Who carries and reloads for the.32 ACP

[doddg]

I sold all of my .25 ACP& .32 ACP & .380 ACP calibers b/c of how small the 9mm became.
I loved the tip-up barrels in .22LR, .25 & .32 & have had a dozen in all.

Except, I just can't seem to let go of a Beretta .32 Inox tip-up barrel that I enjoy.
I just like it. It's fun to shoot up to 21'.
When I just can't carry anything else, it's a great pocket gun.
It is smaller than even the little Ruger LC9.

 

[warren5421]

Route 45:
over the chronograph
76 gr RNFP, 3.6 gr Unique
CZ-70 with 3.75" barrel
Measured ~6-7 ft from muzzle

1247
1210
1193
1214
1166
1237

Average 1211
Max 1247
Min 1166
Stdev 29.4
ME 247.6

This level of energy is definitely well in the 38 Special range

 

[mr_camera_man]

Warren, have you tried loading for a P32? I wonder if the locked breech could go even hotter, but I also wonder how much of that would be lost to barrel length.

 

[Route 45]

Route 45:
over the chronograph
76 gr RNFP, 3.6 gr Unique
CZ-70 with 3.75" barrel
Measured ~6-7 ft from muzzle

1247
1210
1193
1214
1166
1237

Average 1211
Max 1247
Min 1166
Stdev 29.4
ME 247.6

This level of energy is definitely well in the 38 Special range

Energy?

The fact that you can push super-light dinky .32 bullets into weak-sauce .38 energy levels means nothing. These are handguns, not rifles.

All a handgun has going for it in stopping someone is its diameter and ability to penetrate sufficiently to a vital organ. Expansion can make a handgun bullet slightly more effective, but although you can get some expansion out of a few good .38 loads and still retain sufficient penetration, you aren't going to find a .32 ACP that can do both. And despite the .32's ability to sometimes penetrate to sufficient depth in FMJ or hardcast form, that little bullet doesn't have much oomph behind it when it hits a little gristle.

Do some sectional density and momentum calculations and get back with me. The .32 ain't no .38. Period.

 

[DadSmith]

Energy?

The fact that you can push super-light dinky .32 bullets into weak-sauce .38 energy levels means nothing. These are handguns, not rifles.

All a handgun has going for it in stopping someone is its diameter and ability to penetrate sufficiently to a vital organ. Expansion can make a handgun bullet slightly more effective, but although you can get some expansion out of a few good .38 loads and still retain sufficient penetration, you aren't going to find a .32 ACP that can do both. And despite the .32's ability to sometimes penetrate to sufficient depth in FMJ or hardcast form, that little bullet doesn't have much oomph behind it when it hits a little gristle.

Do some sectional density and momentum calculations and get back with me. The .32 ain't no .38. Period.

275 ft lb of energy according to my calculations with posted velocity. That velocity must be +p+ load for a 32acp. 500 fps faster than any load data i can find.

 

[warren5421]

I have a few books from the 1930's-1950's that shows a lot hotter load of Bullseye than anything today. One even shows a round with a Winchester cast bullet of 100 gr that the OSS liked toward the end of WWII and the NIA after.

 

[DadSmith]

I have a few books from the 1930's-1950's that shows a lot hotter load of Bullseye than anything today. One even shows a round with a Winchester cast bullet of 100 gr that the OSS liked toward the end of WWII and the NIA after.

I wonder why the new books are so tame?

 

[Leadeye]

The OSS 100 grain work that I saw and copied was only for the Colt 1903, which were OSS issue pistols. One of these came up for sale on GB a while back complete with paperwork.

 

[Route 45]

275 ft lb of energy according to my calculations with posted velocity. That velocity must be +p+ load for a 32acp. 500 fps faster than any load data i can find.

If 275 ft. lb. of energy is what someone is looking for, why wouldn't they just get a compact 9mm? About the same size as a CZ-70 or Colt 1903 (or smaller), and you don't have to spend a fortune on boutique ammo or worry about rimlock. Far greater choice of ammo power level and styles as well.

If you want a dinky pocket pistol, a .380 is a far better choice than .32 ACP. And if you're going with the larger frame pistol, no need to waste time or money trying to hot-rod a caliber that is, frankly, obsolete.

 

[Leadeye]

I always wanted to see Colt introduce a 9mm built like the 1903, they are good looking and handling pistols. Cylinder and Slide makes a 45 ACP version from a 1911.

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

. If you want a dinky pocket pistol, a .380 is a far better choice than .32 ACP. And if you're going with the larger frame pistol, no need to waste time or money trying to hot-rod a caliber that is, frankly, obsolete.

We get it. Your numbers are valid. You don't like 'em.

But we do.

 

[warren5421]

When you are doing things that could get you killed you try to stay under the radar. If the most carried gun is a .32 ACP you carry a .32 ACP. A 1911 .45 or a 9mm pistol would have told the bad guys just after WWII that you were American. Brass was German or made in Italy with some with no head stamp. From the mid 1940's to too day the .32 has always caused more damage to the human body in respect to its size than any other round. Around 1950 the sharks said down load or get sued. The rounds from Europe have more power than American round even down loaded. You have to hand load to get the best out of the .32 ACP. I use Star Line brass, Red Dot powder, Rim Lock bullets sized to .311, with OAL at 0.950" which gives me the BB velocity with out the rim lock. Your rounds need to be as long as will cycle through you magazine.

 

[Tombs]

Reload for 45acp.

There's some loads to push 255gr SWCs in the low 700fps region, and it will have less felt recoil from a heavy steel framed gun like that than a micro pocket 32acp.
I'm not all that old and find normal loadings of 230gr uncomfortable in a light weight 1911 to practice with. So I run a light loaded 200gr, and it's softer shooting than most 9mm.

 

[warren5421]

I use my rounds in a 1903 Colt and a 1935 Beretta they would break the tip-up barreled guns and the Kal-Tec. They are only used in the steel framed guns.