Loading the .32 S&W Long
By Steve Gash Posted: 2008-03
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Reloads with just these three bullets pretty much cover the field when shooting the .32: from left, Laser-Cast 78-grain RN, Hornady 90-grain hollowbase wadcutter and Laser-Cast's 115-grain LFP. Notice the bulge in the center round. This is caused by the long expander assembly used with wadcutter bullets.
The late Col. Jeff Cooper once opined that .25- and .32-caliber weapons were very dangerous and that anyone shot with one might resort to violence. A sage observation, but once upon a time, the .32 S&W Long cartridge was quite popular for self-defense.
The .32 S&W Long was introduced in 1896 for Smith & Wesson's First Model Hand Ejector solid-frame revolver. Smokeless-powder loads propelled a 90- or 95-grain lead bullet at about 700 fps, but the original load of 13 grains of black powder produced a velocity of almost 800 fps with a 98-grain bullet.
These days, only a few stalwarts shoot the old round, but at opposite ends of the precision spectrum. A couple of high-end European semiauto pistols so chambered are used in ISU competition. Those arms, of course, require wadcutter bullets seated flush with the case mouth. At the other extreme is the dedicated plinker and small-game hunter, such as moi.
Fortunately, there are a few quality .32 S&W Long revolvers around. Our test gun was a J-frame Smith & Wesson Model 31-1 with a three-inch barrel made in 1976. The M31 was discontinued in 1991.
It is easy to concoct good .32 S&W Long reloads. Federal, Remington, Fiocchi, Magtech and Winchester all produce factory ammo, and Starline makes quality brass. Many firms make reloading dies, and I used a three-die set from RCBS. Two expander plugs are provided one for .313- and .314-inch lead bullets and another for .312-inch jacketed slugs.
Both Hornady and Speer make soft lead swaged bullets with just the right amount of lubricant to prevent leading at .32 S&W Long velocities. Hornady, Speer and Sierra produce jacketed .32-caliber bullets in weights from 60 to 100 grains and show data for them in their manuals, but these bullets were really designed for the much more powerful .32 H&R Magnum and probably do not expand at .32 Long velocities. Thus, I stuck with lead bullets.
.32 S&W Long Load Data
BULLET BULLET WEIGHT (gr.) POWDER CASE CHARGE WEIGHT (grs.) MUZZLE VELOCITY (fps) MUZZLE ENERGY (ft.-lbs.) GROUP SIZE (in.)
Laser-Cast RN 78 Bullseye Winchester 2.0 702 85 1.53
Laser-Cast RN 78 Bullseye Winchester 2.3 774 104 2.56
Laser-Cast RN 78 TiteGroup Winchester 2.3 771 103 2.01
Laser-Cast RN 78 VihtaVuori 3N37 Winchester 3.7 809 113 1.81
Laser-Cast RN 78 Winchester 231 Starline 2.3 690 82 1.56
Hornady LWC 90 Bullseye Winchester 2.0 835 139 3.5
Hornady LWC 90 VihtaVuori N-310 Winchester 1.9 875 153 2.80
Hornady LWC 90 TiteGroup Winchester 2.0 857 147 1.18
Hornady LWC 90 Universal Winchester 2.0 723 104 1.85
Hornady LWC 90 VihtaVuori 3N37 Federal 2.8 802 129 1.51
Hornady LWCLaser-Cast Hornady LWC 90 VihtaVuori 3N37 Federal 3.2 898 161 1.53
Laser-Cast Hornady LWC 90 Winchester 231 Winchester 2.2 841 141 1.94
Laser-Cast LFN 115 Bullseye Winchester 1.7 608 94 2.44
Laser-Cast LFN 115 Bullseye Starline 2.0 694 123 2.08
Laser-Cast LFN 115 TiteGroup Winchester 1.7 644 106 2.13
Laser-Cast LFN 115 TiteGroup Starline 2.0 716 131 2.23
Laser-Cast LFN 115 Universal Starline 2.3 703 126 1.52
Accuracy is the average of three five-shot groups at 15 yards from a sandbag rest. Federal No. 100 primers used for all loads. Abbreviations RN, round nose; LWC, lead wadcutter; LFN, lead flat-nose. WARNING: The loads shown here are safe only in the guns for which they were developed. Neither the author nor InterMedia Outdoors Inc. assumes any liability for accidents or injury resulting from the use or misuse of this data.
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By Steve Gash Posted: 2008-03
More Sharing ServicesShare Share on printPrint A A Text Size
Reloads with just these three bullets pretty much cover the field when shooting the .32: from left, Laser-Cast 78-grain RN, Hornady 90-grain hollowbase wadcutter and Laser-Cast's 115-grain LFP. Notice the bulge in the center round. This is caused by the long expander assembly used with wadcutter bullets.
The late Col. Jeff Cooper once opined that .25- and .32-caliber weapons were very dangerous and that anyone shot with one might resort to violence. A sage observation, but once upon a time, the .32 S&W Long cartridge was quite popular for self-defense.
The .32 S&W Long was introduced in 1896 for Smith & Wesson's First Model Hand Ejector solid-frame revolver. Smokeless-powder loads propelled a 90- or 95-grain lead bullet at about 700 fps, but the original load of 13 grains of black powder produced a velocity of almost 800 fps with a 98-grain bullet.
These days, only a few stalwarts shoot the old round, but at opposite ends of the precision spectrum. A couple of high-end European semiauto pistols so chambered are used in ISU competition. Those arms, of course, require wadcutter bullets seated flush with the case mouth. At the other extreme is the dedicated plinker and small-game hunter, such as moi.
Fortunately, there are a few quality .32 S&W Long revolvers around. Our test gun was a J-frame Smith & Wesson Model 31-1 with a three-inch barrel made in 1976. The M31 was discontinued in 1991.
It is easy to concoct good .32 S&W Long reloads. Federal, Remington, Fiocchi, Magtech and Winchester all produce factory ammo, and Starline makes quality brass. Many firms make reloading dies, and I used a three-die set from RCBS. Two expander plugs are provided one for .313- and .314-inch lead bullets and another for .312-inch jacketed slugs.
Both Hornady and Speer make soft lead swaged bullets with just the right amount of lubricant to prevent leading at .32 S&W Long velocities. Hornady, Speer and Sierra produce jacketed .32-caliber bullets in weights from 60 to 100 grains and show data for them in their manuals, but these bullets were really designed for the much more powerful .32 H&R Magnum and probably do not expand at .32 Long velocities. Thus, I stuck with lead bullets.
.32 S&W Long Load Data
BULLET BULLET WEIGHT (gr.) POWDER CASE CHARGE WEIGHT (grs.) MUZZLE VELOCITY (fps) MUZZLE ENERGY (ft.-lbs.) GROUP SIZE (in.)
Laser-Cast RN 78 Bullseye Winchester 2.0 702 85 1.53
Laser-Cast RN 78 Bullseye Winchester 2.3 774 104 2.56
Laser-Cast RN 78 TiteGroup Winchester 2.3 771 103 2.01
Laser-Cast RN 78 VihtaVuori 3N37 Winchester 3.7 809 113 1.81
Laser-Cast RN 78 Winchester 231 Starline 2.3 690 82 1.56
Hornady LWC 90 Bullseye Winchester 2.0 835 139 3.5
Hornady LWC 90 VihtaVuori N-310 Winchester 1.9 875 153 2.80
Hornady LWC 90 TiteGroup Winchester 2.0 857 147 1.18
Hornady LWC 90 Universal Winchester 2.0 723 104 1.85
Hornady LWC 90 VihtaVuori 3N37 Federal 2.8 802 129 1.51
Hornady LWCLaser-Cast Hornady LWC 90 VihtaVuori 3N37 Federal 3.2 898 161 1.53
Laser-Cast Hornady LWC 90 Winchester 231 Winchester 2.2 841 141 1.94
Laser-Cast LFN 115 Bullseye Winchester 1.7 608 94 2.44
Laser-Cast LFN 115 Bullseye Starline 2.0 694 123 2.08
Laser-Cast LFN 115 TiteGroup Winchester 1.7 644 106 2.13
Laser-Cast LFN 115 TiteGroup Starline 2.0 716 131 2.23
Laser-Cast LFN 115 Universal Starline 2.3 703 126 1.52
Accuracy is the average of three five-shot groups at 15 yards from a sandbag rest. Federal No. 100 primers used for all loads. Abbreviations RN, round nose; LWC, lead wadcutter; LFN, lead flat-nose. WARNING: The loads shown here are safe only in the guns for which they were developed. Neither the author nor InterMedia Outdoors Inc. assumes any liability for accidents or injury resulting from the use or misuse of this data.
1 | 2 | 3 NEXT
