Hammerlis and Benellis and Walthers, Oh, My! :)
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Second small batch, pre seat / crimp.
Attachment 116980
Finished
Attachment 116981
First production run.
Attachment 117274
Looks like Sunday will be range day.
For those with experience loading the .32 H&R Mag. would 231 be a better all around choice than Unique?
My SD is not where I would like it to be with Unique. If the easy button is going with 231, I can go that route.
@Outpost75 @Lost River
Did lots of testing with 231 when I was at Ruger. WAS the powder of choice!
Don't have the pressure-tested data but 3.5 grains was good full charge load with 85 XTP in .32 S&W Long brass and 4.5 grains in H&R Mag brass. As high as 5 grains in HRM was fine in the SP101 but substantially exceeded SAAMI MAP approaching 30kpsi IIRC.
231 would be a good choice.
Tightgroup, and Tightwad would both be ones that would be pretty easy to work with as well. Pretty easy to get moderate velocities with a variety of powders. The hardest part about working with the .32s is handling the tiny cases. As compared to larger cartridges like a .44/45 they are darn small and your hands cramp after doing it for long periods of time! This is true of any small calibers really. I was just on the phone with a bullet supplier last week and he mentioned the same thing when loading .17 caliber rifles into his 1050 Dillon by hand.
The fact that you both responded within 20 minutes is amazing. Love this forum.
Funny you mentioned that.
We were talking on the podcast with Jason from Lipsey's and I mentioned all the people who hang out on this forum. I didn't really get a chance to go into it, but it really could be a pretty good topic of conversation. This place is pretty (actually very) unique on the web, in the people we have hang out and contribute here. The extremely wide cross section of folks is such a cool thing and makes this place what it is. Outpost is a walking encyclopedia of knowledge, and guys like Bruce Cartwright are another source of serious info on all sorts of subjects. If you have a question on lever actions, we have guys like Malamute, and the list goes on.
There really is not a place like this out there, and it really is not just about guns, though that is certainly obviously the primary focus.
But does it matter??
I mentioned previously my displeasure in the velocity spread and SD. I did some shooting today at 25 yards. Using a different grip technique, more similar to an auto grip, I shot some acceptable groups.
More crush grip needed:
Attachment 117365
This one had so much potential:
Attachment 117366
Load:
MBC 98gr DEWC
1.145 o.a.l.
2.9gr Unique
Starline
CCI SPP
Not sure if it's worth chasing better SD for practice ammo.