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"Stoutest" .32 S&W Long ammo ?

JamesD

JamesD

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Has anyone "covered the waterfront" and come up with, determined, what is the "stoutest" (most powerful? most energy?) factory, .32 S&W Long ammo?

I know that .32 S&W Long isn't .38 Special or .357 Magnum.
.32 S&W Long is what it is.

But:
- to the extent that there will be stronger and weaker rounds,
- if someone WERE to carry a Smith revolver in .32 S&W Long (30-1 or 31-1)
...what would be the best/strongest/most powerful factory load, I am wondering?

Anybody done the research and know the answer to this question?

Much obliged for any data.

James

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Buffalo Bore 100 gr wadcutters in the speed loader below.

Buffalo Bore 115 gr round nose flat point in the speed strip.

I carry the 31-1 with the 100 gr wadcutters loaded and carry the speed strip as a reload.

I think the wadcutter is a slightly better round, but it's hard to reload the gun quickly -- hence the round nose as reloads.

(I keep the wadcutters in the speed loader to keep track of them when the gun is in the safe unloaded. I don't carry full wadcutters as reloads).

These are the stoutest loads in 32 S&W long I've found.

BB's web site gives info about ballistics and claims significant penetration for the wadcutters.

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I like the Magtech 32 S&W Long JHP, but do not know how it compares to Buffalo Bore.
That was all that was available locally just before the ammo shortage dried up everything.
 
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Jeepers Cal!
See, that's what a good forum is for.
Thanks!

Can I ask you a couple of follow up questions?

1-
Those are some (relatively) powerful loads.
Are our "antique" Smiths (30-1 and 31-1) perfectly cool with those loads?
You've seen no indication of any excess wear or effects of "battering"?

2-
And the Buffalo web site says, "We alloy and lube these bullets properly so they will NOT substantially lead foul any normal barrel."
That so?
Or... there is that word "substantially".
Do you find it advisable to use any special "cleaner/solvent" on your revolvers to keep the lead at bay?

3-
The energy levels Buffalo quotes are higher than the factory .32 H&R Magnum ammo I am currently using in my 431PD!!!
So...do I just start using the Buffalo .32 S&W Long ammo in my .32 Magnum revolvers instead of the "weak" .32 Magnum ammo I am currently using? (Do you have any .32 Magnum revolvers? What do you shoot in them?)


I have been completely unaware of the Buffalo company.
New frontiers opening up?
New life for my various .32s?
I still have the caveats reflected in my questions above, but my head is sorta spinning about this all.

James





Cal44 said:
Buffalo Bore 100 gr wadcutters in the speed loader below.

Buffalo Bore 115 gr round nose flat point in the speed strip.

I carry the 31-1 with the 100 gr wadcutters loaded and carry the speed strip as a reload.

I think the wadcutter is a lightly better round, but it's hard to reload the gun quickly -- hence the round nose as reloads.

(I keep the wadcutters in the speed loader to keep track of them when the gun is in the safe unloaded. I don't carry full wadcutters as reloads).

These are the stoutest loads in 32 S&W long I've found.

BB's web site gives info about ballistics and claims significant penetration for the wadcutters.

attachment.php
Click to expand...
 
The Buffalo Bore loads are the only way to turn a 32 into a self-defense weapon (unless you reload). Just use them in a modern gun and not a top break. I would feel adequately armed in most situations with them in my 32 Smith. On the other hand, I sure wouldn't go fight a war with them.
 
Pee Ess

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P.S.

I just took another quick look at the BB web site.

And man they give whole separate charts at bunches of different muzzle velocities.

Which, among other things, probably involves different barrel lengths.

Other companies, usually don't really say, or give that level of information.

And different velocities really changes energy!

Makes it real hard to know, if you aren't comparing apples to apples.

Looks like... maybe I'll be heading to the range, and chrony various rounds that I have, along with some Buffalo ammo that I will get.

If you know velocity and bullet weight, you can sort of find your way to "apples to apples" energy data. Right?
(I guess, I'm not NEAR a pro at this!).

Either way, it'll be an excuse to spend a day outside, at the range, shootin' guns!

James

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DocB said:
The Buffalo Bore loads are the only way to turn a 32 into a self-defense weapon (unless you reload). Just use them in a modern gun and not a top break. I would feel adequately armed in most situations with them in my 32 Smith. On the other hand, I sure wouldn't go fight a war with them.
Click to expand...

Thanks Doc.
And I'm with ya.

And... if I'm going to war, I want a company with me, or at least a squad. Somebody with a flamethrower would be nice!

But short of that, we do what we can do. Wish it weren't so but sometimes, weather, dress, convenience, concealablity, etc. argues for compromises to be made.

A 1911 or a double stack 9 with several mags on you belt, would always be better. But sometimes it's just hard to manage.

So any help with our little J frames is always a plus for when that's what we may have that day.

Thanks to everybody so far.

What a forum!

James

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James,

I haven't shot many of these yet. They are expensive, so I practice with cheaper stuff.

That said, I see no signs of pressure problems and wouldn't expect any when these BB loads are used in M30 and M31 model marked guns.

My gun in particular was made in the early 1980's and so I figure has the benefit or modern metallurgy.

Also, I'm heard of people reaming the cylinder on M30s and M31s so they can chamber 32 H&R mag.

These guns are the same frames used for 38 special which is a higher pressure round than any 32 S&L long.

Another thing about Buffalo Bore is their quoted ballistics have been verified by members of this forum, and unlike the specs some other manufacturers give, BB bore's number are usually accurate.
 
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Another comment. I've tried the Magtech jacketed hollow points.

But I don't have a chronograph.

I've found reports giving highly variable velocity results for the Magtech loads.

Plus I question whether you would see expansion out of a snub.
 
The only way a hollow point .32 S&W Long would work is because it WON'T expand. There isn't enough energy or bullet to make an expanded bullet punch deep enough. The worst thing that bullet could do is expand, because it just doesnt' have the guts to get deep enough if there was any added resistance. If you want a HP that would work in that caliber, get a .32 magnum of some sort.
 
JamesD said:
I just took another quick look at the BB web site.

And man they give whole separate charts at bunches of different muzzle velocities.

Which, among other things, probably involves different barrel lengths.

Other companies, usually don't really say, or give that level of information.

And different velocities really changes energy!
Click to expand...
Just be aware, their charts are odd. For example, the .32 S&W Long in 115gr, the first chart starts with a 1200 fps muzzle velocity. However, in the 5 firearms they tested it in, it had a muzzle velocity from 715-840 fps. So that chart of energy, drop, etc, is not in any way applicable.

If you scroll far enough down, there are charts for 900, 800, and 700 fps starting velocities, though. You have to decide which is closest to what you expect. Though if you want to know the drop of your .32 S&W Long at 600 yards, you'll probably want to find out the exact velocity. ;)

Maybe I don't quite understand the goal, but it always struck me as them providing lots of irrelevant info just to give the appearance that they've done a lot of testing to create a lot of info. But it's just generic ballistic calculations at a set of starting velocities that may have no relation to the ammo being listed.

JamesD said:
If you know velocity and bullet weight, you can sort of find your way to "apples to apples" energy data. Right?
(I guess, I'm not NEAR a pro at this!).
Click to expand...
Those are the only two things you need to know to calculate the kinetic energy of an object. There are many free calculators online for this, search "bullet kinetic energy" or similar.
 
aurora40 said:
Though if you want to know the drop of your .32 S&W Long at 600 yards, you'll probably want to find out the exact velocity. ;)
Click to expand...

32 S&W would be an ideal round if you want to hunt hamsters at 600 yards. :)

This article talks a little about the buffalo bore loads for 32 s&w long:

His results from a 2" revolver:

"The Buffalo Bore 115 .32 S&W Long yielded about 771 fps from a S&W 2″ barrel, while the 100-gr. WC delivered 852 fps. from the same gun."

The .32 S&W Long & .38 Smith & WessonAmerican Handgunner | American Handgunner

Note that the 100 gr WC at 852 fps develops a muzzle energy of 161 ft lbs.

In this article, Federal Target 148 gr Wadcutters in 38 special only developed 656 fps for a muzzle energy of 141 ft lbs from a 2 inch snub.

Pocket Guns and Gear: Federal Gold Medal Match 38 Special Wadcutter Denim and Clear Gel Test

And some people suggest target wadcutters in 38 special for defense.

Well, 32 BB wadcutters are significantly faster and higher energy from a 2" snub, although they are lighter and smaller diameter than the 38 wc target loads.

It's hard to find data for snub revolvers, and most of the data for 4" guns greatly overstate velocity.

I'm relying on this published data because it's all I have, but if anyone here runs their own chronograph tests, I'd encourage you to post the results.

There isn't a lot of good data out there on 32 caliber revolver loads.
 
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Cal44 said:
In this article, Federal Target 148 gr Wadcutters in 38 special only developed 656 fps for a muzzle energy of 141 ft lbs from a 2 inch snub.

Pocket Guns and Gear: Federal Gold Medal Match 38 Special Wadcutter Denim and Clear Gel Test

And some people suggest target wadcutters in 38 special for defense.
Click to expand...
I'm not sure those people tend to suggest them at target velocities, though? But there is certainly some anemic .38 ammo out there. I've only tested two from a snub. Federal 125gr +P 38E went 890 fps from my 2.25" SP101, and Estate 130gr went a pathetic 720 fps.

I wasn't trying to speak about .32 S&W's effectiveness though, just to try to clarify the charts BB uses for the OP.
 
We use a 100gr. Hardcast flat tip over 3.8 grs. Of Unique. In our SW 30-1 3". 900+ fps 20" penatration. Better than 380!
 
I spent a good deal of money testing this out in a S&W 2 inch .32 H&R snubby 3 years ago or so. Short answer: NONE of the .32 mag loads (BB, Federal, Hornady) expanded using the old Firearms Tactical water filled cartons test. The Fiocchi .32 S&W long 100gr full wadcutter penetrated adequately (I can't remember and I didn't write it down, sorry). It didn't recoil much and it met the standards, easy choice. Save your bucks.
 
Gentlemen,
Hope to get an answer to this. A friend purchased an older S&W 32 Cal revolver, chambered for 32 Long ammo. Can he safely use 32 S&W short ammo in this revolver. I have heard that he can, but he has heard differently from a gun store in our area, please advise, thanks for your help on this.
 
11 Bravo said:
Gentlemen,
Hope to get an answer to this. A friend purchased an older S&W 32 Cal revolver, chambered for 32 Long ammo. Can he safely use 32 S&W short ammo in this revolver. I have heard that he can, but he has heard differently from a gun store in our area, please advise, thanks for your help on this.
Click to expand...

Yes, they will work fine. I ran across a batch of .32 S&W empties one time and loaded them for my post-war .32 Long Hand Ejector. I used 1.8 grains of Bullseye and a Lee 93 grain cast round nose bullet. Velocity was 575 fps. The sun was coming up behind me that morning and the bullets could be clearly seen on their leisurely trip down range. ".32 pellet gun" came to mind.
 
The only economical way to get what you want is to load your own, combined with load development. If you want to spend $1.25-$1.50 per shot for Buffalo Bore, have at it, but not for me. For some time, I have used a load of 3.0 grains of Bullseye with the Hornady 90 grain .313" SWC. From a 6" K-frame barrel, MV clocks at around 900 ft/sec. No signs of excessive chamber pressure are noted, i.e., cases do not stick in the chambers and primers are not cratered. I think I could safely push it quite a bit higher, but I have no need to. I have one powder measure I keep permanently set to throw 3.0 grains of Bullseye, for use in .32 Long, .32-20, and .38 Special wadcutter loads.
 
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