32 H&R Mag reloading advice

[Lefty Lead Shot]

Just picked up some Single-Six in 32 H&R magnum. Looked thru my reloading manuals and came up with some starting points. Anyone have any preferred loads? How about bullet weights? I am seeing 78 grain thru 100 grain. I am thinking tightgroup or hp38, but am open to suggestions if ther is something better foe them. I have also heard the brass is kind of delicate. Any truth to that? Thanks in advance.

[Krazy Kajun]

I use a 100 gr TC bullet from Scarlett and 2.2g of Clays or Clay Dot.  Takes down all the knockdowns and works well.  I'm sure you can find loads for Tite Group, Clean Shot and many other pistol powders.

 

Kajun

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

Have tried everything from 78 grains to 100.  The difference in recoil at SASS velocities is negligible.  Settled on 100 grain bullets over 2.3 grains of Bullseye.  Takes knockdowns down with no problem, rings the steel well and feeds well in my rifles.  The brass is just as durable as .38 Special brass.  Where did you "hear" this BS?

[Jackalope]

Out of my bride's Rugers, a 100 grain bullet and 2.5 grains of Titegroup, velocity = 846 fps.  The same bullet with 2.5 grains of Bullseye = 833 fps.  She does not notice any difference when an 87 grain bullet is substituted.

 

YMMV

 

 

[SouthwestShooter]

1 hour ago, Lefty Lead Shot said:

Just picked up some Single-Six in 32 H&R magnum. Looked thru my reloading manuals and came up with some starting points. Anyone have any preferred loads? How about bullet weights? I am seeing 78 grain thru 100 grain. I am thinking tightgroup or hp38, but am open to suggestions if ther is something better foe them. I have also heard the brass is kind of delicate. Any truth to that? Thanks in advance.

Brass not more delicate than any others.  I load 32 h n r, 38 special.n 357 mag.

[Widder, SASS #59054]

Good load info above from everyone.

 

But I will make a comment about BOTH of my Single-Six Ruger's in that both of them had 'short throats',  meaning I had some

issues with a couple bullet styles preventing my rounds from seating fulling in the chambers.   CURE:  correcting the throats to

proper dimensions.

 

I don't know if this is common with .32 Ruger's.

 

..........Widder

 

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

My wife shoots 100 gr bullets with 2.3 grains of N320 and a Fed100 primer.  Bullseye and Unique worked well. I load some with 115 gr bullets for extra knockdown loads.  The brass is not fragile.  APP FFg powder loads poorly in the narrow cases.  Too bad Ruger discontinued these revolvers.  They are dandy for ladies.

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

9 minutes ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

I had some issues with a couple bullet styles preventing my rounds from seating fulling in the chambers.

 

9 minutes ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

I don't know if this is common with .32 Ruger's.

 

Fairly common and as noted it depends on bullet style.  I thought shooting 90 grain bullets would be a good compromise between 78 and 100 grainers.  At the range the 90s would keep the cartridges from fully seating even after reaming the cylinder throats.  Barely detectible but just enough to bind the cylinders.  The problem is the ogive of the 90s.  It is much more abrupt that the 78s or 100s.  90 with the green arrow.  The ogive goes to full bullet diameter well before the bullet is seated to max OAL.  On the 100s the ogive is much steeper and even the shoulder above the case neck is smaller in diameter than the 90 at this point.  Purple arrow.  I could have seated the 90s deeper but I wanted max OAL as that cycles better in my rifles.  So just crossed the 90s off my list of usable bullets.  I have since settled on the 100 for rifle and pistol.

 

[Widder, SASS #59054]

YES,  my problem was also with those style bullets. (green arrow).

Thanks for posting that pic.

 

..........Widder

 

[Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life]

96 grain bullet, 2.6 grains of Bullseye, standard Federal Primer.... About 825 FPS, negligible recoil.

YMMV

Regards

    

Gateway Kid

[Null N. Void]

78 grain RN bullet.   2.5 grains Red Dot or Promo.

[Snake-eye, SASS#45097]

I’ve been loading S&W 32 Long cases with 2.2 gr of Bulleseye and 78 gr bullets. Less recoil than my 22’s and will nock down any shotgun target. Extremely accurate as well.

[Captain Bill Burt]

Federal SPP, 2.7 grains of Titegroup and 100 grain bullets.  I may dial that back to 2.5 or 2.6 grains of Titegroup the next time I reload .32.  Sharyn gets a bit more flip out of her revolvers than I would like.

 

I have had no issues with Starline brass.  I have had issues with tight cylinders not wanting to let go of fired brass and them getting dirty in general.  From my experience, Single Sixes need more frequent cleaning than Vaqueros to keep them running smoothly.

[Sixgun Seamus]

2 hours ago, Captain Bill Burt said:

Federal SPP, 2.7 grains of Titegroup and 100 grain bullets.  I may dial that back to 2.5 or 2.6 grains of Titegroup the next time I reload .32.  Sharyn gets a bit more flip out of her revolvers than I would like.

 

I have had no issues with Starline brass.  I have had issues with tight cylinders not wanting to let go of fired brass and them getting dirty in general.  From my experience, Single Sixes need more frequent cleaning than Vaqueros to keep them running smoothly.

I used exact same load for Kay when she shot 32's way back when. They had a pretty good crack and I was always accused of loading her 32's heavier than my 45's. 

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

Seamus 😁

 

Well, Ya were weren't Ya!!  Didn't help.  You still hadda buy Dinner inna way home. 🤪🤠

[Marshal Stone, SASS #53366]

When I was shooting .32' my load was 2.5grs VV N320 with a Desperado Cowboy 96 gr. bullet with a Fed. magnum small pistol primer.

 

Marshal Stone

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

Well, I don't yet load for .32 H&R Magnum, but when I do, I'll wind up using the same 90 grain bullet I use in .32 S&W and .32 S&W Long, with Trailboss. 

[Null N. Void]

Bill Burt,

 

I use 100 grain bullets with 2.5 grains of Red Dot or Promo for knockdowns.   It chronos out to about a 38 special round as far as energy and power factor.   I'd try some in the 2.3 grains to reduce the flip.

 

YMMV

 

NNV

[Johnny Meadows,SASS#28485L]

On 11/20/2025 at 6:24 PM, Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 said:

Have tried everything from 78 grains to 100.  The difference in recoil at SASS velocities is negligible.  Settled on 100 grain bullets over 2.3 grains of Bullseye.  Takes knockdowns down with no problem, rings the steel well and feeds well in my rifles.  The brass is just as durable as .38 Special brass.  Where did you "hear" this BS?

That's the exact load that I've used for many years.

JM

[Lefty Lead Shot]

On 11/20/2025 at 8:24 PM, Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 said:

Have tried everything from 78 grains to 100.  The difference in recoil at SASS velocities is negligible.  Settled on 100 grain bullets over 2.3 grains of Bullseye.  Takes knockdowns down with no problem, rings the steel well and feeds well in my rifles.  The brass is just as durable as .38 Special brass.  Where did you "hear" this BS?

I can't rightly remember where I heard this to be honest.

[Cusz M. Dutch SASS Life 55326]

used the 100 and about 9.0 Goex Spotter would start talking and not pay attention.  Help over the smoke and made a louder Clang! 

😐