32ACP Powders Not Much Data

M

man7sell

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I am just about to acquire a nice 1960s Walther PP in 32 ACP. I have the dies, bullets (Berry's 71 gn coated) and of course the primers and some new Starline shells.

There is very limited load data in my books and none that include the powders I have on hand. Local stores are out of any that are listed. On hand I have Ramshot Silhouette and Enforcer.

Anyone have any load data or have tried this combo?

I know this is a long "shot"
 
I have that pdf as I use it for all my other reloads but thank for posting it, always useful data. My 'Modern Reloading' book lists some other powders but none that are available locally
 
I have the Western Powders book.

For 32 ACP, they only list data for AA#2 and AA#5. The good news is that they have 71gn bullet data for both.

#2 - 2.0 to 2.2 gn.
#5 - 2.9 to 3.2 gn.

Both are for a 71gn Sierra FMJ. Should be suitable data for your Berry's. OAL = .955"

And, I've seen #2 and #5 in stores lately. They don't seem to be among the many "unicorn powders."
 
One of my Hornady books lists 11(eleven) different powders for the .32ACP and the 71gr jacketed bullet.

NONE of them are the powders you have.

You need to get some different, and suitable powder....consider ordering some if the local stores are out of stock. Not much else you can do.
 
7.65

Check with Missouri Bullets as they appear to have several 32 acp variations in cast lead BHN 18.

Enjoy the PP. mine is circa 1941. Great gun!
 
Had good luck using green dot. What ever data ya use, might consider taking into consideration the fluctuation of 32 acp bores, and chrono the loads. Have a PP and it is very accurate with Hdy 60 xtps, which may not be made anymore (edited to say may not be commonly available for reloaders). However got max velocities with charge below charges Hdy listed for max velocitys. Used a redding match powder dispenser to avoid weighing each and every powder charge (after checking consistency).
 
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Nick_C_S said:
I have the Western Powders book.

For 32 ACP, they only list data for AA#2 and AA#5. The good news is that they have 71gn bullet data for both.

#2 - 2.0 to 2.2 gn.
#5 - 2.9 to 3.2 gn.

Both are for a 71gn Sierra FMJ. Should be suitable data for your Berry's. OAL = .955"

And, I've seen #2 and #5 in stores lately. They don't seem to be among the many "unicorn powders."
Click to expand...
I will have to take a trip to Cabelas, see if they have any #5 or #2
 
Theoretical Comparison.

Theoretical Comparison between the 380 ACP and the 32 ACP. Reading data from a couple of sources.

Data from the Accurate #5 and #2 and Silhouette range for 380

And then for the 32ACP

Attached a snapshot as the formatting sucked.

I'm thinking that it has just not been tested, not that I'm going to test it.:rolleyes:
 

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Years ago when I own a 32 colt model 1903 I recall I used Win 231 as its propellant measured to 2.5 gr. Velocity was 865 fps with 71 gr. bullet. Pressure was 14000 cup. A nice pleasant loading.
 
Well that's a fiddly round to load, 5 out of 50 rounds the bullet went in skewed.
Click to expand...

It is, due to its small size, but skewed bullets are "operator error" not the fault of the cartridge design. You may need to use a little more flare than what you are used to, or you may just need to slow down a little, carefully watching each round as it enters the die....

For something really fiddly, try loading .22 Hornet! :rolleyes:
 
44 AMP said:
It is, due to its small size, but skewed bullets are "operator error" not the fault of the cartridge design. You may need to use a little more flare than what you are used to, or you may just need to slow down a little, carefully watching each round as it enters the die....

For something really fiddly, try loading .22 Hornet! :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Operator error definitely, slowing down? I'm not that fast. I did find reloading a used cartridge easier than new brass so extra flair is probably the reason, see what happens to the next 50
 
CAUTION: The following post (or a page linked to) includes or discusses loading data not covered by currently published sources of tested  data for this cartridge (QuickLOAD or Gordon's Reloading Tool data is not professionally tested). USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The Firing Line, nor the staff of TFL assumes any liability for any damage or injury resulting from the use of this information.

Warning, OAL matters a lot. Also, with a SAAMI MAP of only 20,500 psi, the last few rows are probably pushing things more than appropriate unless you gun has more than typical margins.

Code: 
Cartridge          : .32 ACP (7.65 Browning)
Bullet             : .311, 71, Hornady FMJ-RN 3200
Seating depth      : .226 inch
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 0.984 inch = 24.99 mm
Barrel Length      : 4.0 inch = 101.6 mm
Powder             : Ramshot Silhouette

CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step    Fill. Charge   Vel.  Energy   Pmax   Pmuz  Prop.Burnt B_Time
 %       %    Grains   fps   ft.lbs    psi    psi      %        ms
-33.3   51     2.00    668      70    7974   1551     60.1    0.738
-30.0   53     2.10    697      77    8647   1675     62.0    0.710
-26.7   56     2.20    727      83    9369   1802     63.9    0.684
-23.3   58     2.30    756      90   10144   1932     65.7    0.659
-20.0   61     2.40    786      97   10971   2065     67.6    0.635
-16.7   63     2.50    815     105   11863   2199     69.3    0.613
-13.3   66     2.60    845     113   12814   2336     71.1    0.592
-10.0   69     2.70    875     121   13830   2474     72.8    0.573
-06.7   71     2.80    904     129   14917   2613     74.5    0.554
-03.3   74     2.90    934     138   16075   2753     76.1    0.536
+00.0   76     3.00    964     147   17294   2894     77.7    0.518
+03.3   79     3.10    994     156   18581   3035     79.2    0.502
+06.7   81     3.20   1024     165   19954   3176     80.7    0.486  ! Near Maximum !
+10.0   84     3.30   1054     175   21420   3316     82.2    0.471  ! Near Maximum !
 
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See previous post for warning.

And here is a run with the shorter AOL as used for AA2 & AA5 in the Hodgdon data

Code: 
Cartridge          : .32 ACP (7.65 Browning)
Bullet             : .311, 71, Hornady FMJ-RN 3200
Useable Case Capaci: 4.352 grain H2O = 0.283 cm³
Seating depth      : .255 inch
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 0.955 inch = 24.26 mm
Barrel Length      : 4.0 inch = 101.6 mm
Powder             : Ramshot Silhouette

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 3.333% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step    Fill. Charge   Vel.  Energy   Pmax   Pmuz  Prop.Burnt B_Time
 %       %    Grains   fps   ft.lbs    psi    psi      %        ms

-33.3   57     2.00    690      75    8958   1549     61.2    0.708
-30.0   60     2.10    721      82    9769   1674     63.2    0.680
-26.7   63     2.20    751      89   10643   1801     65.2    0.653
-23.3   66     2.30    782      97   11587   1931     67.1    0.628
-20.0   69     2.40    814     104   12604   2063     69.0    0.605
-16.7   72     2.50    845     113   13700   2197     70.9    0.582
-13.3   74     2.60    876     121   14881   2332     72.7    0.561
-10.0   77     2.70    908     130   16151   2468     74.5    0.541
-06.7   80     2.80    939     139   17518   2605     76.2    0.522
-03.3   83     2.90    971     149   18990   2743     77.9    0.504
+00.0   86     3.00   1002     158   20558   2880     79.5    0.487  ! Near Maximum !
+03.3   89     3.10   1034     169   22227   3017     81.1    0.471  ! Near Maximum !
 
Thank you that is great data. Noticing the OAL .955 I had initially done maximum OAL at .984 but comparing bullet length for seating depth I have re-seated to .960
 
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My Lyman book says max COAL (loaded length with bullet) for the .32acp is .984". Anything under that should work, depending on the quirks of your individual gun(s).
 
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