I would like to ask a question. Is 32 wadcutter a 32 S&W long or a 32 ACP. The reason I ask I was at a gun shop and they had a case of 32 Wadcutter, with a single box sold from it.

I asked if it was 32 S&W long and the salesman said no (seeing in his eyes, I just answered that dummy)!!

While in the army, I recall shooting 38 wadcutter bullseye matches using the S&W model 52.

I would imagine it s 32 S&W long. I have seen the Fiocchi 32 Wadcutter locally.

32 wadcutters are almost always (I have never heard otherwise) a 32 S&W Long. This cartridge is still used in Euro target autos. You can also shoot them in S&W Model 16's and other modern 32 caliber revolvers.

.32 Wadcutter should indeed be .32 S&W Long. Has been a favorite for target shooting in Europe for decades. The Fiocchi .32 Wadcutter ammo has a headstanp that says exactly ".32 Wadcutter" and doesn't actually say .32 S&W Long, but by dimension, it certainly is.

I've heard discussion claiming the .38 Special brass that was originally sold as ammo with the 148gr hollow base wadcutter bullet is different internally than typical .38 Special brass but I can also say that I don't use any wadcutter specific brass for my S&W Model 52's, all of which are highly capable and extremely accurate pistols.

But I toss that out there anyway as perhaps the .32 Wadcutter brass is different than .32 S&W Long brass. I have a slew of both, and apologies as I have no interest whatsoever in trying to determine if the case capacity is much, if any different.

The European and Euro style .32 Wadcutter guns are pistols such as the Walther GSP, Sig P240, Benelli MP-95, Pardini HP, etc.

I'm fortunate to own a Walther GSP-c from the 80's and it's chambered for the .32 Wadcutter. It's a joy to shoot. And as a funny side note, the magazine is not in the grip but is forward of it, and because of this... the gangly 5-shot .32 Wadcutter pistol is recognized as an "ASSAULT PISTOL" by the State of New York and Cook County, IL, two places that I have no plans to visit with it.

CA could also call that an assault pistol because of that configuration. Also a place people should avoid if possible.

It would be 32 S&W Long or 32 S&W (doubtful the last). It should say on the box which cartridge. As I am sure you know wadcutter is just the type of bullet.

If you shoot 32 S&W Long and it is a good or great price grab it up! I would if it were local and the price was right!

Ed

Many of those are not actually a problem in CA:

(c) The Legislature finds a significant public purpose in exempting from the definition of “assault weapon” pistols that are designed expressly for use in Olympic target shooting events. Therefore, those pistols that are sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee and by USA Shooting, the national governing body for international shooting competition in the United States, and that were used for Olympic target shooting purposes as of January 1, 2001, and that would otherwise fall within the definition of “assault weapon” pursuant to this section are exempt, as provided in subdivision (d).

I and the store employee examined the individual box as well as the case and saw no mention of it being 32 S&W long.
The store employee did not offer to open one of the boxes either.

Now with your help, I will call when they open and offer to give the case a good home, depending on how much dinero's they want. It might go for a good price.
I will update you when I know more.

Some of Fiocchi's 32 S&W Long lead wadcutter offerings come in boxes that are prominently labelled as "32 Wadcutter" on the front. They do, indeed, carry 32 S&W Long cartridges with a 100gr wadcutter style lead bullet. If that is what your dealer has in stock, the best price on Ammoseek.com is $39.99 for a box of 50.

You can see a picture of that Fiocchi box (the red one) in the link below (you have to scroll through the available pictures to find the red box).

Fiocchi Ammo Shooting Dynamics 32SWL 100 Grain Lead Wadcutter [32LA] | Ammo Freedom

The best price currently shown on ammoseek.com for .32 S&W Long ammo is Sellier & Bellot at $28.40 (went up to $33.69 overnight) per box of 50 (also 100gr Lead Wadcutter). Hope this helps in your negotiations with your dealer.

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FBINA, 204th Session

I can’t imagine in this day and age any factory loading 32 cal wad cutter ammo as anything but 32 S&W L. The market would be way too limited. If you can get a good price on that most-of-a-case of “32 Wadcutters” I’d bet a dollar to a sugary circular pastry you’ll find them to be S&W Long cases.

Froggie

-BUT- if they are Fiocchi, they won’t say .32 S&W Long on the head stamp.

I did recently trip over a box of factory .32 S&W (short) made for cowboy action, so it's out there, but also rare.
I guess since you can shoot any of the three out of a .32SWL revolver it might be worth having in any case.

I will swing by and check them tomorrow.

They want $17 (plus a little) per box equals $340 plus tax for the casse of 1,000. Good deal I think??

Excellent buy. Grab them all!

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FBINA, 204th Session

Yes, assuming they are 50 round boxes that is a steal. BTW don't relay on the clerk knowing what they are talking about. Earlier this year I was at a gun shop and asked the clerk if I could by two boxes of 32 ACP. The clerk looked at the shelf behind them and said "Sorry, I don't think we've had 32 ACP available for several months." I asked "Can I buy two boxes of that 7.62 Browning?" Sure, I was told, that's not a fast mover.

I seem to remember buying some S&B (or maybe Aguila, not sure) .32 Long wadcutters several years ago, on sale at Academy. There is no problem in using wadcutters in any .32 Long revolver, in fact the K-32 Masterpiece was a target revolver that performed well with them.

Brother DWalt, in my experience any S&W revolver will shoot wad cutter ammo (of the proper caliber) with gusto. My little post War Transitional I frame snub in 32 absolutely gobbles it up, and of course my custom K32 recreation loves it. I would have no hesitation at all shooting it in any S&W revolver (in acceptable condition) without hesitation. Even though I usually load my own 32 S&W L ammo, at $340/1000 I’d have to change my mind!

Your Phriend the ‘Phibian

I went yesterday and bought an case of the 32 Wadcutter, out the door (approximately $18 a box) $381 (with tax) They have another 950 rounds left. I did open one box just to verify it looked right. The 32 S&W long boxes on the shelf were more expensive.
If anyone wants to know store PM me for details.

I’m looking for wadcutters in 32 acp,38 special,9mm,and 45 acp. Any help is appreciated. Reasonable prices too !

Chili501

Check out ammoseek.com. They have the best information about what is available online.

As for reasonable prices, you can pretty much forget about that. Those days are long gone.

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FBINA, 204th Session

The cases walls are thinner and untapered to the length of the projectile. That way you don't swage down your nice soft WC's while seating. Most people who load full WC's will never know this fact, and will happily load excellent ammunition in spite of it. No one to my knowledge sells the WC brass alone. There are however custom flaring plugs that can compensate for the difference. Useless information that no one asked for but there ya go.

True wadcutters are only factory offered in revolver rounds such as 38 Special, 32 S&W Long, etc. They are a blunt full diameter flat nose bullet and normally loaded so as to be flush with the case mouth. Now semi-wadcutter type bullets have been made in 45 ACP for target use for years. They have a reduced diameter ahead of the case mouth and taper slightly to a flat nose Is this the style you are looking for?

With current high ammo demands true target loads seem to be currently unavailable. Manufacturers appear to be concentrating on the higher demand loadings and traditional target loads don't seem to be in demand enough for any of the major makers to produce any at the moment. Your best bet if you are not a handloader would be to look for a custom loader who might make some up for you.

As to the 32 ACP and the 9mm any type of wadcutter could be a problem. Lyman has offered a mold for a truncated cone 9mm bullet based on one of the original design Luger bullets. It does have a small flat nose and is popular with many handloaders. In the 32 ACP round you are limited to round nose unless one of the semi-wadcutter bullets available for the 32 S&W Long might be adaptable to the ACP. When it comes to the 32 ACP and 9mm any target work is normally done with tradiotional style bullets that will function through the guns actions.

If you are simply looking for practice ammo I would suggest regularly checking any (all!) of the online sellers as well as asking any local shops what they have available. If there are any custom loaders in your area they might know of them as well and may be able to get what you need from there as well. The ammo market is still a mess, especially if you want anything other than the current, high demand calibers

Most 32 wadcutters were/are 98 -100g EXCEPT I believe Lapua offers/offered a 83g at one time.

I found these on a trip through Iowa last fall. 2 box limit but when I asked about the PPU I was told take all you want@ $21.95 per box, bought all they had. The Agulia ammo was $32.95 per box at Brownells.

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SWCA 1932 SWHF 135

ALL Current Factory .32 wad-cutter ammunition is .32 S&W Long, so head-stamped or not. If you believe otherwise show us a photo!

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Gunsmithing since 1961