Anyone reload 32 ACP?

[dlb435]

I've got one old 32 ACP and have never reloaded for it. It only gets used about once a year. I've been reluctant to even try to reload for it. The cases are tiny and it only gets about 2.4 gr of powder.
Has anyone reloaded for 32 ACP. What kind of probelms did you have?

[DavidAGO]

I have, mainly just to do it.The biggest problem I have had is collecting the spent brass; it is small and hard to find, and my wife's PPK spits it out all over the place. When you have to buy new brass, the economics of it do not work, it is pretty cheap to buy factory rounds.

As far as reloading it goes, it is pretty straightforward, the small powder charge is no harder to meter than a larger one. I did check the powder charge pretty often while reloading the first few batches, but now I only check the charge like I do any pistol caliber, about every 10 or 15 rounds.

DavidAGO

[Rangefinder]

I reload for mine, AND what I reload are hand cast. It was a little slower going at first--like you said, tiny case, small capacity, gotta make sure everything it just right... Then after firing the first couple magazines and seeing how smooth and tight everything was grouping, it was the needed assurance that it was no different than my other handguns---load 'em and fire 'em.

I'm using a 93gr hard cast RN over 2.2gr. Red Dot. That combo is both smoother firing AND more accurate than any factory load I've put through it.

EDIT: 2.2 Red Dot is my 73gr. load. 93gr load is 1.6gr Red Dot!!!

[Clark]

CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The Firing Line, nor the staff of TFL assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.

I did some experimental work ups in my Kel-Tec P32 32acp.
The case web is only .15" thick and the feed ramp intruded .25", so with .1" of thin unsupported case wall, I should get guppy belly case bulges a little over max published loads, right? Wrong. The inside diameter of the case is small, so the stress is small.

I was told that the tangential stress in the wall of an infinitely long tube would be s= [inside diameter][pressure]/ [2[wall thickness]].


I asked my father, a chief engineer over 150 engineers and draftsmen designing military guns and vehicles for 40 years, how he knew that. He yelled at me, "BY INSPECTION!".

What does all that mean?
I could put double loads in the poor support P32 and still ok.
If I welded up the feed ramp, I could put triple loads in there.
But with a muzzle extension, a welded feed ramp, triple loads and 110 gr [heavy] bullets, the biggest recoil springs that would fit were not enough, and I sheared off the ejector in the P32. Too much recoil for the tiny gun.

So when I found an old heavy Spanish 32acp for $30 with no magazine, I made a different old magazine fit by milling out a large bottom plate.

I measured the chamber support by putting an empty case in the chamber and scribing an outline of the feed ramp with a needle. I measured the chamber wall thickness. I knew this 80 year old piece of junk could take some extreme pressure on the first shot. No work up needed. Risk is the unknown, and I could see the future.

I was right about the pressure, but maybe milling parts and handloading 32acp was not the best use of my time.

[crowbeaner]

I do. Use CCI 500 primers, 2.0 of Titegroup and the 77 grain RCBS bullet. You might want to size the bullets to .309" to get them to feed in older guns because the .312" diameter makes a bulge in the middle of the case and they won't chamber.

[Scorch]

I did, one time. Never again. 2.5 gr of Bullseye (loaded with a Lee dipper set), jacketed bullet. My fingers are too big to handle the teeny cases. It was love (or a reasonable facsimile) that made me do it!

[Sid]

I have been reloading .32 ACP for many years. I used to collect old pocket pistols. A long time ago I was able to pick up 3000 fired cases for little money so economically it made sense. I am still using this original batch. The .32 ACP is a very low pressure cartridge which can be reloaded safely many times. I sold off my collection and now only reload it for my 1903 Colt. The load I use is 3.0 grains of AutoComp with a 71 grain FMJ bullet and this works very well. As another poster said, loading this round does not present any particular problems. Since commercial ammo is so low in price it really is not cost effective unless you already have a large stock of components as I do. I also have a Keltec P 32 which is my carry pistol. For this I use Fiocchi ammo which is the hottest standard load you can buy. You can get this for around $11.00 a box.

[chiefr]

I too reload this one. Pound of power seems to last forever. I do in on my Dillon 550.

[jal5]

No particular problems reloading this round other than the small size case which others have commented on already. Shoots fine out of my Mauser from WWII era and my Bayarde- Berrys 71g plated RN over small amt. of Bullseye. very accurate in both pistols.

Joe

[oneounceload]

The only problem with reloading 32ACP is finding your brass afterwards.

Just think of it as a very small 9mm in your technique

[crowbeaner]

Hey Sid; FYI- I wandered into White-Jones hardware a month ago and they wanted $35.00 a box for WW whitebox!!!!! OOOOWWWWW!!!!

[BKReloader]

Rocky Mountain Reloading has .32 Auto Federal Cartridge cases for sale!
http://shop.rmrbullets.com/32-Auto-32-ACP-Brass_c60.htm

[mwells72774]

There's threads on here.

I've done it with HP-38 and 00buck sized to .311 and .309. Accuracy was decent and recoil was beyond mild.

[FITASC]

The biggest problem I have had is collecting the spent brass

Exactly - what I did was lay out a big green army surplus wool blanket where they were landing - they blend in so well even with .22 brass

I used a single stage and it worked well. The 71 FMJ worked better in my PPK, than the Hornady soft lead

[gwpercle]

For a long time I reloaded for a Walther PPK in 32 acp. for the economics factor. Factory ammo was expensive and not real common.
Lyman mold #313249, cast a 85 grain round nose bullet of wheel weight alloy, sized to .312.
I made a powder scoop with a 22 short case, it would measure out 1.8 grains of 700X. This is 0.1 grain below the maximum load shown in the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook. The all steel Walther didn't have any trouble with this load, it would feed, fire and eject just like factory. But a whole lot cheaper!

Gary

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

1903 Colt here. 71 gr FMJ_ winchester's 231 is my choice of powder. Never encountered any problems. Performance: Feeds well. Shoots good. Has deeper penetration than a 38 Special. Hey I'm happy with mine.

[TimSr]

Considering this a 5 year old post, I'm guessing the OP has resolved his issues by now.

[CaptainO]

I believe that a good load for the .32 ACP is 2.2 grains of VVN310 behind a 71 grain FMJ bullet. This yields 1001 fps and 159 ft-lbs of energy at the muzzle. (this load beats the daylights out of most U.S. factory loads for the .32 ACP).

The round depends on penetration for use as an effective "thug repellent".

Works for me!

[Clark]

Looking at my 2003 notes..I got 110 gr book load to go through 1" of Douglas fir.
By increasing the Power Pistol powder charge I could get the same bullet to penetrate 5". At that point in the work up, the recoil on the slide broke off the ejector/slide stop in the welded up feed ramp Kel-Tec P32.

What got me out of reloading the 32acp was the introduction of the P3AT 380 on the same frame. The P32 could take more pressure, but is a smaller caliber.