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.32 magnum bullet preference


Go West

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I've been loading 100 gr. rnfp bullets for the wife, but wondered about 78 gr. rn bullets suppliers offer. Do you have a preference? Is there a noticeable difference in recoil? The 100 gr. bullets work great on knockdowns; do the lighter bullets do well or do you keep "heavies" around for those?

Currently using 1.8 gr. of Bullseye. Suggested load for 78 gr. bullet?

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You have to push 78 gr to at least 800 fps to make PF. I much prefer 100 or 115 gr.

 

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I have been using the 78 gr. coated bullets for a while. Mine are loaded in S&W 32 long brass with 1.8 gr of bullseye. No problem with knock downs and they ring the targets well.

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I tried the 78 grainers in my 32-20's. I'd been using the 115gr.'s. They worked ok in my pistols, no noticable difference in recoil. Problem in the rifle was, they kept jamming ,,,,,, hard to get cartridge oal .Win.(Uberti) '73. I only loaded about 100 out of 500. Sold what was left and went back to the 115 gr. bullets. Didn't use any in a match, just experimented. Unique was the powder.

YMMV,

Isom

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Recoil? It's a .32... :mellow:

 

Accurate Molds 105 grain FN in .32-20 and .32 H&R mag, RCBS 78 grain RN in .32 S&W/.32 S&W long. 2.5 grains Unique in the .32 H&R mag - I don't remember the others right off.

AccurateMold.jpg

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My wife shoots .32 H&R magnum with 78 gn round nose from Badman Bullets.  I load them over 2.3 gn Titegroup.   (850fps,  PF about 66.)   I also use the same load with a 95gn projectile (775 fps PF +-74) for heavy KD targets, but I've never seen her use them.  They do have perceptibly different recoil.  I've not seen her ever fail to knock down a target with the 78 gn. if hit properly.   If the heavier recoil of a 95gn  causes poor hits, you haven't gained  very much.  

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I load 100 grain bullets for my wife.  They shoot point-of-aim in her Ruger Single Sixes.  I would not go to a lighter bullet.  Local spotters were calling her hits as misses until I increased powder charges in her rounds (to make a nice bullet splat and make the targets wiggle).  Loading 78 grain bullets would just make the spotters call more misses.

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14 hours ago, Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971 said:

I load 100 grain bullets for my wife.  They shoot point-of-aim in her Ruger Single Sixes.  I would not go to a lighter bullet.  Local spotters were calling her hits as misses until I increased powder charges in her rounds (to make a nice bullet splat and make the targets wiggle).  Loading 78 grain bullets would just make the spotters call more misses.

Spotting problems with lighter bullets is something I have never given much thought to.  You make a good point.   My wife does have misses called occasionally when both she and I thought targets were solidly hit.  In one case, she experienced a number of "mis-calls" by two particular spotters.  We just accepted it as part of the game and never thought much about the light 78 gn bullets.

 

Perhaps she should bite the bullet (no pun intended) and step up her projectile size.  But her tiny, arthritic hands might then legitimately miss more targets with the added recoil. 

Decisions!

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I use a Lee 90 grain tumble-lube cast bullet over 2.6 gr of Titegroup.  Velocity probably in 880-900 fps range but the little Rugers rock enough for duelist/gunfighter.

I take some 115 gr loads over W-231 for knockdowns.

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  • 3 months later...
On 10/9/2021 at 2:55 PM, Tom Bullweed said:

I use a Lee 90 grain tumble-lube cast bullet over 2.6 gr of Titegroup.  Velocity probably in 880-900 fps range but the little Rugers rock enough for duelist/gunfighter.

I take some 115 gr loads over W-231 for knockdowns.

 

How much W231 are you using behind the the 115 grain bullets? I've got a bunch of 231 here that I want to try but can't seem to find much for loads with it and heavier .32 cal bullets. 

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7 minutes ago, Joe Burr, SASS#12614 said:

 

How much W231 are you using behind the the 115 grain bullets? I've got a bunch of 231 here that I want to try but can't seem to find much for loads with it and heavier .32 cal bullets. 

Meister quotes 2.2 to 2.4 grains of W-231 for velocities of 735 and 790 fps for their 115 grain cast bullets.

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On 10/8/2021 at 7:03 AM, Go West said:

I've been loading 100 gr. rnfp bullets for the wife, but wondered about 78 gr. rn bullets suppliers offer. Do you have a preference? Is there a noticeable difference in recoil? The 100 gr. bullets work great on knockdowns; do the lighter bullets do well or do you keep "heavies" around for those?

Currently using 1.8 gr. of Bullseye. Suggested load for 78 gr. bullet?

My wife shoots 78gn 99% of the time, over 2.3 gn TiteGroup, in her .32 H&R mag.  (830 pf).  She will use 95gn if there are extremely heavy KD targets, but she usually knocks most plates over with ease shooting the 78s.  She says there is a noticeable difference in recoil and muzzle flip with the 95 gn.  In her words, "knocking a target down is irrelevant if you can't hit it." _ So she slows down just a bit to hit the targets in their upper half with her 78s.  

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In the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook all the minimum loads for 75 gr 32 H&R Magnum are over the velocity limit for SASS pistols (1000fps). If using 78 gr, it seems like a chronograph check would be in order. I used those 78 gr from Missouri in 32 S&W Long though (not for SASS). Their diameter was inconsistent and sometimes dropped in a sized case and then had to be put in the recycle can. I used 95-115 for 32 H&R and 327 Federal subsonic.

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Been shooting 78gr, coated and non coated for 8 years. 2.2 gr Titegroup in a S&W Long Case. Ruger, Single Six-5 1/2 in barrel at 800 to 850 fps. Makes Power Factor of 65 average. Never had a complaint about "light loads" . Been to a lot of matches all over the country and never had a knockdown not fall (that I hit). I carried some 100 gr around for awhile but never used them so now I don't. 

Your mileage and preference may be different!!!!!

 

JM

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