Down the .32 rabbit-hole we go ...

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Pleasantly surprised to receive a Harrington & Richardson (H&R) revolver in 32 S&W L for Christmas ... Now I would never go down a .312-sized rabbit hole on purpose, but it's different when you have a family heirloom (cough, cough free gun) to honor, shoot and have fun with with.

Yowtch, 32 S&WL ammo is $30-40/box, so. Before I even shot this gun, had the Lee carbide dies. I was making brass today ... took it to the range with another H&R, a 22.

This is a fun round, for sure. I am already looking for a 327 Federal revolver, either a Bisley Ruger or the sexy SP101 with the 4.2 bbl and lightpipe sights. Anyways.

Shot it with another H&R, an old "pin-puller." Cheap design, but the H&R's were called "the workingman's friend." They were cheap pistols, then and now. Clunky, funky, good and fun. Tough, too.

Shaking my head at the 1890s-style grip on the 32. To think this brushed nickel variant was made in the 1980s ... grip is 2-finger at best. But I admit it shoots well. Really is less recoil than a small 38.

Makes holes. Now to make some 32 reloads ...

Hey. Enablers! Which 327 should I buy? Now that I have to feed this thing, may as well get another 32.

Many thanks.


AA

 

[jar_]

I have it's blued sibling 732:

and also a 923:

 

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I have it's blued sibling 732:

View attachment 1772259

and also a 923:

View attachment 1772261

That's so funny - it's the mirror image of my set! Thanks. I'm still in shock about the cost of 32 ammo, but all the reloading stuff will be arriving. I had been serious about a 327 before but this might do it...


AA

 

[nortac]

I have the SP 101 4.2 in. I replaced some springs to reduce the trigger pull a bit and replaced the grips. Factory grips were a bit small and did not give a good natural point of aim, it now points as it should. I did a thread a long time ago.

 

[nortac]

I shoot mostly moderately loaded .32 H&R mag. A little more oomph than the .32 S&W long, but still soft shooting. Given the price of the older .32 cartridges, I don't really shoot them, saving the brass in case I want to shoot them later or if I get a gun that requires them. I have shot the shorter two cartridges in my pistols, but I much prefer the .32 H&R. Note, that if you shoot much of the shorter rounds and later shoot .327 mag, you will have VERY difficult case extraction with the .327 if you haven't cleaned your cylinder charge holes first. Much more so than when firing .357 mag loads after shooting .38 spl. loads.

 

[jar_]

That's so funny - it's the mirror image of my set! Thanks. I'm still in shock about the cost of 32 ammo, but all the reloading stuff will be arriving. I had been serious about a 327 before but this might do it...


AA

This is the unusual H&R. It is before model numbers and had no name imprint and was likely made in 1938 or 1939 and designed for a hoped for British contract so listed as 38/200 caliber. Later in 1940 it was named the "Defender" but this one is serial number 234 and appeared unfired when I got it.

 

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I have the SP 101 4.2 in. I replaced some springs to reduce the trigger pull a bit and replaced the grips. Factory grips were a bit small and did not give a good natural point of aim, it now points as it should. I did a thread a long time ago.View attachment 1772313

That is a gem, thanks! I have an Sp101 in 38, so I know exactly how that would point; that gun would work!

AA

 

[Ad Astra]

This is the unusual H&R. It is before model numbers and had no name imprint and was likely made in 1938 or 1939 and designed for a hoped for British contract so listed as 38/200 caliber. Later in 1940 it was named the "Defender" but this one is serial number 234 and appeared unfired when I got it.

View attachment 1772431

View attachment 1772433

I have a soft spot for these ugly ducklings, er, unappreciated beauties of economy!

Poor ergos, terrible trigger pull(s), expensive (yet highly interesting) ammo; what's not to like?

H&Rs have always been around. They make you re-appreciate your S&Ws, lol.


AA

 

[jar_]

I have a soft spot for these ugly ducklings, er, unappreciated beauties of economy!

Poor ergos, terrible trigger pull(s), expensive (yet highly interesting) ammo; what's not to like?

H&Rs have always been around. They make you re-appreciate your S&Ws, lol.


AA

But maybe the nicest single action triggers of the period.

 

[nortac]

I love that break top 38/200.

 

[jar_]

I must admit I'm partial to the 32 family and have revolvers in 32S&W as well as 32S&W Long but lots and lots of 32acp pistols. The 32 family of cartridges have a well earned reputation for accuracy and extreme controllability. Quite a few are actually small enough to really be pocket guns yet easy to return to point of aim rapidly for followup shots.

Two that do get to go WalkAbout more than their fair share of the time:

Colt 3½" barrel Pocket Positive.

my Mauser HSc.

 

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I must admit I'm partial to the 32 family and have revolvers in 32S&W as well as 32S&W Long but lots and lots of 32acp pistols. The 32 family of cartridges have a well earned reputation for accuracy and extreme controllability. Quite a few are actually small enough to really be pocket guns yet easy to return to point of aim rapidly for followup shots.

Two that do get to go WalkAbout more than their fair share of the time:

Colt 3½" barrel Pocket Positive.

View attachment 1772750

my Mauser HSc.

View attachment 1772752

The 32s really do have something to offer. The Fiocchi Heritage load I was shooting is rated at 949fps for a 97 gr projo. That's in 32 H&R Mag territory, really.

Finally decided on all the reloading stuff. Lee carbide dies, Missouri Bullet Co .313 78 gr HiTek coated, Starline brass.

Hey, we both have HScs too. Used to hate mine, but it's reliable now. Always thought 32 ACP and 380 ACP were on par- they're not, but close. 32 S&WL is surely there (and always was!). It looks like a skinny, rimmed 9mm, lol. Glad to have discovered it. Love that Colt PP!

AA

 

[nortac]

I almost bought a Mauser HSC once, sure wish that I had!

 

[jar_]

The 32s really do have something to offer. The Fiocchi Heritage load I was shooting is rated at 949fps for a 97 gr projo. That's in 32 H&R Mag territory, really.

Finally decided on all the reloading stuff. Lee carbide dies, Missouri Bullet Co .313 78 gr HiTek coated, Starline brass.

Hey, we both have HScs too. Used to hate mine, but it's reliable now. Always thought 32 ACP and 380 ACP were on par- they're not, but close. 32 S&WL is surely there (and always was!). It looks like a skinny, rimmed 9mm, lol. Glad to have discovered it. Love that Colt PP!

AA

I like the little Colt as well. Here's its 2½" companion.

The 32S&W Long is really the ugly duckling and looked down upon but it has almost the same penetration as 38S&W Special and far softer shooting, allows faster and more accurate followup shots and six round instead of 5. For carry I tend to like the semi-wadcutters for slightly better penetration with the classic wadcutter well defined wound channel.

 

[jkingrph]

I have a S&W hand ejector, basically a K frame, in 32-20 I got as a companion gun for a little Marlin 1894cl. I searched the internet for several months before finding one that looked good. I had really wanted one with an adjustable rear sight, but could not find one, so went with fixed notch.

 

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Took the H&R 32 to the range again today. Just had to run some 32 ACP rounds through it, as there's nothing more fun than testing something you read on the internet.

Grouped just fine!

S&B 32 ACPs. No primer issues, they look fine. While I am really enjoying the 32 S&WL, if I had known this particular gun shoots 32 ACP just fine, I might not'a ordered the dies. Now, not every 32 S&WL can or should shoot 32 ACP. And then, it might depend on the maker. But this H&R shoots, groups and ejects S&B just fine. Data point.


AA

 

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Another shooter commented, "nice little carry piece," and I guess that's what this H&R is. Or a Kit Gun, with caps. A have-along carry. There are a bunch of unappreciated pluses that have occurred to me...

Subsonic round, so if fired without hearing protection, won't go deaf...

Yes, the grip is too small. And traps my knuckle. But the gun also points like a finger - somehow.

The brushed nickel finish is a dead ringer for stainless steel. It's 100%, unlike a peeling chrome Colt I once had. I'd carry a blued gun, but this helps.

32s are actually fascinating. I'll find one bullet mold eventually in a Keith-style... But I'll be reloading my first batch of 32s soon with a cowboy-style RN.

The sights are too small, of course, but white nail polish helped a lot last time.

Ugly ducklings hide their inner beauty for the patient... Yes, I realize it's a pimp's gun...

AA

 

[jkingrph]

I shoot mostly moderately loaded .32 H&R mag. A little more oomph than the .32 S&W long, but still soft shooting. Given the price of the older .32 cartridges, I don't really shoot them, saving the brass in case I want to shoot them later or if I get a gun that requires them. I have shot the shorter two cartridges in my pistols, but I much prefer the .32 H&R. Note, that if you shoot much of the shorter rounds and later shoot .327 mag, you will have VERY difficult case extraction with the .327 if you haven't cleaned your cylinder charge holes first. Much more so than when firing .357 mag loads after shooting .38 spl. loads.

All I have is a Marlin 1894CL in 32-20, and found a S&W hand ejector from the early 1920's as a companion gun. I just ordered some ammo for it, $1.40/round, so need to clean off my reloading bench.

 

[nortac]

Yes I have the same Marlin in .32-20 and a Ruger Blackhawk that has a .32-20 cylinder. I like shooting the .32-20, but reloading it is a bit tedious, the cases are easily crushed when bullet seating.

All I have is a Marlin 1894CL in 32-20, and found a S&W hand ejector from the early 1920's as a companion gun. I just ordered some ammo for it, $1.40/round, so need to clean off my reloading bench.

I also have a Colt DA revolver in .32-20, but it has some cylinder alignment issues and I have never shot it. Someday I might get around to correcting the problem(s).

 

[ctr]

Had a Ruger Blackhawk? in H&R 32 as my first centerfire handgun. Long time ago.

Too bad Walther won't bring back the 32 PPK.

Been thinking about a Beretta Tomcat mostly for the fun factor.