I collect vintage 32-20 ammo and try it out on occassion. I have some of the old 32-20 Hi Velocity "rifle only" loads and vintage sources all claimed they were safe in the Colt SAA and Army Special. (Safe because a SAA was rated for 357 and the 32-20 Hi Speed was not as high pressure) I have shot them in a new SAA. They were really something. 80 grains at 1400 fps. I have read that the little Colt PPS were wrecked by them.

I have never found any documentation on how the S&W M&P handled them. I am not going to shoot them in one or even attempt to tell someone it is ok. I am interested in this for historical purposes only regarding how many people actually used these rifle only rounds in their pistols.

The reason for this is that in Texas and the deep south, the 32-20 was considered to far outclass the 38 Spl and that it was much hotter.
Vintage standard loads, even w/o a chronograph obviously are not up to 38 spl. I figure they were using the Hi Velocity loads.

Also, how did vintage 32-20s stack up for self defense? I heard that savvy cops said they penetrated cars and glass better than 38s.
Any 32-20 info appreciated.

I collect vintage 32-20 ammo and try it out on occassion. I have some of the old 32-20 Hi Velocity "rifle only" loads and vintage sources all claimed they were safe in the Colt SAA and Army Special. (Safe because a SAA was rated for 357 and the 32-20 Hi Speed was not as high pressure) I have shot them in a new SAA. They were really something. 80 grains at 1400 fps. I have read that the little Colt PPS were wrecked by them.

I have never found any documentation on how the S&W M&P handled them. I am not going to shoot them in one or even attempt to tell someone it is ok. I am interested in this for historical purposes only regarding how many people actually used these rifle only rounds in their pistols.

The reason for this is that in Texas and the deep south, the 32-20 was considered to far outclass the 38 Spl and that it was much hotter.
Vintage standard loads, even w/o a chronograph obviously are not up to 38 spl. I figure they were using the Hi Velocity loads.

Also, how did vintage 32-20s stack up for self defense? I heard that savvy cops said they penetrated cars and glass better than 38s.
Any 32-20 info appreciated.

As a teenager I used 32-20 118 grain standard velocity and 80 grain HV (about 1800 fps) from a Winchester Low Wall. Both were sure killers on foxes out to 100+ yards and said to be sure kills when put through lungs of deer. Heard of but never tried to load 32-20 118 grain bullets to more like 1400+ fps (writting from many decades old memory) from Winchester 92s and Low Walls.

I always heard then that 32-20 standard velocity 118 grain loads gave 900-1000 fps from 7,5 inch barreled SAAs -- not a wimpy load in early 1900s. Remember that on boxes of 80 grain HV loads was written not to use in pistols -- don't recall any specific pistols mentioned.

I always heard that 32-20 was considered better than 32 S&W Long and 38 S&W -- for whatever that is worth.

Niklas