Ruger SSM

[Brad]

Finally got a chance to try some cast in the Ruger SSM in 32 H&R.
I used an NOE 103 swc, their version of the RCBS 98 gr. They are dropping at .315+ so sizing to .312 moves some metal. I get small fins on the base but other than messing with alloy a bunch to get them to drop smaller I can't do much about it.
They were lubed with BLL because the punch for my Star was too short. The bullets weren't far enough into the die to get lube where I wanted it and still get the lube to pump properly. A new punch has been made to solve that.
Load was 3.3 gr of HP38 and a small CCI primer in new Starline brass.

I fired 100 rounds and got no evidence of leading. Recoil is very minimal and the report isn't horrible.

I have noticed that many load the cartridge with slower burning powders. I have lots of HP 38 so I will likely keep on using it unless I find something that shoots significantly better. Anyone know why there is a tendency towards using 2400, H110, and slower powders in a cartridge that is really a +P, not a magnum?


This was 15 yards at a local indoor range. The monsoon didn't allow outdoor shooting.

 

[Ben]

A most excellent start for your .32 revolver !

Ben

 

[Brad]

Good thing it is a single action. Slows down the shoooting a bit compared to double action. I don't know that I could load or cast fast enough to feed a double action.
This is a fun little cartridge.

 

[gman]

I think most using those powders are pushing it harder. That Ruger can handle it. I still regret passing a blued 6.5" a couple years ago.

 

[Brad]

I wonder if this is a cartridge that shoots better as it is pushed harder?

Cleaned the revolver. No leading at all. Cleaned up very quickly.

 

[fiver]

midway sells spray on drop out.
it's usually pretty good at reducing bullet diameters.
it might even make them fall out of the mold better.

 

[Brad]

Didn't think of that stuff but I still have a can. Might be worth a try. Luckily this mould drops the bullets easily.

 

[freebullet]

That does sound like a fun little cartridge. Never had one.

See, if you had a mill you could drive the pins out & shave/resurface the block faces.

 

[Brad]

That does sound like a fun little cartridge. Never had one.

See, if you had a mill you could drive the pins out & shave/resurface the block faces.

No, my wife's new husband could. I would be living in a small studio apartment and paying a shitload in alimony.

 

[freebullet]

Mmm, probably better not do that.

 

[300BLK]

The 32 H&R Magnum is a neat little cartridge, and the Ruger SSM is just about the perfect size. I HAD a 6" S&W M16, but it was so heavy that I didn't care for it due to ts size and weight. I DID load hotter than listed in the manuals, but used AA#7 under Lyman 311008s. My shooting buddy Bill had one of the Rugers and shot 313445s over AA#7.

 

[Brad]

I looked back and found some groups by Dale using the NOE bullet and 3.5 gr of 231. I went a little lighter on powder and may inceprease a smidge.

Now if I could only shoot a handgun like Dale.

 

[300BLK]

There is no NEED to make a magnum out of the 32 H&R, but the better revolvers were definitely capable of handling more than the SAAMI spec loads. The early Federal cases were suspect and had a tendency to split, or was the story of the time. I had no issues with the S&W even when loaded to flat primer levels. When I read threads like this it makes me wish that I had a S&W 631 or Ruger SSM, but I don't see handgun sights well enough these days to pursue handgun shooting.

 

[Brad]

I can see this as a great learning gun for someone who hasn't fired a handgun before. Recoil is almost non existent. With reasonable loads the report isn't bad either.
I had long lamented not buying one of these when they were still made. I wasn't going to pass on the opportunity. Glen reamed the throats for me and the gun seems to shoot cast quite nicely with no leading.

I'm pretty happy.

 

[Pistolero]

As far as why slower powders, perhaps because the expansion ratio should be pretty good, giving them a chance to work.
6.5" bbl with that case volume should give 7 or 8 or so expansion, so slower powders should be able
to speed things up. I would assume combustion chamber is less than 1" long.

Look at expansion ratios of some small cal bottleneck cartridges. Even a 26" bbl with some
does not give a very good expansion ratio. Straight cases do well with shorter bbls and
slower powders than would seem obvious at first glance.

Try plugging into your computer program.

Bill

 

[Brad]

Extra velocity is possible with the slower powders.
I can't see loading 11 gr of Lil Gun to get 200 fps more than I can get with 3.5 gr of 231.

I was more interested in hearing if people were getting better accuracy with the slower powders.

 

[fiver]

I probably wouldn't go that far down the line.
if you got the pressure to play with [higher side] something like BE-86 could be a decent case filler with good velocity.

 

[Brad]

I would use Unique but I don't know how well the adillon measure would drop it in light charges. Uniques doesn't measure great anyway but using a tiny cavity won't help any.
At this point I need to shoot what I have on hand. That means Red Dot, Promo, Unique, or HP38. The Titegroup is reserved for 44 special.

 

[fiver]

that red-dot don't look too bad.
I'd keep the unique in the 5gr and above area.
below that I switch to bulls-eye. [just cause I got a bunch, got a bunch of unique too]

 

[Brad]

Shot 100 rounds with the same bullet and 3.5 gr of HP38. Shot very well. Killed a few cans at around 20 yards. Berms were way too muddy to recover a bullet but that will come with time. Just need to wait out our monsoon season.