Though I’ve shot and conducted thorough load development for a good many Thompson/Center (T/C) Contender handguns, shooting the 32 H&R Magnum was a real learning experience. The 32 H&R Magnum is, of course, a true handgun cartridge, introduced in 1983-84 and it involved a joint venture between Harrington & Richardson (H&R) and Federal Premium Ammunition. The cartridge was originally created for revolvers. In the T/C Contender used for my testing, the barrel was chambered for use with .308-caliber bullets, something unique to T/C barrels. This opened the possibility of a greater variety of bullets, and with the break-action single shot, this included pointed varmint bullets, several of which were tested here.

The 32 H&R Magnum was developed to more than double the speed and energy of the much older 32 Smith & Wesson (S&W) round, though I must say the magnum label still seems a bit superfluous (it’s the smallest centerfire handgun cartridge to receive a magnum designation). The 32 H&R Magnum easily exceeds both the speed and energy of 38 Special +P loads with the former running at higher maximum pressures (21,000 CUP) than the latter (20,000 CUP), while producing conspicuously less recoil. Despite this, the 32 H&R Magnum never gained the widespread popularity of the 38 Special. The 32 H&R Magnum’s exceptionally flat trajectory is accentuated by using the sharp-pointed bullets allowed by the Contender.

The rimmed 32 H&R Magnum shares the same rim dimensions as the 32 S&W and 32 S&S Long that allows shooting the shorter rounds in H&R-chambered revolvers made by H&R, Dan Wesson Firearms, Charter Arms, Freedom Arms, Smith & Wesson, Ruger, Taurus and New England Firearms. Marlin also chambered a couple rifles in the 32 H&R Magnum. Due to headspacing off the rim, and because I was shooting a break-action single-shot Contender, I found a neck crimp was not necessary.

The 32 H&R Magnum is based on the older 32 S&W Long case, extended to 1.075 inches that kept it within the established cylinder length of existing H&R revolvers. In revolvers, it includes a maximum cartridge overall length of 1.35 inches (some revolver models allowing longer), though as we will see, that doesn’t apply to the T/C Contender when loaded with spire-point or poly-tipped bullets. Introductory Federal Ammunition factory loads included a 95-grain lead SWC advertised at 1,030 feet per second (fps) and an 85-grain JHP at 1,100 fps (velocities established in a 5-inch pressure barrel sans cylinder gap). One hundred and 110-grain bullets became more popular later, especially for silhouette shooting, which this handgun was originally chosen for. Original 32 H&R Magnum revolvers use .312-inch jacketed bullets and cast bullets up to .314 inch in diameter. In revolvers, a conventional roll crimp is applied, which as I mentioned, I didn’t find necessary in Contender loads.

In reviewing revolver load data for the 32 H&R Magnum, a variety of mid- to fast-burning, low-bulk pistol propellants such as Alliant Unique, Herco, Bullseye and Blue Dot surfaced. I certainly auditioned these, and some did admirably, though the strong Contender action does allow slightly higher pressures, opening the use of heavier charges of slower-burning pistol and “22 Hornet” powders such as Alliant 2400, Hodgdon Lil’Gun, Hodgdon 110/Winchester 296, Accurate No. 9 and 11 FS. Though some of the pistol powders performed well enough, for my goals I found the slower, high-bulk powders provided superior velocities and much lower extreme velocity spreads. As a break-action single shot capable of firing more

streamlined spitzer/poly-tipped bullets, I saw the opportunity to create a fun small-game/varmint handgun with the Contender.

I have my doubts some of these bullets will open aggressively on smaller varmints, as they were undoubtedly designed for 308 Winchester to 30-06 Springfield velocities. That said, when combined with the fastest of the tested powders, I’m guessing some amount of bullet expansion will occur, giving the 32 H&R Magnum a place in ground squirrel or prairie dog fields. This would also make it suitable for coyotes and bobcats, without worry of ruining hides, and dare I say, for hogs up to 100 pounds with well-placed shots at less than 80 yards.

Factory ammunition is available from Federal, Hornady, Black Hills Ammunition and Buffalo Bore, providing sight-in rounds and spent cases for reloading. Starline was the source for the fresh brass in this cartridge. That said, all of my cases were FC/Federal cases that came with the handgun. Fiocchi Standard Small Pistol primers were used for ignition without problems (I’ve seen data suggesting small rifle magnum primers for use with slower-burning ball powders). An RCBS SP Carbide Sizer 308 die set was used for loading.