32acp in 32 Long or H&R revolver

[Rusty S]

Was always told the 32acp/7.65 was semi-rimmed and could be shot in guns marked 32 S&W Long or 32 New Police. It seems likely the same would go for 32 H&R Mag guns, be they da or sa. But now I'm hearing folks say no it shouldn't be done. What in the blue blazes is going on here?

My teen years were spent in the '60's watching 007 movies. My pal had to get the Walther 32, but my dad had a 34/35 Beretta in my teen that I loved the look of more than the PPK. It was "right" to me the way the old Cold snubbys with the ejector rod hanging out in the open beneath the barrel looked "righter" than the S&W J's.

Now in my 50's I found one in 32. Also found an NIB Beretta Model 100 in 32 also, with 6" bbl and target sights. I'm no longer afraid shooting a 32 is going to make my chest hair fall out, and anything I run into in central Nevada on a hike could be handled by a 22 pistol most likely. And the alloy frame 100 is light, handy, and can do anything a 22 can and harder and more reliablly.

Still, I like ruger single actions. So why can't I shoot 32 acp in their 32S&W L/H&R Mag iteration of them? Or a S&W J or K frame? After all these years, why is doing that now verbotten?

Anyone got an answer? Pardon me while I change into chest waders. Not that I expect it to get that deep, you understand?

 

[Chuck Dye]

Nominal bullet diameter of the .32ACP is .311". The .32 H&R Mag., .32 S&W, .32 S&W Long launch .307" bullets. The revolver cases are straight sided .337" tubes, the .32 ACP tapers from .337" to .336" at the mouth. The ACP rim is nominally .357", the revolver case rims .375".

Might work. Might even work safely, especially with lead bullets in the .32ACP or hand loaded .307" bullets. BUT WHY RISK IT?

The mismatch with the .32 Colt rounds is definitely out of the question.

Too many risks for me.

 

[Rusty S]

32 S&W Long = 32 Colt New Police with exception of the Colt bullet having a larger meplat ( more flattened nose ). All other dimensions, bullet weight and velocities same.

38 S&W = 38 Colt New Police - same thing.

Wasn't til late 70's or 80's that S&W would stamp 45 Colt on one of it's revolvers. And the 357 Smith and Wesson Magnum got shortened to 357 Magnum when stamp on a Colt gun.

 

[E357]

Still, I like ruger single actions. So why can't I shoot 32 acp in their 32S&W L/H&R Mag iteration of them? Or a S&W J or K frame? After all these years, why is doing that now verbotten?

Nothing wrong at all, do it all the time. 32ACP bullets are .309 to .312 whereas the larger 32s are .312 to .314 in diameter. You'll have to knock the cases out as the extractors don't like the small rim. You should also measure everything before you shoot, because "You never know what you gonna get, 'till you open 'em up."

Undersized bullets won't hurt anything except accuracy.

Elliot

 

[Intel6]

I shoot them in my S&W 16 (.32 MAG) sometimes. I load and shoot lots of .32 S&WL's so I don't need the ACP for a light load. There is a guy at our local range who has a .32 Mag Ruger SA revolver and he has worked up a load using a 95 gr. SWC and .32 ACP cases and that is about all he shoots so it works for him.

 

[WIL TERRY]

IT IS PERFECTLY OKAY TO SHOOT 32ACP AMMUNITION IN 32LONG OR

32MAGNUM REVOLVERS. SOME OF 'EM SHOOT PRETTY DAMN GOOD WITH 'EM, OTHERS ARE HOPELESS.
I once shot up an entire production run of CORBON 32ACP that was not up to specs [ goofy looking bullets ] in SSM RUGER and a SMITH 32MAG KITGUN. They worked fine and did not shoot all that badly atall. Afterwords I had a ton of 32ACP brass to handload for my BERETTA M100 32ACP TARGET PISTOL. This is an amazing pistol that'll shoot well under and inch at 25 yards with it's favorite load, the FEDERAL 32ACP BALL AMMUNITION. My handloads shoot damn well but not with that FEDERAL 32ACP stuff; it's damned embarrassing, guys!!

 

[Skip-2]

32 acp in 32 Long

I used 32 acp in a S&W M-17 some years ago. Although there was no danger to speak of, ignition was not always reliable. The hammer-mounted firing pin could not always reach the primers of the acp round due to its thinner rim. It could be that a frame-mounted firing pin might work better.

 

[Rusty S]

Terry: any idea where I could find an extra mag or two for the M100 or should I just replace the grips with regular M70 grips and shoot the shorter m70 mags in it?