Advice on Reloading .32 ACP

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baxtersmith

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I've learned from experience to ask for some guidance before I start reloading a new caliber. I have a Hornady L-N-L and currently reload .38 Spec/.357 Mag, .44 Spec/Mag, 9mm, .40 S&W, .38 Super, .45 ACP and recently began .38 S&W (with some help from this forum). I want to start reloading .32 ACP. The only thing I have is some Fiocchi brass. So before I go any further, does anyone have any advice or suggestions on anything that might be unique to reloading this caliber? Anything you've learned from experience would be appreciated.
Thanks.
 
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Your main problem is getting a powder measure that throws a VERY small charge consistently. I use a Lee disk measure with the micro disk attachment. I don't think that it's available any more. When I went to a progressive setup, I had to go with a Lee Load Master because it was the only one that had a 32ACP shell plate. Finding a good crimp die was also a problem. I got a Lee Factory Crimp Die in 30 Luger and shortened the spacer to get a decent crimp.
If you can get Speer 60gr. Gold Dot HP bullets, they will expand.
The best powder for the Gold Dots is Ramshot Silhouette, if you can find it. For the 71 gr. FMJs use Bullseye, Red Dot, or AA #2.
Don't tell your friends that you're loading 32ACP. They'll think you're crazy.
_______________________
I don't have Alzheimer's- My wife had me tested.
 
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I have also had issues with reliable powder measures. Choosing the right powder will help that a lot. Typically I shoot either plated or lead, sometimes honest-to-god FMJ if I can get them cheap. At the velocities involved plated bullets work great as do lead bullets as long as the bore of your pistol isn't completely ratty. I use a single stage press and prime separately with a hand tool. Slow, but I like it.
 
Thanks for the feedback. I use AA#2 and I just found that Berry's has .32 caliber 71 grain plated bullets so that sounds like a good place to start. The LNL powder measure micrometer I use is real consistent throwing 2.7 grain loads of AA#2 for my .38 S&W's and it looks like about 2.0 to 2.2 grains is recommended for the 71 grain bullet, so I think that will work okay.
Thanks again guys, the experience on this forum is the best resource I've ever found on reloading.
 
Is there a shell plate for 32 ACP? I use a Dillion, and the 30 Carbine shell plate. for the powder drop the short 32 for S&W short and long. I used WW 231 for powder. 2.0 to 2.2 grains of anything sounds like a lot to me!
When loading on a standard press the Lyman #55 is the best measure for tiny charges, It has a tiny "hammer" on the front to vibrate the last flakes of powder out, for the ultimate shot to shot consistency. When I bought my second one, I bought the Black powder variant.(the owner of the first, wanted it back after a few years!) Ivan

BTW; the amount of case mouth flare is tricky, not enough and the bullets fall off the case and too much and the cases have a short life. The rate at which you loose them, I would error on the side of easy seating. Ivan
 
Ivan, there is a caliber conversion for 550B for 32 ACP. Tex1001 Berry's produces 71 gr RN. I also think that consistent miniscule charges would be the biggest problem.
 
baxtersmith said:
I've learned from experience to ask for some guidance before I start reloading a new caliber. I have a Hornady L-N-L and currently reload .38 Spec/.357 Mag, .44 Spec/Mag, 9mm, .40 S&W, .38 Super, .45 ACP and recently began .38 S&W (with some help from this forum). I want to start reloading .32 ACP. The only thing I have is some Fiocchi brass. So before I go any further, does anyone have any advice or suggestions on anything that might be unique to reloading this caliber? Anything you've learned from experience would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Click to expand...

You need a gun designed to shoot that caliber with its unique rim size.
 
I know this is a old post ,I do not find any problem load 32ACP,I shoot cast in my .The shell holder is in the mainly for reloading I know is in Lyman .I also load 32 S&W ,32 S&W Long ,32 H&R Mag ,327 Fed Mag also so the boolits I use in 32 ACP I use also in the others beside there is others I load for the others.
 
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When I went progressive 25 yrs ago the Lee Load Master was the only one that had a dedicated 32ACP shell plate. I've been very happy with it.

Oops. I forgot about my previous post above (#2).
I have gone to the Lee Auto Drum in the interim.
 
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baxtersmith said:
Thanks for the feedback. I use AA#2 and I just found that Berry's has .32 caliber 71 grain plated bullets so that sounds like a good place to start. The LNL powder measure micrometer I use is real consistent throwing 2.7 grain loads of AA#2 for my .38 S&W's and it looks like about 2.0 to 2.2 grains is recommended for the 71 grain bullet, so I think that will work okay.
Thanks again guys, the experience on this forum is the best resource I've ever found on reloading.
Click to expand...

Even though I'm no fan of plated bullets I'm also using 71gr Barry's plated bullets. There isn't much to choose from our there.

I use W231 which is very similar to AA#2. You should be fine with AA#2 since its also a ball powder and will meter well. I'm using the now discontinued micro-disk in a Lee Pro Auto-Disk but even though the micro-disk is no longer available from Lee you can buy an exact replica off a guy on EBay. It's a great tool.

Once you load a few and get the hang of it they are no different than other cartridges but for the small size cases.
 
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My advice:

Go SLOW! Those teeny tiny cases crush real easy!:D
Make sure the sizing die is lined up each time, if it catches the case mouth it's toast.! 380 is bad enough!
 
I load for the .32 ACP on my Dillon 550B with the extra small charge bar in a Dillon measure.

I load Rim Rock 75 gr LRN bullets using SR 7625 (at least until I run out of it) and it works really well.

I also load 40 gr XTPs for accuracy loads and self defense purposes using Bullseye.


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One oddity that no one has mentioned above is the differences in cases between European loaded 7.65 Browning/.32 ACP and American loaded .32 ACP.

In Europe the common practice for factory loaded 7.65 Browning is to use a .308 or .309 bullet with a case that has slightly thicker walls at the case mouth. In the US, the common practice is to use a .311 or .312 bullet in a case with thinner case walls.

It all works well until you put a .312 bullet in a European case and then try to get it to chamber in a .32 ACP / 7.65 Browning pistol with tight chamber and throat dimensions. I've never had an issue in my FEG pistols, but my Walther PP pistols are picky.

In order to get all of my ammo to feed well in all of my .32 ACP pistols, and not have to sort cases to do it, I found I needed to post size the rounds.

I initially did that with a sizing die in the 4th station screwed in only as much as needed to get the round to drop into the chamber of my Walther PP .32 ACP pistols.

Eventually I started using a Lee factory crimp die, although at the time it wasn't made for the .32 ACP but rather the longer .32 S&W Long, and the even longer .32 H&R. Consequently, I had to add a spacer to get it to crimp the shorter .32 ACP. The factory crimp die also uses a carbide sizing ring at the base and it works quite well. I still use it in the 4th station, preferring to seat and then crimp in separate stages.

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Handloading .32 ACP used to make a lot of sense as the ammo wasn't all that common and tended to be very pricey. Now however, you can find it all over the internet for about $10 per box.
 
I too use a Lee factory crimp collet die, a 30 Luger die with a shortened spacer. It works well in my progressive.
I have found that the Lee Auto Drum measure works VERY well throwing very small powder charges.
 
Has any tried a 32 Long shell holder when loading 32 ACP? The plate for my Lock and Load seems like it will work.

I don't have any bullets yet or I'd have given it a try...
 
How much are you going to fire the little 32??? I speaking for my self would pick up a few boxes here and there and call it a day.
 
triaxle said:
How much are you going to fire the little 32??? I speaking for my self would pick up a few boxes here and there and call it a day.
Click to expand...

That's totally the wrong attitude. It's like saying "well .22's are so plentiful that I never have to worry about being able to shoot". You know where that got us!

Whenever I buy a gun in a new caliber I do several things....
* Buy a lifetime supply of brass.
* Buy a set of dies, shell holder, case trimmer, etc.
* Buy a bullet mold in the most appropriate size and start casting boolits.

After some experimentation and trials I now make the best 32's you can buy. They are real cheep, and I had a lot of fun along the way.
 
triaxle said:
How much are you going to fire the little 32??? I speaking for my self would pick up a few boxes here and there and call it a day.
Click to expand...

I don't shoot it much (well not as much as 9mm or 45) but guess what I was still shooting it during last "big ammo drought" :) and even with small amount I'm shooting I'm pretty sure my Lee dies and 550 conversion kit are already paid off.
 
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