using 32 long dies for 32 magnum.

LostintheOzone

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Quick question.

I have a set of RCBS cowboy dies for a 32 long. They work great. I know you can use 357 dies for 38 spl as the only real difference is case length. So can I use my 32 Long dies to load 32 mag? RCBS says 32 long and 32 H&R mag in the description. Just thought I would check here as there's a knowledge base that is second to none.
 
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For straight wall cartridges, it’s best to buy dies (and ponder dies) in exactly OPPOSITE the way we consider the guns.

This is to say... buy dies for the shorter cartridge so that you have the ability to load the longer cartridge. If you don’t do this, you can find yourself with dies that have the working parts far up inside the die — and your brass too short to reach. But the other way around and you are good to go because you can screw a die further out to adjust it for a shorter cartridge.
 
This is to say... buy dies for the shorter cartridge so that you have the ability to load the longer cartridge. you are good to go because you can screw a die further out to adjust it for a shorter cartridge.

He may have confused the question with 38spl.. but he has the correct dies..

and you use the supplied spacer for the "longer" case so you don't mess with the locking ring.
 
I've got the "regular" carbide RCBS set of 32 dies (not Cowboy) and I've used it for everything from 32 S&W L through 327 Fed Mag and never had a bit of a problem. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say your set will work fine too. :cool:

Froggie
 
I used my 38 special die for loading 357 Magnum ammo, in my early days.
I used a 7/8 "Hard washer" that we used for bolting up "Red Iron" when I was in the Ironworkers local 118.

I am sure a hardware store will have a washer that will work, if you don't want to buy a die.

I did however buy a 357 die later on, though, that did not need the RCBS lube.
 
My friend assembled a few 32 H&R rounds using my 32 ACP die set, we had a 32 S&W shell holder already. The crimp and the bullet seating plug will need adjusted to the bullet. If you were just starting out, you would read the directions (maybe), well follow the directions and set them up from scratch.

Ivan
 
My friend assembled a few 32 H&R rounds using my 32 ACP die set, we had a 32 S&W shell holder already. The crimp and the bullet seating plug will need adjusted to the bullet. If you were just starting out, you would read the directions (maybe), well follow the directions and set them up from scratch.

Ivan
I, too, would go with the 32 ACP dies. I'm probably one of the few who reloads 32 S&W, as well as the longer cartridges. I kept sending Dillon powder/expanders back because they would bottom out; because they advertised them as 32 S&W, - they forgot, like most of the rest of the world, that the smaller cartridge exists. Took talking to several folks on the phone to make the point, and they then sent the 32 ACP expander. You are better off with a 32 S&W crimp die (if you can find one) as well, unless your 32 ACP crimper is a roll crimp, but taper will work also.
 
.32 ACP dies work OK for .32 S&W and .32 S&W Long. I don't know if they would work for .32 H&R or .327. I also have a set of dies for .32 Long, but have never used that set.

Likewise I have used .45 ACP dies for loading .45 Colt, I just resize about half the .45 Colt case length.
 
I realize that the OP asked a specific question about a specific application of a specific set of dies but because other folks might read this thread with similar but different concerns, I'd like to expand it just a little bit. First, since all of the 32 family (if you ignore the 32-20, of course) share a common diameter and are cylindrical and without taper, so the same carbide sizing die will work for all if there is sufficient room inside the die for the shell to go in (sufficient "reach.")

Second, the mouth belling die must be able to adjust deeply enough to reach the mouth of the shortest case... you can always back the die off to only go down enough to bell a longer case. Oddly, I have a set of the tiny little 32 dies for my TruLine Jr that will barely reach the 32 S&W Long case mouth, but work fine on 32 H&R or 327 FM!

Finally, the seating and crimping die must reach low enough to seat the bullet and crimp the mouth of the shortest cartridge you wish to load. Again, you can back the die out and perform these tasks on the longer cartridges, it's the shorter ones that may be problematic.

I have used standard Lyman and RCBS die sets for all three (32 S&W L, H&R, and 327 Fed Mag) and Lee die sets for 32 S&W L and H&R without issue. You need only to check the dies you question for three things; will the sizing die accept the full length of your longest cartridge, will the belling die come down far enough for your shortest cartridge, and will the seating and crimping die come down for the shortest cartridge.

There are a very few die sets (no longer produced AFAIK) that decap and bell the case mouth with the same die... these will be case length specific and all the above should be ignored when speaking of these dies. You will need some work-arounds for those.

HTH ~ Froggie
 
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