.32 S&W Long load data

NINEX19

New member
Does anyone load .32 S&W Long with 71g FMJ? I can not seem to find anything on there in this weight, which is a bit puzzling to me since I find 71g data for .32 ACP, .32 H&R and .327 Federal. All chambering dancing around the .32 S&W Long.

If someone could direct me or post some loads they use, I would greatly appreciate it.
 
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I've done a little tinkering but haven't been happy with the results. Problem is this is a low pressure cartridge and loads are based around 85-100 gr. lead with a couple loads for an XTP (a waster in my opinion).

If you REALLY want to do this, use 85 XTP Max loads as your baseline to begin with. Use FAST powders as the 71 gr. will be light for caliber AND you are using a smaller capacity case.

I've done my work with a Ruger SSM so I am not worried if I go over book pressure...YMMV.
 
Thanks for the reply. This confirms about where I was going to go with this if I could not find published data.

I have an sp101 in .327 federal, so, like you, I am not sure I could pack enough of any powder in that little case to cause a pressure problem in that gun.

I am just looking for a little experimenting project since I came across a few hundred SW long cases an I have a few thousand Speer 71 g FMJ on hand. I do not shoot lead out of my guns.
 
I saw this post and took a look at my older Lyman manuals. The older one from the 80's especially has 32 W Long for bullets all around yours. It is weird how its listed in other 32 calibers, but not in that one. They list an 85gr FMC I think. They also list lighter lead bullets.

Since you are working with a gun with a very wide margin of error for this cartridge, I'd suggest looking at Lyman data, and extrapolate. As you mentioned, it would be hard to load enough of even fast powders to run into a problem with that gun. Especially if you are able to cross reference your extrapolated loads with a chrony.
 
I load 32 S&W Long to 327 Federal levels, with 32 acp dies.
I have blown the forcing cone out of a few tiny 100 year old Colt Pocket Positive revolvers. If pull the barrel, TIG weld up the cone, re cut at 11 degrees and leave enough thickness of material, they never blow out again.
You can see in the pic I am using an old broken twist drill re ground as a boring bar to cut the new forcing cone.
You can see in the other pic and video I have made a part so I can drop the 32 S&W cartridge upside down into the Lee 308 Factory Crimp die, to get a crimp that with hang on to a bullet through the heavy recoil acceleration.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NE2aVfWJIKc
 

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I think I will start with 3.0g using Bullseye and the 71g FMJ in the 32 S&W Long case and go up or down from there.

I will take the chronograph and see what I get for velocity and take careful note of any over pressure signs.

These will be shot out of the .327 Federal SP101.

If anyone is interested, I will post back with the final results. Accuracy testing will be secondary this first time around.

Based on what I have on hand, I might explore using Universal and HP-38 since I can find both .32ACP and .32 S&W Long data using those powders as well in the probably starting in the 2.5g to 3.0g range also.
 
I've been loading 2.5 grains of Trail Boss behind 85 grain XTP Hornady's at an OAL of 1.175. That makes a powderpuff load for a 2" revolver at 616fps with a 21.6SD and 72 foot-lbs of energy.
 
Lyman 48 for a 75gr Cast bullet 32 SW Long

Bullseye 1.5-3.0
Red Dot 1.8-3.3
700X 1.8-3.3
Green Dot 1.9-3.4
231 2.0-3.5
Unique 2.5 -4.0
SR7625 2.4 3.6

Since this is for a cast bullet, I'd stay on the upper end, or for your gun just go straight to max.
 
YOU are looking at this in-correctly. Your supply of 71grFMJ projectile is the PERFECT reason to go buy yourself a hellofafine 32ACP pistol and using those bullets there where they belong. Even your wife will understand this reasoning, and if you explain it to her really well she'll buy it for you...ohgloreybe !
THEN you go buy the correct projectiles of the correct O.D. [ IMPORTENT !!] for use in your 32S&WLONG pistol and everyone lives happily everafter.
AMEN.
And so it goes...
 
YOU are looking at this in-correctly. Your supply of 71grFMJ projectile is the PERFECT reason to go buy yourself a hellofafine 32ACP pistol and using those bullets there where they belong. Even your wife will understand this reasoning, and if you explain it to her really well she'll buy it for you...ohgloreybe !
THEN you go buy the correct projectiles of the correct O.D. [ IMPORTENT !!] for use in your 32S&WLONG pistol and everyone lives happily everafter.

WIL TERRY - I have no interest in owning a .32 ACP. I already own all of the "correct projectiles" for the .32 H&R and .327 Fed. Mag. I just felt like exploring, within LOGICAL BOUNDS, for some .32 S&W Long cases that I had on hand. I currently use the 71g bullets in the .32 H&R.

What do you mean "O.D."? Outside diameter? If that is the case, .312" is the correct O.D. - same as all in the .32 caliber pistol family. The 71g is perfectly suitable for the 32 S&W Long, I just could not find any PUBLISHED load data. As mentioned above, there is published load data for 83g in S&W Long, 71g in .32 H&R. It is not out of the realm of possibilities to work up a good load using the 71g in the S&W Long. There is also cast data for the 75g s&w long.

Having said that, I was finally able to do a small bit of testing yesterday. I only loaded 6 rounds and only with one load.
I used 3.0g of Bullseye with the 71g FMJ in .32 S&W long cases. Accuracy was not great out of my 327 Federal SP101, I was getting several inches of spread from 10 yards, but I was not using a rest either since I was not really testing for accuracy in this first pass. I just wanted to see how the powder/ bullet combo performed.

My average velocity in 6 rounds was 730 ft/sec with a spread of 92. S.D. was 36. There was no over pressure signs in the primers. They were all highly dimpled with no hint of flattening. The cases were sooty around the first half inch of the case mouth and there was a very slight bulge around the case above the web. OAL was 1.185"

Other than that, it was quite uneventful. I will continue to refine this load and/or perhaps try a couple of different fast powders I have.

I will try to transfer and post a couple of pictures when I have the time.

WARNING - THESES ARE MY RESULTS FROM MY TESTING. THEY ARE POSTED HERE FOR INFORMATION ONLY. DO NOT USE ANY DATA OR RESULTS POSTED BY ME FOR YOUR OWN WITHOUT DOING YOUR OWN RESEARCH. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR ACTIONS USING ANYTHING POSTED IN THIS THREAD. USE ONLY DATA PUBLISHED BY POWDER, BULLET AN RELOADING EQUIPMENT COMPANIES.
 
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OK, so further testing today gave me these results:

71g FMJ 2.5 g Bullseye - velocity 556 ft/sec SD =34, spread = 79 No overpressure signs in primers, no bulged cases. Cases very sooty.

I also went down to 2.0g Bullseye. This actually gave good results if you are are looking for a round that feels like you are shooting .22lr from a revolver. Virtually zero recoil, little sound. The downside to this is that accuracy was non existent. These gave me a velocity of 369 ft/sec, SD of 12 and spread of 25.

Since I was hand weighing all loads, I thought I would try some old 700-X that I can't run reliably through my reloading equipment using the 75g cast data in my Lyman book for the .32 S&W Long. I tried 3.0g of the 700-X on the 71g FMJ bullet. Velocity was avg. 604 ft/sec, SD of 52, spread of 159. I also had case bulges and very sooty cases. Not a good load.

I should mention that all had a finished all of 1.185".

I will keep searching and experimenting.
 
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