32 rimfire cast bullets available?

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FARMHANDYO

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Hi Everyone,

I have a couple of beautiful 32 rimfire revolvers that I would like to fire. I understand that H and C collection has 32 rimfire bullets in their reloading kits. However I find that they are not the same as the old original lead bullets from the 1800s. They also seem to be very tight when inserting them into these old revolver's cylinders because they have a very big head. This means that when using black powder the revolvers cannot be reloaded easily after firing 1 or 2 cylinders full of 5 shots. I have a few old 32 rimfire cartridges from the 1800s with copper cases and the bullet is perfect for the caliber. It almost looks like an enlarged 22 long rifle bullet. My question is can I buy from someone some lead bullets that are copy's of the originals from the 1800s? Also is there a bullet mold that can make a bullet like this?

Here is an image of the type of bullet that Im looking for. Around 90 grains.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/38/5_rounds_of_.38_Rimfire_long.JPG/340px-5_rounds_of_.38_Rimfire_long.JPG

This is what Im trying to avoid.

https://www.hlebooks.com/32rfkit/IMG_4736.jpg

Thanks for the responses.
 
How about reloading with .315" round balls?
I assume you're loading with the the reuseable bored-through copper cases that are powered with .22 blanks, you should be able to press fit a .315" round ball on top of that, lube with crisco, and it'll work fine with nail gun blanks without even needing to add a powder charge.
If it doesn't fit you can slug the bore and measure the cylinder throats/forcing cone size and size the round balls appropriately
 
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appleorangefish said:
How about reloading with .315" round balls?
I assume you're loading with the the reuseable bored-through copper cases that are powered with .22 blanks, you should be able to press fit a .315" round ball on top of that, lube with crisco, and it'll work fine with nail gun blanks without even needing to add a powder charge.
If it doesn't fit you can slug the bore and measure the cylinder throats/forcing cone size and size the round balls appropriately
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Round balls do work. Regarding the PTLs, take great care with the type of blank you're using though (I wouldn't recommend hotter than brown), as they actually contain quite a stout charge. They might not blow your cylinder apart but they could certainly work your gun loose in short order.
 
NorthCoastBigBore said:
Round balls do work. Regarding the PTLs, take great care with the type of blank you're using though (I wouldn't recommend hotter than brown), as they actually contain quite a stout charge. They might not blow your cylinder apart but they could certainly work your gun loose in short order.
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In my 32 rimfire revolvers I have used 4ffff powder mainly with no issues. I have also tried level 2 and level 3 22 cal nail gun power loads. Level 2 is somewhat weak and level 3 I would say feels about perfect. Gives the cartridge a good boom and lets just say that even though it is only 32 caliber in a pocket revolver it is still very powerful. Cleaning is also a lot easier using the power loads.
 
FARMHANDYO said:
In my 32 rimfire revolvers I have used 4ffff powder mainly with no issues. I have also tried level 2 and level 3 22 cal nail gun power loads. Level 2 is somewhat weak and level 3 I would say feels about perfect. Gives the cartridge a good boom and lets just say that even though it is only 32 caliber in a pocket revolver it is still very powerful. Cleaning is also a lot easier using the power loads.
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It is pretty impressive how much jam those PTLs have. And yes, no question on the cleaning!
 
FARMHANDYO said:
Has anyone here ever tried using the power loads for 38 rimfire and 41 rimfire?
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there's a guy with a blog ("38 rimfire blog spot") who used 25 cal nail gun blanks on tapped 38 spl brass and had some success


And this fellow sells reloadable 22 blank cases, probably the same kind they have at dixie gun works down in the states
https://antiquegunscanada.com/shop/...mfire-reloadable-reusable-cases/v/323841cases

Seems like it would be less reliable than 32 rimfire though because the relative size of the blank would mean you have to position the cartridges more prescisely
 
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I use the .32 heeled bullets from jetbullets, but they don't quite fit the cases from H&C. I give the base of the bullets a quick turn in a pencil sharpener, which slims down the heel portion a bit and use a vise to clamp the bullet into an H&C case.
 
Accurate Molds is always the first place I look for stuff like this. He offers several heeled .32 designs, mostly for the .32 Colts, but one may be adaptable to the rimfire. If not, you can draw up what you want and he will make that and add it to his catalogue.

31-095H-D.png
 
john94 said:
I also wouldn't recommend using round balls, in my experience they get pulled out easily by the slight recoil after several shots.
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I prefer jethunters' bullets but have not experienced a RB backing out of the case in my revolver; I can't speak on the H&C's but I made my cases from both .32 SC brass and actually turning my own cases. In those cases, the RB is held very securely. And a light roll crimp could be applied, if necessary, without shortening case life. H&C are probably thicker and that could be the issue.
 
john94 said:
I also wouldn't recommend using round balls, in my experience they get pulled out easily by the slight recoil after several shots.
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How far are you seating them and are you using a seating die/roll crimp? that can affect round ball loads, but i don't have experience with round balls for .32 cal
 
FARMHANDYO said:
What do you mean by roll crimp die? Is there even a roll crimp die that will work for 32 rimfire?
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.32 Colt dies for sure (they are out there, and CH4D still makes them - I have one set for .32 Short Colt & one set for .32 Long Colt) but generally, the case mouth is somewhere in the neighborhood of .312-.314" so any .30xx cal, .303 British, 7.62x39mm etc. if you can get the case far enough up in the die. .32 S&W/Mag, 7.62x25mm, .30 Luger, .32 ACP etc etc would work too.

Don't forget that .32 RF (Short & Long) are identical to .32 Short & Long Colt.

I also have an Old West Molds crimping die for the heeled bullets, but I don't doubt it would work as well.

All that said, if you're using the H&C brass, they sound expensive and a little thicker. Might not be intended for any crimp. On the heeled base bullets, it's not really a "crimp" that's applied, it's more of a gentle "squeeze" and the .32 Colt brass cases (including RF conversions) last forever.
 
FARMHANDYO said:
What do you mean by roll crimp die? Is there even a roll crimp die that will work for 32 rimfire?
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I don't have experience with .32's but you could get 32 S&W factory crimp dies from the states. Now that I think like Northcoast said factory crimp will work better since you're squeezing around the circumference of a round ball or heeled blulet
 
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