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Post by hoover on May 12, 2015 12:42:47 GMT -5
So far, most of my shooting of the .327 Federal and .32 H&R, loaded with longer cast PC bullets, have been done with my 7.5” Ruger single-seven and 6.5” single six. I figured it was time to see what the easy packing, short barreled, pistols could do. I have a 4” Ruger SP101, and a 4 5/8” Ruger Vaquero, both chambered in .32 H&R. Besides both guns having short barrels, they both also had something else in common. They were lacking good iron sights. The baby Vaquero had traditional fixed sights, ala, hog trough rear and blade front. These sights scared me, as I hadn’t shot the gun in years, and wasn’t sure what to expect with my eyes. The second, my 4” full lug SP101 has a decent front sight, but the rear is a small, thin piece of stamped steel. Windage is correctible with a side screw, but elevation is as it comes. I was pleasantly surprised when shooting the baby vaquero! My eyes had no problem picking up the thin fixed front sight. It just nestled into the U shaped hog trough just as natural as a pork chop in a cast iron skillet. The thin blade added to shooting the gun accurately as it was easy to center the front sight below the bottom edge of the 2” squares I was shooting at 25 yards. As stated, this gun could shoot, although it shot consistently to the right of point of aim. The lighter the bullet, the more right it went, and the heavier the bullet, the closer to point of aim. I had honed out the cylinder mouths to this gun and the SP101 to .314”, and my bullets thought this just dandy. Both guns shot admirably, and they have become favorite step -children of mine.      Feeling rather nostalgic at the end of my shooting session, I decided to shoot my last group DA only, as I was trained to do in the Police Academy, 30 years ago. A steady, smooth, long trigger pull to stage the trigger, followed by a few more ounces to let off, when the sights were aligned. I had shot thousands of .38 specials this way in the Academy, and quarterly qualifications, when we still carried Ruger Service Sixes as our duty gun. Brought back a lot of good memories. I remember one of the Instructors when I mentioned to him that my fix sighted gun was shooting to the right. He promptly snatched it from my hands, loaded it, shot at a target 15 yards away, tearing a small hole 2” to the right from the X-ring. “Aim left!” he instructed as he walked away. Made sense to me! Those old guys were something else. They didn’t want to hear excuses, or waste any words in instruction. Just do it! That’s all I have ever done when shooting. Doesn’t matter what the trigger pull, sights, ammo, weather, or any other conditions are, just get out there and do it.  |
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petep
.30 Stingray
Central Alabama
Posts: 453
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Post by petep on May 12, 2015 14:42:55 GMT -5
Thank you very much for the 32H&R data,I sure can use what you so diligently have worked up!Great and useful post!  |
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Post by 2 Dogs on May 12, 2015 15:11:47 GMT -5
More good work from Jeff!
Great shooting pard!!
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petep
.30 Stingray
Central Alabama
Posts: 453
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Post by petep on May 12, 2015 16:22:35 GMT -5
I really appreciate the work(I know it is enjoyable but it is work!!) that both of you have posted concerning these"Little Bores" .I don't mean to leave anyone else out but these posts especially have been great!!
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Post by bradshaw on May 13, 2015 4:20:59 GMT -5
Detect rhythm and cadence in your groups, Jeff. Fine shooting,
David Bradshaw
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petep
.30 Stingray
Central Alabama
Posts: 453
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Post by petep on May 13, 2015 11:34:52 GMT -5
I noticed you used Longshot in several loads,do you like Longshot for 32 H&R loads?
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Post by hoover on May 13, 2015 11:53:41 GMT -5
petep, Longshot has become my powder of choice for both .32 H&R and .327 for bullets from 90-115 grains, with 6 gr. in the .32 and 7 gr. for .327. It seems to work well, and is clean burning, accurate, and gives consistent velocities. Accurate Arms #9 is my powder of choice for the heavier bullets. Not to say I wouldn't use others, but these 2 powders have been standup performers, and would be a great place to start.
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petep
.30 Stingray
Central Alabama
Posts: 453
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Post by petep on May 13, 2015 14:32:05 GMT -5
Thank you very much ! I will have to try some with my 115 grain coated bullets.
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awp101
.401 Bobcat
They call me…Andrew
Posts: 2,706
Member is Online
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Post by awp101 on May 13, 2015 18:56:19 GMT -5
petep, Longshot has become my powder of choice for both .32 H&R and .327 for bullets from 90-115 grains, with 6 gr. in the .32 and 7 gr. for .327. It seems to work well, and is clean burning, accurate, and gives consistent velocities. Accurate Arms #9 is my powder of choice for the heavier bullets. Not to say I wouldn't use others, but these 2 powders have been standup performers, and would be a great place to start. Are the results still acceptable, but not as good, if you reverse the powders and bullet weights or do things go haywire and you might as well be throwing the slugs by hand? |
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Post by hoover on May 13, 2015 19:10:13 GMT -5
#9 will work with the lighter bullets if you choose to drive them 14-1500 fps, but you can do that with the heavier slugs. Pressure starts to spike pretty quick with Longshot and the heavier slugs. You can get good accuracy, but you might also get sticky case extraction, with lower velocities than #9 can provide at lower pressures.
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Post by bradshaw on May 14, 2015 9:15:44 GMT -5
Tank.... still trying to digest all the beans you've poured in the hopper. Wringing out some of your loads at 100 yards may shorten the mystery. Let's look at one .32 H&R load:
Cast 311440 150 GC
9/#9
SP 101 4"=1018 fps; ES 157 fps.
Single-Six 4-5/8"=957 fps; ES 26 fps.
S6 4-5/8": 5x5=1.4" @25 yds.
SP 101: no target shown.
Seems SP 101 may have a tighter cylinder gap and/or shorter forcing cone. (Not considering throat diameters.) What was accuracy? Was there vertical stringing? Wide velocity spread suggests vertical stringing. I would question Accurate #9 until more chronograph ing is done, with targets at 50 or 100 yards.
Next, shoot through water jugs to test for tipping.
Excellent chapter in your endeavor. Question growing like grass.
David Bradshaw
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Post by hoover on May 14, 2015 10:55:10 GMT -5
David, with the astuteness of a border collie, you were able to hone in on the "bad" sheep of the .32's. Although, the Lyman 311440 150 gr GC "flying fist" shot great in the .32-20, up to 50 yards, it was the farthest I tested, it is a short range, belly busting proposition in the .32 H&R. I'm sure it has to do with stabilization of such a long, heavy slug, as the .32's have shown a propensity for shooting the shorter, lighter slugs into nice, neat groups. The 311440 does well up to 25 yards. I was just experimenting, and testing the limits of bullet weight with the .32 H&R. The photos I shared were just the highlights of the groups shot that day. Many days, I load only 10 rounds each for chronographing purposes.I'm not sure what the rate of twist is for the Ruger .32's, but I bet it is suited for bullets in the 90-95 gr weight range, as that has been my most accurate loads, even out to 100 yards. I've shot so many guns and loads, it is hard to keep straight, and proof that one must keep diligent records while shooting. With one of the guns, at 50 yards, the 311440 only kept 2 rounds on the whole backboard of the target! I kinda miss those care free days of plinking, not worrying about groups, or velocities, but have learned a dump truck load by paying more attention to detail, shooting for groups, and recording same with both the chronograph, and saving the actual groups themselves.
I appreciate your keen powers of observation and questions. It gets my noggin working, and helps me to think about the next level. During this quest, I'm reminded of Thomas Edison, one of my heroes as a kid, if you can believe that one,"I have not failed, but rather found 10,000 ways that won't work." I mentioned to Doc and Fermin today that I cracked open my 4th brick of WSPP last night in about 3 months, as I was baking and casting bullets. Hope that helps answer some of your questions. Its all been good fun.
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Post by bradshaw on May 14, 2015 19:18:13 GMT -5
Jeff.... I'm just an owl sitting on a limb, rotatin' my head at all these rodent .32's scurrying Atlantic to Laredo to the tangled Rockies...
Any loads you manage to pack into an inch or under @25 yds deserve the 50 yard and perhaps the 100 yard test. After all, little bullets generally take on small targets. Thinking, before you give up on the 150 grain, squeeze it down on 4227 ignited with a mag primer. It'll get out the barrel. May turn out a Thomas Edison dud.
David Bradshaw
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Post by Encore64 on May 14, 2015 19:37:39 GMT -5
Jeff, great work as always. I just put a fiber optic front sight and v-notch rear blade on my 4 5/8" Single Seven. The new 4.2" SP-101 came with a fiber optic front, so it will only get a v-notch rear.
Though they are chambered in 327 Federal, this data is very helpful. I love Longshot powder in my big bores for midrange loads. Just picked up a few pounds, so glad you are getting good results in the smaller cartridges too.
I had bought the 4 5/8" Single Seven to send to Reeder for conversion to his new 250 GNR. It's the 32 H&R case necked down to take 25 caliber bullets. May have to reconsider that now.
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