32 Short Colt

[muddyboot]

While going through my ammo stock today I found around 230 rounds of 32 Short Colt. It's a mixed bag of Remington, Western, and UMC. I don't recall buying this ammo so I guess I've had it for some time. Can anyone venture a guess on the value of this small hoard. On gunbroker it's going for around $ 50.00 a box, but that seems a little high. What revolver shoots this ammo?

[bang]

There are a number of handguns that shoot this round -- a couple that come to mind is my little IJ "Owl Head" and my 1951 DS in 32 NP (AKA 32 long or 32 Colt Long -- the 32 Short Colt is AKA 32 short and 32 S & W).

As far as shooting, the ammunition is readily available at standard prices, but when you get into rare and collectible headstamps, it's another world . . .

[wolfbait]

The 32 short colt is the wrong round for a gun chambered for 32 s&w or new police. The short colt round is smaller and will split in 32 s&w chambers. A gun chambered for 32 colt will not chamber a larger 32 s&w round. The colt police positive was made for both calibers and they are not interchangeable. 32 short and long colt ammo is hard to come by and expensive.

[muddyboot]

Here are way to many pics of the ammo. The Old U.M.C. box is unopened except for a tear on the lower left side.
Thanks for your feedback, always interesting to learn somthing you don't know about Colt's.

[MMCSRET]

Winchester still catalogs 32 Short Colt, runs about $31.00 a box in my area. I've bought two boxes, good ammo, right dimensions for my little Colt revolvers. The SC ammo is relatively plentiful in my world, the 32 Long Colt is in short supply and getting a little pricey. Winchester also catalogs the SC cases in their Reloading Components list.

[muddyboot]

Winchester still catalogs 32 Short Colt, runs about $31.00 a box in my area. I've bought two boxes, good ammo, right dimensions for my little Colt revolvers. The SC ammo is relatively plentiful in my world, the 32 Long Colt is in short supply and getting a little pricey. Winchester also catalogs the SC cases in their Reloading Components list.

I'm suprised it's still offered by the factory. If Winchester can offer 32 SC why the hell not 41 Long Colt.

[bmcgilvray]

Having revolvers chambered for both the .32 Colt cartridges and the .32 S&W Long cartridge, I've fired some .32 Short Colt in an I-Frame Smith & Wesson .32 and it was a non-event. The cases did not split and the resizing effort was not noticeably different from cases fired through a proper .32 Colt chamber when I ran them through the sizing die. The pressures generated by .32 Short Colt ammunition gives every impression of being absurdly low.

In my opinion, back in the day, one could have effectively utilized .32 Colt ammunition in a .32 S&W Long chambered revolver as an expedient substitute with no harm or even noticeable difference in performance. Obviously, the reverse is not true as the .32 S&W cartridges won't chamber in a .32 Colt chambered revolver.

Chronograph Testing Some Long Colts, .41 AND .32

[haggis]

The .32 Short Colt is dimensionally and ballistically similar to the European .320 Revolver cartridge, and there were boatloads of those sold, mostly by Belgian manufacturers. I have what appears to be a Belgian Velo-Dog revolver but it is chambered in .320 Revolver. I was looking for a way to make some ammo for it and during the research, noticed that the .32 Short Colt is a perfect replacement.

Buck

[bang]

Except for 22's, I haven't bought any facory ammo in years, and the factory stuff I shoot was a Christmas, birthday, or father's day present, and the empties get recycled through the appropriate die for the gun in which they will be shot.

I have dies for the guns I shoot, and the cases get resized, loaded, and fired again, so I am not really familiar with what the book says on "store-bought" stuff, and if I want to make up a wierd load, I do, and wear goggles, gloves, and a face shield when doing the initial testing -- how many of you have ever loaded a 9mm case with a .357 bullet, or a 130 gr .308 sptizer in a 32 NP case ?

I feel sorry for those who choose the relative security and obscurity of living their life according to some book that purports to tell them what to do, what they can and can't do, and how to do it.

I'm not saying I haven't left a little blood in the mud, but in every instance, I learned something, and I'll be 80 in a few months . . .

From the pix that are shown of the old ammo, I'd say there are plenty of people out there who would love to have it to add to their collections, so regardless of what gun it fits or doesn't fit, I'd think that stuff wouldn't last long on the tailgate at a gun show or a flea market . . .

[Mike Armstrong]

I have a Webley RIC Pocket revolver that chambers and fires .32 Short Colt like it was made for it. It is marked ".320". Shoots to POA at 15 yards.