| .32 Long Colt | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 .32 Long Colt (left) and .32 S&W Long (right) | ||||||||||||||||
| Type | Revolver | |||||||||||||||
| Place of origin | United States | |||||||||||||||
| Production history | ||||||||||||||||
| Designed | 1873 | |||||||||||||||
| Produced | 1873–present | |||||||||||||||
| Specifications | ||||||||||||||||
| Parent case | .320 Revolver | |||||||||||||||
| Case type | Rimmed, straight | |||||||||||||||
| Bullet diameter | .312 in (7.9 mm) | |||||||||||||||
| Neck diameter | .313 in (8.0 mm) | |||||||||||||||
| Base diameter | .318 in (8.1 mm) | |||||||||||||||
| Rim diameter | .374 in (9.5 mm) | |||||||||||||||
| Case length | 0.92 in (23 mm) | |||||||||||||||
| Overall length | 1.26 in (32 mm) | |||||||||||||||
| Rifling twist | 1:16 in (410 mm) | |||||||||||||||
| Primer type | small pistol | |||||||||||||||
| Ballistic performance | ||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||
| Source(s): Barnes & Amber 1972 | ||||||||||||||||
The .32 Long Colt (commonly called the .32 LC or simply .32 Colt) is an American centerfire revolver cartridge.
Introduced by Colt's with the New Line revolver in 1873, the .32 Colt was inspired by the .320 Revolver, also called the ".32 Webley".[1] It originally used a .313 in (7.95 mm)-diameter 90 gr (5.8 g) outside-lubricated heeled bullet, which was later changed to inside lubrication. This change led to the diameter shrinking to .299 in (7.59 mm), a slight reduction in bullet weight, and a shortening of overall length.[2] The .32 Long Colt was so popular and introduced so soon after the .320 that enthusiasts and manufacturers began colloquially referring to the .320 as the ".32 Short Colt". Even though this terminology isn't technically correct, it is still being used today.[3]
With a case lengthened by .31 in (7.87 mm) over the .320 Revolver[2] (which means that the .320 will chamber and fire in any weapon designed for the .32 Long Colt), the .32 LC is in the same class in power as the .32 Smith & Wesson Long,[4] albeit without comparable accuracy.[2] Although the .32 Long Colt and .32 S&W Long appear to be similar, the two are not interchangeable due to the case and neck diameter being much narrower on the .32 Long Colt.
More popular in Europe than North America, Colt was the most prominent American manufacturer which chambered any weapons in .32 Long Colt,[2] most notably the Police Positive. The FAMAE revolver produced in Chile is currently offered in .32 Long Colt.[5][6]