Shoot 32acp in 32 H&R Revolver...?

Mike Irwin has explained the reason most experts discourage the use of .32 ACP in revolvers - the old breaktops and other old revolvers just won't handle it. .32 S&W runs about 14k psi pressure and most of the old cast iron guns will take that. But when you up the ante to the 21k and full jacket of the .32 ACP, the old guns literally get bent out of shape.

Jim
 
Mr. Irwin; Yeah, when I wrote that I knew that I wasn't saying it right. The 1911 does head space at the end of the chamber at the end of the case. You were right, of course.

What I was trying to communicate was that the shells loaded into a later Smith Model 1917 are bored as is the barrel of a 1911, so the round doesn't drop all the way through the cylinder as do some other revolvers made to take the 45 ACP round that requre the half moon clips.

Thank you for your clarification.
 
Hey all,
Just joined the forum and my 1st post. I also just got a nice Charter Arms Patriot in 327 Fed. It is compatible with 327, 32 HR & 32 SW Longs, since all case and rims/thicknesses (.055") are the same.
Now, sitting on a good amount of 32ACP & 7.65mm ammo, I was wondering if it would fire just for range use. Some say the SW shorts are also compatible in any revolver chambered for the longs on up thru the 327's, but the rim thickness is the same as 32 ACP at .045". If the shorts will fire, then the ACP's should fire as well. The ejector star might jump the slightly narrower rims (.358 to the .375), but I'll bring a brass rod to knock the empties out.
Just an observation to this thread.
Just
 
Welcome to the forum. You might try the search button before raising an 8 year old Zombie thread.

Sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t. You will have to try them in YOUR gun. Dont expect any real accuracy from them since the bullets are undersized for the bore. But they will go off and make a bang noise but firecrackers are cheaper and make the same bang noise.
 
I don't think it's unsafe, but it may not work.

I also have a 431PD and it extracts 32 acp fine.

But I get lite strikes and failures to fire often. As in one or two per cylinder.

Now, I've only tried one brand of ammo, so maybe it would work with others.

If you can mail order ammo, then there is plenty of 32 H&R and 32 long available that way.
 
Last edited:
Have a single action Heritage .32 H&R revolver. Thing shoots .32 ACP very well and extraction isn't a problem because of the ejector rod's function.

I've seen so many forum posts and videos where .32 ACP will shoot in some revolvers, not in others because of the difference in rim thickness, ammunition variances, etc. You just have to try it in your revolver, which is plenty safe to shoot .32 ACP with.

I've read elsewhere on the internet that some who have owned H&R 732 revolvers have shot .32 ACP with no issues. That may be the one and only .32 Long revolver that I would be okay shooting ACP in because it is a sturdy revolver and the higher pressure won't destroy them immediately.

But, it's probably something I would only do to test to see which ammo works best and if I had nothing else to shoot.

The H&R 632's, which are basically the same as the 732 but the cylinder doesn't swing out, I would shoot .32 ACP in with no concerns as the frame is very solid being the cylinder can't swing out.
 
Thanks. I'll have to give them a try when my long's and 327's ammo arrives for my 1st use of this revolver. I'll let you all know the results.
I didn't realize this thread was so old when I searched it and made my reply. But, it was an interesting read.
 
I own five 32 magnum revolvers and recently sold my sixth to my FiL. Two will shoot 32acp with no problems. Two will shoot it with about a 50% success rate. Two won't shoot it at all. My guess is that it's due to small differences in the lengths of the firing pins.
 
.32 H&R Mag and .327 both operate at chamber pressures well in excess of the .32 ACP, so there's no concern about blowing up a gun so chambered as there is in blowing up an old break top chambered for the .32 S&W round.
 
Sorry to keep this thread going, but I'm new to the .32 revolver crowd and wanting to learn as much as I can and contribute too, wanting to fire 32acp out of my revolver.
What puzzles me is you listed the 32 ACP bullet .001" smaller dia than the ones in Longs,32 mag & 327 Fed. My research shows the revolver bullet @ .312" and the 32 ACP/7.65mm bullets @ .3125" which is actually a larger dia in acp/7.65.
Hmmm......
 
Back
Top