S&W Model 431 PD Questions

[Hammer It]

Hello
I was recently Looking at a S&W model 431 P.D. Model. This revolver is chambered in the .32 H&R Magnum. I wondered if the black finish the factory applied stays in place better than the silver Looking finish they use today ? I had a 331 but all the finish seemed to flake off from Carrying it, and I have wondered if the 431 Black finish does the same thing ? Thanks to all that respond. Regards, Hammer It

 

[nero]

I have a 432PD that I use as my CCW. I've had it about 2 years and it's finish looks as good today as the day I bought it.



nero

 

[Dain Bramage]

I bought a 431PD for my wife. We carry it occasionally (I like it too), and have fired off about 300 rounds. Our experience mirrors nero's; after two years it looks as good as new.

The only strange thing I've run across is that Aguila .32 Longs fouled the cylinder severely. Could barely load and eject .32 H&R mags afterward. I'm talking days of alternate soaking and scrubbing to get the chambers clean again.

I never ran into that with other loadings (Remington longs, Miwall, Federal), so I won't use Aguila in it anymore.

 

[cocojo]

I have a 432 also and the finish on the 432 and the 442 last longer and stands up better than it's silver couterpart. I also use Aquila 32 Longs and I mix it up with jacketed which stops the problem before it starts. By the way in the testing I have done with the 32 H&R you don't get any expansion with either 85 HP from Federal or Georgia Arms, but the penetration is unreal. Like 14 to 15 inches insoaked newpaper. I wish Cor Bon would make a DXP for this round it would be unreal.

 

[Hammer It]

32 H&R you don't get any expansion with either 85 HP from Federal or Georgia Arms, but the penetration is unreal. Like 14 to 15 inches insoaked newpaper.

Hello Cocojo & Others
I always Knew the .32 H&R Magnum was a Neat dependable self protection round. Now if you could get some of these true Blue .38 special Lovers to believe in it they would switch over to it forever.. Hammer It

 

[cocojo]

I like the round and the recoil from the S&W 432 it is just right, not too weak and not too much. A lot of control it just that the ammo compaines have not made a reliable round for them that works. You have plenty of velocity from the 2 inch 32mag. If they can get a 45 at 800 to 850 to open up there should be no problem getting a 32 mag from a 2 inch at 950 to 1000 to open up. I think that the all copper Barnes bullets in the 32 Mag would be it, the way to go. penetration and expansion. Hey Cor Bon common you can do it.

 

[Magnum Wheel Man]

While the black finish seems good as far as holster wear goes... mine got bunged up pretty badly from skittering across a parking lot after getting ejected from a cheap Unlcle Mikes IWB holster, getting out of my truck, my 1st week of carrying... it must be a very hard finish, as it chipped off the barrel end & trigger gaurd in a few places...

BTW... love this gun, cartridge combo, & the Federal Personal Defense ammo... plus the added ( 6th round ) that the gun holds over the 38 J Frames...

 

[Hammer It]

Hello
I am fully sold on the Caliber but I have had a model 331 in the past and the spray Painted finish flaked off Badly. I sent it back to S&W and they repaired it free. I sold it of after getting it back and having them tell me they had made No changes in their finish and they agreed it would more than Likely Flake off again. I am Happy to see the black finish's seem to be staying put and may purchase a 431 after hearing so much Possitive testimiony on how well the finish stands up to the test of Carrying time. Regards,. Hammer It.

 

[Chris McDermott]

cocojo

Corbon doesn't make DPX ammo for the 32 mag because Barnes doesn't make the bullets - nothing smaller than an 80 grain bullet intended for the 380 ACP. They are still adding new bullets so maybe next year?

 

[Hammer It]

Hello Chris
That does not make sense because I have used a Hornady 85 Grain XTP in my hand loads along with a Speer 60 Grain Gold Dot bullet when loading for the .32 H&R Magnum round..Someone needs to make a self defense round other than Federal for this caliber.. Hammer It

 

[BillCA]

No problem with the finish here either. My 432PD still looks like new and there is no sign of any finish problems.

The Aguila .32 Longs use a very soft lead bullet which seems to leave a lot of lead fouling behind. I've found that brushing the chambers about every 18 rounds keeps it under control. If I forget the brush at the range, soaking the cylinder in Kroil(tm) for an hour and scrubbing with a new brush blasts the stuff out.

 

[Stainz]

GA Arms did load the 100GR Hornady XTP in their .32 H&RM rounds. I bought 500 of them in anticipation of a 432PD purchase that never materialized (I snoozed...). I have chrono-ed them in my Ruger .32's - a 4.6" SS BHG SSM and a 4" SP101, with them making 1,186 fps from the 4.6" SSM. That's hotter than my Remington +P R38S12 (158gr LHPSWC) rounds from my 2" 10 (840 fps) - plus, there is a sixth one - and with minimal recoil. Sadly, it has a lot of nasty propellant that leaves either revolver so filthy after 24-30 rounds that it becomes unseviceable. Still, for SD, it has the velocity - does the 100gr XTP JHP open at 1,000+ fps, my estimate of it's 2" mv? I don't know!

We need another run of 431/432PD's.

Stainz

 

[Haku]

They did make a new limited run, my 431PD was made in 1 Feb 2009.

 

[Webleymkv]

Someone needs to make a self defense round other than Federal for this caliber

Black Hills makes an 85grn JHP .32 H&R Magnum load. I believe they use Hornady XTP's in their self-defense loadings.

 

[Haku]

Well Georgia-arms makes 32 H&R Mag 100gr Jacketed Hollow Point and .32 H&R Mag 100gr Round Nose Flat Point http://georgia-arms.com/32handrmag.aspx