I saw this gun at a shop the other day--it practically went unnoticed on the bottom shelf of a poorly lit cabinet. I was able to discern the caliber 32-20 on the tag--asked to take a look and it's a pre-Mod. 10 M&P and in about 95% condition. No holster wear, very tight, and original grips. I was kind of looking for a revolver in .32 Long--another local shop has a Hand Ejector 3rd Mod. in that caliber, but it had been reblued. A nice job, but too high in my opinion, at $400. The M&P was priced at $350, and the clincher was that the shop was discounting all guns 10% for the day. The gun was back in the showcase, but after I had spent another half hour looking at everything else in the shop we made a deal and it ended up in the shop's safe where it will stay for the requisite 10 day waiting period before I can pick it up. I've been searching my catalogs for dies, brass and bullets. MidSouth has a Lyman 3-die set at a good price--and I do like their “M” expander die (included)--I use it in a couple of versions for my 308, '06, and .303 cast bullet loading. Of course, I can get a Lee die set for less. Most of my dies are RCBS, but I do load for some calibers with Redding and also Hornady. Opinions? As for brass, the best price I have found is on Starline brass from Midway. I've never loaded anything in Starline brass but I've never heard anything bad about the brand. Finally, until I settle on a mold for the 32-20, I need bullets, and have found them (mostly offered by Midway) in sizes from .309 to .314 and weights from 78g-.312 to 115g-.313. Does the 32-20 use the same bullet as the .32 Long? What would be a good start? I'm kind of long, I know, but would appreciate some advice. Thanks, Pete
S & W 32-20 M & P
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- Last Post 11 October 2010
$350 was a bargain for a 32/20 Smith in nice condition! Consider RCBS COWBOY dies for the 32/20. Some other brands are made for .311 jacketed bullets and the expanding die is way too small as they use the same size as 30 caliber rifle. I have had 3 32 WCF's S&W's and they all took .313/.314” bullets, the same as the 32 Long.
I wrote a two part article in The Fouling Shot last year, maybe someone can scan and email you a copy. I am on the road and don't have access to my home computer.
Best wishes,
Ric
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Thanks, Ric--what is your opinion on Starline brass? I'm on my way out the door--for an airport pickup--but will look through my back issues of FS for your article. Pete
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Pete, I have found the Starline brass to be great, and one of my 32-20s is just like yours. There is a particular serial number at which S&W began heat treating the cylinder, mine is pre-heat-treat, but there is no shooting pleasure in hot rodding the 32-20 anyway. With fixed sights, POI for me, is determined by bullet weight. Light bullets shoot low. I like the 3118 best, at around the standard 115 grains. As cast diameter is .3125, and I lube in a .313 die. Unique is an old favorite, but 4756 gives more uniform results, also good is the obsolete Alcan Al-5. I have found that the slower powders like 2400 and Blue Dot lack uniformity in pistols of this caliber. Fun to shoot and thrifty of powder and lead. Enjoy.
John
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I had one of those and gave it to my mother. I like my mother a lot. I liked that S&W almost as much. It shot like a dream. I had many 50 yard groups that I could cover with my palm from a standing two hand hold. I used to practice a lot. My gun was pretty well used. The hand was a little worn and I had to pull the hammer back pretty quick to get it indexed correctly. I like Starline brass. I had to use Remington and Winchester when I owned it. I think the Rem brand was a little longer which made for crumpled brass at crimping time. I loaded mostly 120 and 95 grain bullets in front of bullseye or unique. one worked as well as the other. It was a darn good gun. I liked it and the round as much as any 38 or 357 I've ever owned. That includes my Python. You are going to have much fun. I would go easy on the double action shooting as the hands are soft and are not very available as replacements.
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The RCBS Cowboy dies and molds way to go. Other good bullets are plainbase (115-gr.) version of NEI #82, Saeco #322 or Ideal #3118.
Check cylinder throats with plug gages or remove the cylinder to avoid damaging yoke and carefully push soft single-0 buckshot through the throats and measure. Most .32-20 hand Ejectors I have checked run same size throat as the .32 S&W Long, typical .313, but some may be larger. I have seen as large as .315 in both calibers, seldom smaller than .312"
If you don't feel comfortable about slugging cylinder throats yourself you won't go wrong with .313 bullet BHN 10-12 and mild loads not over 1000 f.p.s. in a 6 inch barrel with 0.006 cylinder gap, not over 900 in a tight 4 inch. Expect to lose about 10 f.p.s. for each 0.001 increase in gap over 0.006. If gap over 0.010 consider having the barrel set back. If you do this don't go tighter than 0.004 with lead bullets.
Ric's article has good dope. Starline brass is best. Try 3 grs. of Bullseye, 4 grs. of 231 or 4.5 of Unique or PB. Bullets no harder than wheelweights. Lee Liquid Alox or a soft lube is good.
73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia
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Starline brass is very good, and tends to neck crack less than the others, and also fills up the oversize chambers better. The quick way to figure out if you have a heat treated cylinder is to look at the sights. All heat treated guns have a flat topped front and a square notch rear. Most “V” fronts and rears are plain steel cylinders, but there is some overlap. Since these were numbered in there own serial number range, if you have Jinks's little S&W blue book, you can check for certain.
3.0 - 3.2 grains of Bulleye is an almost always a good target load that shoots close to point of aim. And like Ed mentioned, soft bullets are better than the store bought hard ones.
HTH, Ric
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My thanks to all you guys for your input. Ric, I found your FS articles and they were very entertaining and and informative. Ed, as the CBA guru, I have the highest regard for your advice. Pete
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Pete...I've got a Smith .32-20 4th variation Hand Ejector made in 1938. I've never slugged the throats on that particular piece but have had very good luck with Lyman's 311008 cast from WW and sized to .312". I've used Lyman's 50-50 lube with good success, along with Win 231, ignited by Win Small Pistol caps. Charges from 3.8 to 4.4 of that powder work well in my revolver, with the heavier charges doing markedly better. Ed's recommended load of 4.0 gr of 231 gave me 1.3” gps at 25 yds from this 6” barreled Smith.
Bullseye at 3.1 and 3.3 gr charges works well with this same bullet, at .312” Brass was R-P, with Win Sm Pistol primers.
I use Lee dies for this caliber with good success in both my Win M-92 rifle and the Smith.
I've heard good things about Starline brass in .32-20 and several other calibers. My own experience is with R-P, which has the thin case neck that can be a problem...in centering the bullet as well as crimping. Check Water's “Pet Loads” for his experience with a Smith Hand Ejector in .32-20.
Here's a pic of my blued steel beauty....Best regards, Rodfac
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I had mine at the range today and shot 50 rds. with the Hornady SWC and 3.0 g BE. Accuracy at 50' was OK--nothing to brag about. The bullets though, sized .314 won't enter the cylinder throats when pushed from the front or rear. This is the same situation I have with my 38's and .357 bullets. I have an RCBS 98g SWC mold on the way--was going to size them with a .314 sizer. Maybe I need a .313?
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Another thing--I have a discussion going on on another forum with a guy who says my gun can't be an M&P because it's not a .38. I don't have any real good S&W reference books but I do have Paul Wahl's “Gun Trader's Guide” (23d ed. 2000) which has a few lines about the 32-20 M&P, stating that “M&P revolvers were produced in this caliber until about 1940. Values same as M&P 38 models.” My gun has a five in. barrel, ser. no. 47xxx. Pete
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Look in any S&W reference book and you will find that it was listed as a “Military and Police” as were all their other fix sighted mid frame revolvers.
Also consider 3.2 to 3.4 grains of new manufactured Bullseye and/or small rifle primers. The Bullseye I use is about 20 years old and a little faster than the new stuff.
FWIW, Ric
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Starline brass is excellent. good luck with the loading for 32-20 in the revolver. While I was able to get some excellent groups with 90 to 115 gr. cast lead bullets in several o;ld rifles icluding a Winchester 1873 I was never able to obtain good accuracy from a Colt Official police in 32-20.
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Pete, just back from vacation tonight. I size mine to the largest size of plug guage I can get into the cylinder. Most soft cast bullets are easily compressed 0.001” and will chamber. If not just try it a thousanths smaller. The pistol will tell you what it likes when you start shooting groups. Ric
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Just back from a week camping (in a trailer) and fishing in northern CA near Lassen Nat'l Park. Not to wear out this topic but I'm still on a mild high over my M&P. I have a Lee .311 round ball mould that actually casts balls around .312 that are not a drop-in fit through the cylinder throats. What would be a good plinking load for this bullet? I'm thinking 2g Bullseye or can I go a bit hotter? I now have the 98g RCBS SWC mould and will be casting a batch of bullets from it my next session, probably this week.
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Two grains is a good place to start. What little I have worked with round balls is that you want just enough to not stick a ball in the barrel, but not too much that leads. ric
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Two grains is a good place to start. What little I have worked with round balls is that you want just enough to not stick a ball in the barrel, but not too much that leads. ric
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