Making 32 rimfire

[tiriaq]

The other fix to shoot these RF guns is to convert them to .32 Colt CF . I know people who have done it , & they work fine.
This would be much easier & cheaper in the end , as long as you don't mind modifying the gun. This conversion may not be
possible in all gun models ?

Do that to a .32RF antique pistol and it becomes an unregisterable prohibited firearm.

 

[bgcameron]

Do that to a .32RF antique pistol and it becomes an unregisterable prohibited firearm.

I was just going to say that!

 

[bgcameron]

I have made some as shown here in my youtube video. note the disclaimer, use the info at your own risk. also have a couple videos of me shooting it.
I used 22lr, a lot of which i have picked up off the range floor that were ejected because the round got bent etc. I also pour my own bullets for this that fit in the colt brass. my 32 bullets' heel are just slightly too wide to fit in the hc brass.

https://youtu.be/i6wJMxgGMHI
[youtube]i6wJMxgGMHI[/youtube]

Thanks for the video. Is your .22 blank centered in the 32 case?


Andy- Thanks for your description. I will try this method.

 

[bgcameron]

So I managed to get a .27 ramset to fire inside a 32 short colt case. I found that it was necessary to recess the rim before drilling a hole through the case. The case would collapse if done the other way around. Having no lathe, I also found that it was much easier to chuck the case in my drill, and place the drill bits in my vice.

It works, although not perfectly. The firing pin barely touches the rim of the ramset.

 

[NorthCoastBigBore]

Looking good!

 

[Nabs]

Great info here. I did this once to help an old friend shoot his antique 32 Rimfire Blue Jacket - Bullet Barn had 32 Colt Cases. I bought some. Also bought 32 cal round balls. Drilled out the base and inserted ramsets into it that I ordered at my local hardware store. Drilled it out using first a smaller bit then a larger bit to create a recessed "rim" for the ramset to sit in. No powder charge and happily shot the little balls into a tin can at 10 yards. Great fun for him!

EDIT - Literally exactly what Andy wrote earlier. Probably used the same info.

 

[cyclone]

Do that to a .32RF antique pistol and it becomes an unregisterable prohibited firearm.

So convert it to .320 British instead...

 

[Nabs]

So convert it to .320 British instead...

Hehehe. Now that's out thinking the prohib laws if I ever saw it!

 

[bertn]

Pretty crazy that no manufacturer is jumping in this niche and just run one batch every year or so.

I remember a bunch of 32rf ammo selling for a crazy amount at an auction a few years ago.

On another note, would it not be possible to make/draw 32 rimfire brass and put some priming compound in?
Perhaps someone with experience in swaging bullets can chime in.

 

[tula]

It’s still manufactured in Mexico if I remember correctly.

 

[quinnbrian]

Tried making some .32RFs starting with W-W Short Colts. Unlike the Dominion cases in the first post, these have a slight relief groove cut at the front of the rim. There is a tendency for the blank's rim counterbore to break through, and the .32 rim to crack off.
To open .27 blanks to dump the powder, I press a pointed cone into the crimp, to open it enough to dump the powder.

This is the best way yet!! Work every time for me too. .27 blanks (green) open up and dump the powder,...remeasure and reload...the powder looks a lot like red dot...I uses Colt short cases.