.32-20 in a pistol....prohib or not?!

handofzeus

handofzeus

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I just found a T/C Contender barrel for sale but stopped to think twice when I read the calibre. .32-20. I know that this calibre was used in many rifles but wouldn't it be prohib as a pistol barrel? Any educated answers are welcome. No speculation please, I can manage that on my own!
 
This is a very good question. I know in the case of the 32 S&W long cartridge there are a few exceptions.

I wait to see what the experts have to say.

Graydog
 
It's a .32 calibre in a handgun. So evil you'll go blind. The stupid law was designed for one reason only. It outlawed a whole category of firearm at once. A TC isn't on the non-evil list.
The Socialist F**ks pretended that criminals were using 25's and 32's because of the size. Morons paid no attention whatever to the assorted criminals equating the size of their illegally acquired firearms to the size of the genitals.
"According to the Criminal Code, a prohibited firearm is:
a. a handgun that ◦has a barrel equal to or less than 105 mm in length, or
◦is designed or adapted to discharge a 25 or 32 calibre cartridge, but does not include any such handgun that is prescribed, where the handgun is for use in international sporting competitions governed by the rules of the International Shooting Union..."
 
This is not a very educated reply but an interesting question.
I think the only answer would come from the CFC. Sadly, depending on who answers your call, you could still get the wrong answer.
We all know that the motive behind the prohibition of .32 calibre is stupid, but the interpretation of the Firearms Act as written can be equally stupid.

Looking at the two rounds side by side (image from Wikipedia) there should be little question that the 32 - 20 is good to go.

Hopefully someone who has actual experience can chime in here.
32-20--32ACPsml.jpg
 

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My understanding is that all .32 cal handguns are prohibited by virtue of being, in the parlance of the time C-68 was being foisted upon us, small, inaccurate, easily concealed, not suitable for collecting and "cheaply-made" (sic). There is, I believe, an exception for guns used in international ISU bullseye competition.

The doublespeak was not lost on me then, nor is it now: useless and too inaccurate for target shooting unless they are being fired at people or in ISU competition; then of course, they become very expensive and or high grade, highly accurate laser beams.
 
How about 7.65mm? Prohibited round/gun? I ask because it's the same round as .32acp. The one prohib I have via 12/7(.32 auto) will shoot either, but the stupid law doesn't speak to the metric (European {Browning}) equivalent round...and we're a metric Country for the love of all that is wholly!
 
7,65 is known as .32.
Barrel in .32 on TC pistol is prohib. On a rifle it is not. Simple. If you have the one with the grip then it wont be legal. If you have a stock you are ok.
 
Yet the 7.65 MAS or 7.65x20 Longue is good to go in the French 1935 pistol as restricted. I think you need to look into it further, a there could be a loophole for the 32-20.
 
Installing a .32-20 barrel on a TC handgun would be manufacturing a prohibited firearm, unless the frame were already registered as a 12-6 prohib.
If it were installed on a restricted frame, the resulting prohib. would not be grandfathered, and could not be registered as a 12-6.
Install the barrel on a TC carbine, and there would be no problem as long as overall length exceeded 26".
Hitzy - 8x57 is not a .32 cartridge for handgun prohibition purposes. Neither is 8mm Lebel, 7.65 Luger, 7.62x25, etc.
None of the cartridges that generate prohibited status are actually .32 caliber; they are all essentially .303s.

Another example of abysmal legal draftsmanship. Fundamental ignorance of the subject is a very poor foundation for writing legislation.
 
Um, I know this for sure statements had best have a been there before clause.
Explain why the 8mm Lebel is a g-t-g cartridge.
But sadly I think the 32-20 is a no-go.
Pity too; as in a rifle, the 32-20 is my favorite gopher gun. Low noise and recoil; and upon striking, the gopher appears to have stepped on a small gopher sized landmine. Quite peculiar as it seems to swing way outside it's league in lethality. It simply has to be seen to be believed. Really should get it chrono'd.
I would bet that with 110-130 grain jacketed flat point rounds (worked carefully to a max), it would be able to bring down a deer at under 100 yd ranges.
In the day the 32-20 was seen as far more lethal than a 38 spl. Or so I've read.

Edit; the 32-20 isn't a .303, it's a .312...ironically the same diameter as a 303 british. Confusing...yep
 
tiriaq said:
Another example of abysmal legal draftsmanship. Fundamental ignorance of the subject is a very poor foundation for writing legislation.
Click to expand...

^^^^^^

Yes, this!

1CanadaFlag.gif

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NAA.
 
I'm too old to attend Osgoode Hall so I'm just going to steer clear of the calibre......giving 'them' exactly what 'they' want I guess. I like to pick my battles and this isn't one that I'm about to choose! Thank you for the input.
 
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