I'm new to the .32 S&W Long. Recently bought a Benelli MP95 chambered for ".32 Wadcutter". It is by far the most accurate centerfire handgun I own. I can shoot it almost as good as the Benelli MP95 in .22LR that I also own. It would be nice if an American company made a semi in this caliber.
Why don't we see more US made pistols in .32 S&W Long?
- Thread starter TruthTellers
- Start date
This is from 50 yards.
There are a few who shoot 32 target revolvers at my club. Including the legendary K32 and the reintroduced k32 in 32 H&R. They may not have sold many of either at the time,but; they are sought after today. I make do with less. They did not sell at the time, so; probably would not sell many today. Certainly not on this forum.
There was (past tense) the more popular K38. In production today, I am not aware of any 38 target revolver or target pistol in 38 or 380 either. Just 9mm and 45 acp. Is there anything? it is not just a 32 caliber story.
it seems at the Olympic level the European makers dominate in all calibers of rifle and pistol. My problem is I am not on that budget or at that skill level. I would love to see a 32 semi match gun somewhere along the price/quality point of a centerfire version of the Ruger Mark or say around 1,000 (actual retail).
The 327 federal seems to have some merit or acceptance and might lift the whole 32 boat along with it. The current 327 revolvers are small for target shooting, for me I guess. A super blackhawk has the larger grip frame and weight to make a good shooter, they could probably sell a couple hundred as Lipseys. I am sure the collectors would line up for that.
There was (past tense) the more popular K38. In production today, I am not aware of any 38 target revolver or target pistol in 38 or 380 either. Just 9mm and 45 acp. Is there anything? it is not just a 32 caliber story.
it seems at the Olympic level the European makers dominate in all calibers of rifle and pistol. My problem is I am not on that budget or at that skill level. I would love to see a 32 semi match gun somewhere along the price/quality point of a centerfire version of the Ruger Mark or say around 1,000 (actual retail).
The 327 federal seems to have some merit or acceptance and might lift the whole 32 boat along with it. The current 327 revolvers are small for target shooting, for me I guess. A super blackhawk has the larger grip frame and weight to make a good shooter, they could probably sell a couple hundred as Lipseys. I am sure the collectors would line up for that.
The best, most consistent load is a Lapua 98 HBWC, 1.7-1.8 grains of AA2 in a Remington case. Any quality small pistol primer. I usually use Remington SP but I have not seen much difference if you use Federal, CCI, etc.
Close to this is a Magtech 98 WC with 1.4-1.5 Win Super Target (WST) powder. If you cast bullets, the Saeco WC that comes out around 97.5 grains with 1.4 WST. I tried a lot of other molds but nothing came close so far. I give you a variance of 0.1 grain because it is so sensitive that sometimes one pistol may like 1.4 and another 1.5. The case is so small that you need to try to stay consistent in powder. The other thing is you want to seat the WC just below the case mouth so you can crimp the mouth just a little. This gives more consistent ignition and helps feeding. Hope this helps.
I guess I like to buy American first if given the opportunity. I've said for years that Ruger should offer their "Mk" pistols in .32. All they would have to do is over bore the heavy barrel, redesign the bolt, add heavier recoil spring, redesign magazine. That's all that is different in my two Benelli pistols. I can snap the mag from the .22 into the .32 and vice versa, it's all the same parts except what I mentioned above. Ruger could offer the .32 Mk pistol as an entry level centerfire target pistol. They already claim the .22 is a target pistol, so why not a .32? The Benelli .32 sells new for $1100. I think Ruger could beat that price.
.32 S&W Long is a very accurate cartridge in a well built semi-automatic. This variety of pistol is designed for precision shooting at twenty-five and fifty yards - meters in Europe. Mostly twenty-five meters.
Bullseye 2700 shooting is a dying discipline in the United States. In Europe, it is one of the few handgun shooting sports available.
In all fairness, .32 S&W Long is a rather inadequate defensive round. It has it's place, but it's not high on the desirable list. Other uses - other than formal target shooting and self defense - are few and rather limited for this round.
As has been mentioned, there isn't much demand for the round. Too many handgun shooters are obsessed with firing multiple rounds (in an accepted caliber) in a very short time.
Bullseye 2700 shooting is a dying discipline in the United States. In Europe, it is one of the few handgun shooting sports available.
In all fairness, .32 S&W Long is a rather inadequate defensive round. It has it's place, but it's not high on the desirable list. Other uses - other than formal target shooting and self defense - are few and rather limited for this round.
As has been mentioned, there isn't much demand for the round. Too many handgun shooters are obsessed with firing multiple rounds (in an accepted caliber) in a very short time.
It's really not that bad once you try it. If you're "in the zone" mentally, you don't really notice the difference. The black on the 50 yard target is larger than the 25 yard target, though both have identical scoring rings. When you raise the pistol, concentrate on the front sight, you don't even notice the target is 50 yards away.
Pardini makes a .32acp target pistol. Extremely accurate. You can switch uppers on the same frame, .22lr and .32acp.
As for the 32acp... I am a mediocre pistol shooter who owns a half dozen or so pistols in that caliber. All of them except one are so-so in accuracy. (Probably because the others are all roughly PPK sized.)
My Beretta Model 100 (with 6" barrel and large adjustable sights) is as accurate for me as any of my other centerfire pistols. I never shoot past 25 yards, so maybe it would be worse at long range.
My only 32 S&W long handguns are revolvers. The most accurate is actually in 32 H&R magnum, but I almost always shoot 32 S&W long out of it. It is a Ruger Single Six, also with 6" barrel and adjustable sights. It is very accurate.
It would be awesome to have a target pistol in that caliber, but I will never have enough money to get one.
My Beretta Model 100 (with 6" barrel and large adjustable sights) is as accurate for me as any of my other centerfire pistols. I never shoot past 25 yards, so maybe it would be worse at long range.
My only 32 S&W long handguns are revolvers. The most accurate is actually in 32 H&R magnum, but I almost always shoot 32 S&W long out of it. It is a Ruger Single Six, also with 6" barrel and adjustable sights. It is very accurate.
It would be awesome to have a target pistol in that caliber, but I will never have enough money to get one.
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funnelcake
New member
I’m a .32 S&W Long fan. I’ve got a few Colt revolvers chambered in the little guy, but they’re all fixed sights. I’d been looking for a long time & just missed a PP Target in .32 that was in nice shape and actually affordable. The larger I-frame Officers Models in .32 have been too spendy (for me) for some time.
I decided to settle and picked up one of the 4.2” barreled SP101’s. A Hogue monogrip & it fits the hand like a glove...great sights as well. I’m still working on load development but it’s showing good promise.
I decided to settle and picked up one of the 4.2” barreled SP101’s. A Hogue monogrip & it fits the hand like a glove...great sights as well. I’m still working on load development but it’s showing good promise.
Here is a good read on 32 caliber revolvers. The last paragraph is the most interesting of the whole article.
http://www.gunblast.com/WBell_SW32s.htm
I like my 32s more as trail guns than as target pistols. I shoot paper of course but I really like to walk around my buds property and just shoot targets of opportunity.
A semi auto in 32 would be neat but I would only shoot it where I could recover the brass. I did have a French model 1935 in 32 French long. It didn't have a mag when it was given to me but I finally found one at the gunshow. But I never could find ammo for it. I finally gave up and sold the gun cheap so I would stop messing with it. Its a hot round right on the lower end of a 32 mag round. This one looks like the one I had.
http://www.gunbroker.com/item/721924318
http://www.gunblast.com/WBell_SW32s.htm
I like my 32s more as trail guns than as target pistols. I shoot paper of course but I really like to walk around my buds property and just shoot targets of opportunity.
A semi auto in 32 would be neat but I would only shoot it where I could recover the brass. I did have a French model 1935 in 32 French long. It didn't have a mag when it was given to me but I finally found one at the gunshow. But I never could find ammo for it. I finally gave up and sold the gun cheap so I would stop messing with it. Its a hot round right on the lower end of a 32 mag round. This one looks like the one I had.
http://www.gunbroker.com/item/721924318
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