Years ago I was given a heavily rusted little H&R Young America in 22 Short caliber. After a bunch of messing around with a bore brush and oil and such it shot fairly decently, for what it was. Eventually it "went down the river" in a trade, but as usual regret remained.

This past weekend I managed to make up a bit for letting it go. At a local gunshow I came across one in much better shape than the "one that got away". AND in 32 S&W Caliber. Reloadable is good, especially with the price of 22 Short ammo any more. OK. So primers and powder aren't that cheap either - but still are an option worth pursuing.

The main problem is brass. Saw some last year while searching for 327 Federal Magnum, but didn't spring for it as the only such chambered gun I knew of is in the hands of an almost non-shooter. He didn't want to spring for it and I wasn't going to, opting at the time to cut down 15 rounds of 32 SWL brass instead.

Well, 32 ACP is shorter than 32 SWL, less to cut - and there was a little bit of it at the show for a nickel a case. I took what he had (100) and figured I'd use the time with Mom to do the onerous job while chatting with her. So today I sat down at the table, pulled out the bag of brass and the pistol and inserted one round. Slid in and so did the next four, allowing me to dry fire it via the trigger and it seems to snap the caps with authority and right in the center. So I grabbed a RimRock 75 grain 32 caliber slug and seated it just past the lube groove and slid it into the chamber. It was nearly flush with the end of the cylinder so I have the seating stem a slight tweak, rechecked the resulting dummy and then crimped it in place. Good to go!

So now I can seat a 75 grain slug out further than if it were in 32 S&W brass, thus lowering pressure. I'm not too concerned as this particular one is from the smokeless era and was "proof tested" by the kid I rescued it from by shooting 32 ACP factory ammo through it. Lead slugs over a pinch of Unique should be no problem. Don't know if I'll get a chance to test it at the range before heading south again or if it'll have to wait for this summer when we return, but now I've got over a hundred bucks of ammo (judging from a box I saw at Dunhams) ready to go. This should prove a fun experiment.

I'll have to survey what's in store here for .32 S&W. I "may" have some for you.

Are you going to bring that to Raton? I'm pretty sure that I have some old .32 S&W factory ammo that I will donate to the cause if you do.

It will probably make the cut. I'll not be as heavily packed as last year, but it and the ammo is compact enough to fit in a tiny package.