Author Topic: 32 ACP or 32-20? (Read 2408 times)

trotterlg · « **on:** October 30, 2007, 07:10:47 PM »

I've aquired a nice British 303 barrel for stubbing project that went on hold when the .22 cal barrel warped during turning. This is a great project for either a .32 ACP or a 32-20. Guess it would also be OK for a 7.62X39, but they already make those. The 32-20 is a classic, really for small game but advertised in it's day as for deer, probably would down a deer, but not exactly proper. The 32 ACP would be a fun project, with hollow points it could be the perfect squrrel gun, almost no recoil at all and a nice big 70 gr bullet. What should I chamber this thing in? Larry

Slufoot · « **Reply #1 on:** October 30, 2007, 11:50:17 PM »

If you chambered it in 32 H&R Magnum it would be more versatile as to the ammo you could feed it.
You could fire the 32 H&R Mag, 32 S&W Long, 32 S&W and even the 32 Auto.
The 32 Auto is a semi-rim design and it has enough rim to head-space and fire in a 32 Mag chamber.

I bought one of the chamber adapters to fire 32 Mags in a 308 Win. and the manufacturer of the adapter told me about firing all these different cartridges in it.

Good Shooting!
Slufoot

LaOtto222 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 31, 2007, 01:15:00 AM »

I would go for the 32-20. It has the largest case capacity, is an old timey cartridge, still available. The 303 barrels run any where from .310" to .312". To be sure with bore size you have, you need to slug it so you can select proper bullet size.

sanso1 · « **Reply #3 on:** October 31, 2007, 12:31:39 PM »

+1 for the 32-20... especially if you reload

Spanky · « **Reply #4 on:** October 31, 2007, 12:37:25 PM »

32-20

Spanky

trotterlg · « **Reply #5 on:** October 31, 2007, 02:49:19 PM »

I have a 32-20 S&W pistol, and like it, but the suggestion of the .32 H&R Magnum and the opitons of other rounds in it is hard to ignore. I will look into a reamer for it, I have a straight reamer that is .340 inch, and that looks like what the H&R would take, I could cut the rim on my lathe when I do the chamber. Larry

quickdtoo · « **Reply #6 on:** October 31, 2007, 02:54:54 PM »

Our sponsor 4D has both reamers for rent...

http://www.4-dproducts.com/

45/70fan · « **Reply #7 on:** November 01, 2007, 09:47:25 AM »

a 303 British Handi would be cool too.......

Jimbo47 · « **Reply #8 on:** November 01, 2007, 11:22:03 AM »

That 303 would be a great round, and it's a rimmed cartridge!

Have an old Mk4 No.1 since I was 17, and still have it.

I still use it, and it's accurate.

Killed so many deer with it I quit counting years ago!

I would be first in line to get a .303 handi and the ammo is plentiful.

trotterlg · « **Reply #9 on:** November 02, 2007, 07:40:51 PM »

I got the barrel mounted in the stub tonight, I'll finish polishing the barrel tomorrow. I need to figure out what length to make it, I think the .32 H&R Mag is the way I will go with this one, I can cut the chamber with reamers I have, I just hate to pay rental on reamers. Larry

Lone Star · « **Reply #10 on:** November 03, 2007, 06:18:24 AM »

Good choice on the .32 H&R, I have a revolver so chambered and love it. I also have two .32-20 rifles and they are a bit more trouble. Their cases are thin and fragile, and the chambering reamers cut chambers that are usually far too large - this means extra expansion of the case and shorter case life...along with less 'potential' accuracy. I'd advise measuring the reamer before using it - the closer to case diameter you can make the chamber, the better. Also check the throat - you usually don't want to use a revolver reamer in a SS rifle.

.

PHATINJUN · « **Reply #11 on:** November 03, 2007, 06:32:20 AM »

Larry I vote for the 32H&R Mag. I know you have sold these projects after completion in the past so I would like to put my name in the hat for consideration when completed sure would be great to have a .32 H&R mag rifle to go with my NEF .32 mag H&R pistols I know Stimpylu32 has one I don't think his was a stub job though.Good luck with project keep us posted. Kurt

trotterlg · « **Reply #12 on:** November 03, 2007, 07:32:01 AM »

When I cut the chamber I am doing it in two steps, I have a straight pioleted reamer at .340, that leaves .003 to .004 clearance for the cartridge, most chamber reamers seem to leave near twice that amount. I will then use a .312 pioleted reamer to cut the throat and grind a taper to the end leading to the rifleing. The rim I can cut in with the lathe. I do need to decide how long to make the barrel, it is 24 inches now, too long for a pistol cartridge I would think. The barrel is a light sporter taper, so I am thinking that about 20 inches max would be about right. Larry

stimpylu32 · « **Reply #13 on:** November 03, 2007, 10:52:26 AM »

Larry

For what its worth i had mine done in a 22" barrel and it works well with cast bullets , mine was a re-bore / re-chamber job from a 22 mag bull barrel .

stimpy

trotterlg · « **Reply #14 on:** November 03, 2007, 12:23:16 PM »

22 inches it will be then, I can always make it shorter. I am wondering how much jump to the lands to give it, the barrel has very wide lands, even wider than the grooves are, and it is a left hand twist. Larry

Lone Star · « **Reply #15 on:** November 04, 2007, 03:04:09 AM »

Is the bore really .312" or is it larger? The bore of my 1941-vintage No.I MkIII slugs at close to 0.314". Will you use cast or jacketed bullets? If the bore is .314" then cast will probably work better. For best accuracy a minimal bullet jump is preferred.

.

trotterlg · « **Reply #16 on:** November 04, 2007, 12:11:57 PM »

It does seem to be .312 bore, I got it chambered now but haven't cut the throat in it. I got a box of Federal 32 H&R Mag rounds to measure. If I had cut the chamber to the SAAMI specs it would have ended up quite large. Rim thickness is given at .055 but the brass is really .049 which would have left .006 headspace. I cut the rim depth to .051 and the chamber diameter to .340 which is also about .003 smaller than spec. I can see how rifles chambered to SAAMI max size chambers end up with a few problems. I used the barrel nut method again, this time I made the barrel nut larger in diameter than I needed and just used a pipe wrench to tighten it down, then turned off the teeth marks. It is now polished but not cut to length, then I will sand blast it and parkerize the whole thing. This should be a fun shooting rifle. Larry

Slufoot · « **Reply #17 on:** November 08, 2007, 03:37:43 PM »

Hello trotterlg, I recommended the 32 H&R Magnum to you. I just read something here on GBO that you should look at. It's in the Handguns General Discussion forum, titled "anyone seen this yet" and it was posted by Lloyd Smale.
It's about a new cartridge that Federal & Ruger are coming out with called the 327 Federal Magnum. It's a lengthened 32H&R Mag case, this would still allow you to fire all of the shorter cartridges and would probably give you the potential of the 32-20 that you were considering. I think since you are already building this barrel it would be the way to go.
You would probably be the first person to build this new cartridge in a rifle!

GOOD SHOOTING!
Slufoot

PHATINJUN · « **Reply #18 on:** December 17, 2007, 06:41:01 AM »

I am very excited about getting this bbl in it's final form. Need to figure out a load for it now . I am thinking of putting a 3-12x56mm 4AIRC illuminated reticule scope on it cranked down to 3x for night calling varmint's should be good for 100yards and in. I have a box of 100 old Remington .310 jacketed soft point at 100gr that I was hoping to use but with a .312 bore that might not work anybody got suggestions on bullet. I also need to get bullets for the 7.62x39 but I was gonna use .311 150 gr for that and I think they would be to much for the .32. What ya think? Kurt

PHATINJUN · « **Reply #19 on:** January 19, 2008, 09:07:56 AM »

Alright I finally got to shoot the 32H&R mag stubbed 303 barrel . What I decided to go with for initial test was Trail Boss til I get over this case fill phobia. My mix was 4grains TB with .313 98 gr SWL LRN Magtech bullets oal 1.475. I thought this was gonna be a little stout but there is no sign of any case problems at all . They proved to be very accurate at 50 yards . The other test round was some old Remington 100 grain half jacketed flat point that were .310 with 4gr of TB and these shot the same but were 1" low and 1" left of aim point... same less than 1" group though. I was shooting off the truck window frame and very cold here this weekend so I am pretty happy and will be able to use this for night calling the rest of the winter and work on the tack driving this spring. I did have some jacketed 60 gr hollow points that I shot but they shot way low and to the left and will need work as Stimpy stated. I have not had to shoot any thing past about 80 yards yet this winter at night. I am gonna get a chrono this spring and have room in this case for more powder. This thing has no recoil and is barley as loud as my .22 amazing.Thanks for all the help .Also THANK YOU LARRY for doing this project it's one of a kind.Kurt

pascalp · « **Reply #20 on:** January 20, 2008, 07:28:56 AM »

32 H&R Mag seems to be nice (not own any)

Funny/serious things could be done with 32/20 or 30/20

From 32 ACP 75gr to 7,62x39 155gr

PHATINJUN · « **Reply #21 on:** January 20, 2008, 07:45:26 AM »

Yes ...I can't hardly wait for spring to really work with this gun.Kurt