entirely different loads for max performance than 4 inch plus barrels even in .32 caliber. YMMV.
 
I don't recall a group size shooting the Speer Gold Dot out of the Seecamp at 50 yards.
A regulation cardboard IPSC target could absorb a 16" to 17" circle in the middle of the target. With no sights, I was just happy to hit it at 50 yards!
The Seecamp pistol is designed for a select few brands of 32ACP JHP, and runs flawlessly IF you feed it the good/expensive stuff.
The Winchester White Box is a range only cost saving choice, and in a Seecamp runs good enough for range practice.
I would never use Winchester White Box in a Seecamp for serious social work.
I would expect the Winchester White Box to work well in .32ACP guns designed for .32ACP Full Metal Jacketed Ammo.
 
So Gold Dots at a velocity that ensures they have no chance of expansion, moving slower than Rem 71 grain FMJ seems to be a better defense round out of Seecamp? Somehow this logic evades me? Gun Sam did test Gold Dots out of the 2.7 inch Kel-Tec which provides even more velocity than the shorter Seecamp barrel, and they failed miserably. Advertised velocities and actual performance are not one in the same. JMHO YMMV.
 
I carry and shoot .32 ACP. i have several 1903 Colt hammerless, couple of 1935 Beretas. a Walther PP. I load my own or look for European ammo as it is hotter than American. Most of my guns work better with hot ammo. I have shot several animals with it. I use a 71 gr RNFP bullet with Red Dot. The few animals I have opened up show much more damage than the 9mm or 10 mm does. Recoil is lighter than the .380 allowing faster shot follow up. You have to look out for "Rim Lock" if not loaded long enough.
 
Did he wing himself in the girlfreind?

I just got done loading 400 32 longs.

Other 32's I own.
S&w m30-1, s&w improved I frame, colt pocket positive, colt police positive and an h&r top break .32long.

S&w 632 uc 32h&r mag.

Ruger sp101, single 7, blackhawk, gp100 and Tarass 327. 327 magnum
 
M118LR said:
Still got an itch for a Stainless PPK/S.

So what can all y'all.32 caliber folks tell me about the .32 ACP?

Been watching some U-TUBE, actual chronographs have the Remington UMC 71 grain FMJ actually rated as highest velocity from 3 inch barrel.

What ammo do you use and how does it match POI to POA on fixed sights?

How does your ammo perform?
Click to expand...
I've been told that, prior to WWII, the most common concealed carry caliber was the .32.
European police standard caliber, prior to WWII, was the .32.
Uncle Will, rest his soul, was a butcher in Salesville and carried a .32 S&W on bill collections day.
He got curious as to the effectiveness of the little .32 so he head shot a slaughter hog with the revolver instead of the .22 rifle they usually used.
They fished the bullet out of the rear ham.
Quoting Massad Ayoob, "Accuracy is King, penetration is Queen, all else is angels dancing on the head of a pin" -- a man who can accurately place multiple .32s will be effective.
As far as the PPK/S in .32 ACP, the only example I've ever handled, ran FMJs flawlessly, it was accurate, and the James Bond Cool Factor was through the roof!
 
I like the Savage 07's. I really don't know why. Probably because I was born into a family of Savage 99 hunters. I'm also quite fond of the 32 H&R Mag and wanted a double action woods gun so I had a Colt Police Positive converted with a barrel and cylinder from Numrich Gun Parts. Then a Single Six and a S&W 631 were obtained. As far as ammo performance goes with any small caliber I consider penetration most important so I stick to FMJ's in the ACP and mostly hard cast lead SWC's in the mag. I have to get the Savages out again soon. It's been too long and I enjoy teaching people at the range that yes, there were ten shot semiautomatic pistols available to the general population over a century ago and civilization didn't come to a violent end. 😁
 

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Always wanted a Savage in either 380 or 32.
What do you do if you have a bad magazine though?
Friend of mine has a 380.

I did convert a CZ83 to 32acp.
Which reminds me that I have to renew my efforts to obtain a spare mag.
 
My paternal grandfat her cattied a 1903 Colt .32 ACP. My dad got the pistol when Pop passed away. When my dad pass the pistol disappeared which pisses me off greatly. I have a sneaking feling my half sister gave to her boy friend.
The only .32 I have is a Manhurin PP which is the Walther PP made under licence in France. I guess it was a police turn in and it has a nice silver grey patina. It came with four magazines and I've run each one several times testing the for reliability. They work just fine.The only ammo I've run through it has been Remington 71 gr. FMJs which run through the gun without a bobble. I sometimes use it or a PPK/s .380 as a Sunday go to meeting gun as either pistol is exceedingly easy to conceal especially here in the summer. I'll admit to being a lot more comfortable with my Colt Commander .45 ACP but it can be difficult to keep it from printing this time of year.
Paul B.
 
meister mash said:
Did he wing himself in the girlfreind?

I just got done loading 400 32 longs.

Other 32's I own.
S&w m30-1, s&w improved I frame, colt pocket positive, colt police positive and an h&r top break .32long.

S&w 632 uc 32h&r mag.

Ruger sp101, single 7, blackhawk, gp100 and Tarass 327. 327 magnum
Click to expand...
How do you like the Taurus? I’ve been thinking about one…
 
meister mash said:
Always wanted a Savage in either 380 or 32.
What do you do if you have a bad magazine though?
Friend of mine has a 380.

I did convert a CZ83 to 32acp.
Which reminds me that I have to renew my efforts to obtain a spare mag.
Click to expand...
I sourced new magazine springs from the Shotgun News way back when. I think you can still get aftermarket mags and springs although I haven't tried in decades. Jack First maybe.
 
this thread just reminds me that it will be 7 months until I can add to my WW1, .32 acp micro collection.... thank you.. thank you very much... now I must calculate for inflation.....
 
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