Does anybody have experience loading .32 ACP?

EddieCoyle

EddieCoyle

Consigliere
Moderator
NES Member
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Messages
21,365
Likes
10,039
Location
Northern, MA
Feedback: 168 / 0 / 0
I've read/heard that the .32 ACP is a difficult cartridge to reload. I've collected components to reload about 1000 rounds. I'll be loading them on a progressive press and firing them out of a variety of pistols (Colt 1903, Beretta 1935, CZ 27, Walther PP, Beretta Tomcat, Savage 1907) . The ammo will be used for practice/plinking.

1. What is so difficult about reloading these (if anything)?

2. Any favorite recipes? I'll be using 71gr FMJ.

3. Does anybody make a dedicated crimp die for this caliber? In other autoloader calibers I've had better results using separate seating and crimping dies.
 
The only problem I've had loading .32 ACP is that the cases are short, so you have to be careful of your fingers when running them up into the seater. (I've also reloaded .25 ACP, which is worse on this point.) I use RCBS dies, and I've done it with separate crimp (taper) and seat-and-crimp in one step, and not noticed any difference.

Load was 1.7 gr. Bullseye under a 71-gr. Remington FMJ, CCI #500 and mixed cases. More than adequate to cycle a couple of Colt Pocket autos.
 
RKG said:
The only problem I've had loading .32 ACP is that the cases are short, so you have to be careful of your fingers when running them up into the seater. (I've also reloaded .25 ACP, which is worse on this point.) I use RCBS dies, and I've done it with separate crimp (taper) and seat-and-crimp in one step, and not noticed any difference.

Load was 1.7 gr. Bullseye under a 71-gr. Remington FMJ, CCI #500 and mixed cases. More than adequate to cycle a couple of Colt Pocket autos.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I'll be using Hornady dies - their seating die has a sliding "sleeve" that pilots the bullet up into the seating die. Very cool - it saves your fingers.

Lee does not make a Factory Crimp Die for .32 ACP. They will, however, make a custom FCD for you in that caliber for $30. I might do it. I'll first try crimping in the seating die and see how that goes. The nice thing about the FCD is that it resizes the finished cartridge on the way out. Since I'll be using these rounds in so many different .32's, I'd like to make sure that they'll chamber in anything.
 
From what I've read the big issue seems to be keeping a really consistent powder charge. .2 grains being enough to be too low of a charge or too high type of thing. Good luck.
 
Do a LOT of testing with powder charging before seating bullets, and check more often as you start to seat bullets.
Even on the most gracious of powders, the range is slight. And, on the worst of powders, the range is almost non existant.
If you thought 380 auto was tough, the 32 acp IS tough.............
 
They're were a couple articles in some gun mags I saved. Let me dig them out tomorrow. I've been planning to do some loading for this. I've got about 4 or 5 of these pistols.
 
This thread made me check. I loaded about 1.2K rounds of .32 ACP 6 years ago. I have at least 2/3 of them still left.
 
EddieCoyle said:
This thread made me check. I loaded about 1.2K rounds of .32 ACP 6 years ago. I have at least 2/3 of them still left.
Click to expand...

For someone that owns six pistols in that caliber, you don't seem to shoot much of it.
That works out to about one magazine per year per gun.
You need to build an AR in .32 acp to use up that ammo faster. [laugh]
 
Back
Top Bottom