Acme Bullets arrived

[gmerkt]

Lately we've discussed casting vs. buying lead bullets in other threads. A week or better ago, I decided to try some Acme cast, coated bullets. I saw them on some gun stuff site or other and they were sold out. Yet when I went to the manufacturer's site, they had what I wanted. They were delivered today and I was surprised to see they came in these little wooden boxes. Held together with tiny pin nails all around except one side, which opens and closes with friction fit. Very nice bullet product inside. So far, I've only opened the .32 revolver bullets, which are the next ones I will use in a reloading project.

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[Nosferatu]

Have fun.

 

[PommyB]

The packaging is impressive, I'll look forward to a range report on how the bullets do. Are the .32 bullets for a .32/20? Rifle or revolver? I'm currently using some Bear Creek Supply moly coated bullets in my .32/20 Colt Army Special with good results.

 

[gmerkt]

Are the .32 bullets for a .32/20? Rifle or revolver? I'm currently using some Bear Creek Supply moly coated bullets in my .32/20 Colt Army Special with good results.

I plan to use them in .32 H&R Magnum revolver.

When I loaded .32-20 for revolver, I typically loaded 115 gr.

One time I did some serious testing of .32-20 vs. .32 H&R Mag. Using the same bullet weights and several different powders, out of the same revolver (had a cylinder for each), .32-20 didn't have any advantage over .32 H&R Mag.

When .327 Fed Mag came along, of course I had to try that one. I had two diff. revolvers in .327. It was a "bridge too far" for my purposes. It was fussy about components, I didn't like working with it.

 

[bpyycpyy]

I've used their "lipstick" bullets and non-coated bullets in 45-70 & 44 Mag and think they're a quality product with no issues to report from me. It's been a moment since I purchased them but remember the pricing being very attractive too. The wooden boxes are a bonus over paper boxes that have a tendency to fall apart with the heavy contents. I'm pretty sure you'll have no issues with your purchase and likely be a returning customer. It certainly looks like you'll be having some fun at both the reloading bench and the range!

 

[PommyB]

I plan to use them in .32 H&R Magnum revolver.

When I loaded .32-20 for revolver, I typically loaded 115 gr.

One time I did some serious testing of .32-20 vs. .32 H&R Mag. Using the same bullet weights and several different powders, out of the same revolver (had a cylinder for each), .32-20 didn't have any advantage over .32 H&R Mag.

When .327 Fed Mag came along, of course I had to try that one. I had two diff. revolvers in .327. It was a "bridge too far" for my purposes. It was fussy about components, I didn't like working with it.

I've heard good things about the .32 H&R. I shoot mainly vintage & antique guns, so the .32WCF is the best option for me. Actually, I blame Skeeter Skelton for my devotion to the caliber, as it was his writings that got me hooked 40+ years ago! I too use 115gn bullets in my .32/20, I tried some 100 grainers a few years ago, but went back to the heavier bullet.

 

[Mikej]

Have fun.

View attachment 1819605

Damn! Beat me to it man!

I'm gong to see if they've got some for the Wifey's little Rossi .45 Colt M92 lever action! Just for the box!

 

[DizzyJ]

That's really cool!

 

[osprey]

I have sent a lot of those red coated devils downrange in 44 mag, 45-70 and 458 socom.

 

[JO JO]

I have used their 44 cal and 9mm without issue , just remember to flare the case a bit more then you would with copper bullets

 

[gmerkt]

I have used their 44 cal and 9mm without issue , just remember to flare the case a bit more then you would with copper bullets

Yes, this always. With all cast bullets. Including coated.

 

[Ben B.]

I use the boxes for handy storage of gun stuff. Pretty good bullets as well.

 

[Hemlock]

Lots of different places to get coated bullets off of the web. Badman Bullets in southern Oregon make black ones. They look nasty!
I've seen green, yellow, blue. I shot steel challenge with a lady that had purple to match her purple shooting gear.
SNS Cast Bullets is a big and fast supplier. Summers Enterprises and Bayou Bullets are others that I've used.

 

[po18guy]

I plan to use them in .32 H&R Magnum revolver.

When I loaded .32-20 for revolver, I typically loaded 115 gr.

One time I did some serious testing of .32-20 vs. .32 H&R Mag. Using the same bullet weights and several different powders, out of the same revolver (had a cylinder for each), .32-20 didn't have any advantage over .32 H&R Mag.

When .327 Fed Mag came along, of course I had to try that one. I had two diff. revolvers in .327. It was a "bridge too far" for my purposes. It was fussy about components, I didn't like working with it.

I bought some Missouri Bullet Co. coated 100 gr. flat points to load in mom's S&W 30-1 three inch that I am having an extra cylinder re-chambered to .32 H&R. I rather call it ".32 Special" (based on the max pressure of 21.000 PSI). Maybe .32 H&R Special +P(?)
Anyway, they are also excellent bullets. Loaded by not yet fired are some PPU 71 grain HPs - a little small but will certainly exit the barrel.

 

[gmerkt]

I bought some Missouri Bullet Co. coated 100 gr. flat points to load in mom's S&W 30-1 three inch that I am having an extra cylinder re-chambered to .32 H&R. I rather call it ".32 Special" (based on the max pressure of 21.000 PSI).

I'd actually thought this might be a possibility with a pre-1984 H&R Model 732, which has a six shot fluted cylinder in .32 S&W Long. The .32 H&R Magnum came out in 1984, H&R only made them for about three years before bankruptcy. The H&R-made .32 Mags had five shot cylinders, unfluted. So there must've been some concern about higher pressures. Here I'm referring to the H&R Models 504, 532 and 586. For 1984 and '85, H&R also made the Model 732 in .32 H&R Magnum (vice the much more abundant same model in .32 S&W Long. These also are five shot (not six like the earlier Longs) with unfluted cylinders.

When New England Firearms took up where H&R left off, they resumed production of some of the revolvers. Specifically, the previous H&R 504 became the NEF R73 Ultra; and the H&R 532 became the plainer R73. Where did NEF come up with R73 for a model name? By using the previous H&R model 732 and dropping the last digit. Although the NEF R73's copied models of 500 series H&R revolvers, not 732's.

When NEF made the R73 in .32 Mag. (only), they fluted the five shot cylinders, unlike the unfluted ones of H&R.

Getting back around to the conversion, I don't have any science as to how much additional pressure cylinders converted from .32 S&W Long to .32 H&R Magnum can safely take. I just don't know. I've owned a Smith & Wesson Model 30 and a 31 (round butt vs.square butt), those have six shot cylinders that are kinda dainty, as opposed to the five shot early H&R and later NEF cylinders. Which are heftier than S&W J frames.

The original Dan Wesson firm made a small number of their revolvers in .32 H&R Magnum, these are quite rare and pricey now.

I had a couple of the fine S&W Model 16-4's, very nice revolvers.

These days, Charter Arms seems to be all over the .32 H&R Magnum game.

Loaded but not yet fired are some PPU 71 grain HPs - a little small but will certainly exit the barrel.

They will work if you can get enough bullet tension. They have a nominal size of .312, but I've miked some that were under that. At one time I was crazy enough to hand load .32 ACP, and of the many different cartridges I've loaded for, it was probably the one that presented the most variation in factory component specs. Lots of variation in brass thickness; different rim designs. Undersized bullets. Which were planned that way so they would accommodate a certain cartridge brass thickness. Within limits, sometimes factories set up to make what will work on their equipment, not necessarily work well across the widest spread of different firearms. When it comes to older design cartridges for which earlier standards in gun making were more slack, ammo manufacturers sometimes intentionally introduce added safety margins. Like reduced propellant charges or slightly undersized bullets.

For modern .32 revolvers, I don't like the 71 gr. ACP bullet due to the sloping ogive and limited bearing surface. But the PPU bullet looks like a better profile than a round nose. In jacketed bullets, I like the the 85 or 100 gr. Hornady XTP.

 

[po18guy]

Apparently, many Smiths have been re-chambered with no problems. I would have to guess that the J-frame was the same material/heat treatment as the 5-shot model 36 .38 Specials. The .32 cylinder walls are thicker than the 38. Balancing this is that the 32 H&R is higher pressure, but there is far less of it.
Got any vintage HS-5 left? Lyman showed a 32 S&W Long load with a 115 cast SWC at almost 1100 fps. I would hesitate to know the pressure of that load.

 

[PiratePast40]

I've been using their 9mm 147 grain bullets for quite a few years. With some coated bullets, there have been problems with the soft coating not allowing a sufficient crimp. Not so with these.

Accuracy holds all the way down to "bunny fart" loads.

I wouldn't use the little boxes for storage of anything heavy, but they're great for other uses. The grand kids love having their own little box for trinkets.

 

[gmerkt]

Apparently, many Smiths have been re-chambered with no problems. I would have to guess that the J-frame was the same material/heat treatment as the 5-shot model 36 .38 Specials. The .32 cylinder walls are thicker than the 38. Balancing this is that the 32 H&R is higher pressure, but there is far less of it.

Also, we're talking about metal and processes of two different firms.

 

[po18guy]

.32 Long is 15,000 PSI, so the H&R is substantially more, but in looking back, the long was intended for rather ancient revolvers and metallurgy.