Administrators Eric Posted September 14, 2017 Administrators Share Posted September 14, 2017 Hey guys. I just bought a Walther pistol made in 1916 or so. The pistol is a Model 4, chambered in 7.65mm Browning (.32ACP). Once I do some work on the pistol, I want to be able to shoot it occasionally. Obviously, the .32ACP ammo built when that pistol was new is less powerful than modern ammo, using modern powders. I'm wondering how big the difference is? I am curious to see if the old pistol will be capable of safely shooting modern loads. If not, are there loads out there specifically designed to approximate the pressures developed by ammunition that would have been in production when a pistol like this was new, to make it safe to fire in pistols this old? Any insights you have on this would be appreciated. Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdicki Posted September 14, 2017 Share Posted September 14, 2017 I'm not sure pressure changed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdicki Posted September 14, 2017 Share Posted September 14, 2017 From pet loads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdicki Posted September 14, 2017 Share Posted September 14, 2017 (edited) 1958 Edited September 14, 2017 by bdicki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdicki Posted September 14, 2017 Share Posted September 14, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdicki Posted September 14, 2017 Share Posted September 14, 2017 (edited) http://www.saami.org/specifications_and_information/publications/download/205.pdf I haven't found any old data with pressures. Edited September 14, 2017 by bdicki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Eric Posted September 14, 2017 Author Administrators Share Posted September 14, 2017 Hmmm, I assumed that the loads would have gotten at least a bit more powerful, as the powders got so much more powerful. Would you guys be comfortable shooting new ammo out of a 100-year-old pistol? I inagine the +p loads are a bad idea. I'm just wondering if the basic loads would be safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdicki Posted September 14, 2017 Share Posted September 14, 2017 I don't think Sammi will allow higher pressure when there is a chance it could be fired old guns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdicki Posted September 14, 2017 Share Posted September 14, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Eric Posted September 15, 2017 Author Administrators Share Posted September 15, 2017 I appreciate the info, but I don't know much about reloading. Do you think that modern ammo is safe in guns that old? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdicki Posted September 15, 2017 Share Posted September 15, 2017 I don't think that the pressure has changed over the years, I would worry more about the condition of the gun. I was just comparing the data from old to new and it doesn't seem to have changed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdicki Posted September 15, 2017 Share Posted September 15, 2017 You may of already seen this. http://unblinkingeye.com/Guns/Wm4/wm4.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Eric Posted September 15, 2017 Author Administrators Share Posted September 15, 2017 17 minutes ago, bdicki said: You may of already seen this. http://unblinkingeye.com/Guns/Wm4/wm4.html Yeah, I ran across that article. I appreciate you going to the trouble to find it and post the link though. It had a lot of good info. With what it said, I was able to narrow down my model 4 to a late second variant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdicki Posted September 15, 2017 Share Posted September 15, 2017 I think my only concern would be the strength of the recoil spring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROB Posted September 21, 2017 Share Posted September 21, 2017 My understanding was old euro spec .32acp was hotter than the typical remfedchester stuff we use today. I can't see today's ammo being any issue provided the gun has fresh springs. I wouldn't use any boutique stuff in it like Buffalo Bore or similar, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Eric Posted September 21, 2017 Author Administrators Share Posted September 21, 2017 1 hour ago, ROB said: My understanding was old euro spec .32acp was hotter than the typical remfedchester stuff we use today. I can't see today's ammo being any issue provided the gun has fresh springs. I wouldn't use any boutique stuff in it like Buffalo Bore or similar, though. Sounds sensible. I've heard of people blowing up weapons even as tough as old M-1 Garands, firing modern factory ammo that was a little too hot. I'm a little wary of firing modern ammo in pre-WWII weapons, without making sure they can handle it. I do have some new springs on the way. Once I get my replacement slide and refinish it, we shall see how it shoots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crockett Posted June 3, 2018 Share Posted June 3, 2018 On 9/20/2017 at 9:29 PM, Eric said: Sounds sensible. I've heard of people blowing up weapons even as tough as old M-1 Garands, firing modern factory ammo that was a little too hot. I'm a little wary of firing modern ammo in pre-WWII weapons, without making sure they can handle it. I do have some new springs on the way. Once I get my replacement slide and refinish it, we shall see how it shoots. The .32 ACP was introduced by FN (Belgium) back in 1899, hence it was made in and for Europe. Europe uses C.I.P. for all firearms and ammo testing, not SAAMI, which was founded much later (1926) in the US. C.I.P. lists a max pressure of 23,000 psi for the .32 ACP, while SAAMI shows only 20,500 psi. Hence, US made .32 ACP ammo tends to be already weaker compared to European rounds. That is obviously just a general statement. I suggest comparing the FPS numbers from different .32 ACP factory rounds and buying one at the lower end. Lower FPS (velocity, speed) usually goes along with lower chamber pressures. If you ever get bored or intrigued enough, you could invest into a simple reloading setup and tailor perfect rounds for all your guns. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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