My favorite 32 long load may be too much for the I frame I just got. I have been shooting a 90 gr SWC over 2.9 gr bullseye for more than 10 years in a modern, stout 32 long revolver. It has always shot well and grouped well.

Although I am not getting pressure signs from the old HE, I think this is too much for the old girl.

I have tried 2.3 gr and 2.0. The lighter load seems to be spot on with the sights, and groups are very nice. The 2.3 load is fine, but not quite as tight shooting.

The 2.9 load is a published load, and I have seen even higher loads for this round. Am I being too careful?

Absolutely not. If your low power load is working for you, that's what counts.

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I've never seen a 2.9 grain load of BE listed for the 32 long with the 90 grain bullet. The closest load I know of is a 93 grain cast with 2.7 in Lyman #45.
If you think your load is too much for the your I frame then by all means use your lower loads.
It may be all to easy to raise pressures in such a small case.

Bruce

I understand pressures rise quickly in small cases. Published commercial loads appear to be at or slightly above black powder load pressures. That would be similar to running a 38 sp at 600 fps.

While this is certainly advisable for top breaks and black powder framed guns, these loads are way below starting pressures for modern metallic cartridges.

My Lyman manual does list a 2.9 bullseye load, and I have seen 3.3 loads listed as top loads for this bullet with bullseye.

As I mentioned, the only pressure signs I was getting was a spread of the groups, and a lower point of impact (expected due to increased velocity). Oh, and it is definitely LOUDER!

For this 2.0 grain load, I have seen published velocities range from low 600s to low 800 fps with the same components and powder charge. This doesn't sound right.

edit to add: I have relegated this old Smith to the target loads. Just want to see if this is the conclusion of others that have played with these old mouse guns.

Pressures for the old top breaks were not to exceed 9,000 psi. That why we see loads of 1.8 of BE with the 98 grain bullets.
As far as velocity differences from gun to gun that is to be expected.
Ken Waters lists factory 98 grain bullet loads in a 6" barrel from 726-743 fps. Pet loads shows just 2.4 grains of BE at 920 fps with a 91 grain cast bullet.
I really like the increased velocity of handloads when I shoot the 90 grain Hornady SWC. I'm using up some SR 7625 which burns really clean.
BTW Speer #14 lists 7 grains of H110 for a 100 grain JHP. I thought the load would have a lot of flash. It actually was a good load to shoot if you have some JHP's.

Bruce

m1,
I shoot the Penn .32 95 grain SWC bullets. With 2.0 grains of Bullseye, I get 700 fps from a 3 inch Ruger SP101 chambered for .32 H&R mag. Using the same bullet with 2.5 grains of Bullseye, I get 830 fpsd from a 4 inch model 31. Dean

FWIW, my Lyman 41st ed has a Lyman 313226 95 grain LRN with a max of 2.7 grains of Bullseye and claims 910 fps.

My 2.9 gr load is definitely supersonic from my 4.25 inch I frame. Not so from the snubby I have used it in for years.

I reload about 500 rounds per year of .32 S&W Long for a variety of revolvers from a Model 1896 to a 1960's Model 30. I mostly use W231 and N320 with excellent results. Your load of 2.9 grains BE and a 90 grain SWC sounds a bit high if you want to stay within SAAMI specs for this cartridge.

Hornady Manual #7 lists a max load of 2.0 grains BE with this bullet in the .32 S&W L and 3.1 grains for the .32 H&R Magnum cartridge, so your load is closer to the H&R load.

Speer #14 lists 2.3 grains of BE for both a 90 and 98 grain cast bullet.

Lyman Pistol & Revolver Handbook (3rd Ed.) lists 3.0 grains of BE, but with a 75 grain bullet. For the .32 H&R Magnum, they list 2.5 grains BE at a pressure of 12,400 CUP and 4.0 grains at a pressure of 20,900 CUP.

This should give you some idea of the pressure your load is developing; I think SAAMI pressure is about 14,000 psi. Don't forget that the .32 H&R is a bigger cartridge, so similar loads in .32 S&W L brass will yield higher pressures.

There are 3 other points I would make about this interesting thread:

1. S&W never made a break-top revolver chambered for the .32 S&W Long - all of the S&W .32 break-tops were chambered for the .32 S&W, a much shorter cartridge introduced in 1878. The .32 S&W Long was designed for the Model 1896, S&W's first solid frame, swingout cylinder revolver.

2. You don't say what your "stouter" revolver is compared to your I-frame. Do you mean a K-frame, like the K-32 or a J-frame? These would certainly handle loads above SAAMI pressures, but I don't know of any data for such loads, so you'd be interpolating between .32 S&W Long data and .32 H&R Magnum data, in which case you're on your own!

3. You don't give the vintage of your I-frame. I-frame .32's were manufactured from 1903 to about 1956. Around 1920, S&W started heat-treating the cylinders, so there's variation in cylinder strength depending on when your gun was manufactured. Also, I don't understand your comments about "pressure signs" in your I-frame; apart from normal gun-to-gun variations, the pressure of a given reload will be the same regardless of the strength of the gun. The pressure signs that are usually referred to, such as sticky extraction and cratered primers, usually occur at much higher pressures. The truth is, we have no way of detecting excessive pressures in these low pressure cartridges. For example, shooting a .32 S&W Long reload that developed 20,000 psi might be OK in a K-32, but definitely not in an early I-frame or a Model 1896. In either case, though, the primer appearance, extraction, and muzzle blast would be the same. The first "pressure sign" in an old gun might be a blown cylinder!

The Colt 32 I have had for years is quite a bit stouter than the little I-frame I have recently started shooting.

My Lyman manual cautions against heavy loads in break top 32 S&W Long revolvers. If they feel the need for the caution, I can feel safe they are justified in mentioning it.

The info on S&W L factory pressures varies wildly. From what I have run across, no one is selling loads at or near 12,000 CUP, in deference to non solid frame guns in this loading. !5,000 CUP is mentioned in several places as suitable for solid frame revolvers, but no loadings commercially available.

The frame on my I frame was manufactured about 1920, and has a replacement cylinder from a later gun (1 or 2 years, not sure).

For folks with pet loads for their own 32 HE revolvers, I would like to hear what is working for them and the vintage of their revolvers.

This is an interesting caution since there are exactly NO .32 S&W Long top-break revolvers! .32 S&W Long was somewhat the first cartridge to be designed so that it could not be loaded in the older and weaker top-break revolvers.

That did cross my mind, but I have no interest in top breaks and pay no attention to any I come across. I do know that there were many manufacturers making top breaks up till the 2nd WW, well into the time the S&W long was common.

There may be no S&W top break revolvers chambered for 32 S&W long but there are 100s of thousands of 32 S&W Long top break revolvers that were made by other manufacturers.

My favorite load is 2.5gn BE with a 90gn SWC bullet. I used to use the Hornady version but switched to the Lee 90gn TL bullet several years ago.

I appreciate the info. Are you using it in one of these delicate I frames?

Yes and no. I initially used the load in a 32 RP, which of course was an I frame. Presently the only S&W's I use this load in are J frames, but until last year when I traded my last HE off I was using it in an I frame as well. I've never had any reason to suspect this load was too hot for any S&W or Colt solid fame that I've owned and even use it in larger framed IJ and H&R top breaks.

I know nothing about preassure or load, you guys are light years ahead of me.


I bought a nwa 32H&R revlr 2. My question is concerning the type of amminition This revolver will safely fire. Will it fire short, long and H&r ammunition. If the ammo says 'automatic' is that ok? I have a box of remington 32 automatic 71 gr mc l32ap. the box says centerfire pistol and revolver. Is this safe to yse in my 32S&w revolver.
Thabk you
Curtis

It is perfectly safe to shoot 32 S&W, and 32 S&W long in your 32 H&R mag revolver.

Many people also shoot the 32auto in modern 32 S&W long revolvers. It is a semi-rimmed case, and will headspace somewhat in the revolver cylinder, but it doesn't have the same rim thickness as the 32 long case, so the headspace will be slightly long.

As 32 long cases are difficult to impossible to buy most times and 32 auto is super easy to find once fired, I have loaded up a bunch of cases for my 32 revolvers. The case is between the length of the 32 s&W and the 32 S&W l, so finding a suitible plinking load isn't difficult.

But to answer your 32 AUTO question, the Lawyer answer is don't use it. Do some research and decide for yourself. The 32 Auto factory loadings are higher pressure than 32 l, but no where near as high as the H&R mag.

I suspect this is an older thread, but here goes:

With the 90 grain SWC bullets that I cast, my I-frame load is 2.2 grains of bullseye. The load is mild, accurate, and I have no fear of damaging the guns. a 2.0 load was milder yet, the same accuray, but didn't shoot to the sights.

The 32 auto VS. revolver load question is a little trickier. The 32 S&W long is listed as being 15000 PSI and the 32 auto is listed as being 20500 PSI. The 32 H&R is listed as being 21000, so the 32 auto is much closer in pressure to the magnum cartridge than the long or short cartridges.

If the above poster's gun is chambered for H&R magnum, the 32 auto should be no problem, if it's instead an older H&R break-top revolver in the 32 S&W cartridge, (which I suspect from reading his post) while the 32 auto will physically fit, it would be like proof testing the gun with every shot. the gun might not blow up, but it would most likely shoot loose in short order. I would recommend against it.