Does anyone else still carry a .32 smith & wesson long cal?

[Remington]

I have an old "legacy" H&R 732 snub nose that I inherited back in the early 80s. I hadn't shot it since the 90s but I've recently dusted it off and oiled it up and pressed it back into service for concealed carry out of a combined sense of sentimentality and practical need. I found several old discussion threads about the .32 S&WL along with some ballistics testing data that was helpful. The only place I've recently found ammunition is online. I made a couple of purchases from Able Ammo and went over to The Range to get reacquainted. I'd like to compare ammo notes with anyone that is familiar with the "little old gems."

[Rich]

I have fond memories of this round because my dad owned a 4 inch Colt in 32 long. First handgun I ever shot. Fairly anemic round for self defense so I doubt many people carry one.

[Remington]

I am sure the old Colt revolver made a lasting impression. Is it still in the family?

Yes, I agree that this round is way over on the far side of being an extremely light defense option so I keep bigger and newer handgun options real close by. The 38 Special replaced it as the minimal law enforcement self defense round way back in the 1930s I think. The 32 SWL still has some fans here and it is a popular competition caliber elsewhere in the world but all the competition ammo is either wad cutters or LRNs. Potential defense loads are very few and they are hard to find in stock. So far I've found about four plausible defense loads. The author of an online ammunition ballistic data article recommended Fiocchi 97 grain FMJs, Magtech 98 grain semi-jacketed hollow points, and Sellier and Bellot LRNs, in that order of preference for him. He opined that Federal Champion .32 SWL ammo that he tested came nowhere near matching the manufacturer's ballistic performance claims. Able Ammo offers all of those options but they run out of stock within days of posting availability. You have to buy it quickly when it is available or wait for it to come back in stock again. I tried the Federals first and then settled on the Magtech SJHPs because of their design and they had the second-highest speed and energy ratings. They would move too slowly to expand like hollow points are supposed to but the theory is that they would hit hard and perform similar to semi-wad cutters in accuracy, penetration, and wound channeling.

[ratherfish]

I have a 1911 vintage H&R top break hammerless revolver that I carry as a BUG occasionally. I take heart from the fact that they served the purpose for many a riverboat gambler back in the day. What can you say.... a belly gun is a belly gun. If I woke up in a bad mood I dum dum the rounds..



I shoot the S&B LRN.

[Rich]

Remington I wish the old Colt was still in the family. It was promised to me by my dad. One of my sisters lived in a bad area for awhile and he loaned it to her. She got hard up for money and sold it. Guess she thought it was hers. It was in near perfect condition and probably had less than 250 rounds through it. Bought in the 40's. Oh well...what can you say.

[ffhounddog]

My ex father in law caries one in Texas. I have not really looked at one in awhile. It should still work pretty well.

Rich

[Diomed]

I inherited one from my father, a H&R. I was surprised how much recoil it had for such a small round. Unfortunately I cracked one of the grip panels so I don't shoot it anymore.

I've also got a S&W J-frame in .32 S&WL. I forget the model number, I bought it for my grandmother. Unfortunately the trigger pull (even after attention from a trained S&W 'smith) was just too heavy for her. Even though it's a J-frame it's a bit large for pocket carry with a 3" heavy barrel.

Heck, I even have a Martini cadet rifle that shoots .32 S&WL. It's in .310 Cadet, but there's no factory ammo in that caliber anymore, and the S&W round fits fine.

[sed45acp]

I also inherited a .32 s&w from my father in law, a Colt Pocket Positive. I've shot it just to make sure sure it worked, and it going bang but that about all I can muster from it. 30ft target with a 12 inch group. Suppose that's all to be expected though as it is a "pocket" gun not intended to chew the center out.

[Remington]

The pocket positives faithfully occupied vest and coat pockets for a couple of generations. I inherited my 32 SWL caliber snubbie from my father in law way back when. He pocket-carried it. It's still in great shape and shoots good with modern factory ammo, although that takes some patience and an internet connection to find these days. It his hard to beat for concealabilty. Our local Gander Mountain has one on display for sale for $200. That's the first one I've seen in a stor this century.

After carrying my 32 SWL alone for a couple of months I was feeling a little under-dressed for parties and decided to back it up with a new judge public defender ultra light stainless snubbie loaded with 45 colts. I guess it's like Will Hayden sometimes says... "You need to be fully prepared, just in case..."

[Remington]

After carrying the Judge Public Defender for a week I am back to carrying the H&R 732 about 70 percent of the time. That Public Defender is just too big to hide between my anatomy and my summer shirts. If I just knew which one I'd need to use, that's the one I'd try to carry more often.