My S & W 32 Pocket Rocket !!

sltm1 · September 29, 2011, 06:25 PM

I bought this gun about 3 weeks ago and just received some bullets I ordered yesterday, Now I've been told that this is an underachiever because of the powder load, but I beg to differ. Using and 85g slug and 4g of Tripple 7, I punched holes in a 1/2 inch thick phonebook like nobodys business!!! I mean through, and vanished into the backstop !! With correct shot placement I think this would put a "bunch-o-hurt" on anyone.

mykeal · September 29, 2011, 07:34 PM

4 grains of 777?

sltm1 · September 29, 2011, 08:19 PM

Mykeal, that's what the guy I bought the cartridges said. These are shorts, if I pour in 5g off Goex I'd have to compress the powder to seat the bullet (I checked). In the future, I'll be reloading with Goex fff which won't be quite as hot a load if that's what you were questioning. This gun is in like new condition, mechanically and cosmetically so I'm not worried about wrecking it with the 777.

Newton24b · October 2, 2011, 02:52 PM

these cast bullets not much for expanding, but penetration is always vital to a fun day at the range. its funny that people who use the old loads are amazed at the penetration.

Magnum Wheel Man · October 3, 2011, 10:07 AM

I have a couple just like it, & so far Trailboss is my prefered powder... nice looking gun BTW

sltm1 · October 3, 2011, 11:21 AM

Magnum Wheel Man, if you'd be so kind, educate me on the benefit's of TrailBoss.
1. Cleaner?
2. Grains per case?
3. FPS equivalent to 777 or Goex?
4. Anything else that comes to mind?
Thanx.

Magnum Wheel Man · October 3, 2011, 11:35 AM

1)... much cleaner, as well as non corrosive
2)... as little as 0.5 up to... ( it's a very bulky powder & should not be compressed, so case size & bullet used are max limiting factors )
3)... probably a little slower, but then I've never chonoed Goex or 777
4)... I have 3 loads I load in 32 S&W, pop gun "check out the revolver" loads, use 0.5 grains of TB, & a Hornady soft lead round ball... these work great in any gun that's even remotely safe to shoot... 2nd load uses 0.7 grains of TB, with a light weight cast bullet, these shoot nice, & give me target grade accuracy, though the sights are not target grade

... 3rd load I only use occasionally, & are my carry loads... a bit heavier cast bullet, & as full as I can fill the case, without compressing ( never compress Trailboss )

I collect pocket black powder revolvers, & have around 3 dozen different calibers, makes & models & barrel lengths... BTW... the S&W model 1.5 ( like you have pictured ) is one of my favorites

sltm1 · October 3, 2011, 05:07 PM

Magnum, thanks for the reply, but I'm a bit confused. The decimal point's in front of the numbers aren't talking about "parts" of a grain right? This S & W is my only pocket gun....that I really like. I waited over a year for the right one to come up on auction at the right price. It's 97+% all around and as tight as....well you pick the analogy. I am thinking it's a dandy carry gun. The only problem is that it takes 3 distinct moves to get it out of the front pocket of my jeans. Just gonna have to put in some practice.

Magnum Wheel Man · October 3, 2011, 05:12 PM

Trailboss is very bulky, it doesn't take much in these tiny cases... I also carry one like yours at times... but prefer a holster, to pocket carry... I made this one just for my S&W snubbie, it's ostrich leg leather

since I was carrying it alot, I made up these grips, to keep the hard rubber grips from wearing or getting damaged... same gun wearing a set of laminated, Jay Scott ( 60's) grips with a set of new nickel S&W medallions I added before mounting them on the gun...

also have another 32 spur trigger with the S&W "red" grips, & several 38 S&W's one long barrel ( 5" ) wears a set of pearl S&W medallion grips

there are several interesting double actions.... this one is nearly as old as the spur triggers, comes from Harrington & Richardson & is a manual hand ejector double action 32 S&W ( some say that "real" shooters of the era prefered the hand ejectors over the auto ejecting, as they had more control & got more positive extraction... note how far the extractor moves, compared to one of the auto ejecting )... I've had both my 32's & 38's ejector snap down over a spent shell that did not extract properly... in fact I qualified with my 38 S&W snubbie spur trigger, this last time & had that happen while qualifying... but because I shoot them alot, & had that happen several times, I was able to free up the by-passed case & get shooting pretty quickly ( the instructor was impressed anyway

) anyway... here's my 32 hand ejector... I also have a match to this in 38

sltm1 · October 3, 2011, 07:57 PM

I learned my lesson about shells not fully extracting and falling back in with an Uberti Schofield. I always turn this pistol upside down when removing the cases for that reason. I like the holster for the snubbie. Was that done after market, or did the gunsmith cut right through the lettering on the top of the bbl? If I come across another S&W I think I'll bob the barrel on it. I've got and 1963 Pocket Remington repro I did that to on GB right now. Here's a pic.

Magnum Wheel Man · October 4, 2011, 06:04 AM

my 32 was cut short long long ago ( the barrel & new front sight were re-nickeled , at the time of shortening, & the condition matches the frame, which is in "good / typical shape" for it's age... I had my local smith do a model #2 38 S&W that was solid mechanically, but in poor cosmetic shape, to match my 32... however I had him go over the sight rib ( or what was left of it ) with a checkering file, to give it a ribbed texture, & eliminate what was left of the lettering... that gun will be going to Fords refinishing for polish & new nickel some time this next year

October 3, 2011, 10:07 AM	#5
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	I have a couple just like it, & so far Trailboss is my prefered powder... nice looking gun BTW __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust...

October 3, 2011, 11:35 AM	#7
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	1)... much cleaner, as well as non corrosive 2)... as little as 0.5 up to... ( it's a very bulky powder & should not be compressed, so case size & bullet used are max limiting factors ) 3)... probably a little slower, but then I've never chonoed Goex or 777 4)... I have 3 loads I load in 32 S&W, pop gun "check out the revolver" loads, use 0.5 grains of TB, & a Hornady soft lead round ball... these work great in any gun that's even remotely safe to shoot... 2nd load uses 0.7 grains of TB, with a light weight cast bullet, these shoot nice, & give me target grade accuracy, though the sights are not target grade ... 3rd load I only use occasionally, & are my carry loads... a bit heavier cast bullet, & as full as I can fill the case, without compressing ( never compress Trailboss ) I collect pocket black powder revolvers, & have around 3 dozen different calibers, makes & models & barrel lengths... BTW... the S&W model 1.5 ( like you have pictured ) is one of my favorites __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust...

October 3, 2011, 05:12 PM	#9
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	Trailboss is very bulky, it doesn't take much in these tiny cases... I also carry one like yours at times... but prefer a holster, to pocket carry... I made this one just for my S&W snubbie, it's ostrich leg leather since I was carrying it alot, I made up these grips, to keep the hard rubber grips from wearing or getting damaged... same gun wearing a set of laminated, Jay Scott ( 60's) grips with a set of new nickel S&W medallions I added before mounting them on the gun... also have another 32 spur trigger with the S&W "red" grips, & several 38 S&W's one long barrel ( 5" ) wears a set of pearl S&W medallion grips there are several interesting double actions.... this one is nearly as old as the spur triggers, comes from Harrington & Richardson & is a manual hand ejector double action 32 S&W ( some say that "real" shooters of the era prefered the hand ejectors over the auto ejecting, as they had more control & got more positive extraction... note how far the extractor moves, compared to one of the auto ejecting )... I've had both my 32's & 38's ejector snap down over a spent shell that did not extract properly... in fact I qualified with my 38 S&W snubbie spur trigger, this last time & had that happen while qualifying... but because I shoot them alot, & had that happen several times, I was able to free up the by-passed case & get shooting pretty quickly ( the instructor was impressed anyway ) anyway... here's my 32 hand ejector... I also have a match to this in 38 __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust... Last edited by Magnum Wheel Man; October 3, 2011 at 05:47 PM.

October 4, 2011, 06:04 AM	#11
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	my 32 was cut short long long ago ( the barrel & new front sight were re-nickeled , at the time of shortening, & the condition matches the frame, which is in "good / typical shape" for it's age... I had my local smith do a model #2 38 S&W that was solid mechanically, but in poor cosmetic shape, to match my 32... however I had him go over the sight rib ( or what was left of it ) with a checkering file, to give it a ribbed texture, & eliminate what was left of the lettering... that gun will be going to Fords refinishing for polish & new nickel some time this next year __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust...

September 29, 2011, 07:34 PM	#2
mykeal Senior Member Join Date: October 8, 2006 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 2,772	4 grains of 777?

September 29, 2011, 08:19 PM	#3
sltm1 Senior Member Join Date: February 25, 2009 Location: Idaho Posts: 353	Mykeal, that's what the guy I bought the cartridges said. These are shorts, if I pour in 5g off Goex I'd have to compress the powder to seat the bullet (I checked). In the future, I'll be reloading with Goex fff which won't be quite as hot a load if that's what you were questioning. This gun is in like new condition, mechanically and cosmetically so I'm not worried about wrecking it with the 777.

October 2, 2011, 02:52 PM	#4
Newton24b Junior member Join Date: February 10, 2009 Posts: 974	these cast bullets not much for expanding, but penetration is always vital to a fun day at the range. its funny that people who use the old loads are amazed at the penetration.

October 3, 2011, 11:21 AM	#6
sltm1 Senior Member Join Date: February 25, 2009 Location: Idaho Posts: 353	Magnum Wheel Man, if you'd be so kind, educate me on the benefit's of TrailBoss. 1. Cleaner? 2. Grains per case? 3. FPS equivalent to 777 or Goex? 4. Anything else that comes to mind? Thanx.

October 3, 2011, 05:07 PM	#8
sltm1 Senior Member Join Date: February 25, 2009 Location: Idaho Posts: 353	Magnum, thanks for the reply, but I'm a bit confused. The decimal point's in front of the numbers aren't talking about "parts" of a grain right? This S & W is my only pocket gun....that I really like. I waited over a year for the right one to come up on auction at the right price. It's 97+% all around and as tight as....well you pick the analogy. I am thinking it's a dandy carry gun. The only problem is that it takes 3 distinct moves to get it out of the front pocket of my jeans. Just gonna have to put in some practice.