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32-20 WHV in Colt SAA
breakerdan
Member Posts: 364 ✭✭✭
Elmer Keith always said that the 32-20 Colt SAA was tough enough to drive bullets up to 1500fps. I have fired a few 1950s vintage 32-20 WHV cartridges through my Colt SAA....not a 1st generation, but a new one from the custom shop. What do yall think? The cylinder bound up for a while after I did that but it got right after I fired a box of regular cartridges through it. That 32-20 WHV hollowpoint kills feral hogs like nothing else I have seen. I know what the box said but I know the old-timers stuffed those old 32-20 pistols with whv loads.
Comments
If you want to shoot hot .32's in a revolver, buy one of those new Rugers chambered for the .327 Federal.
This is why Ruger installed frame mounted, small diameter firing pins that cannot blow back beyond the breech face.
Prior to that, some custom builders did frame mounted firing pins for
high pressure conversions like the Hornet. If I recall correctly, Hy Hunter did this commercially before Colt decided to restart SAA *'n that put him out of business
If you use the heavier brass rifle or magnum pistol primers there may be
less setback into the firing pin bushing hole.
Also first Gen SAAs had heavier mainsprings that may keep primers out of the firing pin bushing hole.
I'd bet that outside the firing pin/ bushing jamming issue, no published 32-20 handload would do damage to a smokeless
SAA.
Pierced primers (misnomer) generally occur when pressure overcomes striker energy, driving it back beyond the breech face and blowing a plug of primer material into the firing pin hole.
The gas propelling the plug can and does damage such guns as the Luger that can't vent it.
The phenomenon can also occur with heavy strikers like on the 03 Springfield if the cocking knob is cut off for cosmetic reasons.
In 1935 the 357 Magnum was added to existing SAA calibers by Colt.
Additionally, the 30 caliber case has a smaller crossectional area than the 357, making forces on the gun even lower than the 357 were they at equal pressures.
If the SAA works safely with the 357 it should be safe with the 32-20 WHV loads.
If there isn't an issue with firing pin and bushing, I'd look at the
breech face angle. Being that a bottlenecked cartridge backs out and stays against the breechface, clearance has to develop between case head and breechface as the cylinder is rotated or it will bind.
In short, the 32-20 WHV loads were made to be fired in something that would give that feeble case more support than the Colt SAA does. Even if the gun does not blow apart like a grenade, hot gas in the face, or an incorrectly operating gun is NO FUN. Why do you persist to give advice to someone that may in the long run hurt them, after he has stated he is getting cylinder binding? That should set off a bell...ding....ding....ding.
entirely.
As far as "encouragement" is concerned I examined the problem from many years of firearm and engineering experience and offered real world solutions. I've been there and done that. There's little guessing on this issue.
While I have perforated primers in a number of guns including the SAA
I've never been injured from spray but it is a possibility. That is why it was brought up in a cautionary manner. If you read carefully, you would have noted the smokeless SAA was cited not black powder models.
Had you understood my replies you would acknowledge the 357 operates
at a much higher pressure than any published 32-20 high velocity rifle load making the likelihood of primer blowthrough greater with the 357.
If you are the engineering expert you acclaim, then you would be sure to recognize the older 32-20 cases such as the WHV, have no special attributes to strengthen them to the .357 Magnum levels. As such, the primer pockets will swell, and let the unsupported primer set back under higher pressure, and indeed cause the binding problem. That, combined with a worn firing pin bushing, and firing pin can, and will produce a ruptured primer.
That you are correct, this is an "EXPERTS" column, and if you can't offer professional, safe advice to a situation like this, than you should refrain from any. Being that the original poster is new to this forum, and asking should I, or should I not, and gives symptoms of high pressure with loads that were originally made for fully supported chambers of the 1873, and 1892 Winchesters, then PROFESSIONALISM should take priority. His Colt is obviously not the same as yours. The question was should I keep going, not if I mod this, or mod that is it OK.
Balloon head cases don't blow out at the primer any more than solid head cases do. If folded head cases do let go, it's through the folded rim and that's in the instance of overpressure, excess headspace or reloaded black powder cases that were originally corrosive primed. In the new revolver cited, having tight headspace, blowing out at the rim isn't going to happen with factory loads. Elmer Keith cited an instance involving an SAA using balloon head cases and very heavy 38-40 overloads.
I've never heard nor seen an instance of a primer pocket collapse that matches your interesting theory. If you can support this notion with engineering theory or empirical data, I'd be glad to listen.
Forces are essentially equal within and without the primer pocket on folded head cases. With no significant pressure differential, the primer pocket isn't going to move.
I'll be gone for at least two weeks. Meanwhile,I'd take the opportunity to try and learn from this forum. There is a lot of information here and at least a few mechanical engineers who understand the stuff in depth.
Sitting back casting snide remarks will not get you through Guns 101.
Having revealed your acute ability to grasp and retain technical information, here's some more for you to grapple with..
Balloon head cases don't blow out at the primer any more than solid head cases do. If folded head cases do let go, it's through the folded rim and that's in the instance of overpressure, excess headspace or reloaded black powder cases that were originally corrosive primed. In the new revolver cited, having tight headspace, blowing out at the rim isn't going to happen with factory loads. Elmer Keith cited an instance involving an SAA using balloon head cases and very heavy 38-40 overloads.
I've never heard nor seen an instance of a primer pocket collapse that matches your interesting theory. If you can support this notion with engineering theory or empirical data, I'd be glad to listen.
Forces are essentially equal within and without the primer pocket on folded head cases. With no significant pressure differential, the primer pocket isn't going to move.
I'll be gone for at least two weeks. Meanwhile,I'd take the opportunity to try and learn from this forum. There is a lot of information here and at least a few mechanical engineers who understand the stuff in depth.
Sitting back casting snide remarks will not get you through Guns 101.
v35
No where did I mention ballon head. The mear fact that the web thickness of the 32-20 is no where as thick as the 357 should be an indicator. I do understand mechanical, and electrical engineering very well, as to know there is not the square inches for the force to create significant thrust against the breech face to be problematic for the 32-20. In this gentlemans Colt it could be many things, even to much lube in the chambers for the bottle neck round. Could be to much end play in the cylinder. When it comes to making a firearm not function properly, and you know you are using ammunition that was not designed for it, then why keep going, or encourage some one to keep trying? Just because it's not your hand holding the gun, or your face that could take the hot gas if a primer does rupture?