Home Forums Reloading Handgun Reloading 32 S&W Long plinking loads

Recently acquired an original S&W model of 1903 hand ejector, guessing 5his one was made in 1905/6. Would love tp put together a mild shooting load to have some fun with. Advice please?

Hodgdon # 26 and Hornady # 10.

I like Lasercast 78 gr in .312 for plinking loads. But I no longer see them listed on the Oregon Trail website.

Or I cast a 95 gr from an accurate mold which would also be good for this use.

Hornady quit making their swaged 95 grainers, but I believe Speer and Lapua still make swaged hollow based wadcutters; Speer data should get you those loads and mid range in 32 long using Bullseye, 231 and the like should be in there.

I still have some 95 grain Hornadys and use those in the old I frames and snub nosed 32 Longs.

I feed my S&W M1903 4th Variation Hand Ejector with 95 grain SWC bullets I cast myself, rather soft bhn7-8, .313 diameter, and with 2.0gr. Bullseye. Comfy load that wreaks havoc on empty beer cans. Darn sweet little revolvers, with lockwork like a Swiss watch.

I don't cast bullets, so that limits my options. I can also see that my spelling goes to scheit after 10pm or a certain amount of libation or medication .
I appreciate the responses. I have a bid on some 95 grain jacketed hollowpoints right now, I won't be too upset if I lose it. I will find something eventually. I really like the idea of a hollow base wadcutter, but everyone is sold out right now.

Your 32 Long revolver is made with century-old steel. Treat it gently, as you plan, and it will be a fun plinker, lightweight and economical. Not many loading manuals have information on this cartridge, but even some of the lowest-powered loads in published or online sources can have a bit more oomph than our old guns prefer. I find light (77 RN, 86 g RN and 88 grain DEWC) bullets are out there, and soft bullets and faster powders (see Gnoahhh's posting again) are best in my 1903 edition. The old, old 32 S & W top-break revolver gets the 77 grain RN soft lead bullet with Pyrodex for smokey fun. You won't need gas checks, Hi-Tek coating or jacketed bullets for plinking.

Missouri Bullets 100gr RNFP (which is almost a SWC) over a medium load of W231. Does right at 700 fps in my 3" model 30. Shoots to the sights. Very mild and very accurate.

I just found a batch of 85 grain .312 JHP bullets. The Lee 2nd ed. Manual has data for this bullet. I have Bullseye and CFE pistol powder. I would like to find a load with the CFE. I also bought a box of Aguila 98 grain lead round nose just to have something since I didn’t know how long it would take to gather all the components to reload. Looking forward to messing with this little project. Going to start with a full disassembly and cleaning of the pistol.

I will post some photos in the "handguns" forum and add a link to them below. Can any experts help me date this? Serial number is "16782*"


photos

Grafs

I'd stick with lead.

The gun was designed for it, light loads are going to work best with them.

I cant think of a single jacketed bullet available with the 32 Long in mind.

Ive used 115 home cast, the above Lapua wadcutter bullet and the defunct 95 grain swaged Hornady.

Hodgdon doesnt list CFE in the 32 Long, but I would be apt to use Universal data, which starts at 2.7 grains and is max at 3 with a 85 gr. jacketed bullet.
Its a tick slower than Universal.
For a lead round nose or swc 2.5 to start.

Yeah, the steel in that 115 year old Smith isn't exactly a modern alloy made to withstand the constant screeching of jacketed bullets through it. I would stick with lead, and at these velocities there's absolutely no need for anything harder than nearly pure lead. If the bullet is sized properly (to fit the throats, not the barrel groove diameter) even a dead soft bullet won't lead the barrel - and probably shoot more accurately to boot. A tight fitting soft bullet will cork the burning gasses behind it better than a not-so-tight jacketed slug will, and it's the gas cutting that erodes things.

Well crap, I know own 250 85 grain jacketed hollow points (they look like Hornady XTPs).