alternative cartridges in .32longcolt gun

leeblackman

What other cartridges can be fired in a revolver chambered for .32longcolt? Can the .32s&w?

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Iconoclast

Lee, how can I put this politely? Ummmmm.... I got it - you're probably screwed. The S&Ws are marginally larger. And the Colt New Police cartridge is a clone of the S&W Long. The Colt ammo hasn't been loaded domestically for a long time, I think the 1950s, but maybe even pre-war. You will find some ammo on line, at shows, etc., if you look long & hard. It doesn't command a premium comparable to its scarcity (I've seen boxes selling for $10!!), reflecting the perception of it as a cartridge, but lucky for you. Once you have some, be sure to save the brass to reload! I looked through my references and the only reforming option I found was from 5.56 brass w/ a host of extra operations - easier & cheaper to pay collector prices. The Colts were much more popular in Europe than the US. You might check the Fiocchi and Gevelot lines to see if they still make it. Another possibility is Old West Scrounger - http://www.ows-ammunition.com/ . . . be forewarned, they are pricey to an extreme, but when no one else has an exotic caliber, they often will. Last idea, although a real long shot is to assemble a group of like-situated people and arrange a special order of brass from Starline. I have no idea of the minimum order, but they do have that service.

Hope this helps; you have a real orphan there. Good Luck!

v35

All is not necessarily lost. You can rechamber the cylinder for 32S&W long. The max overall length of the 32S&W long is 1.280 so you have to check the cylinder length. You also need to check the chamber walls to determine the remaining metal thickness after the chambers are opened up by .020". This also applies to the locking bolt cuts.
I load SWC bullets in the 32S&W long that have an overall length of 1.160" which is less than the 32 Long Colt cartridge length.
As far as pressures go; allowable pressures for the Colt are 1000psi greater than for the S&W so there's no pressure difference issue.
Bore dimensions are within each other's tolerance range.

fergusonmorse392

if in fact you have a 32 long colt, you can shoot 32 short colt, its still made by winchester any gun store can order it for you, expect to pay about 22.00 to 25.00 per box of 50>>>> 32 long colt may be available from old westeren scrounger in california but pricey. you should have a gunsmith look at it to make sure of the proper caliber & if its safe to shoot.