[GonzoGeezer]

Hello All,

I purchased a SACM Modèle 1935A pistol yesterday. I know the ammunition, 7.65x20mm French Longue, is rare for the pistol but it is an important design and it was a good deal. If anyone has a line on either surplus or reloads I’d appreciate hearing about it. The original military ammo was apparently all steel cased. The current solution for reloading seems to be reworking S&W .32 Long cases, which of course introduces challenges converting a rimmed case to an unrimmed one. Rumors surface now and then that either Fiocchi will make some or Starline will produce new brass cases.

Any assistance appreciated.

 

[GonzoGeezer]

I think I found some reman ammo using the S&W cases. Still like to find some surplus to provide donor cases.

 

[MGMike]

Gonzo:

The French made both brass- and steel-cased 7.65 military ammunition. It is, in all instances, Berdan primed, and corrosive. It has not been imported here in any significant quantity since the guns themselves came in, nearly 50 years ago. Occasionally a box or two can be found at gun shows, but at cartridge collector prices. Most of the primers are dead anyway.

Maybe 10 or 15 years ago Dave Cumberland (Old Western Scrounger) had some made up, but I never did see whether he used new or converted brass. I ordered some, but what arrived was 7.65 S&W Long (rimmed), which I sent back. Dave, bless his soul, was hopelessly disorganized, and I did not re-order. He's gone now. End of story.

M

 

[GonzoGeezer]

Thanks, Mike. I confirmed late last week that Buffalo Arms occasionally makes up some from S&W .32 Long cases. I backordered some in anticipation of their upcoming production run.

 

[MGMike]

Thanks, Mike. I confirmed late last week that Buffalo Arms occasionally makes up some from S&W .32 Long cases. I backordered some in anticipation of their upcoming production run.

If it takes a critical mass in backorders to prompt them, I'll order some. I have a M1935-A but shoot it only rarely because it's nuisance with ammo that is scarce, mostly duds, and corrosive to boot.

M


P.S. I take that back. After visiting Buffalo's website and watching his video, and then Ian McCollum's video, I am NOT going to order ammo that is not loaded hot enough to reliably cycle the gun. I've already been through this drill with 7.65 Luger ammo from Fiocchi in both a SIG P210 and Swiss Luger, and it's aggravating. It does not even come close to matching the military loading, and one spends more time clearing stoppages than shooting.

The solution, it seems to me, is to wait for Starline brass, and find a local loader who will fill the cases with enough propellant to smoothly cycle the action.

This notion on Buffalo's website and video that weak recoil springs are the explanation for wide velocity spreads strikes me as complete nonsense.

M

 

[GonzoGeezer]

I cut my order down to 100. The Buffalo Arms load is better than Reed’s, but both are worried about weakness in the case from the extractor groove. Fingers crossed Starline starts making cases.

 

[GonzoGeezer]

Just to close out this thread, the Buffalo Arms ammo performed very well. None of the rumors heard about underpowered rounds turned out to be true, at least for the batch I received. The 1935A functioned flawlessly but the typical-for-the-period sights coupled with the perennial issues of aging eyesight and indirect range lighting did not product a similarly impressive display of accuracy.

This ammo is good.