Your thoughts on .32 SW long caliber

[John Patrick]

When Teddy Roosevelt was Commissioner of the NYPD he ordered the 32 Colt New Police be adopted as the standard NYPD cartridge. 32 Colt New Police is the same cartridge as the 32 S&W Long.

As mentioned in earlier posts, LuckyGunner tests reveal that 32 S&W Long wadcutters provide adequate penetration for self defense.

And, as also mentioned, ammoseek is a ready source for ammo. A fair number of ranges also carry 32 S&W Long ammo too. It is the most popular centerfire round in international pistol competition.

 

[Retired W4]

Just reamed my 31-1 to take 32 H&R Mag. Now I'm thinking about doing it to my Model 16 no-dash Masterpiece.

JUST KIDDING!!!

 

[gerhard1]

Here is a 1958 vintage Colt Police Positive Special in 32 S&W Long/32 Colt New Police.

This revolver has an action so smooth it will put a Python to shame.

 

[Wiregrassguy]

Just reamed my 31-1 to take 32 H&R Mag. Now I'm thinking about doing it to my Model 16 no-dash Masterpiece.

JUST KIDDING!!!

There are some things you just don't joke about!! Jes sayin' for Pete's sake...lordy...some people...

 

[LostintheOzone]

I have a 31-1 that I load for. I don't carry it however. More fun than a barrel of monkeys.

 

[gwpercle]

Great for Target shooting .
Great for small game hunting ... rabbit , squirrel and such .
Great for those desiring a lighter recoiling and more pleasant shooting round .
More powerful than the 22 LR but not as powerful as 38 / 357 .
Great to reload ammo for and shooting cast / coated lead bullets .

It has a lot of things going for it and if you reload and maybe cast your own bullets ... can be an Extremely Versatile Round .

Self-Defense ... with the right load , it beats a stick or finger nails ...
... Seven Ways To Sunday !
Gary

 

[Green Frog]

When my youngest (and smallest) niece was single, I gave her a slicked up Model 30-1. Loaded with Georgia Arms jacketed hollow points, she was nicely armed for whatever she was likely to encounter. Admittedly she didn’t hang out in biker bars or other such high stress locations!
Froggie

 

[Retired W4]

When my youngest (and smallest) niece was single, I gave her a slicked up Model 30-1. Loaded with Georgia Arms jacketed hollow points, she was nicely armed for whatever she was likely to encounter. Admittedly she didn’t hang out in biker bars or other such high stress locations!
Froggie

Went to a biker bar in Galveston in 1973 with an old Army buddy, Sign by the door said "Check your weapons with Bartender". Sat at the bar and Les handed the bar keep his 1911. He placed it under the bar. We got out of there before the real action started.

Sorry about the hijack. I couldn't help myself.

 

[mtgianni]

It has nearly the same velocity as 22 lr from equivalent length barrels. With a 98 gr swc it has 50% more bullet diameter than 22 and 250 % greater weight. Immaterial if it wasn't so fun and handy to shoot.

 

[S&WshooterFIN]

I want to find a S&W model 31 SB with a 3" or 4" barrel. I have a lot of Lapua .32 S&W Long WC cartridges but the revolver is missing. 3" RB is too small according to the Finnish gun law
In Finland, model 31 is rare, model 16 is really common "bullseye revolver" and usually inexpensive.

 

[alwslate]

I have a 3" model 31 and a 3" pre model 30. I wouldn't carry one for SD as I have better guns for that. So far I have only fired .32 ACP in them because I have a good stash. If I had to use one for SD I would load it with warm 73 gr FMJ .32 ACP that should give deep penetration.

 

[Muley Gil]

Went to a biker bar in Galveston in 1973 with an old Army buddy, Sign by the door said "Check your weapons with Bartender". Sat at the bar and Les handed the bar keep his 1911. He placed it under the bar. We got out of there before the real action started.

Sorry about the hijack. I couldn't help myself.

Back in my cop days, we had several beer joints where the bartender would ask if you had a knife or gun. If you had neither, the barkeep would give you one!

 

[lawandorder]

I came to the .32 fan club accidently...........

.......when the model 631 was introduced. My mind told me that the .32 magnum should be close to the .38 Special J frame I carried both as a secondary and at times a primary . Also it had a extra round. I had purchased a Ruger Single Six in .32 Mag earlier and loved it .
A friend who owned a gun store order me a 2 inch version of the 631.

Not knowing how collectible they would be I had my gunsmith bob the hammer. Double action only in defense revolvers.

Not too long ago the hammer stud broke, it is in the care of an excellent physician down in. Friona. In the meantime not being convinced of the survival rate of the original. I found a model 631 Ladysmith, two is one right? Then found a 4 inch 631 and another 2 inch 631.

Add those to my model 31 with an extra cylinder bored to accept . 32 mag. (Thank you SteelSlayer) and feel OK again with my battery of those puny little ol .32 revolvers .
A fellow once said a .32 in the orbital socket is better than a miss with a snub air weight .357 magnum.

Who knows Smith may wake up to the amazing qualities of the .32 Magnum one of these days and get back in the game.

Hope that QC comes back also.

 

[CajunBass]

I took mine to the range yesterday and put 50 rounds of Fiocchi 100 grain wadcutters through it. My gun is an old one (pictured earlier in the thread), from the early 1920's and sights are, well, pretty miserable for this old man. I didn't even put my usual orange nail polish on the front so it was pretty hard to pick up. And the rear one...lol...someone described it as a "divot" and that's about right. They're pretty hard for me to see. Still at 5 yards I could shoot an halfway decent group with it, all DA. A more modern gun should be better. Recoil was more than a 22, but not much. I enjoyed shooting it, but I'm pretty sure it's not going to become a regular in the range bag, and I doubt I'll buy anymore.

It would do as a carry gun in a pinch, about like a 22 "would do" IMHO. I picked up a box of Fiocchi "Heritage", 97 grain FMJ at the LGS so I'd have some ammo for it. It's got a velocity listed on the box as 950 fps, which seems a little hot to me, but then I freely admit that I know little about the cartridge. I don't even see anything close to that in my reloading books. The wadcutters were listed at around 750 which is more what I would have expected a 32 long to be. Heck, 950 seems hot for a 38 Special. I know, velocity on the box is about like gas mileage on a window sticker. Most likely somewhat optimistic shall we say?

 

[lowriderfxr]

I hope so , I just bought 2 cases of wadcutters.

 

[jcelect]

16-4

A while back a friend came to the house with this gun for sale and a truck load of ammo, 32 H&R Mag and 327 Fed Mags. I already had a lot of 32 long for my other 32s.

I went to the range with a little of each caliber and was pleasantly surprised!
This gun is a tack driver at 25yds, with any of the 32 cal rounds!
jcelect

 

[Grayfox]

I've told the story many times about my wife and how the arthritis in her hands got too bad for her to tolerate her .38 anymore. We found her a nice little Model 30-1 and she fell in love with it. She could shoot it very well and it didn't hurt her hand.
Ain't no powerhouse, but it sure beats harsh language.
I got to shooting it and became quite fond of the .32 as well. I've since added 3" & 4" Model 31-1s and a 6" 16-4 to the stable.

 

[Green Frog]

Went to a biker bar in Galveston in 1973 with an old Army buddy, Sign by the door said "Check your weapons with Bartender". Sat at the bar and Les handed the bar keep his 1911. He placed it under the bar. We got out of there before the real action started.

Sorry about the hijack. I couldn't help myself.

An old Texas Roadhouse story has made the rounds for years…. A clean cut college boy and his sweet looking date went to a roadhouse to hear the band. At the door, the bouncer asked, “do you have a gun on you?” “No sir.”
“How about a knife?” “No sir.”
“…brass knucks, any weapon at all? “No sir!”
“Well,” said the bouncer, reaching under the counter and grabbing a bunch of assorted weapons… ”you’d better take one of these,”

I’m gonna guess a “32 gun in his pocket for fun” would suffice so long as he also had a “razor in his shoe!”

Froggie

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

If and when I end up confined to a wheelchair I will probably have a Model 30 tucked in next to my leg.

Don’t sell yourself short. I knew two wheelchaired bond gentlemen (both has passed on). One had his Army 1911 45 automatic and the other a 38 Special Victory Model (which he won 2 gunfights with as a cop)

I will probably go with my S&W Model 29 and stout 44 Magnum handloads.

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

Went to a biker bar in Galveston in 1973 with an old Army buddy, Sign by the door said "Check your weapons with Bartender". Sat at the bar and Les handed the bar keep his 1911. He placed it under the bar. We got out of there before the real action started.

Sorry about the hijack. I couldn't help myself.

Jacksonville in 1976 had a great biker bar. Before or after the biker bar people would go to the Waffle House and I know who was packing and what.

The Waffle House should have checked weapons too. Always a violent place compared to the biker bar.