32-40 smokeless loads

[Rocky Raab]

Yup, the problem being that the only "thutty-two" they still make components for is the 32 Winchester Special, and those are a wee bit wrong for the 32-40, both in diameter and location of the crimp groove.

Ken Waters published an article on the 32-40 in 1972, and even then the correct components had been discontinued for some time. He discusses the problems of trying to use 32 Special bullets.

While you could likely make the components work, more or less, the right solution would be to find a bullet mould make specifically for 32-40 bullets. A roundnose wouldn't be a handicap, and in fact would be more accurate than a pointy one, in all likelihood. If you can find them, Lyman moulds 321297 and 321232 would be closest to correct, especially if they dropped bullets a bit fat and you left them unsized.

Best velocities with either of those 180-gr bullets will only be about 1400 fps, though. Jacketed bullets of 170 grains can be boosted to 1700 or so.