Loading 32 acp questions, bear with me

First thing I have to ask is why some folks seem to have great luck with the T&B .314 lead bullet and some don’t.  Is it really just some Pardini just don’t like them and some do or could we be talking different loading procedures?  I see some using the exact same load in Pardini and some get great results and some don’t. And those same guns all get good results with the 60 XTP bullet.  I’m baffled.

Now that’s out of the way.  Folks using the AP powder thru expanders for the T&B lead swc bullet with the proper AP expander, do you use the second step of the expander to just start the bullet, or expand for a good part of the bullet to enter the case by hand.  I have to think that just enough to start the bullet would swage the bullet in the area of the case that’s not expanded and maybe that’s why some are getting poor accuracy?  I’ve read till my eyes are bleeding and can’t seem to find what the common depth of the second step of the expander should enter the case.

I loaded a few tonight just to try it and had several that wouldn’t pass a .32 acp case gauge and others did.  I attributed it to the bullet may have been cocked a bit while seating this creating a bulge on one side of the case.
 I’m using the AP .3175 expander and did not use the entire length of the second step on the expander.

Have not yet loaded XTPs yet but did do a few dummy rounds and all passed the case gauge easily. Using the .3155 expander

I’m sure all this is clear as mud and apologize in advance but a few of us were talking about it tonight at league night and no one knew why.

I.d also be interested in when loading the xtp that how much of the second step of the correct expander goes into the case as well.

All loading will be done on a Dillon 650.  I know Glen..aka carrykiteboarder has gone dark for a few months and pms to him go unanswered, hope all is well with him.

Greg, Dave, Dr. Don and the other 32 acp Gurus I’d be willing to hear your thoughts as well as all others.  Dr. Don has been a great help via pm’s but I don’t want to wear the poor guy out with questions..

Edit:  Redding crimp die and .333 crimp as close as I could measure.  Seating and sizing Hornady dies.

Edit 2:  that .3175 sure puts one heck of a bell on that little case.  I case see segregation for lead and JHP for sure for cases.
If I’ve made any unclear thoughts, please let me know..I’m half asleep..lol

Sorry to report that Glen Shelton aka "carykiteboarder" passed away late last year after a long battle with cancer.   
A big guy, big smile and big heart that will be missed on the firing line.  We are diminished.

CR

CR10X wrote:Sorry to report that Glen Shelton aka "carykiteboarder" passed away late last year after a long battle with cancer.   
A big guy, big smile and big heart that will be missed on the firing line.  We are diminished.

CR

That is just very sad news indeed.  I didn’t know the Man but always took great pleasure reading what he had to offer the forum.  He will be in my thoughts today for sure.  I am truly truly saddened.  You will be missed Glen

You mean the ACP, not s&wL?

bruce martindale wrote:You mean the ACP, not s&wL?

Acp correct

I’ll edit the title

Sorry to hear of Glen Shelton's passing. He was invaluable help in developing and testing PTUs for 32 caliber projectiles. Naming right for part of the funnel a COWL belongs to Glen! And in the process I learned of the caliber of this man - big hands, big heart. Great Man! RIP!

AP

(Sorry Joe. I don't mean to sidetrack you post.)

Lablover,

You ultimately cannot solve your 32acp questions purely by theoretical research, i.e. by reading.  You are going to have to become an experimentalist and shoot some groups trying different things in your gun.  So load up some T&B's and XTP's and do your testing at 50 yds.  If you don't have access to a Ransom Rest for this gun, it's ok.  With that excellent Pardini trigger and some care you can make very meaningful tests at 50yds using sandbags.  Even more so if you can mount a 4x to 6x scope on the gun just for testing.

Unless you are using brass of different manufacturers I would forget about segregating brass.  It all expands to the chamber dimension when fired anyway.  And using the 2-step expander there should not be any "belling" of the brass; just an extra expansion from the second step.  I doubt that your cases are swaging those lead bullets significantly.  We worry about that with soft lead hollow-based wadcutters because they don't have much resistance in the skirt area. Your bullets are harder and solid throughout.

Also, although I have the gear to make my own, I have never owned a case gauge in any caliber.  I never considered them very useful.  The ultimate gauge for a questionable loaded round is the barrel plunk test.

These are my opinions, and they are worth exactly what you paid for them.  Go do some testing and have some fun.

Greetings,

Bear in mind that the Pardini 32 ACP is NOT SAAMI compliant.

So, using a SAAMI case gauge is not much value.

Dr. Don's suggestion of using the barrel as go gauge is your best bet.

Cheers,

Dave

Correction, not belling....expanding

Good info

Here's my personal experience with reloading 32ACP. No matter how I tried, I was unable to get decent groups at 50 yards with T&B bullets. But they shoot fairly well at 25 yards, so I simply use Hornady factory ammo for the long line, and my reloads for the short line. I use the AP's .3175 expander and I adjusted it so that I can insert the bullet by hand approximately half way (it is still tight fit, not easy drop in).
1.7gr VV310, CCI primers, mixed Starline and Hornady brass. Oddly enough, no elevation adjustments from long to short line needed.

javaduke wrote:Here's my personal experience with reloading 32ACP. No matter how I tried, I was unable to get decent groups at 50 yards with T&B bullets. But they shoot fairly well at 25 yards, so I simply use Hornady factory ammo for the long line, and my reloads for the short line. I use the AP's .3175 expander and I adjusted it so that I can insert the bullet by hand approximately half way (it is still tight fit, not easy drop in).
1.7gr VV310, CCI primers, mixed Starline and Hornady brass. Oddly enough, no elevation adjustments from long to short line needed.

Perfect explanation, that’s my goal is lead at 25 yards and xtp for the long line.  Thank you for your time.  I have my expander set up the same way as Dr. Don says those hard bullets shouldn’t swage at all from the brass.