canoeguy
US Veteran
Well, I recently got everything I needed to load .32 S&W Long for my Pre-Model 30 revolver. Ordered a set of Lee dies, a Lee Tumble Lube mold which throws a 90 grain lead flat point bullet sized .314, and a Lee Push Through Sizer. Spent a very hot August afternoon casting up some Tumble Lube bullets. Most times I cast in Spring or Fall only, working outdoors in a lean to, casting enough to last a year or more, but since this was a new caliber to load for I pushed through the heat and cast 170 bullets to give me a start.
If you haven't used the Lee Tumble Lube Mold, they are very simple to size. When I am done casting, I put 200 or so bullets in a plastic laundry detergent jug, pour in a capful of liquid Alox, and shake them around. Pour them out on a flat surface lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper and let them dry for 24 hours. When they are dry, push them through the Lee Sizing Die screwed into your reloading press. Take the now sized bullets and tumble lube them again with another capful of Liquid Alox and let them dry for another 24 hours. When they are dry they are ready for loading. They will have a varnish like coating that serves as the bullet lubricant.
I found loading data in an older copy of the Lyman Cast Lead Manual, powders that I had on hand were Bullseye, Unique and Trail Boss. Loaded up 20 each of the following:
90 grain Cast Lead Flat Point
3.0 grains Unique to get 800 Feet Per Second (from loading manual)
2.5 grains Bullseye to get 850 FPS
2.0 grains Trail Boss to get 730 FPS. This load was included in the Lee loading die instructions.
Shot them up today in an Un-Scientific test which consisted of me shooting standing, two hand hold at ten yards. Target was a 50 yard Smallbore Rifle Target with an aiming black of 3 1/2". Best I can do for accuracy testing on my property as I still have no shooting bench.
The Unique load seemed the most promising, giving a nice group to point of aim. Also seemed the most powerful with the loudest report and recoil. I think the advertised velocity of 800 FPS may be inaccurate as it seemed more powerful than the Bullseye load which promised 850 FPS:
Bullseye load at 850 FPS, best group of the day at about 2":
Trail Boss, shooting noticeably lower than the other loads. A center hold produced a group about 2" lower than Point of Aim:
To compare, ten rounds of factory PPU 90 grain LRN. These rounds seemed weak and inconsistent compared to my faster loads, varying in recoil and report. Accuracy not as good as the Lee hand loads:
My favorite test of the suitability of a load for gathering small game, steel rabbit at 15 yards, standing two hand hold. This was the Unique load, gave a good whack on the steel too, similar to .38 Special wadcutters at 800 FPS. Looks like a 2" group at 15 yards:
And, a test at longer range, 30 yards on swinging 8" steel:
So, I declare my experiment with .32 S&W Long a success. The revolver is accurate, and sights well regulated with my hand loads. This should make a fine hiking and hunting companion, with a cpability to take small game if needed. And, it's fun to shoot with low recoil, so the ladies and kids should enjoy shooting it.
There is a rabbit hole we tend to go down when we find success with a handgun caliber, and that is finding a long gun (rifle) to go with it. I'm already thinking about a rifle to modify to take .32 S&W Long...
If you haven't used the Lee Tumble Lube Mold, they are very simple to size. When I am done casting, I put 200 or so bullets in a plastic laundry detergent jug, pour in a capful of liquid Alox, and shake them around. Pour them out on a flat surface lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper and let them dry for 24 hours. When they are dry, push them through the Lee Sizing Die screwed into your reloading press. Take the now sized bullets and tumble lube them again with another capful of Liquid Alox and let them dry for another 24 hours. When they are dry they are ready for loading. They will have a varnish like coating that serves as the bullet lubricant.
I found loading data in an older copy of the Lyman Cast Lead Manual, powders that I had on hand were Bullseye, Unique and Trail Boss. Loaded up 20 each of the following:
90 grain Cast Lead Flat Point
3.0 grains Unique to get 800 Feet Per Second (from loading manual)
2.5 grains Bullseye to get 850 FPS
2.0 grains Trail Boss to get 730 FPS. This load was included in the Lee loading die instructions.
Shot them up today in an Un-Scientific test which consisted of me shooting standing, two hand hold at ten yards. Target was a 50 yard Smallbore Rifle Target with an aiming black of 3 1/2". Best I can do for accuracy testing on my property as I still have no shooting bench.
The Unique load seemed the most promising, giving a nice group to point of aim. Also seemed the most powerful with the loudest report and recoil. I think the advertised velocity of 800 FPS may be inaccurate as it seemed more powerful than the Bullseye load which promised 850 FPS:
Bullseye load at 850 FPS, best group of the day at about 2":
Trail Boss, shooting noticeably lower than the other loads. A center hold produced a group about 2" lower than Point of Aim:
To compare, ten rounds of factory PPU 90 grain LRN. These rounds seemed weak and inconsistent compared to my faster loads, varying in recoil and report. Accuracy not as good as the Lee hand loads:
My favorite test of the suitability of a load for gathering small game, steel rabbit at 15 yards, standing two hand hold. This was the Unique load, gave a good whack on the steel too, similar to .38 Special wadcutters at 800 FPS. Looks like a 2" group at 15 yards:
And, a test at longer range, 30 yards on swinging 8" steel:
So, I declare my experiment with .32 S&W Long a success. The revolver is accurate, and sights well regulated with my hand loads. This should make a fine hiking and hunting companion, with a cpability to take small game if needed. And, it's fun to shoot with low recoil, so the ladies and kids should enjoy shooting it.
There is a rabbit hole we tend to go down when we find success with a handgun caliber, and that is finding a long gun (rifle) to go with it. I'm already thinking about a rifle to modify to take .32 S&W Long...
