Shooting an S&W Model 30-1

M

McShooty

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I tried some factory loads in this J-Frame Hand Ejector from the 1960s, .32 S&W Long with 4-inch barrel.

Several bullet styles are available, the conventional round-nose, a jacketed hollow point (MagTech), a flat-nose like the old .32 Colt New Police (Sellier & Bellot), and wadcutter (Federal and Fiocchi).


Winchester round noses gave an average 665 fps. I especially liked the Sellier & Bellot flat nose, which gave 696 fps with very good accuracy. The Federal 98gr wadcutter was the champ, giving 734 fps and good accuracy. This load would be best for small game or self-defense, if you were confined to factory loads, which of course we are not.

The eight factory loads tried, which included Magtech, Aguila, and Prvi Partizan loads in addition to the above, generally gave velocities in the low to mid 600s and were characterized by extreme spreads of more than 100 fps and standard deviations of more than 30 fps. In other words, poor, a result, I think, of having to keep pressures so low in factory ammo. Now I will plan some handloading for this little beauty.
 
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McShooty said:
I tried some factory loads in this J-Frame Hand Ejector from the 1960s, .32 S&W Long with 4-inch barrel.
Click to expand...

Others may correct me, but I believe the Model 30/31 were only made on the I frame, not the J. The I frame was discontinued decades ago, which is why most call them J frames. I have one of these, and found out the hard way. I bought a set of J frame Pacmyr grips, and realized that the grip was bigger than the frame.

I have the pre-curser to the Model 30 (the Regulation Police Snub) and for a while had the 4" Model 31 (Square Butt version of the same gun). Both are great little pistols, and fun to shoot.

ETA: Did some more digging, and realized the Model 30/31 continued after the death of the I frame in 1960. Oops, my mistake.
 
I had a S&W model 31, .32 S&W Long, some years ago. I never shot factory ammo in it, only hand loads. I remember that I use a Lee round nose, plain base bullet of 93 grain weight (I think), with my alloy. With minimal recoil it was fun and very accurate shooting. I liked shooting double-action with it at a 50 yd target. It definitely fell into the "fun" gun category.
 
"Others may correct me, but I believe the Model 30/31 were only made on the I frame, not the J."

I don't have my books in front of me right now, but I believe that they were actually made on the I frame (pre model numbering) the Improved I frame (slightly larger frame with a coil spring), and the J frame.

I THINK that in the Model 30, the J frame was adopted with engineering change 30-1; possibly the same with the Model 31.
 
For years, the Hand Ejector .32, including the Model 30, was made on the I frame. The Model 30-1, however, was definitely made on the J-frame. This began in 1961 with serial #712954.
 
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Just confirmed that these guns were made on all three frames:

the I frame (with a leaf mainspring and strain screws)

the Improved I frame (slightly larger overall dimensions, coil spring, no leaf spring)

the J frame.

The Improved I frame came about around 1948, and the J frame versions weren't introduced until 1960, so there are 12 years worth of Improved I frame guns out there.
 
Awesome little guns. I was looking at a 3" 30-1 but my range only allows jacketed bullets and looks like most factory choices are unjacketed. Not sure when or where I could practice with it.
 
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