.32 Long Colt ,Need Help

[dusty texian]

Getting started loading for the 1892 Marlin in .32 . First loading I am going to test the 299153 heel bullet 90 gr. over 6.5, and 7 ,gr. Pyrodex P .With the case trimmed to .78 and CCI  SP#500 primer.Second loading same as first except powder is 3fff Goex. I have .32 Short Colt cases on the way . Will load the short's and test them also. Should be Big Medicine on cottontail rabbit . Here is a pic,of the first .32 Long Colt heeled bullet round's loaded ,along with some factory loaded .32 Short Colt cartridge's my Pard, Blackpowder Burn  sent . Thank's for the .32 Short's Blackpowder Burn they are realy Neat  . ........Dusty

[Adirondacker]

That's some progress!  Bullets from those Short cases have to make such a leap to reach the throat of your barrel that it can't help accuracy...but you never know till you try it.

[dusty texian]

You bet that's a leap. I trimmed a  32Long Colt case to .92 seated a 299153 in it and it would chamber in the 92  chamber single loading it  WOW ,but trimmed the other cases to .78  with the heeled bullet for magazine feeding.Will give the short Colt cartridges a try .Was wondering if the SC WOULD ACT LIKE MY .22 SHORTS . Shoot prety good but foul the chamber and cause ejection prob. ? Will know soon ......Dusty

[dusty texian]

Have made a couple drawing's of a custom bullet seater for the .32 LC  heeled bullet. Will give it more thought then fabricate one . See the need to get the Heeled bullet seated straight . The heel is so short I think there is NO room for error . What are your thought's ....Dusty

[Blackpowder Burn]

I have always wondered what that 32 Short Colt ammo was used in.  Thanks to you I now know.  I only wish I still had the old rifle it was purchased for! I can only assume my great grandfather had a rifle chambered for it - it would be about the right time period.

That can only mean that ammunition has been laying in the bottom of a box of miscellaneous ammo I got from my grandfather for the better part of 100 years.  What are the odds?  You were just meant to have them. 

[Adirondacker]

If those .32 Shorts were made before about 1930, they'll have chlorate primers--but that's no problem if you're breaking them down & repriming.

[w44wcf]

Adirondacker,
Good point regarding the primers.  I have wondered if standard primed ammunition was fired after corrosive (potassium chlorate primers) ammunition if that would negate and clean out the potassium chlorate residue(?).

Dusty,
How's your testing coming along?  All this talk about the 1892 Marlin / .32 Long Rifle (.32 Colt inside lubed)  has encouraged me to get the old timer out of the safe once again (its been a couple of years) and load some more ammo in preparation for a range trip....

w30wcf 

[w44wcf]

Have made a couple drawing's of a custom bullet seater for the .32 LC  heeled bullet. Will give it more thought then fabricate one . See the need to get the Heeled bullet seated straight . The heel is so short I think there is NO room for error . What are your thought's ....Dusty

Dusty,
For the 31-090A and the flat nosed Hornady, I use a flat faced seating punch.  For the round nosed bullets bellow, I found that using  a hollow based bullet in the seating die (hollow base tapered more with a center drill) worked very well.

As part of my .32 Long Colt journey, I have worked with a few other different bullets in addition to the 31-090A and 299153.
 
.78" case
left to right
Hornady 90 gr. SWC flat nosed
Ideal 311244 - 93 gr.
Ideal 311245 - 93 gr.
Ideal 311245 - 93 gr - lubed w/SPG - black powder - 12 grs Swiss 3F on board

The Ideal 311245 was originally intended for the .30 US Army (.30-40) gallery cartridge and I find that the extra lube groove works nicely with b.p. but is not needed for smokeless.

A tapered heel was applied by a special tool to these bullets so they could be seated snugly into fired cases.


 

w44wcf

[dusty texian]

Hey w44wcf ,I did some shooting with the 1892 Marlin during my trip out West. I only brought two load's for the .32 Long Colt on that trip. I set up on sand bag's at 45 yd . The first load was case .78" and the 299153 heel bullet and Pyrodex P. This load shot five shot group, about 1" not great but this was the first time for me to fire the little rifle ,ever. The second load was the same bullet and old batch of 3fff Goex and I am talking old . Bought in the late 1970's . Had plenty punch to it ,but group size was over 2" at 45 yd. Just got back to my loading bench ,and seated 12 of the inside lube bullet's 31-090A you sent me , in fired cases that Adirondacker, sent . Will try Swiss bp, and Trail Boss next. Should have some Unique ,and Bullseye to try very soon. Will post result's . Sure hope the little .32 Long Colt ,,,,92 like's the Accurate  31-090A inside lube bullet . Because I sure do .That is a breeze to load in a fired case . And yes my fired cases held the neck tension on the accurate bullet just fine . Glad to hear you dug out the little 92. That first shot was what I expected ,and had hoped for . Good Shooting ............Dusty

[Adirondacker]

1" at 45 yds seems mighty good to me, compared to a batch of smokeless factory rounds I once tested; they averaged over 2" at 50 yds in a Ballard with excellent bore. 

[dusty texian]

Hey Adirondacker,I may have worded that wrong , If the .32 Marlin will do 1" @ 45 yd. consistent I will be OK with that. But I will not rest until I have tried quite a few different load's . That 1" group show's that the rifle can shoot .I may get lucky ,and find another load that will do better. The good part is, I like handloading and the fun is in the journey. Are you still shooting that  .32 Ballard?The .32 fired cases you sent me chambered ,just like I recieved them in my Marlin. These are what I used to load the 31-090A bullet's today. Have my finger's crossed that these will be the one holer I'm looking for. ......Dusty

[ndnchf]

I've been reading through this thread and find it quite interesting.  I have a similar project that has been on the back burner for years.  Its a #4 Remington rolling block in .32 rimfire.  Over 20 years ago I converted the breechblock to centerfire so I could shoot .32 short Colt.  Over the years I picked up a supply of brass and then 5 or 6 years ago I bought some heeled bullets from someone.  Unfortunately, that's as far as I got with it, being sidetracked with other projects.  It's encouraging to see that others are working with this caliber and sharing their experiences.  I may just pull out the little roller and see what I can do with it.

[dusty texian]

Cant think of a better way to spend the late summer afternoon's ,sitting in the shade of the gallery and shooting the little Marlin.  I guess it's the German side of me that pull's me toward the gallery type rifle and beer ,of course. ndnchf, kidding aside I think it's great that you have new interest in the little rolling block. Was it a complicated conversion from RF. to CF.?Have past on some very fine Remington rolling block sporter's in the past because they were RF.I have loaded some .32 short colt cartridges, . I have posted a pic. of the recently loaded SC. along with two different factory loaded SC. round's on the right of the new SC round's . The far left 4, cartridges are long colt the 2 in the middle are the recently loaded SC they are New Winchester SC brass and 299153 bullet's from Jack .The 2 LC on the left are case .92 and the 31-090A heel bullet the next two are LC. case .78 and the 299153 heel bullet .I have put these load's together with a set of 32-20 wcf die's that I have had. I can decap and expand and seat bullet's with the 32-20 wcf die's but NO resizing . I am in the process of making a custom resizing die to hold the proper neck tension for the 299153 bullet heel after fireing.Note the Winchester SC brass I just purchased came size'd with the proper neck tension to hold the 299153 bullet heel with a good tight grip....... Dusty

[ndnchf]

DT - It was a pretty simple job to convert to centerfire, but honestly I don't recall the details now.  It was probably close to 25 years ago when I did it. But I recall plugging the rimfire pin hole and drilling a new hole for the centerfire pin. I made the new pin from drill rod and hardened it. I think any good machinist or gunsmith can do it pretty easily.

That's some nice looking cartridges you've made.  I dug around tonight and found a 50 round box of Western .32 SC that I must have picked up somewhere. I also have a box of .32 LC.  Both will chamber fine in the rifle, but I suspect the SC will shoot better due to the outside lubed bullet size.  I'll have to take it to the range next week and see.   

I must sound like a pretty forgetful old coot and I guess I am, but its been a looong time since I pulled this rifle out and even thought about shooting it.  You've jogged my memory - thanks.

[Adirondacker]

I've been reading through this thread and find it quite interesting.  I have a similar project that has been on the back burner for years.  Its a #4 Remington rolling block in .32 rimfire.  Over 20 years ago I converted the breechblock to centerfire so I could shoot .32 short Colt.  Over the years I picked up a supply of brass and then 5 or 6 years ago I bought some heeled bullets from someone.  Unfortunately, that's as far as I got with it, being sidetracked with other projects.  It's encouraging to see that others are working with this caliber and sharing their experiences.  I may just pull out the little roller and see what I can do with it.

I've got one of these, both gun & bore near mint. Years ago I fitted it with a tang sight & tested it with the once-plentiful Canadian-made ammo (CIL, Imperial, I don't remember), but accuracy was so atrocious I gave up in disgust.  I've been told that old-stock American-made ammo is much superior, but that's so expensive it's pretty much irrelevant; even the Canadian stuff is now quite expensive.  I once examined some South American imports, but they were too crude looking even to consider buying.

I seriously considered converting the breech block, but thought this particular gun was too nice to alter.  I'd do it, though, if I could find a "parts" block to replace the original.

[ndnchf]

Having a spare block to convert would be the preferred method, but spare blocks are scarce as hen's teeth.  Mine has a very good bore, but not perfect and the finish is mostly patina.  Its an early lever style takedown model and, like so many of them,  the barrel was loose in the receiver.  It was not a well designed takedown system and wore quickly.  Years ago I silver soldered the barrel into the receiver to resolve this.  The barrel is still locked in place by the takedown lever and the solder locks it tightly in place.  So mine's a nice little shooter, not really a collectable. Back years ago, I think I paid about $150 for it. 

Not to get off topic, but I have another #4 in .22LR.  The bore was shot out so I had it relined and put an original tang sight on it.  Its a tack driver now.

[w44wcf]

Dusty,
A 1" group at close to 50 yards is excellent accuracy from a .32 1892 Marlin.     The barrel on my '92 isn't the greatest. It's a bit rough and inconsistent ( tight and loose areas the length of the barrel).  I have done some lapping to get the barrel more consistent but I need to do more.  However, that won't fix the slight barrel bulge a few inches in from the muzzle.


I have no intention of relining  it since, even under the above handicaps...and my aging eyes ....  it will produce groups in the 1 1/2 - 2" range with good reloads.

My barrel slugs .3095 in the tight spots but I have read where individual barrels could be as high as .317" in the groove.
The 31-090A bullets have a .312" diameter on the driving band so if  for some reason they don't group well, perhaps your barrel is larger or they might like a different load recipe.

"Cant think of a better way to spend the late summer afternoon's ,sitting in the shade of the gallery and shooting the little Marlin
Amen! More fun with.the .32  

w44wcf

[dusty texian]

Will try the same load of Pyrodex P and the 299153 ,again and see if that load will shoot that good consistent, if it does I will be a happy camper. I shot the load only one five shot group. Hope it was not a Luck'y group. I have 4 other load's ready to try also. I installed a tang peep,after comming home to the Coast , should be kinder to my eye's , I was having trouble with the rear sight on the 92. One thing I noticed about the .32 Long Colt,it is very mild on muzzel blast and you can hardly feel the recoil.But those 90 gn. lead bullet's were doing a number on my target backstop at the ranch.I shot a few through a five gallon metal can made in the 30's or 40's  very thick metal can at 45 yd. and it blew hole's through that thing big enough to put my index finger in WOW. All that from that small of a powder charge ,Very Efficient cartridge.Having Fun with the .32  ,,,,,,,Dusty

[w44wcf]

Hopefully, your first try was not a fluke.   

Recently I loaded some 31-090A lubed with SPG  over  12 / Swiss FFFG / CCI500 primer / R-P brass (.91" case).  After a couple of fouling shots, 5 rounds grouped into 1 1/2" @ 50 which is pretty good for my rifle with its less than good bore.

Average velocity was 1,134 f.p.s.   

w44wcf

[dusty texian]

 Howdy ,w44wcf sound's like you had a little fun with the .32.That is some realy good shooting . The Swiss load is some kind of fun. This past wk. I had a chance to try the Pyrodex P and 299153 bullet load again. I was not dissapionted. The little 1892 Marlin put 10 shot's into a 1-3/4 in. group @ 45 yd. The 31-090A bullet seated over a 10 gr. charge of 2ff Swiss did very good ,same distance 10 shot group about 1-1/2 ". The TB load same bullet 31-090A had 3 outside the group of 10 . The 7 did well but the 3 out was ugly. Look's like I will focus now on the 31-090A and the 299153 and Swiss BP,and the Pyrodex P .This is turning into one fun deal. Wish we did not live across the country from each other . We could have a time shooting in the shade of the Gallery.Thank's to all here for the help I have had getting my .32 Long Colt adventure moving along,,,,,,,,,,,Dusty