First up, I loaded up seven of my .32 S&W Long reloads, and shot them to test function and foul the bore. I know, when one is shooting indoors at the combat line, fouling the bore is not really an issue, but I wanted the tests on the other calibers equally.
Loading itself presented something of a challenge. This is the first “new model” Ruger single action I’ve owned, and when they stuffed seven rounds in a cylinder the size of a “Single Six”, you need to load the individual chamber as soon as it fully shows when clearing the recoil shield. If you wait to center the chamber on the open loading gate, you can’t get the round in. Once I figured this out, no future problems.
Seven shots, single handed, 21-feet, semi-rapid fire (as fast as I can get away with at the range). Not bad!
For this and all the next test shots, I also shot at 7 yards, seated and supported, but did not have a sandbag or riser, so it was a bit uncomfortable. Worse, though I wore my glasses, new to me this year, for the first time shooting, and they made a huge difference, in an indoor range, not overly well lit, I simply couldn’t see the black front sight through the black rear sight against the black bulls-eye. I ended up having to index my sights to the left of the bulls-eye, and then move over to where I thought the center of the bulls-eye was. Not overly conducive to fine accuracy.
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So next, I began with the .32 ACP. This is an older Remington-UMC 71-grain FMJ load. I had a partial box, and fired 7 rounds through it. Functioned flawlessly, but not overly accurate.
Next, I shot seven rounds of Remington .32 S&W (sometimes erroneously referred to as “.32 S&W ‘Short’” due to a .32 S&W Long being out there). These were 85-grain LRN rounds. I had picked up this box last weekend at a gun show in town. Like the .32 ACP, these rounds barely recoiled at all, but unlike the .32 ACP, these were very accurate! I will need to reload these – if I can find some brass for them – as the factory loads are just too expensive!
Third up to bat were my .32 S&W Long reloads. I loaded these up a few weeks ago using 78-grain “Badman Bullets” over 2.0 grains of Alliant Bullseye, a CCI 500 small pistol primer, in new Starline brass. These ended up being perhaps even more mild than the .32 S&W “shorts”, but were extremely accurate! I will save this loading – it will be a great plinker, and a great trainer to start a young person, woman, or smaller person on a centerfire handgun. The report was very low as well – opening up other possibilities.
Fourth up was a cylinder full load of .32 H&R Magnums; 100-grain SJHP loads from Georgia Arms. Unlike the previous loads, you knew you had shot the gun with these. Recoil was more than manageable, especially when one is used to much larger rounds. I had never fired this caliber, and it was fun – and accurate!
Last up was the caliber the gun is listed for – the .327 Federal Magnum. These were 85 grain SJHP loads from Federal. This was the strongest round for sure, but still easy to manage. It was also fun and accurate!
I went back to the FBI target and tried a mixture of rounds, 3 from each caliber so I ended up shooting 10 rounds from each caliber. I ended up with shooting the remainder of fifty rounds of the .32 S&W Longs, since I can easily reload more of these with components on hand.
Here’s the gun and ammunition:
I really like this gun. I did end up ordering a set of Williams “Fire Sights” for it to see if this helps. I will also try it outside as soon as I can with a target that isn’t black. Or maybe I’ll go “old school” and simply paint the front sight orange! I suspect that this gun is capable of a lot more accuracy, if only I can see the sights!
I can't remember the bbl length....6-ish, I think....
