A Real Test
When the .32 Magnum arrived in the early 1980s Elgin Gates, then head of the International Handgun Metallic Silhouette Association, sent me a Dan Wesson Field Pistol version with an 8″ Heavy Barrel and instructions to really put it to the test. Field Pistol was the new silhouetting game with half-size targets at approximately half the distance. The reality is when you shrink a target by half the length and half the width you really only have about one fourth the area previously afforded. This game required shooters to stand on their own two legs and shoot with two hands and no support. It required more accuracy and much less power than needed for Long-Range Silhouettes.
I later added a stainless steel Dan Wesson. Both of these have been excellent shooting .32s over the years and I especially prefer the Sierra 90 JHC over 8.5 grains of #2400, which achieves 1,150 fps and 1/2″ groups for five shots at 25 yards. The Speer 100 JHP over the same powder charge is right behind it for 1,165 fps and a 7/8″ group.
At 50 yards, the Dan Wesson 8″ Heavy Barrel .32 Magnum Field Pistol fitted with a 5X Burris scope will put five 85-gr. Hornadys into one inch. The load is 10.5 grains of #4227 for 1,188 fps. Sierra’s 90-gr. offering with 9.5 grains of #2400 for 1,199 fps will cluster five shots into 1-1/8″ at 50 yards. These are examples of outstanding accuracy for both sixgun and bullet. Switching to cast bullets, NEI’s beautiful little 100-gr. Keith SWC is also capable of excellent results in the 8″ Dan Wesson.
I have two real favorite loads for this bullet: 10.0 grains of #4227 gives a muzzle velocity of 1,216 fps and will put five shots into 5/8″ at 25 yards and 1-1/8″ at 50 yards. Using 9.5 grains of #2400 ups the velocity to slightly over 1,400 fps and gives 1-1/4″ groups at 50 yards. All of these groups are with the 5X Burris scope in place. I can’t be this consistent with iron sights, especially now as I am in the middle of my 8th decade on this vale of tears, however the Sierra 90 JHC over 8.5 grains #2400 gives me 1,145 fps and five shots in 1/2″ at 20 yards while the Speer 100 JHP over the same charge yields 1,163 fps and a 7/8″ group.