MP 312-67- HP

Spindrift

Spindrift

Well-Known Member
Actually, the mould is marked «.32acp», revealing it’s intended use.

I think this is the lightest .30 caliber bullet there is, except the round ball.
Cast with the large pins, these are basically flying hollow-points. Sometimes, you want a bullet with minimal penetration that simply fragments upon impact.

I got this 4-cav mould for christmas, from my wife! But the winter conditions around here haven’t been conductive to much casting. But I managed to to some casting a few weeks ago, and saved some reasonable bullets from the break-in (ignore the big guy on the left)

0FA9A175-8A4D-42EF-A9E6-F81B1C33E796.jpeg

I’m not expecting much accuracy-wise here. If I can get less than 2 inches at 50m, I’ll be pretty pleased.

Tried some of the surviving bullets from mould break-in today. Marlin 30/30, MG barrel. Coated bullets, sized .311, seated to the crimp groove. Loaded with Vectan Ba10, which I use the way many of you use Bullseye. 5,5 and 6 grs, for starters. Distance about 50m. Both groups just sub-2 inch. In my view, a good start all things considered

D290864B-1676-47DD-8591-35CE14794B79.jpeg83D011BA-AB45-4780-A3B6-7AD30CF4A366.jpeg

I’m looking forward to trying with bullets of normal quality. I’ve prepared some bullets with PB gas checks as well.
I’ll keep you posted, we’ll see how this plays out.
 
Spindrift

Spindrift

Well-Known Member
Did a little expansion/penetration test, using left- over bullets from mould break-in. Alloy is my default BHN 14 mystery alloy. The load was 6,8grs Vectan Ba10, from my Marlin 30/30.

I shot this into a milk carton, packed with paper, and completely saturated with water. It is 5 inches across.

Front view:
IMG_20230318_113804950.jpg

The bullet did not exit. Lateral view:
IMG_20230318_113811273.jpg

The autopsy showed a total penetration of about 3 inches. There was marked cavitation, about 2 inches diameter.

IMG_20230318_114045111.jpg

At the end of the "wound channel", I found this little, 17-grain lead turd

IMG_20230318_194840057.jpg

Concluding, there was enthusiastic expansion with extremely short penetration.
In a couple of weeks, I should be able to commence with accuracy testing with mature and well- made bullets.
 
Spindrift

Spindrift

Well-Known Member
Excellent group!
I've got my sights on that Lee .314 SWC, but haven't got my hands on a mould yet.

I love to tinker with slightly weird combinations. It remains to be seen if I can get reasonable groups with this bullet, but it has interesting terminal ballistics.
 
CZ93X62

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
Regarding the 32 ACP caliber and bullet casting for a bit......bullets designed for this caliber can lend themselves well to 30-31 calibeder rifles as small game and plinking projectiles. Conversely, Speer still catalogs their 100 grain "Plinker" half-jacket RN design. I have tried these Plinkers in 32 ACP loads, they had mediocre accuracy in most of my 32 ACP pistols likely due to their .308" diameter. They functioned and fired, though.

The Plinkers did a bit better in the rifle barrels they were meant for--30 Carbine, 30/30 WCF, 308, and 30-06 in my case. They weren't gilt-edged-accurate, but in scoped 308s and 30-06s they could hold 2" at 100 yards if the winds weren't howling. They didn't like going much faster than 2500 FPS, either. They did their best work in the old Marlin Model 62 I had for a while--the short-stroke lever action in 30 Carbine. Its inherent accuracy beat any 30 U.S. Carbine I ever tried. That 62 would shoot Sierra RNSP into 1.25" at 50 yards very reliably at 1800 FPS, and just a little wider with the Speer Plinkers. That little carbine was DEATH on jackrabbits around Ridgecrest when we lived out there. Alas, a collector threw a lot of money my way to relieve me of it--he was aghast that I still fired it. Truth to tell, the Ruger Blackhawk is the best plaform that has ever housed the 30 Carbine cartridge. My 32/20 rifles are more accurate by accident than any 30 Carbine I've known has ever been on purpose. That Model 62 was a cool little carbine, but that 3-shot magazine was annoying and if aftermarket clones or higher capacity units existed I couldn't find them. Off it went.

Back to our 32 ACP. The late LTC Jeff Cooper once opined that if one was to limit their defensive options to 'the pocket blowbacks', that the 22 LR might be the best option. The context at the time was not a true 'recommedation'. I get that--then and now. The only 'Pocket blowback' I carry in harm's way is an East German 9mm Makarov with Russian-made 95 grain JHPs that clock over 1100 FPS from that barrel. They are a handful. I have about 75 left from the 250 I bought years ago, and since the Rus are getting naughtier and nastier as the days go by the goodies from Tula and Izhmash won't be landing here anytime soon. {Cuss words go here}

So the 32 ACP lives its life as a recreational toy at my house. It is accurate enough in my Walter PP to be a viable small game and varmint whacker. Lyman #311252 shoots REALLY WELL in it, and all the way to the caliber's potential at 900-910 FPS. It will hold 2" at 25 yards if the user does his part (Moi).

The 32 ACP can be stunningly accurate. I have noted that the very fine Walther GSP-C is now being made in 32 ACP. I had the use of one of these for a time years ago, in 32 SWL WC. What an accuracy machine. In those days I was a capable pistol shot, and that Walther remains the most accurate handgun I have ever fired. The thoughts of having one in 32 ACP is tempting, but I would have to leave Kalifornistan to own it.

Sorry to swerve the thread.
 
Ben

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
Feb, 2022
My grandson Trevor did some real good shooting with the Ruger # 1, 30-30 today.
He was shooting the Lyman 311008 , plain base, ( 124 grs. ) with 4.2 grs. of Red Dot. Very accurate load.

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Here is how many 30-30 rounds he fired :

1LZRwjA.jpg



He was shooting at 35 yards , here is his group :

wiFVhiK.jpg


Yes, 32 cal. pistol bullets can make very effective loads in .30 cal. CF rifles.

Ben
 
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