32ACP vs 32 S&W Long for centerfire

[Wsuman]

What are the pros and cons of these two similar but different calipers for bullseye centerfire?

Thanks,
Walt

[dronning]

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=42516

The 32acp is proving to be more accurate and less temperamental.

- Dave

[Murph]

i think they are equals and each require one major thing. The 32acp requires making your own lead bullets to be the 1" gun at 50 yards. The 32 S&W requires a Barrel with a faster twist to be accurate enough at 50 yards. The 32 acp development has been moving along and I believe commercial bullets will be available soon making this the clear choice for me.

[cgroppi]

i think they are equals and each require one major thing. The 32acp requires making your own lead bullets to be the 1" gun at 50 yards. The 32 S&W requires a Barrel with a faster twist to be accurate enough at 50 yards. The 32 acp development has been moving along and I believe commercial bullets will be available soon making this the clear choice for me.

I get 1" groups with the hornady xtp 60 gr (actually 1.1"). I think that casting one's own bullets, while certainly effective, is most definitely not necessary.

I have not heard of anyone getting a 1" group with a 32 S&W long at 50 yards ever, under any circumstance. I may be wrong, but I have never seen evidence to the contrary.

[Rover]

I think Chris nailed it. There's no question that it's harder (but possible) to get good accuracy from lead bullets. The few shooters I know getting good results are from jacketed bullets. It definitely costs more, though.

[Dipnet]

Murph,
Do you know of a commercial caster who plans to make the 60gr LSWC designed by Oldcaster? If such bullets were of decent quality, that would certainly be cheaper than buying XTPs. Thanks, dipnet

[Isabel1130]

I would not under any circumstances expect 50 yard accuracy from cast bullets.

You might get that from swaged bullets, but swaging your own bullets requires about a minimum couple of thousand dollar investment. The payback for doing that over just buying the JHP's is going to be at around the thirty thousand bullet point where you break even depending on the cost of your lead wire.

[Tab812]

Zero Bullet Company is working on the 32ACP, the last time I talked with them they were going to try and have it out in time for Perry...

[wes lorenz]

All,
I've been having good results using the Accurate Molds 31-065H. It feeds much better and is showing the same accuracy as the 31-060H.
However, still haven't reached the magic 1" groups some are getting, but recent offhand testing results trump the 45.
I need to make a Ransom Rest insert or put a 20x scope on the pistol.
How are you guys testing the Pardini's?
Thanks,
Wes

Picture of Bullets I've used.

[Murph]

The Old Caster bullets are not being made by anyone yet. the ones I casted at home were holding 1.6" - 2" off the bench. I tested some more and one in 10 started having a flier. Out to the outer 10 or 9 ring. I am now pretty sure that I was loading them just a bit too long. I shortened them to 0.855-0.860 and those had no fliers, but my test season ran out and I haven't worked on the 32 stuff since late fall. Too cold and I had too much on my plate, including in the middle of renovating our new home so we can move in in the next couple months, so the 32 testing has taken a back seat for awhile.
I was communicating with Pardini USA, Pistol Champ, Dave Wilson, and a few others last year on this topic and we all shared info. There are some test batches that were run late last year that hold the X ring. I can't say for sure, but I also expect a cast 32 bullet to be commercially available (most likely from Zero or Pardini) this year that will hold the X ring.
Pardini won't release the test data or help get a 32 bullet produced until extensive testing and acceptance has been achieved. That takes awhile unfortunately.

[cgroppi]

All,
I've been having good results using the Accurate Molds 31-065H. It feeds much better and is showing the same accuracy as the 31-060H.
However, still haven't reached the magic 1" groups some are getting, but recent offhand testing results trump the 45.
I need to make a Ransom Rest insert or put a 20x scope on the pistol.
How are you guys testing the Pardini's?
Thanks,
Wes

Picture of Bullets I've used.

I test on our club's Ransom rest. We have pretty much every grip insert there is, including the Pardini.