Need help with a load

TruthTellers · November 2, 2018, 04:35 PM

I bought 250 bullets of Berry's 71 grain .32 ACP FMJ bullets when they were on sale earlier this year and loaded them into .32 H&R Mag with 4.5 grains of Unique.

My crimping die is a roll crimp, not a taper crimp, so I couldn't put much crimp on the bullet. My results were a lot of smoke, sooty cases, and bad accuracy.

What can I do to get these loads to shoot better? Do I need to buy and use a .32 ACP crimp die? Would a .32 ACP taper crimp die work with such a long case?

reddog81 · November 2, 2018, 04:50 PM

My Lee 32 ACP dies for some reason have a roll crimp. i have no idea how common this is but beware... However a very light roll crimp is basically the same as a taper crimp

My Lyman #48 shows 4.5 to be a starting load. I wonder if more would help get better case seal? What are the diameter of the bullets and the cylinder throats? Any idea on the bore diameter?

I've measured 32 ACP bullets and they range from .309 to .312 for jacketed. I imagine shooting .309 bullets through a revolver with a .312 throat and barrel is going to result in poor accuracy no matter what kind of crimp you use.

TruthTellers · November 2, 2018, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reddog81

My Lee 32 ACP dies for some reason have a roll crimp. i have no idea how common this is but beware... However a very light roll crimp is basically the same as a taper crimp

My Lyman #48 shows 4.5 to be a starting load. I wonder if more would help get better case seal? What are the diameter of the bullets and the cylinder throats? Any idea on the bore diameter?

I've measured 32 ACP bullets and they range from .309 to .312 for jacketed. I imagine shooting .309 bullets through a revolver with a .312 throat and barrel is going to result in poor accuracy no matter what kind of crimp you use.

Shooting them out of a Henry .327 Big Boy and I have no idea what groove diameter is for that, the .32 revolver I have is .3125-.313" and the bullets are .312.

IIRC, the bore diameter was .311 or .312. I have a round ball that was squibed in the revolver barrel last year, but don't know for sure what the groove diameter is.

gwpercle · November 2, 2018, 06:08 PM

The 32 acp taper crimp die should work just fine with the 32 mag cases. A firm taper crimp should help with the burning. Unique needs some pressure to burn clean, insufficient crimp is probably causing the incomplete burn .

If shooting out of a rifle bump that charge up to 5.0 or 5.5 grains of Unique the extra pressure will help. I always had some incomplete burning with Unique when I went below 5.0 grains in handgun loads .

I use a 9mm Luger taper crimp die to load smooth sided cast bullets in both 38 special and 357 magnum. The shorter die and longer cases work like a charm....Go for it !
Gary

TruthTellers · November 2, 2018, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gwpercle

The 32 acp taper crimp die should work just fine with the 32 mag cases. A firm taper crimp should help with the burning. Unique needs some pressure to burn clean, insufficient crimp is probably causing the incomplete burn .

If shooting out of a rifle bump that charge up to 5.0 or 5.5 grains of Unique the extra pressure will help. I always had some incomplete burning with Unique when I went below 5.0 grains in handgun loads .

I use a 9mm Luger taper crimp die to load smooth sided cast bullets in both 38 special and 357 magnum. The shorter die and longer cases work like a charm....Go for it !
Gary

Yeah, but were you loading Unique in .32 cases? The case capacity of .32 vs .38/.357 is significantly different.

I do think a taper crimp die is necessary to get the most out of this, I'll think about getting one.

November 2, 2018, 04:35 PM	#1
TruthTellers Senior Member Join Date: October 22, 2016 Posts: 3,890	Need help with a load I bought 250 bullets of Berry's 71 grain .32 ACP FMJ bullets when they were on sale earlier this year and loaded them into .32 H&R Mag with 4.5 grains of Unique. My crimping die is a roll crimp, not a taper crimp, so I couldn't put much crimp on the bullet. My results were a lot of smoke, sooty cases, and bad accuracy. What can I do to get these loads to shoot better? Do I need to buy and use a .32 ACP crimp die? Would a .32 ACP taper crimp die work with such a long case? __________________ "We always think there's gonna be more time... then it runs out."

November 2, 2018, 04:50 PM	#2
reddog81 Senior Member Join Date: October 16, 2014 Location: Iowa Posts: 1,635	My Lee 32 ACP dies for some reason have a roll crimp. i have no idea how common this is but beware... However a very light roll crimp is basically the same as a taper crimp My Lyman #48 shows 4.5 to be a starting load. I wonder if more would help get better case seal? What are the diameter of the bullets and the cylinder throats? Any idea on the bore diameter? I've measured 32 ACP bullets and they range from .309 to .312 for jacketed. I imagine shooting .309 bullets through a revolver with a .312 throat and barrel is going to result in poor accuracy no matter what kind of crimp you use.

November 2, 2018, 06:08 PM	#4
gwpercle Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 2012 Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana Posts: 1,752	The 32 acp taper crimp die should work just fine with the 32 mag cases. A firm taper crimp should help with the burning. Unique needs some pressure to burn clean, insufficient crimp is probably causing the incomplete burn . If shooting out of a rifle bump that charge up to 5.0 or 5.5 grains of Unique the extra pressure will help. I always had some incomplete burning with Unique when I went below 5.0 grains in handgun loads . I use a 9mm Luger taper crimp die to load smooth sided cast bullets in both 38 special and 357 magnum. The shorter die and longer cases work like a charm....Go for it ! Gary