32 S&W Long dilemma

[Trooperjake]

I have a 32 S&W Long dilemma,
I shoot a Walther GSP in 32 and get 2 or 3 near duds out of every 100 fired.
Yesterday at a match I had 2 that barely made the target.
The shooter next to me also shot a GSP and had one that just hit the bottom of the paper. So I realized it may be a common problem.
Obviously it did not have a full load.
I reload using a Dillon Square Deal press with the extra small powder bar.
I am using a load of VVn310, with 1.4 grains.
With this press using a powder check is impossible,
Anyone have a solution to this problem, or ideas.
Thanks in advance.

[j-team]

My only suggestion is that you "down grade" to a Lee micro disc. I use that to drop 1.3gr of N310 and it's never missed a beat.

Otherwise the only 100% method is to visually check each case has powder before putting in the projectile.

[David M]

Use a bulkier powder like Trailboss 1.8g to 2.2g (680-710fps) 98g HBWC, it fill a lot of the case.

[Tycho]

Might be that the powder gets stuck in the bottom of the bullet, if you're using HBWCs. What helps is going down to 1.2 or 1.3 grs and using a Magnum primer. If there wasn't any powder at all, the bullet wouldn't make it out of the barrel. I'm using a Dillon 650, and having no problems at all with the powder bar.

[JamesH]

The small bar makes for a narrow slot which I guess is prone to bridging.
I made a solid bar with a simple hole drilled in it which seems to work well enough.

It seems that as powder ages/takes in water it gets claggier and/or burns less consistently in light charges.
Bullseye seems to do this in .32, but it could be my imagination.
Using a fresh can seems to make the problem go away.

[fc60]

Greetings,

Small powder charges are difficult to dispense.

I have used my Star for 20+ years and no poofers.

If you locate a Universal machine at a good price, I can machine a shell plate and dies to load the 32 S&W Long WadCutter.

Cheers,

Dave

[Bob-Riegl]

Quite simple though tedious, load and prime a new shell, remove from press and weigh, then tare, return shell to press and load powder, then re-weigh. I had problems with that micro bar until I machined out the rounded interior and replaced the knob with a micrometer adjustment. I load 1.2 gr of VVN310 and that is a #$#%%^&% light load--but have never fired a squib nor one that bounces off the paper...."Doc"

[brakarzac]

I have a 32 S&W Long dilemma,
I shoot a Walther GSP in 32 and get 2 or 3 near duds out of every 100 fired.
Yesterday at a match I had 2 that barely made the target.
The shooter next to me also shot a GSP and had one that just hit the bottom of the paper. So I realized it may be a common problem.
Obviously it did not have a full load.
I reload using a Dillon Square Deal press with the extra small powder bar.
I am using a load of VVn310, with 1.4 grains.
With this press using a powder check is impossible,
Anyone have a solution to this problem, or ideas.
Thanks in advance.

When I was running N310 powder through my square deal I always ran small rifle primers... Never had a problem, and my load was only 1.2 grains

I have since changed powders as recommended by a top shooter who has already commented above.
No problems for me with bulkier powder.

cheers
Brad

[Trooperjake]

Anyone tried the Arredondo Powder Drop Slide with Micrometer,
As sold by Unique Teck.
Do you think I would get better drops?

[PFribley]

Mine woild do that when the ammo was cold. I live in Ohio. Range box goes in the back where in the winter it gets cold after driving sometimes up to 2 hrs to a match. Now I purchase those chemical warmers. Rubber band them around the pistol. Then put one on both sides of my plastic ammo caes.

[Trooperjake]

As a matter of fact, it was very cold in the range, the furnace was not working, and only 2 electric heaters were on. The range temp was about 38F.
Outside temp was about 32F.

[Dr. Jim]

Temperature definitely affects priming compounds. Two decades ago shooting rapidfire Fiocchi Gold 22 shorts at the now gone Strathcona range in Edmonton, I had to keep the mags and the ammo in my pocket in order to get the rounds to fire, and the temp was about 8 - 10C. Nowadays I always try to make sure the ammo is warmed enough to work, course that applies to this old shooter as well.

Cheers. Dr Jim

[tenx9]

I have friends that have also expierenced too light loads when using a Dillon reloader. They came up with the small powder bar ground flat in front so theres no indent that would cause the powder to stick or somehow get lost. They're cheap enough, expierment

[scausi]

Hi 1st up i am running 1.8 gns trail boss 90gn wad cutter , and they crack out of my walther, you seem to be sacrificing your accuracy and reliability in shooting the lowest charge you can get away with , You should be trying to get a load that will cycle be reliable and accurate , and you wont get that unless you experiment ,
I also use a dillon sq deal with the extra small charge bar no problems
and i use a set of digital scales to check powder charge, very simple, once a dillon charge bar is set it stays set no mucking around.
cheers .S