Hand loading the 32-20 revolver part two

Hi all, well you folks recommending the small rifle primers were right, at least with 2400. With small pistol magnum primers I was still getting inconsistent ignition with 2400 with poor accuracy so I went with CCI-450 and Remington 7 1/2 primers. Much better ignition and accuracy but still not quite what I wanted. With the Rainier .312" 100gr plated bullet I tried 2400, Bullseye and Tight group with no joy. Then loading 4.5gr of Unique with a Federal 100 primer and a firm crimp, joy was found, nice tight groups (for me with the challenging sights on the M&P) spot on the POA at least at fifteen yards. Now I need to load up and check it at twenty five yards. I am only neck sizeing the Starline brass as this S&W M&P should be my one and only 32-20 and doing so seems to work. If this works out I don't think I'm going to gear up for casting for this little beastie as I really don't think I'm going to shoot it enough to justify the cost. My thanks to all for the advise on the previous post!

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Originally Posted by Vulcan Bob

Hi all, well you folks recommending the small rifle primers were right, at least with 2400. With small pistol magnum primers I was still getting inconsistent ignition with 2400 with poor accuracy so I went with CCI-450 and Remington 7 1/2 primers. Much better ignition and accuracy but still not quite what I wanted. With the Rainier .312" 100gr plated bullet I tried 2400, Bullseye and Tight group with no joy. Then loading 4.5gr of Unique with a Federal 100 primer and a firm crimp, joy was found, nice tight groups (for me with the challenging sights on the M&P) spot on the POA at least at fifteen yards. Now I need to load up and check it at twenty five yards. I am only neck sizeing the Starline brass as this S&W M&P should be my one and only 32-20 and doing so seems to work. If this works out I don't think I'm going to gear up for casting for this little beastie as I really don't think I'm going to shoot it enough to justify the cost. My thanks to all for the advise on the previous post!

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Loading just a few rounds for a fun gun like your 32-20? That's going to be like getting a little bit pregnant... you can't do it! Looking forward to the next chapter in your saga. :mrgreen:

Froggie

In case it has not been brought up, it is very important to trim all the cases to the same length. Starline is the shortest. Winchester is about 1/16" longer. R-P is the longest at about 1/8" from the Starline. Unless they are made the same length, the crimp will be different and the accuracy will be poor. Once I learned that, it was much easier to make accurate loads for the 32-20 in a handgun.

The best powder I have found for handguns (from Ken waters) is SR4756. The next best powder is Unique. Everything is downhill from there. For rifles, I use 2400. I use different bullets for the rifle and the handgun to make sure they are not mixed up.

What Harry said, several times over. With the apparent departure of SR-4756 from IMR's lineup, I'm going to give Unique some work to do in this caliber. I don't see Alliant doing away with Unique anytime soon......I've tried Herco in 32-20 revolver rounds with some success, its burn rate seems close to that of SR-4756--though IIRC it showed wider velocity variations.

Primers.......Rem #7-1/2 might be a bit much for cartridges this size, having been developed for use in 222/223/222 Mag calibers. Rem's #6-1/2 primers have REALLY improved downrange work for me in 22 Hornet--25-20--30 Carbine--and 32-20 caliber rifles. The #6-1/2 cap was optimized for cartridges of this size and powder capacity.

One other important thing. Get a Lee 32-20 Factory Crimp Die. It makes a big difference.

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Originally Posted by Harry O

One other important thing. Get a Lee 32-20 Factory Crimp Die. It makes a big difference.

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More truth in this than in two Clinton's if you boiled them.

Hey there, I came up with the 2400 load in Ken Waters article on 32-20 revolvers in his "Pet Load" book and also distained my trusty Unique from the same article! Just goes to show how different firearms treat the same loads! The mag small rifle primers worked quite well with the eight grain 2400 load and I feel they just managed to ignite the powder consistently, perhaps the small diameter case with the "tall" powder column required a bit extra oomph. I am going to find some SR4756 and give it a go as well, if it works well will have to stock up a bit! And I am using the Lee factory crimp die, I for one like them and use them for all my straight case revolver cartridges and for the 45-70 as well. I'm using the Starline brass and measured a lot of em and trimmed my cases to the shortest length found for consistency, will have to find some other brands and give them a go as well. Boy I found out one thing, you cant sweep up floor stuff, dump it in a case, pound a bullet on top and expect good performance from this little fellow!

You might want to consider AA#9 (9 grains) starting with a regular small pistol primer first. I have had wonderful luck with AA#9 in my 32-20, 327 and 32 H&R.

Plus 1 on the AA#9. The 32-20 is like the .45 colt in that you have a large capacity, low pressure case that doesn't seem to like any powder. This unless you go magnum (and pay for it in case life). The AA#9 fills the cases in a .32 cal. revolter, and will keep up with H110 and 296 without having to be compressed (and it can still be loaded down). It likes heavy boolits for better burning. Anybody tried Blue Dot in the 32-20?

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Originally Posted by leftiye

Plus 1 on the AA#9. The 32-20 is like the .45 colt in that you have a large capacity, low pressure case that doesn't seem to like any powder. This unless you go magnum (and pay for it in case life). The AA#9 fills the cases in a .32 cal. revolter, and will keep up with H110 and 296 without having to be compressed (and it can still be loaded down). It likes heavy boolits for better burning. Anybody tried Blue Dot in the 32-20?

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What kind of weight are you using in those 32-20s with #9, leftiye? I've got some surplus powder (a BUNCH of H-108) that is identical to #9 in every application where it has been tried so far. It works quite well for warm to hot loads in my 327 Fed Mag, but I hadn't thought of it for my S&W 32-20 M&P or my Navy Arms/Uberti SAA copy. I'm not sure how much I want to push the envelope on either of these. :shock:

Froggie

Depends on what gun you are shooting as to whether you can use it. It won't burn clean (probly not consistent either) if you load it down much. Heavy boolits, hotter primers help, but you aren't gonna be able to make loads mild enough for the older, weaker guns. Not for great grandpa's 32-20. In .32 H&R mag, .327 mag, and hotter than hades (I don't shoot these, I just carry them).32 S&W long loads it shines.

I like Elmer's 2400 load (10.0 grs.) but only in stronger guns. See Paco Kelley's article. Sorting out the 32-20 is all about the strength of the guns, and developing higher velocity /for lower pressure loads. A lot of the good powders for this - HS-7, Alcan#5, 4759, have been discontinued.

AA#5 is my goto powder with standard small pistol primers 98gr rcbs swc mold, running 800+ out of my 1919 vintage S&W .32wcf :)