Small pistol primer question

[MXD]

I am about to make my first attempt at reloading for my wife's .32 H&R. All the recipes I have call for CCI 500 but I can't find them anywhere! I did find Winchester small pistol primers though. Are these similar? I know there is some difference between primers but I was hoping these 2 were interchangeable.

Thanks

 

[Scrivener]

Small Pistol is small pistol. Period. As the CCI 500 is an SP primer, the Winchester SP can be substituted.

It is only if using MAGNUM primers or small RIFLE primers in an application calling for SP primers that caution is required.

 

[NavelOfficer]

It's only natural for a Speer loading manual to list the CCI 500, but you'll see that Lyman says "Small Pistol". They list a Federal 100 in their testing (47th). Any SP primer should work for you, unless you come across a rare box of berdan primers (very unlikely).

I've often thought the .32 H&R (possibly .327 Federal) would be a great caliber for my wife, as well. Do you have the SP-101 or similar firearm? Even some of the older relics in .32 S&W look like a fun plinker gun.

 

[MXD]

I've often thought the .32 H&R (possibly .327 Federal) would be a great caliber for my wife, as well. Do you have the SP-101 or similar firearm? Even some of the older relics in .32 S&W look like a fun plinker gun.[/COLOR]

I bought her the S&W 432PD. Its an awesome little revolver. I didn't want her to carry a pistol because she always has our kids with her (3 month daughter and 2 year old son) and I wanted her to have as little to think about as possible God forbid she ever needs it. Simple and reliable. My wife is tiny (5'3, maybe 108lbs) and the .38sp was too much for her. After a ton of research I learned that the .32 H&R is on pace with standard .38 sp for effectiveness but it is light years easier for her to shoot and grip in her small hands. Plus its 6 shot instead of 5 which in my mind gives it an even better rating.

Here is an image I pulled off the web.

 

[dagwag77]

Another question about small pistol primers - where have you been able to find any?!?

 

[MXD]

Another question about small pistol primers - where have you been able to find any?!?

I just bought 2000 at four seasons. They have 11,000 left (they just got them in today). They were all Winchester and they were $29.99/1000. I was going to buy much more but I figured since I have never reloaded before I should work a few loads with these and make sure they are what I like.

 

[Scrivener]

NET has been getting them in, albeit mostly Magnum primers. I didn't notice what the stock was yesterday; call before going.

 

[Goomba]

riley's sold me some PMC ones last time i was there.. i have to say, they seat amazingly and i have had zero problems with them. i like them over CCI now.

 

[NavelOfficer]

That looks like a sweetheart, MXD... good choice.

As for small pistol primers, Hoffman's (Newington, CT) had a pretty good supply the other week. ($29.99 for standard CCI). I don't recall many other brands in small pistol, but they did have Winchester WLPs in addition to the CCIs.

 

[Patriot]

I've used Federal, Winchester & CCI to load .32 H&R. What powder and bullet are you going to use?

I am about to make my first attempt at reloading for my wife's .32 H&R. All the recipes I have call for CCI 500 but I can't find them anywhere! I did find Winchester small pistol primers though. Are these similar? I know there is some difference between primers but I was hoping these 2 were interchangeable.

Thanks

 

[MXD]

I've used Federal, Winchester & CCI to load .32 H&R. What powder and bullet are you going to use?

85g JHP bullets and at this point, either Unique or 231.

If you have any recipes, I'm all ears. I have been researching it to death and I'm starting with the lowest pressure load that uses the the most powder until I get my feet wet. Everything I have read here says to do it that way so in the event I double charge it will be blatantly obvious and it gives a larger margin for error. I considered Blue Dot since it looks like it will generate the same pressures as Unique will with about 50% more powder (4.5g of unique and 6.5g of blue dot both give me about the same CUP) but all I keep reading about is Unique, HP-38 and 231 so I figured I would start there.

 

[Patriot]

85g JHP bullets and at this point, either Unique or 231.

If you have any recipes, I'm all ears. I have been researching it to death and I'm starting with the lowest pressure load that uses the the most powder until I get my feet wet. Everything I have read here says to do it that way so in the event I double charge it will be blatantly obvious and it gives a larger margin for error. I considered Blue Dot since it looks like it will generate the same pressures as Unique will with about 50% more powder (4.5g of unique and 6.5g of blue dot both give me about the same CUP) but all I keep reading about is Unique, HP-38 and 231 so I figured I would start there.

I have been reloading this caliber for a while (a couple of years).

I've been using Berry's plated and have switched over to lead since I started casting my own. If you can get Berry's plated your cost will be significantly less per round vs the jacketed.

For the 90gr Berry's I used 2.4gr of Titegroup seating it to 1.350" (Very nice load for the ladies!)

I'm moving away from TG as I don't load much that isn't lead anymore. TG is a hot powder and I haven't had very good results when I tried shooting lead with it. If I ever load the jacketed bullits I have I will use TG for those.

For the 90gr Hornady LSWC I used 2.7gr of W231 seating it to 1.350"

I liked the W231 but I am using up a box (500) of these bullets so this will probably be the last time I will use the 231 in the .32 H&R loads. It worked just fine though.

For the cast 115gr (Lyman 311008 mould) I use 2.8gr of AA #2 seating it to 1.350"

I'm using AA#2 on this and am trying to find another powder that has a slower burn rate. AA#2 is a great powder but I am in experiment mode with this bullet since this is what I am going to shoot from now on (until I get my 115gr Keith mould)

I have some 90gr and 100gr (Sierra JHC and Hornady HP/XTP respectively) jacketed but haven't loaded them yet.

I also have the (Handloader Mag) Ken Water's Pet Loads article on .32 H&R in a pdf file but I would need you to pm me your email address to send it to you. It is just shy of a couple of megs so make sure your mailer can handle it if you want it. Whatever you start with it's a great idea to start with the min loads. Of the three loads I gave you one is at min and the other two are close to min.

Disclaimer: As always, check any loads with at least two sources of reloading information. Anyone can put out info on the internet and sometimes (gasp) it's not correct and can be downright dangerous to your health as well as others.

ETA: I don't know what you are loading these on but if it's a Dillon 550B you are going to need an extra small powder bar (3gr or less) to load .32 H&R for the most part.

 

[NavelOfficer]

FWIW, I've been using the following molds that drop bullets around .314", so they could easily be sized for the .32 H&R:
#311008 http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/bullet-casting/mould-details-rifles.php?entryID=54
#311410 http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/bullet-casting/mould-details-rifles.php?entryID=45
The latter is heavier than most manuals go, but you could work something up with it. Watch your COL and proceed at your own risk. (Consider loading this in the 32 S&W Long perhaps.) Most of my uses have been for experimental loads in a Nagant revolver.