.32 S&W Long

The .32 S&W Long cartridge was introduced in 1896 for Smith & Wesson's first-model Hand Ejector revolver. Colt called it the .32 Colt New Police in revolvers it made chambered for the cartridge.

When he was the New York City Police Commissioner, Theodore Roosevelt standardized the department's use of the Colt New Police revolver. The cartridge was then adopted by several other northeastern US police departments. The .32 Long has long been known as an unusually accurate cartridge. It was this reputation that led Police Commissioner Roosevelt to select it, as an expedient way to increase officers' accuracy with their revolvers in New York City.

Although generally seen primarily just in older revolvers in the United States, the .32 S&W Long is also popular among international competitors using high-end target pistols from Hämmerli and Walther, among others, but chambered for wadcutter bullet type.

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Cartridge:handguns