Loads for .32 Smith & Wesson Long or .32 Colt New Police (case is .920″ long) (But NOT .32 Long Colt):
(Note: Most ARE MAXIMUM loads, you may want to use 10% less to start.)
(See note on Powders below or read all about various Powders.)
Due to different barrel lengths, type of bullet, seating depth, primer type and other factors, you may not get near the FPS charted. It is just a guide and the reason you should start under these charges and work up.
Bullet size is .314″ (lead) in diameter.
Some lead are .313 and Most Jacketed bullets are .312″
(Note H110 & W296 are the same as of 2008 as is HP-38 & W231)
(IMR 4227 is same as H-4227 if made in Australia)
60 Grain Hornady JHP (usually used in 32 auto)
| HP-38 | try 2.0 up to 3.6 grains |
| Bullseye | 1.8 up to 3.1 grains |
| W-231 | 2.0 up to 3.4 grains |
| Unique | 2.6 up to 3.5 grains |
| Ramshot | Competition use 3.4 to 4.0 grains |
75 grain lead
| Bullseye | 1.5 gr. | 511 |
| Bullseye | 3.0 gr. | 955 max |
| HP-38/W231 | 2.0 gr. | 675 |
| HP-38/W231 | 3.5 gr. | 1,038 max Very HOT |
| Unique | 2.5 gr. | 601 |
| Unique | 3.7 gr. | 902 max |
83/85 Grain Lead
| VV N310 | 1.5 gr. | 767 fps (Start) |
| VV N310 | 1.7 gr. | 856 MAX |
| Bullseye | 2.3 gr. | 782 |
| Bullseye | 2.7 gr. | 908 max |
| Titegroup | 2.2 gr. | 798 |
| Titegroup | 2.6 gr. | 891 max |
| HP-38/W231 | 2.5 gr. | 772 |
| HP-38/W231 | 3.0 gr. | 848 |
| Ramshot Zip | 2.7 gr. | 792 |
| Ramshot Zip | 3.1 gr. | 898 max |
| Unique | 3.0 gr. | 742 |
| Unique | 3.5 gr. | 902 max |
85 Grain JHP
| Universal | 2.7 gr. | 702 |
| Universal | 3.0 gr. | 862 max |
| Unique | 2.7 gr. | 705 |
| Unique | 3.0 gr. | 838 max |
| Titegroup | 2.1 gr. | 723 start |
| Titegroup | 2.4 gr. | 819 max |
| Bullseye | 2.1 gr. | 651 |
| Bullseye | 2.4 gr. | 811 max |
| AA#2 | 2.1 gr. | 740 |
| AA#2 | 2.4 gr. | 901 max |
| AA#5 | 3.2 gr. | 653 |
| AA#5 | 3.8 gr. | 801 max |
| HP-38/W231 | 2.4 gr. | 707 start |
| HP-38/W231 | 2.7 gr. | 810 max |
| HP-38/W231 | 2.5 gr. | 832 (contributed load) |
| HP-38/W231 | 2.8 gr. | 872 max (contributed load) |
90 Grain Lead
| Trail Boss | 1.5 gr. | 599 fps (Start) |
| Trail Boss | 2.9 gr. | 730 MAX |
| Bullseye | 2.0 gr. | 715 mild |
| Bullseye | 2.2 gr. | 744 |
| Bullseye | 2.3 gr. | 790 Max |
| Universal | 2.4 gr. | 772 |
| Universal | 2.7 gr. | 839 max |
| Unique | 3.2 gr. | 909 hot |
| HP-38/W231 | 2.1 gr. | 742 |
| HP-38/W231 | 2.4 gr. | 828 max |
| W231/HP38 | 2.7 gr. | 809 Private load |
| W231/HP38 | 3.0 gr. | 906 max Private load HOT |
| Titegroup | 1.9 gr. | 762 start |
| Titegroup | 2.1 gr. | 813 max |
90 Grain JHP
| Universal | 2.6 gr. | 672 |
| Universal | 2.9 gr. | 842 max |
| HP-38/W231 | 2.3 gr. | 681 |
| HP-38/W231 | 2.6 gr. | 762 max |
| Titegroup | 2.0 gr. | 664 start |
| Titegroup | 2.3 gr. | 752 max |
| Trail Boss | 1.5 gr. | 599 (very mild load) |
| Trail Boss | 2.9 gr. | 730 max |
98 Grain Lead Wadcutter
| VV N310 | 1.1 gr. | 618 fps (Start) |
| VV N310 | 1.3 gr. | 691 MAX |
| Bullseye | 1.9 gr. | 765 |
| Bullseye | 2.2 gr. | 780 |
| Unique | 2.2 gr. | 730 (very mild) |
| Unique | 2.7 gr. | 775 Max |
| Universal | 1.9 gr. | 675 |
| Universal | 2.2 gr. | 830 max |
| W231 | 1.9 gr. | 735 Max |
| HP38 | 1.9 gr. | 718 |
| HP38 | 2.3 gr. | 860 max |
| AA No. 5 | 2.7 gr. | 750 Ma |
| 2400 | 5.4 gr. | 794 Max |
| Titegroup | 1.8 gr. | 782 start |
| Titegroup | 2.0 gr. | 865 max |
98 Grain LEAD Round Nose or SWC
| Bullseye | 2.1 gr. | 702 |
| Bullseye | 2.3 gr. | 772 max |
| VV N310 | 1.9 gr. | 848 fps (Start) |
| VV N310 | 2.2 gr. | 916 MAX |
| W231 | 2.4 gr. | 765 near Max |
| W231 | 2.6 gr. | 789 max |
| HP38 | 2.4 gr. | 763 Max |
| 2400 | 5.2 gr. | 701 |
| 2400 | 5.6 gr. | 809 Max |
| Universal | 2.8 gr. | 744 |
| Universal | 3.0 gr. | 788 max |
| Unique | 2.5 gr. | 664 |
| Unique | 2.6 gr. | Near factory max |
| Unique +P | 3.0 gr. | ~900+ hot (Max)(use in strong guns only or ones designed for H&R mag) |
| Winchester Factory | .32 Long = 693 fps | Hi=825 Lo=688 ES=137 (in 5.5″ bbl Ruger .327 Blackhawk) |
100 Grain Speer Jacketed Hollow Point
| Universal | 3.0 gr. | 694 Max Do Not Reduce |
| Unique | 2.5 gr. | 570 |
| Unique | 2.8 gr. | 730 max |
| 2400 | 5.0 gr. | 660 start |
| 2400 | 5.5 gr. | 733 Max |
| W231 | 2.5 gr. | 678 |
| W231 | 1.9 gr. | 635 |
| WAP | 3.4 gr. | 725 Max |
| AA No. 5 | 3.8 gr. | 675 Max Do Not Reduce |
| Bullseye | 2.0 gr. | 600 |
| Bullseye | 2.3 gr. | 715 max |
| W296 | 6.0 gr. | 633 |
| W296 | 6.5 gr. | 735 max |
115 Grain Chey-cast RNFP (.313″)
| Unique | 3.0 gr. | 755 MAX (hot load) |
| Unique | 3.0 gr. | 795 in 4″ bbl revolver, Hi=818, Lo=777, ES=41 |
| Bullseye | 2.0 gr. | 722 |
| Unique | 3.0 gr. | 829 |
| Unique | 3.1 gr. | 922 max |
| W231/HP38 | 2.5 gr. | 715 |
| W231/HP38 | 2.8 gr. | 808 max |
This is the most common .32 cartridge found today for the majority of revolvers. It is called both the .32 S&W Long AND the .32 Colt New Police. But this round is NOT the same as the .32 Long Colt.
Discussion: All the powders listed are fast to medium burning powders in small quantities for these lighter bullets. The JHP would be the defense bullet to use.
A bullet with a copper gas check or copper plating is best for INDOOR ranges to keep lead vapors out of the air.
*
Power Pistol, Bullseye, Unique and 2400 are products of Alliant (formerly Hercules) Powders.
Clays, Universal, HP38, HS6 and H4895 are products of Hodgdon Powders.
IMR 3031 and IMR 4895 are products of IMR (formerly DuPont) Powder Company.
No. 2, No. 5, No. 7, No. 9, #2230, and #2460 are products of Accurate Arms Company
WAP (Winchester Action Pistol), WMR, WSF, WSL, 760, 748, 231 and 540 are products of Winchester, Components Div.
Ramshot powders are from Western Powder Company. Products used here are “Competition” (ideal for .32) and “Enforcer” (usually used for large magnum loads)
References: Accurate Arms Co. 1996 Reloading booklet – – Alliant Powder Co. Reloaders’ Guide (1995) – – Hodgdon’s Basic Reloaders Manual (1996) – – Speer Reloading Manual, #12 – – Winchester Reloading Components Manual, 14th edition – – Lyman Piston & Revolver Reloading Handbook, 2nd edition. – – VihtaVuori Oy Company,reloading booklet (1995) – – Hodgdon.com website 2008 – – Ramshot on-line .pdf load guide (2010) – – Numerous magazine articles on reloading special calibers and personal loads where noted. Hodgdon now owns Winchester and IMR powders (2009)
6 Responses
Thank You for Your concise data.
Where do i find casings??? There impossible to find
Starline Brass..try Graf & Sons out of Mexico MO.
Star line brass has brass in stock now.
Star line brass.com
Reloading .32 long colt propellent and grains and bullet wheight
Dear MD Smith, Thank you for sharing your reloading data – it has been very helpful. I have been working up plinking loads with 71gr Berry’s plated round nose in 32 ACP, 32 S&W Long and 32 H&R, using Bullseye or W231. I’ve been interpolating data where I can find it to get close to some safe, fun loads. These bullets appear to be good quality, reasonably inexpensive, and reasonably accurate in both a Tomcat and 3″ SP-101… and I have many of them :-). I chronograph everything with a LabRadar and I’m glad to share results. I have some interest in setting up a pressure test barrel (retired engineer with work experience in propellants) if it can be done without spending a fortune. Can you or other others out there advise on that? Kind regards, Jim