Question: .32 S&W Long Carry Ammunition

[GEM38]

Does anyone actually carry the .32 S&W Long cartridge? If so, what is your preferred bullet profile ... JHP, SWC, WC, and or??? Or do you consider the .32 S&W Long underpowered as compared to the .32 H&R Magnum round.

[105kw]

I don't carry a 32 S&W long, but a hunting partner of mine has used one for years.
Most factory ammo is going to be LRN. Not the best, it beats throwing rocks. Any gun is better than none.
Buffalo Bore makes 2 loads for 32 long. A 100gr wadcutter, and a 115gr flat point.
I like Buffalo Bore, and have had good results with their 38 Special ammo. In a good gun I would use this.

[Shoots Left]

Most of the guns that are available today and can fire 32 long cartridges are snubbies or otherwise short barreled affairs. At least that I’m aware of.

That being the case the projectile is likely exiting the barrel at a whopping 700fps or so. If there are any HPs available out there I’d personally avoid those for self-defense as I seriously doubt that they would have any expansion at those velocities and could well be hindered by heavy winter clothes. I’d want as much penetration as I can get out of this round and I don’t believe that a HP in 32 long would perform as well as a wad cutter or round nose.

My 2¢

[reteach]

I don't carry my LCRX loaded with .32 S&W Long. But I practice with .32 Long. I have shot a lot of Fiocchi fmj .32 and it has been very consistent in my use. It's hard to find these days and I can't find any tests that show its penetration.

Lucky Gunner has done a lot of tests on various ammo. In their section on .32 S&W Long, with a 1.9 inch barrel, Magtech's 98 gr. semi-jacketed hollow point averages 12.6 inches of penetration. Sellier and Bellot has a 100 grain lead round nose that averages 14.9 inches. The Magtech is slightly faster than the S&B, but did not show any expansion in their tests. One of those might do for you.

https://www.luckygunner.com/labs/poc...esults/#32Long

[GEM38]

@reteach
Thanks for reply. I checked out the Lucky Gunner Gel Test for the .32 S&W Long.

Test Firearm: Ruger LCR with 1.9" Barrel Length.
Medium: Clear Ballistics Synthetic Gel
Barrier: 4 Layers of Denim
Cartridge: Magtech .32 S&W Long 98 gr LWC

Results:
5 shot ave. Penetration = 13.7"
5 shot ave. Velocity = 650 fps.
5 shot ave. Bullet Diameter = .32"

It appears to me that the .32 S&W Long Cartridge with the Wadcutter bullet looks to be a viable self-defense round... albeit the gel test revealed a 5 five round ave velocity @ 650 fps! Buffalo Bore Ammunition might be the way to go for a little more oomph in the .32 Long wadcutter configuration.

[reteach]

GEM38
In my reading wadcutters get very good reviews when used in .32 S&W Long. Seems like there is another thread here about carrying .32s in which someone suggested carrying the gun loaded with wadcutters and keeping a speed loader or speed strip loaded with round nose to make reloading the gun easier. That seems like a reasonable idea.

[Bill DeShivs]

In theory, you COULD use a good .32 acp hollow point-if they work reliably in your gun.
.32 acp is loaded hotter than .32 long.

[Mannlicher]

You really do t get much with any of the .32 revolver cartridges.

[jreidthompson]

Long thread with a lot of info

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...-a-man-stopper

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[Drm50]

The .32 S&W Long and 32acp were used by many police in US & Europe. The 32/ 7.65mm autos were also used by European militaries. They worked fairly well on normal humans.
I guess those cranked on dope are harder to knock down. At any rate they aren’t toys and the 32 S&W Long had excellent accuracy reputation.

[Super Sneaky Steve]

Buffalo Bore has some ammo for the Colt New Police. Not safe for a top break.
https://www.buffalobore.com/index.ph...uct_list&c=141

100gr wadcutter at 900fps

115gr flat point at 800fps

[HighValleyRanch]

Long thread with a lot of info

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...-a-man-stopper

Quite a long read, but it was one of the more intelligent, well articulated and polite debates on a forum that I have seen in a very long time regarding caliber selection!

The buffalo bore .32 long load would have been my choice had I gotten the smith 30-1 (which I decided to not purchase because I already have so many .38/.357 and live in the woods)

[GEM38]

jreidthompson:
Thanks a million for posting the related link and thread https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...-a-man-stopper. I found it very informative.

HighValleyRanch:
"Quite a long read, but it was one of the more intelligent, well articulated and polite debates on a forum that I have seen in a very long time regarding caliber selection!"

I concur with your assessment.

SuperSneakySteve:
Thanks for heads up on the BuffaloBore .32 Long loads. Much appreciated.

[Outpost75]

Gun Sam has a recent video on YouTube where he tested Federal Hydra-Shok .32 ACP and .380 ACP in a Keltec P32 and a Ruger LCP. Proves the point that if JHPs are fragile enough to expand from a barrel shorter than 3 inches that penetration is inadequate. He fired both bare gel and a heavy clothing simulation with 1/4" medium density fibreboard to approximate a sternum.

The .380 did much better than the .32 and penetrated 11-14" so is adequate.

The .32 ACP expanded but only penetrated 6-9 inches. Completely unsatisfactory.

Reinforces the conventional wisdom it is best to stick with FMJ in the .32 ACP.

[GEM38]

Outpost75
..."Reinforces the conventional wisdom it is best to stick with FMJ in the .32 ACP."

Definitely agree, but I would rather limit the .32 ACP round to a semi-auto only.

As for the .32 ACP, it may or may not be the best choice when it comes to reliability when fired out of a revolver. I think one is much better off with a "rimmed" cartridge .32 S&W Long and Short. In my case, the .32 S&W long is the primary focus.

[9ballbilly]

I love .32's and have been CC'ing one of the new 632UC J frames for a couple months now, always loaded with magnum ammunition.

The niche .32 long (and .32 S&W) fill for me is general pest control in my old Ruger single-six.

If I was going to carry .32 long in the J frame I would choose Buffalo Bore 100gr. hard cast WC's.

Just my $.02

[rodfac]

I regularly walk my pointer along our farm road and through the adjacent meadows carrying a Colt Police Positive in .32 New Police (same as .32 Long). There aren't many threats out that-a-way, but it's accounted for one skunk.

My load is RCBS' 32-98 LSWC over 2.5 gr of Bullseye for ~750 fps from its 4" bbl. My notes say I got the load from an Outpost75 posting years ago...and it's a good one. Offhand, SA at 7 yds it gives me quarter sized groups. Here's the gun and my holster for it. Best regards, Rod

[Outpost75]

Firing .32 ACP in a revolver chambered for the .32 S&W Long really doesn't work very well.

The base of the bullet clears the case mouth before entering the cylinder throat to create a positive gas seal so that there is significant velocity loss and the bullet is unguided in the increased free bullet travel by firing in the longer chamber. This results in poor accuracy.

Furthermore, the semi rim of the .32 ACP is thinner than the rim of the .32 Long and it is of smaller diameter. usually smaller than the firing pin bushing. At least in D-frame Colts which seem most afflicted This results in the case forcibly "pistoning" against the recoil plate. Given the higher chamber pressure of .32 ACP this often results in setting back the firing pin bushing, requiring an expensive repair. A typical gunsmith charge is $200 to fix the result of this type of abuse.

[GEM38]

@rodfac

Offhand, SA at 7 yds it gives me quarter sized groups.

Very nice! : )
I am fan of old Colt Revolvers as well.

@Outpost75
Thank you for your post. Good stuff to know!

[GEM38]

@9ballbilly

Do you handload for your 632 UC?
Have you fired .32 S&W Long Wadcutter through it?
If so what did you think of it?
Also, What is your go to load chambered in the .32 H&R Magnum?
Thanks,
GEM

[reteach]

Gonna first throw out that I agree with Outpost75. While you can shoot .32 ACP in a .32 revolver, accuracy suffers and in a double-action revolver it's very easy for the semi-rim of an ACP round to get under the extractor. Fixable but awkward.

GEM38 - Glad you started this thread. I'm following because I am a fan of .32s. You asked about .32 H&R Mag ammo. Again from the Lucky Gunner gel tests: I choose Black Hills 85 gr JHP. It gets good penetration but almost no expansion. The Hornady Critical Defense gets fair, consistent expansion, but, for reasons I can't articulate, I don't like the rubber insert. I've shot enough of the Black Hills in my LCRX (and my Single 7) to know it's reliable and shoots to point of aim.

[TruthTellers]

Full wadcutter is the best choice for any revolver caliber that lacks the velocity to expand or mass to penetrate if the bullet expands properly. .32 S&WL wadcutters have been tested by various people with results showing that the .32 wadcutters meet FBI penetration requirements.

One factor that I must mention is with the .32 S&W wadcutter is it likely gets higher velocity from a revolver chambered in the .32 S&W Long or H&R Magnum than from .327, so the performance in the Lucky Gunner video from years ago would likely be better, deeper penetration.

I will be testing .32 wadcutter velocity change in various chambered revolvers (S&W Long, H&R Mag, and .327 Mag) later this month and will post those results.

[jreidthompson]

https://www.hensleygibbs.com/edharri...longnotes2.htm

Down in the article he lists a ~900 fps load for modern 32 long revolvers.

You can google his name and 32 long acp h&r and get a lot of information

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[Outpost75]

R-P case, CCI500, .312" diameter 100-grain Hornady XTP at 1.175" OAL, 3 grains Bullseye
871 fps@19,600 psi
Repeated with Winchester WSP 861 fps @ 19,100 psi

R-P case, CCi500, .312" diameter 85-grain Hornady XTP, 1.175" OAL, 3 grains Bullseye
909 fps @ 16,800 psi

While not pressure tested I have had good results substituting Accurate 31-090B
or 31-105D with this charge in my S&W Model 30.

[GEM38]

@TruthTellers:

"One factor that I must mention is with the .32 S&W wadcutter is it likely gets higher velocity from a revolver chambered in the .32 S&W Long or H&R Magnum than from .327, so the performance in the Lucky Gunner video from years ago would likely be better, deeper penetration."

You’ve really honed in on an important detail there! Your observation about the .32 S&W Long or H&R Magnum potentially offering better velocity than the .327 is a sharp insight. I find that valuable information. Also, I look forward to your future posting of the .32 Wadcutter test and the result there of. Good stuff!