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.32 LC balloon-head cases (Read 5058 times)

frosty_bacon Participating Member Offline Posts: 31 Location: north of 49 Joined: Mar 3^rd, 2015	.32 LC balloon-head cases Feb 25^th, 2017 at 4:42pm	Print Post
	Hello all, I am relatively new to reloading, so thought I should run this past some more knowledgeable people before I do something regretful. I have about 30 cases of .32 long colt that I was planning to reload with heeled bullets, but I notice that all of the cases have balloon-heads. Is it still safe to load these with smokeless powder? I have seen warnings in regard to old rifle brass, which is why I ask. This is to shoot in a Stevens 44, and my plan was to load them up using .32 S&W long data. Any advice would be much appreciated, FB


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BP Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 8039 Location: Westside Joined: Aug 27^th, 2006	Re: .32 LC balloon-head cases Reply #1 - Feb 25^th, 2017 at 6:04pm	Print Post
	I've run into quite a few "balloon-head" cases that carry the earlier case headstamps such as REM-UMC, WRA, Peters, etc. As long as the cases are corrosion-free inside and out, I still use them for some *lighter level* loads, after very careful case inspection is performed. One thing to watch out for is that many balloon-head cases were made with smaller diameter flash holes, and todays larger diameter decapping pins used in modern dies will jam into the smaller flashholes and distort the primer pockets of those earlier cases, so you may find that you need to deprime your balloon-head cases with a smaller diameter decapping pin, or a punch. Phil Sharpe's 1937 Complete Guide to Handloading has some data for the 32 Short Colt and 32 Long Colt, as well as the 32 S&W and 32 S&W Long /32 Colt New Police cartridges. Also, *some* of the loading data found in Sharpe's book seems to have been copied directly into the earlier Lyman ring-bound loading manuals, but not all, so make careful thoughtful comparisons of the various loading data sources.

	There are three kinds of men: The ones that learn by reading, the few who learn by observation, and the rest who have to pee on the electric fence and find out for themselves. Proud Noodlehead
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uscra112 Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 4079 Location: Switzerland of Ohio Joined: May 7^th, 2007	Re: .32 LC balloon-head cases Reply #2 - Feb 25^th, 2017 at 7:15pm	Print Post
	We have a ready source for solid head .32 Colt cases, made from .32 S&W. If'n it were me, I'd keep those balloon head cases as collector items.

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Redsetter Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 3468 Location: New York Joined: Aug 6^th, 2013	Re: .32 LC balloon-head cases Reply #3 - Feb 25^th, 2017 at 8:22pm	Print Post
	OR...you could save yourself a heap of aggravation by rechambering to the excellent .32 S&W Long!


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JS47 Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1265 Location: Arizona Joined: Oct 12^th, 2012	Re: .32 LC balloon-head cases Reply #4 - Feb 25^th, 2017 at 8:40pm	Print Post
	Redsetter wrote on Feb 25^th, 2017 at 8:22pm: OR...you could save yourself a heap of aggravation by rechambering to the excellent .32 S&W Long! Probably a good idea but it may require using a throating reamer if the chamber reamer was for a cylinder. JS


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Bent_Ramrod Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1583 Location: Southern Arizona Joined: Feb 8^th, 2006	Re: .32 LC balloon-head cases Reply #5 - Feb 25^th, 2017 at 11:41pm	Print Post
	I use some balloon-head .32 Long cases in my Low Wall and my Ballard. The primer pockets will begin to loosen up after 4-5 reloads, but so far, nothing catastrophic has happened.


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frosty_bacon Participating Member Offline Posts: 31 Location: north of 49 Joined: Mar 3^rd, 2015	Re: .32 LC balloon-head cases Reply #6 - Feb 26^th, 2017 at 1:13pm	Print Post
	My initial plans when I got the rifle was to rechamber to 32 S&W long, but after getting my hands on the 32 long colt rounds I thought I had a cheaper, viable alternative. I also thought this might give me the chance to evaluate the bore, which is pitted, but still seems to have strong rifling. I will look into the solid-head cases, but I am thinking it might be cheaper in the long run to rechamber. The rifle is a far cry from a collectors piece. Thank you everyone for your replies. FB


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uscra112 Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 4079 Location: Switzerland of Ohio Joined: May 7^th, 2007	Re: .32 LC balloon-head cases Reply #7 - Feb 26^th, 2017 at 1:48pm	Print Post
	No cheaper, IMHO. Here's your source for brass. (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links) May be expired by the time you get there, but it'll relist automatically. He's written a detailed essay on everything you have to do to keep a .32 Colt properly fed. Enjoy!

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coljimmy Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 283 Joined: Nov 10^th, 2012	Re: .32 LC balloon-head cases Reply #8 - Feb 26^th, 2017 at 7:09pm	Print Post
	I personally wouldn't worry too much about balloon head brass with mild loads or black powder loads, I would worry more about the brass being OLD and brittle. Of course balloon head cases are old, so this may be a catch 22. You can anneal the necks, but I am not a metallurgist, so don't even think about annealing the whole case. Two things make brass brittle, work and age, (Same for my knees and back). I was either foresighted or a blind hog rooting for acorns - I rat-holed some 32 long Colt brass when I saw it drying up, so I have some for my Hopkins & Allen that I converted from rimfire a while back. I do have some old military 45-70 balloon head picked up from old Fort Clark that I may load with black just for fun. James


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Redsetter Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 3468 Location: New York Joined: Aug 6^th, 2013	Re: .32 LC balloon-head cases Reply #9 - Feb 26^th, 2017 at 7:52pm	Print Post
	coljimmy wrote on Feb 26^th, 2017 at 7:09pm: Two things make brass brittle, work and age... 3 things, including mercuric primers.


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 18091 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: .32 LC balloon-head cases Reply #10 - Feb 26^th, 2017 at 8:51pm	Print Post
	I load a lot of .32 Long for my Ballard rifles. Been collecting brass and ammo for several decades, and have enough newer Cannuck brass to not bother reloading the old balloon head cases. But I did reload them numerous times when I started out, and never had a problem. But my loads were plinker loads that chronographed around 850 fps with a 90 grain bullet. I cast my bullets from an old Lyman heeled bullet mold and still use it today. The .32 Long is a fun caliber in a good single shot. Very accurate also, and thrifty to shoot with small charges of smokeless powder.

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uscra112 Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 4079 Location: Switzerland of Ohio Joined: May 7^th, 2007	Re: .32 LC balloon-head cases Reply #11 - Feb 26^th, 2017 at 11:00pm	Print Post
	I wonder, would any modern mould maker cut a 299153 mould at a reasonable price? I've been hoping to find an original for nigh on ten years now. Been making my own brass, which is easy enough, but still have to buy my bullets from tenmile.

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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 18091 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: .32 LC balloon-head cases Reply #12 - Feb 27^th, 2017 at 11:18am	Print Post
	Accurate Molds also has heeled designs, and will make whatever you want to order without any special order charge.

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coljimmy Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 283 Joined: Nov 10^th, 2012	Re: .32 LC balloon-head cases Reply #13 - Feb 27^th, 2017 at 11:41am	Print Post
	Ideal no. 1 and no. 4 tools in 32 Long went for about $100.+ for the past 2 or three years on evilbay. I did manage to get a poorly described 32 long Winchester mold minus the sprue cutter last year at a reasonable price. I finally found a 22 WCF win. mold with abuse but a good cavity 2 months ago, but the post office delivered it somewhere else. Dang! Still looking for that one. Anybody help me out on that one? James


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