32 auto reloading

[vanman1]

Greetings from newby.
Currently reloading 9mm and 380 on a progressive press. Would like to add 32 auto capabilities. Anyone here with advice, tips and experiences good or bad?
Would also like to find a more reliable bullet seater. Using lee and rcbs, both produce unacceptable variation of oal. Thanks

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I still have my dies, but haven't loaded 32 ACP in almost 20 years. I use the old Lyman "All American" standard dies and shell holder and they turned out great (but required hand lubing). My COAL was fine. Thinking about it makes me wonder about if the shell plate of your progressive press is adjusted to absolute minimum clearance (and you will most likely need to segregate your brass by rim dimensions). While I only loaded this cartridge on a turret press, I own the shell plate for a Dillion 550 and also had a L-N-L AP so I understand the problem with shell plate "variance".

The load I used came out of an old Winchester Loading flyer from the late 70's or early 80's. I know the powder was WW231, but I THINK the charge was 2.5 grains (my copy is destroyed by water damage and I don't remember). The last batch I did was 400 of cast 90 grain RN bullets for my Davis derringers, but the load worked well in a WWII PPK a Colt 1908 model M, an early Beretta TomCat and a Kel-Tec. Lyman made a mould for 71 grain RN, but I have never seen one or bullets from one for sale. I see adds listing FMJ bullets for sale, but be careful if the won't say who made them, There is some 3rd world surplus junk out there. Gecco from RWS is very good quality components and the ammo is the HOT euro loading if you can find it (It is safe to use in otherwise safe guns). Enjoy the graceful little round.

Ivan

 

[AtomHeartMother]

I use titegeoup for mine with 71 grain round nose, usually berrys.
I load mine to a case oal of .934-.936. They function flawlessly in my keltec p32. Not sure why your having issues with bullet seating. I would measure a bunch of your bullets for uniformity. I load mine on a Lee turret with Lee dies...never had an issue with what you mentioned. To me it's like 9mm, one of the easier rounds to load. I would recommend a powder and measure that meters well though because most loading manuals I've seen only have about 2 to 3 tenths of a grain between minimum and maximum charge. I tend to load on the high end for reliability. As Ivan mentioned, it is a gem of a round to shoot....too often overlooked imho.

 

[Dr. D.]

Welcome to reloading the 32 acp. It is a fun load to shoot, but not so easy to reload. Perhaps the biggest problem you will encounter is the issue of case wall thickness if you are using range brass or you purchase once fired range brass.

I reload for a Beretta Model 70 and it is very picky about the final case diameter. I reload using a single stage press with a Lee 3 die set and a Lee factory crimp die purchased from Lee Precision. The factory crimp die allows me to remove the bulge created by the bullet seating step and eliminates the problem of the case wall thickness differences between domestic and foreign cases.

As a final step, I still have to check each finished round by dropping the round into the barrel to make sure that it drops in and drops out easily. If it does not go all the way into the barrel, it goes back into the factory crimp die with a slight adjustment until it slides in and out without a problem.

I have no problems with the OAL or charging. I use a Lee Perfect Powder Measure and a digital scale to check the drop weight.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[H Richard]

When setting up I recommend separate dies for seating and crimping, it pays off in accuracy.

 

[HKSmith]

I've been reloading .32 ACP for years and really enjoy churning out these little rounds. I've got a good supply of Magtech 71 grain FMJ's that are 0.312 diameter. They work great in American-made or Magtech brass with either a taper or light roll crimp. However, as someone mentioned above, the European brass (S&B, Fiocchi, PPU) is thicker and the 0.312 bullets result in bulged rounds that won't chamber in my guns (Walther and SIG). My solution is to run these bullets through a Lee 0.309 sizing die; they then work perfectly in the thicker European cases. I don't know of a source for a suitable 0.309 bullet; I don't think the European manufactures market components in the US.

I use Lee dies in a Lee turret press and have had no problems with varying cartridge OAL.

 

[vanman1]

Thanks Ivan. Will keep all posted on progress, I hope.

 

[vanman1]

Thanks AHM,
My press is a loadmaster, which I am pleased with. More pleased with Lee's new auto drum measure, consistent and easy to set up.

 

[vanman1]

Thanks DrD

 

[vanman1]

thanks H R,
Waiting on arrival of lee dies, w/crimp separate. They're not an in-stock kinda thing I guess

 

[vanman1]

Thanks HKS,
I remember an interesting article by Ed Harris, I think, on the '03 colt. That is the product of Browning's genius that got me started in all this as a hand-me-down from my father. Would like to have known it before the high blue got so aged.

 

[oldylocks]

I have one recommendation... the first time you reload 32 ACP, I recommend loading a small batch. I made the mistake of loading 200 rounds. I didn't use enough powder. They shoot, but there is not enough power to cycle my Keltec p32.

What I do now is mix a couple of my under-powered reloads in with my factory loads. When they fail to eject, it gives me practice with clearing a malfunction.

Good practice, but sure wish I tested my load prior to making a large batch.

 

[Freischütz]

Use powders that measure uniformly. Small charge variations produce large pressure changes when dealing with small cases.

The same applies to bullet seating depth.

 

[AtomHeartMother]

Thanks AHM,
My press is a loadmaster, which I am pleased with. More pleased with Lee's new auto drum measure, consistent and easy to set up.

Just got an auto drum also. It's nice to be able to charge on the press now and it drops very accurate charges with titegroup. My auto disk wouldn't go down to a charge so small of course. I did have an issue with the short 32 case not pushing the drum far enough to drop a reliable charge though.I made a hillbilly bushing out of a 40 cal case to add length. I got all my brass from rocky Mountain reloading. It was pulled brass, already primed...great deal. A few bad primers here and there but great for malfunction training. Never had any issues with case wall thickness in the keltec. I use just the 3 die set from Lee but I do seat and crimp all my pistol rounds in separate steps.

 

[vanman1]

Thanks AHM, do you use loadmaster as well. Been fiddling with mine concerning indexing and backwards tic of the shell plate on the down stroke. I'm thinking this indexing snafu could be the cause of seating irregularities. Know anyone using a loadmaster?

 

[AtomHeartMother]

Thanks AHM, do you use loadmaster as well. Been fiddling with mine concerning indexing and backwards tic of the shell plate on the down stroke. I'm thinking this indexing snafu could be the cause of seating irregularities. Know anyone using a loadmaster?

I use a Lee classic turret press. By your description that may a good place to take a look for sure. I've thought about a reverse cam pin for mine just for kicks...not sure how practical it would be in my situation though. Keep us posted. We can all learn from your experiences.

 

[vanman1]

loadmaster

Made adjustments shell plate carrier and have smoothed out the cycling. Not perfect yet but ok. The press comes 'out of the box' ready to go. I'm one of those that has to take everything apart to see what makes it tick. The carrier and the ram have mini teeth that mesh bolt together and I was off by about 2 teeth. duuuude Guess I'm a piece of work, in progress.

 

[gwpercle]

If you can reload for 9mm and 380 acp you shouldn't have any trouble loading 32....it just smaller.
If you have both Lee and RCBS dies and are having trouble with OAL.....it's not the dies. RCBS are about as good as they get. The problem is something else. Seat in one operation, crimp in a second separate operation. Make sure the crimp die only crimps and doesn't push the bullet deeper into the case. Make sure dies are clean, buildup in seat and crimp work havoc on OAL.
Make sure your seating nose fits the bullet shape and start the bullet into the flared case just as straight as you can , if the bullet is tilted, it goes in crooked and does not straighten up. Tilted bullets not good for OAL.
If rounds pass the plunk test, fit into the magazine and can be manually cycled from magazine into chamber and manually ejected then don't get all concerned over an exact OAL or minor variances in it.
An OAL is given as a starting point and only works exactly with the exact bullet, exact case and case length that the writers of that loading manual used...it can vary for your bullet, your case and your gun.
Hope this helps. I loaded 32's for a little Walther PPK for several years and never measured OAL....just used a factory round to set bullet seating depth...that back in the stone age.
I have never loaded with anything other than a single stage press, sometimes the simple way keeps you out of trouble.
Gary

 

[vanman1]

Thanks gw,
Posters like you make this forum so worthwhile. Many posts refer to SAAMI, copper units pressure, +P loads, compressed loads. Seems there has to be an importance given oal. By that I mean tolerances of .002". Have read when reloading 32 auto, slow burn (larger powders) might help avoid failure to fire because the case is more full.