j8064
Garrett Co Hooligan #1
As usual, another unusual project has found its way to my reloading bench ---> Building old 32 S&W black powder ammo. Who's surprised?
Here's the project:
Research and Progress:
Next Steps?
It's time to actually build some black powder ammo to test fire at our next Hooligan shoot! That's my reloading project for tomorrow...
Any of the MDS member's brain trust knowledge and input is surely welcome!
Your thoughts?
Here's the project:
- This old H&R Top Break revolver came to me years ago (first pic below). Based on my research it's from pre-1900. In good shape, but built to fire black powder vs. smokeless ammo. So it had never been fired by the Hooligans - until... jimv8eatr (enabler that he is) donated some old 32 S&W ammo of unknown age to the pistol.
- At last week's Hooligan shoot Buff7mm was our guinea pig (second pic below). He took one shot. Nothing blew up. But none of us could figure out how to lock the cylinder on the spindle.
- Back on my bench I figured out our problem and the pistol became an active project.
Research and Progress:
- Years ago JAGGUY donated an original Ideal reloading tool to go with the pistol.
- The tool incorporates a boolit mold. I once cast a few boolits with it, but they weren't usable. I can cast 93 gr .311 boolits and have them on hand so we have projectiles!
- At the time I did not know how to use the tool. Here's a YouTube video that adds insight on how the too works. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2A0Ez9TMZA
- The first thing I learned was the tool needed the missing decapping part. I had a 32 ACP Lee case gauge that worked , but decapping did not resize the cases. Dayum!
- I have a 32 ACP die set and figured it was worth a try. The case dimensions for 32 ACP are a couple thousandths larger diameter than 32 S&W. And it worked great! I needed to find a shell holder that worked, but with some tweaking I have cases that chamber and a way to seat and crimp boolits. The dummy round I built yesterday is compared to a factory round in the pic below...
Next Steps?
- I have 20 cleaned cases I can prime and use for test ammo.
- I have boolits and BP on hand plus a set of dies that will build test rounds.
- My research tells me original 32 S&W BP ammo was loaded with 9 grains of what today would be FFFg.
It's time to actually build some black powder ammo to test fire at our next Hooligan shoot! That's my reloading project for tomorrow...
Any of the MDS member's brain trust knowledge and input is surely welcome!
Your thoughts?
Attachments
-
01 - H&R R-Side DSC07395.jpg54.3 KB · Views: 314
-
02 - Buff7mm Firing H&R DSC00554 SNIP.jpg43 KB · Views: 298
-
03 - Tool DSC07450 Snip.jpg48.7 KB · Views: 309
-
04 - Boolits DSC08046.jpg52.7 KB · Views: 312
-
06 - DSC00618 Lee Decapping Pin with Die.jpg35.9 KB · Views: 295
-
07 - DSC00624 Decapped cases in cylinder.jpg34.7 KB · Views: 313
-
08 - 32 S&W Factory vs Hand LoadCapture.jpg40.1 KB · Views: 308
-
09 - Cleaned Cases with boolit Capture.jpg39.8 KB · Views: 309