Reloading .32ACP Question

centralpadoug · May 5, 2002, 11:45 AM

I've been reloading .45 and 9mm successfully for some time. I will begin reloading .32 ACP. Any issues I should be aware of as I add this caliber to my reloading activities?

Thank you in advance for any guidance you can offer.

Shoney · May 5, 2002, 12:29 PM

Pray for dexterity and patience.

Jason Demond · May 5, 2002, 04:03 PM

A real good set of reloading dies.

**Mike Irwin** · May 5, 2002, 04:45 PM

Get yourself a set of smooth-faced hemostats or pickups. They will make handling the bullets a lot less "painful" as you won't get your fingers pinched.

johnwill · May 5, 2002, 08:38 PM

I tried loading .32ACP one time, and Mike is right about the fingers! I haven't attempted it again, I don't shoot enough .32ACP to go to the trouble of loading it. I am saving the brass, never know when I might change my mind...

telewinz · May 5, 2002, 08:54 PM

Years ago I had a Savage 1907 .32 and a Beretta Model 90(?). I handloaded for both using a 1970's Hornaty reloading manual. The loads were quite hot by U.S. standards but equaled any European load which equals the .380 in energy. The Savage did fine but after about 400 rounds the alloy framed Beretta 90 was getting a litle loose so I got rid of it. I used cast 93 grain lead bullets, velocity was around 900 ft, accuracy was very good with lite felt recoil. With the advent of the P-32 I'm thinking about using the .32 again. It can have alot of power for such a small package.

David Wile · May 8, 2002, 01:01 AM

Hey folks,

I don't want to hear any complaints about 32s until you have tried loading 25 autos. They are both tough.

With 32 Auto, I had trouble with PMC brass. After sizing the brass and expanding the neck as usual, I found that bullets seated in PMC brass made the cases bulge out as far as the bullet was seated. No, I did not have the wrong size bullets. This only happened with PMC brass, and the finished rounds would not chamber in several 32 guns. I did not have this problem with Remington and Winchester brass, so I chalked it up to the PMC cases being somewhat thicker than the American brass. I did not measure the thickness of the PMC brass; I just chucked it as undesireable.

Loading the little ones can be a challenge.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

braindead0 · May 8, 2002, 08:53 AM

Probably have the same issued I have loading .380, getting a good crimp without crumpling the brass is very tough.

I have a feeling I'm going to switch to seperate seating and crimping operations.

dntorbert · May 8, 2002, 05:47 PM

I recently read about a round that should be even more of a finger pincher

it is a 32acp necked to take 25 bullets....iirc the little 25 hollowpoints opened up to .45 diameter with the added velocity...but could you imageing loading a bottle neck round that small

centralpadoug · May 10, 2002, 11:23 PM

Thank you for the good info...I assume that the low pressure of the .32 will allow the brass to go a number of reloads...any opinions?

Anyone have any .32 brass they want to unload on me.

May 5, 2002, 11:45 AM	#1
centralpadoug Member Join Date: February 12, 2001 Location: Capital Region Pennsylvania Posts: 73	Reloading .32ACP Question I've been reloading .45 and 9mm successfully for some time. I will begin reloading .32 ACP. Any issues I should be aware of as I add this caliber to my reloading activities? Thank you in advance for any guidance you can offer.

May 5, 2002, 04:03 PM	#3
Jason Demond Senior Member Join Date: May 10, 1999 Location: Mivonks, Michigan Posts: 1,846	A real good set of reloading dies. __________________ "ACCEPT NOTHING LESS THAN FULL VICTORY!" General Dwight D. Eisenhower June 6, 1944 ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ!

May 5, 2002, 04:45 PM	#4
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 14, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,642	Get yourself a set of smooth-faced hemostats or pickups. They will make handling the bullets a lot less "painful" as you won't get your fingers pinched. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

May 8, 2002, 01:01 AM	#7
David Wile Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2001 Location: Mechanicsburg, PA Posts: 585	You think 32 is bad? You ought to try 25! Hey folks, I don't want to hear any complaints about 32s until you have tried loading 25 autos. They are both tough. With 32 Auto, I had trouble with PMC brass. After sizing the brass and expanding the neck as usual, I found that bullets seated in PMC brass made the cases bulge out as far as the bullet was seated. No, I did not have the wrong size bullets. This only happened with PMC brass, and the finished rounds would not chamber in several 32 guns. I did not have this problem with Remington and Winchester brass, so I chalked it up to the PMC cases being somewhat thicker than the American brass. I did not measure the thickness of the PMC brass; I just chucked it as undesireable. Loading the little ones can be a challenge. Best wishes, Dave Wile

May 5, 2002, 12:29 PM	#2
Shoney Senior Member Join Date: February 21, 2002 Location: Transplanted from Montana Posts: 2,311	Pray for dexterity and patience.

May 5, 2002, 08:38 PM	#5
johnwill Senior Member Join Date: April 6, 2000 Location: PA Posts: 3,451	I tried loading .32ACP one time, and Mike is right about the fingers! I haven't attempted it again, I don't shoot enough .32ACP to go to the trouble of loading it. I am saving the brass, never know when I might change my mind...

May 5, 2002, 08:54 PM	#6
telewinz Junior member Join Date: April 21, 2002 Location: South East Ohio Posts: 399	Years ago I had a Savage 1907 .32 and a Beretta Model 90(?). I handloaded for both using a 1970's Hornaty reloading manual. The loads were quite hot by U.S. standards but equaled any European load which equals the .380 in energy. The Savage did fine but after about 400 rounds the alloy framed Beretta 90 was getting a litle loose so I got rid of it. I used cast 93 grain lead bullets, velocity was around 900 ft, accuracy was very good with lite felt recoil. With the advent of the P-32 I'm thinking about using the .32 again. It can have alot of power for such a small package.

May 8, 2002, 08:53 AM	#8
braindead0 Senior Member Join Date: February 28, 2002 Location: Canton, Oh Posts: 896	Probably have the same issued I have loading .380, getting a good crimp without crumpling the brass is very tough. I have a feeling I'm going to switch to seperate seating and crimping operations.

May 8, 2002, 05:47 PM	#9
dntorbert Member Join Date: July 20, 2001 Location: ALABAMA Posts: 78	I recently read about a round that should be even more of a finger pincher it is a 32acp necked to take 25 bullets....iirc the little 25 hollowpoints opened up to .45 diameter with the added velocity...but could you imageing loading a bottle neck round that small

May 10, 2002, 11:23 PM	#10
centralpadoug Member Join Date: February 12, 2001 Location: Capital Region Pennsylvania Posts: 73	Thank you for the good info...I assume that the low pressure of the .32 will allow the brass to go a number of reloads...any opinions? Anyone have any .32 brass they want to unload on me.