Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Skeeter Skelton 32 articles

Do any of you guys have a copy of any of Skeeter Skelton’s Shooting Times articles covering the 32 H&R?

I’m aware that one or more of the earlier articles contained some way too hot load data but I’ve read that he later published a retraction and toned it down some. I can’t find any of his 32 stuff on the web. I would like to read some or all of it just because I enjoy his writing style and I’m sure there’s good info in some or all of the articles.

Back in November 1985, Skeeter Skelton wrote in Shooting Times: "Our first "keeper" load was comprised of a cast RCBS 32-98 grain flatpoint bullet, sized .312 and weighing 100 grains, over 8.7 grains of 2400 powder. This round made one-inch groups at 20 yards and registered 1,227fps on my Oehler Model 33. Another selected handload proved substantially more potent -- the Hornady 85 grain JHP over 9.4 grains of Accurate Arms No. 7 powder for 1,448fps and two inch groups from a sandbag rest."

A while later, he published that a "large ammunition maker" tested those loads and sent the following: "Your handload with the Hornady 85 grain bullet, fired in our pressure barrel, gave a velocity of 1,503 fps and a pressure of 38,940 psi. The 100 grain cast bullet gave a velocity of 1,263 fps and a pressure of 30,940 psi. For comparison, the Federal 95 grain lead bullet, fired in the same barrel, gave 1,038 fps and 21,500 psi."

Still later, in September 1986, Skeeter said about his Nov. 1985 article: "I believe, and still believe, that the Ruger Single-Six will stand up to this load with no problems, but I cannot -- and will not -- recommend it to others.......The little Ruger is an exceptionally strong revolver -- and the ONLY one in which I would fire such a load. My work with this gun/load combination was purely for my own edification, and anyone else who tries it does so entirely on his own responsibility."

I was thinking I had read that when pressure tested one of the loads was developing near Casull pressure.

Realistically the loads listed above aren’t too bad if they’re used in one of the big guns. My 16-4 is a K frame just like a M19 but with more material around the chambers and bore. The 357 is a 35k cartridge I believe so it would seem that the 32 wouldn’t present any issue at 39k. Ruger also made the full size Blackhawk in the combo 32/20 and 32 Mag convertible, no telling what you could get away with using that thing with it’s massive cylinder. And the Single Seven in 327 is a higher pressure outfit than the 357. I suppose Ol Skeeter was right in his assessment that the Ruger could handle it fine.

Not that I want or need to load it to those levels. But I do feel that the H&R mag was shorted by being saddled with H&R and NEF revolvers and the low pressure standard. Sometimes a strange web that gets woven the way things work out.

Thank you for posting the article.

Way back in another lifetime I went hog wild with a .32 H&R Magnum in an original Single-Six (I scored one of the very first ones that popped out of the factory). I skated around at the levels that Skeeter did and lived to tell about it, but what put me off on the whole venture wasn't fear (which maybe or maybe not it should've) but rather noise. Those loads were ear splitters much like the .30 Carbine in a Ruger single action, and if any of y'all ever experienced that you know what I'm talking about. I dropped back to more sane load levels and life was good and the gun remained a constant companion until the day I swapped it for an Orvis split cane fly rod, but that's another story.

I think that 100gr. load would be perfectly fine in a K -frame, but I agree with gnoah, turning the 32 HR into a 30 Carbine gets a bit noisy.

Upping the bullet weight to 115-125 and using Unique/Blue Dot class powders gets you to 1,100 with higher BC and far less blast.

I agree, the cartridge was saddled by the HR revolver, but a K frame or Ruger is capable of more.

Just ran about 300 rounds of HR this afternoon.

Never had a .32 revolver, but would like too (for no good reason, these days.) I do have (for the same no good reason,) a Blackhawk in .30 carbine and, though the recoil isn’t bad, the muzzle blast is, to me, worse than any .357 magnum.

My load since I’ve had my K frame has been a 100gr bullet over 5 or 5.5 grains of AA5. It’s a little more than factory but as mentioned it isn’t as ear splitting as when the speeds are cranked up. I don’t think it’s as loud as the factory 85gr XTP load.

AA5 is hard to get right now so I’ve been casually looking at possible substitutes. There really isn’t much data out there, especially for newer powders and a little more potent ballistics from somewhat reputable sources. I got the AA5 load from a Brian Pierce article that has some very good info in it.

I have thought about finding a mold for a heavier bullet, I know I talked with HawkI about his molds via PM. But the three 100ish molds I have shoot like a rifle out of my revolver so I’m reluctant to invest the money to dive off into new territory. I guess I need to go shoot a pig or two and see if I require more bullet weight, good chance of that happening here soon when I start fishing the river later this summer.

I have been a 32 fan for a lot of years.
When the Buckeye 32-20/32HR came out I had to have one.
I did a lot of work with it and chatting on the phone with a few people.
Forward to when the internet arrived and after a time I found there was more than a handful of 32 folks. There were several folks that had pushed the 32’s on a modern platform.

The Buckeye with the 32-20 cylinder in it has done well for me with a custom 140 cast bullet and a dose of 296/110. Some will raise an eyebrow, yet we can do it with the 45 Colt and 45-70 with different load levels.

I was told the 32-20 brass would be done in 1-2 loadings, a half dozen and still going. I did the majority of work with it on IHMSA full size big bore targets. I thought it may be marginal on the 200 meter rams, my notes show all hit tipped over. Suggesting that it transferred enough energy to push it over rather than calling g forward from rocking momentum.

Yes it barks. As the saying goes the bark is worse than the bite, on the hand any way.

Several other gun writers have also been .32 fans, although they may not have the writing style you mention.

Cast bullets were the focus for John Goins (aka "Beagle") and he had some load data for use in the Ruger SA revolver.

George Nonte, Bob Hagel, Ken Waters and other staff writers at Wolfe Publishing (Handloader and Rifle magazines) were covering the .32 bases for years, a lot of it devoted to the fun factor offered by hand-loaded .32 gallery or plinking loads.

Brian Pearce, as noted by TheKid, was on record in Handloader issue 210, Apr/May 2001, also testing with the Ruger. The strength of the Ruger (and the K-frame S & Ws) was acknowledged and some of the tested load pressures approximated .357 Magnum levels, beyond what is OK with some of the NEF and H & R models.

You may find some of Skeeter's stories available in the Guns & Ammo archives. He and Joe had some amazing adventures.

I .. went down the "Skeeter path" with my first Single Six .32 mag and more or less shook it to death. It got awful wobbly awful fast. Within 2 years I had to replace it. Trying to make it into a .357 was a mistake.

I'm currently out of the .32s. For quite a while I shot 7.0 grains of #7 with every bullet from the 85 grain Hornady to cast bullets from a 98 grain RCBS SWC mold. That worked fine, however, for the last dozen years or so of shooting .32 mag I switched to 10 grains of H110 with everything. It was within SAAMI pressure specs with the 98 grain SWCs .. barely .. and seemed good to go with everything else.

All I have left now are 2 bullet molds and 1000 or so remaining 98 grain SWCs. I guess eventually I'll get around to selling them. I really like the .32 mag but for the most part guns I'd want are out of production.

When I happened onto my 32 I was a day away from buying a Bisley Single Six. It was on GB and I had talked myself into hitting the BIN. But I didn’t have an account so I said I’d wait until Monday and have a friend buy it with his account and I’d pay him.

Just happened to swing into another friend’s gun shop to see what he was up to and there’s a 16-4 a guy had sold him that morning laying under the counter. Neither of us knew what it was worth, apparently the guy that sold it to him didn’t either, he told me double his money on it and it was mine. So $400 later I’m the proud owner. The Bisley was NIB and about $600 so I thought I did alright.

I remember going with a buddy and his dad when I was in HS. His dad told him he’d buy him a Single Six for his birthday and we loaded up and went to a gun shop. The guy had a 9 1/2 Convertible and a 6.5” 32 in the case. Both used and your choice for $250. His dad tried to talk him into the 32, even said he’d buy dies and brass. He wanted the simplicity of the rimfire for ammo and left with the convertible for $225

Another friend bought a Bisley at a gun show for cheap. Guy had several single sixes on the table and didn’t care that one was a 32. A single six was a single six and they were all worth $275 or somewhere around there.

It’s a shame that the Charter Arms offerings are all that’s left if you don’t want a 327. Not too many 327s out there either.

Mainly because of Skeeter's writings I pick up the first Ruger 32 I saw. My best load is enough H110 to push a 100 gr. Hornaday JHP at 1200 fps. Very accurate.

For whatever it's worth, Ruger still catalogs the .32 mag Bisley 6 shot. I haven't seen one in a while but it it is still cataloged.

I'm happy now to play with regular old .32 S&W Longs in a couple S&W Hand Ejectors and a Colt PPS. I have wanted a .32 Long in a rifle for quite some time, and now that I'm getting caught up on some projects I'm casting my eye for that use on a Ballard action that's gathering dust. Out of a 26" barrel it should shade a .32 out of a pistol barrel.

Ross Seyfried also had a few articles about the 32. I am not to fond of the 327 Fed however I do love the 32 H&R and believe it sits perfectly where it should at mild to hot loads. The 327 is too much of a good thing and blast. Not just as a hunting round but a 6shot jframe is a great thing for pocket pistols.
S

I had big plans to build myself a little Martini in 32 H&R when I moved back down here. The ultimate fall turkey gun, or so I thought. About the time I got a line on a lathe for my shop the state made our fall season shotgun only. Probably still should build one someday just to fool with.

I have really enjoyed shooting .32 S&W Longs in the past year out of a 1917 Hand Ejector, so they are not going very fast. Recently picked up a “modern” model 31-1 so I can push bullets a little harder. Still nowhere near the levels discussed here. I would love to pick up a model 16 or 631 and maybe scratch that itch, but I do not want a Ruger .30 carbine shooting type experience. I would rather move up to .38s/.357s before ear piercing fireball experience.

I had a 16-1/4 inch .32 mag Contender barrel I generally used in carbine form with an older Weaver K2.5. Saved a couple varminting trips when other guns "broke down." It is a lot of fun and I highly recommend it. It was pre .327. Contender is strong so I was pushing the loads with jacketed bullets a bit past book. With lead, not much point unless you like scrubbing.

Brian Pearce revisited the 32 H&R in a Pet Loads feature in recent years. His 115 gr over Longshot load has turned out to be the accuracy winner in my S6. Haven't clocked it but it's on the high side of 1100 for sure.

I've been using 32 S&WL as my primary small game popper out of a 16" barreled carbine for a few years. 115gr RNFP over 2.9gr Unique is my pet load... hits ~980fps through the chronograph.

I used some Green Dot and 700X when I was first farting around with loads in it, and they were in the same ballpark, 900-1100fps.

Don't even need ears on to play with those at range time, and they flatten squirrels and rabbits at short range without blowing them to bits.