32 S&W Long

if 32 S&Ws are so hard to make shoot why do people bother?

Looking to get one

Greetings,

Ouch!!! Now you have me questioning why I buy every 32 WadCutter pistol that comes along.

One reason to buy one is that they do not need to be accurized. Most pistols have the barrel fixed in the frame with the sights attached as well.

So, load up some good ammo and the gun will shoot where you point it.

Nothing to shoot loose, just keep it clean.

Properly loaded, the recoil is considerably less than a 45 ACP and recovery is much quicker in sustained fire events. However, it will not help your 45 scores.

Downside? Only one company, Speer, make HBWC bullets for reloading. Generally, they do not shoot well in the European barrels.

Solution to the above? Buy a custom barrel with a smaller groove diameter; or, buy a swaging press to bump up the Speer bullets to a full 0.314" diameter, which shoot rather well.

Cheers,

Dave

steve 61 wrote:if 32 S&Ws are so hard to make shoot why do people bother?

Looking to get one

Nothing hard about making them shoot at 25. Some people can only shoot at 25 yard matches because that is all they have in their area. Some of us like to shoot the ISSF centerfire course of fire which is what these pistols are made for and it is all 25 meters or yards depending on the range.

Only one company, Speer, make HBWC bullets for reloading

Dave, have you tried the Lapua .314 98gr HBWC? It's what I'm currently using. Every where I look for the Speer bullets, they are sold out / back ordered.

Mike,
there are multiple vendors on gunbroker currently stocking them. Here is one that I have bought from:

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/776349363

now I heard, it's the fact it's a rimmed cartridge that makes it more difficult.
most have chosen the .32 auto?

Greetings,

The 32 ACP is a semi-rimmed cartridge. Like the 38 AMU and 38 Super Auto.

Caveat, the Pardini 32 ACP chambers are not SAAMI spec. They are cut so that the mouth of the case seats on a shoulder just ahead of the leade of the barrel.

Cheers,

Dave

Mike38 wrote:
Dave, have you tried the Lapua .314 98gr HBWC?

Greetings,

Yes, I have tried the Lapua 98 HBWC. I never was able to get them to group at 50 yards. Nor any of my friends I gave samples to.

The new dark grey coating they are now using is even worse.

Cheers,

Dave

I cast 32 wadcutters and they shoot great. I have Dave's fast twist .311 barrel and size the bullets to .312, load in only Starline cases.

The variances in reloading that the 45 Auto takes in stride can really stack up with a 32 wadcutter and cause poor accuracy.

You can't be a press monkey when loading 32's.

Mike38 wrote:

Only one company, Speer, make HBWC bullets for reloading

Dave, have you tried the Lapua .314 98gr HBWC? It's what I'm currently using. Every where I look for the Speer bullets, they are sold out / back ordered.

Mike, I have tried the Lapua .314 98 gr HBWC, didn't shoot very accurately in the ransom rest.

The Speer Plinkers are becoming popular and recently seemed completely out of stock.  Then, a couple weeks ago I got notices from several places I had backordered from that they had them. I purchased 10k from Dillon, Hinterland  also has (had) them.

When I purchased the Lapua they cost more than double the Speer:shock:

gregbenner wrote:

Mike38 wrote:

Only one company, Speer, make HBWC bullets for reloading

Dave, have you tried the Lapua .314 98gr HBWC? It's what I'm currently using. Every where I look for the Speer bullets, they are sold out / back ordered.

Mike, I have tried the Lapua .314 98 gr HBWC, didn't shoot very accurately in the ransom rest.

The Speer Plinkers are becoming popular and recently seemed completely out of stock.  Then, a couple weeks ago I got notices from several places I had backordered from that they had them. I purchased 10k from Dillon, Hinterland  also has (had) them.

When I purchased the Lapua they cost more than double the Speer:shock:

I went ahead and ordered a 1000 count of the Speer bullets to give them a try. You're correct, the Speer where half the price of the Lapua that I bought a few months ago. I found the Speer at LG Outdoors. Hopefully they shoot good without having to "bump" them in a sizing press.

Other than the Lapua, I did try some .312 hard cast from a local bullet caster. I'm not going to mention his business name. Those things were horrible for accuracy. Still have 400 pcs, and I have no idea what to do with them. Maybe find a cowboy action shooter I could give them to?