Shooting .32 S&W Long Wadcutters out of .32 S&W (short) Revolver

[McShooty]

Some comments Found Father: No 32 Long cartridge will fit in a gun chambered for 32 short. A 32 S&W (short) chamber has a shoulder machined in the chamber at the length of the short case. Therefore, a 32 long case will not chamber because the end of the long case hits the shoulder at the end of the short chamber. That said, the Victor you have apparently bought has chambers bored straight through with no shoulders, an ill advised economy move. You will notice it also has no cylinder flutes. On the top strap, besides the "Victor" marking will be ".32 S&W Ctge." The bored through chambers will however take 32 short, 32 Long, and even .32 H&R Magnum shells but they are unusable because a bullet makes them too long. The Victor followed the earlier H&R American and was made in the range of about 1915 to 1920. It is a solid frame revolver with a fairly heavy frame, cylinder, and barrel. You can examine yours and decide what you ought to shoot in it.

[FoundFather]

Originally Posted by McShooty

On the top strap, besides the "Victor" marking will be ".32 S&W Ctge." The bored through chambers will however take 32 short, 32 Long, and even .32 H&R Magnum shells but they are unusable because a bullet makes them too long.

I think a true wadcutter will fit in the cylinder, we will (eventually) find out. You are correct about the markings.

Victor Top Strap.jpg

Victor Left Side Compressed.jpg

Victor Right Side Compress.jpg

For some reason I can't get the photos to display in the thread.

[JRR]

I wonder if RCBS makes a 32 short trim die?
Star line makes new brass but are out of stock at the moment. They have Long brass in stock.

[Jim Watson]

I wonder if RCBS knows.

[FoundFather]

Originally Posted by JRR

I wonder if RCBS makes a 32 short trim die?
Star line makes new brass but are out of stock at the moment. They have Long brass in stock.

I bought a box of black powder blanks and a box .32 S&W (dare I say it?.....Shorts!) so I will have a few cases to mess around with. Now all I need are all the other relaoding bits. Maybe I will win the lottery and find some small pistol primers!

[RoyceP]

Small pistol primers are in stock at Bass Pro Shop - you have to go there in person, no online orders. Small rifle works too if the firing pin is in good shape.

[FoundFather]

Originally Posted by RoyceP

Small pistol primers are in stock at Bass Pro Shop - you have to go there in person, no online orders. Small rifle works too if the firing pin is in good shape.

Not at mine! Seemed worth atry though. Drove a half hour to get to my nearest Bass Pro, then stood in line at hte ammo counter for another half hour in order to find out they had no primers in any size. Ammo / primer shortage still raging in Kaliforniastan, hope you guys appreciate how good you've got it.

Stopped by my local gun store on the way. They are closing down. Cost of compliance with kaliforniastan BS just too high. Someone else applied for a permit to open a new store nearby, city council enacted a "moratorium" on new gun stores to prevent it.

We got it bad!

[tangolima]

PM sent to OP.

-TL

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[FoundFather]

Repsonded to TL.

I was able to buy some CCI small pistol primers (and a few large ones) at a LGS today. (Not that local.)

Not cheap!!! I know posting what I paid would make the the old hands glad they bought 50,000 primers back when they were $0.03 each, but I think I better not post becasue some of the old hands are are, well.......old, and I might give soemtone a heart attack

At lease I have a few to play around with while I decide whetehr I am going to plunge all the way into relaoding.

[tangolima]

Even before the pandemic the price had climbed to $0.04 a primer. Now I take $0.08 as fair price. I doubt we will ever go below $0.05.

Glad you have found what you need to get started.

-TL

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