32-20 Help for a friend

[Encore64]

Dies shipped today...

NIB with paperwork and shellholder...

[pleadthe2nd]

Good people on this forum, I like it here.

[ezekiel38]

I received the new Brass and bullets from Kings 6 today. And another pkg is at the Post Office and they are currently closed for lunch. Small towns have disadvantages, but not many. I will retrieve the other package later today.

Have the 32-20 here with me and it is newer than the serial number read to me over the phone by Frank. The newer serial number is in the 66,000 series which dates it to 1915. Still over a century old. I have taken a couple of pics. The weapon is a 6.5" barrel and has original grips and the bore is dirty and the exterior is typical for it's age but no rust. If someone will PM me an email address I can send some pics as I no longer have a photohosting site due to woke culture. Thanks again for all your interest and generosity in Frank's 32-20.

[Fowler]

Do you have the ability to measure the cylinder throat size? A set of machinist pin gages works best. Or being a small town is there a local machine shop you could run over and have them pin the cylinder throats? Those older guns could measure anywhere from .311" to .315" and using properly sized bullets will help.

[ezekiel38]

My undying thanks to Kings6 and encore64, the dies arrived this afternoon. Waiting on the collet die from Lee. Fowler you're right about chamber mouth size, need to find a machinist as there are none here anymore. Population of our village is just over 900 people and they work in a small city 15 miles away.

[pete]

Good on you for taking the time and making the effort to bring a smile to a friend.

[45MAN]

THANKS TO THIS THREAD, I ORDERED, AND RECEIVED TODAY, A LEE COLLETT CRIMP 30 CARBINE/32-20 DIE, WHICH SHOULD ELIMINATE ANY CRUMPLING OF THE CASE NECKS, WHICH CAN CAUSE CHAMBERING ISSUES.

[Fowler]

Oct 11, 2022 17:24:16 GMT -5 ezekiel38 said:

My undying thanks to Kings6 and encore64, the dies arrived this afternoon. Waiting on the collet die from Lee. Fowler you're right about chamber mouth size, need to find a machinist as there are none here anymore. Population of our village is just over 900 people and they work in a small city 15 miles away.

So do you have a set of calipers and a few 32 cal bullets? Measuring a bullet and then dropping it in a throat to see how snug it fits is a good start. Jacketed bullets are a good place to start...

Ideally speaking you want a bullet to drop into a throat and then need to be push through with a pencil and finger pressure, just enough snugness to keep the bullet from falling through in my experience...

[ezekiel38]

UPDDATE: It being Idaho, the northern end of said state, I've been distracted by getting wood for winter, digging onions and beets from the garden and getting the chicken house ready for winter.
Now to the fun stuff. Spent some time with a cleaning rod on the old K frame and the barrel shines like a new dime. No hidden surprises the darkness in the bore was just an accumulation of grime after sitting for a few decades. I measured the bullets Kings 6 gave and my calipers say .3135. These bullets will push through the cylinders with some resistance. I'm taking that as a positive sign. Lubed and sized cases. Further 32-20 project awaits the collett die as I can see this is an improvement worth having and not damaging cases.

It should be noted 2 Dogs/ Fermin Garza sent me some load data for elderly gently used K frames that I will be working with. I was cancelled on Imgur for making a political statement about one of their submitted photos from another source so I need some help posting pics here on this forum to show the old girl and her ammo and the owner when all this comes together. My email address is: [e-mail] appreciate the help. I'm enjoying this project.

[ezekiel38]

Well the collett die arrived today, and boy is that concept made for pistol calibers. Had to find this out at the nadir of my reloading career. Loaded up the donated, brass and bullets, with 3.1 grains of 231. Went out and testfired the load and man that little pipsqueak is loud. Glad I had my muffs on. Primers didn't exhibit any type of "undue pressure" signs. Primers were rounded on the edge and a standard hammer nose indent in the center of the primer. I will let Frank fire the rest as he chooses. I will get a picture of him when the gun is handed back WITH AMMO. Thanks to everyone who donated to this little project: Kings6, encore64, 2 Dogs. Also appreciate offers from others. I have photos of the gun and cartridges but no way to post them on here at the moment.

Liked the collet crimp die so well on the 32-20 gonna order one for my 38/357 and 44. A better way to crimp. I went through Titan Reloading as Brownells and Midway didn't have the die and resizer that I needed. Fast, excellent service.

[lar4570]

Here's the pics of the gun:

[ezekiel38]

Thank you so much LAR4570, the old girl is solid and mechanics are fine but it has lived a "ranch life". Not too bad for a 1915 vintage! She has less wrinkles than I do.

[lar4570]

[ezekiel38]

Thanks again to lar4570 and his generosity for posting these pics. The load shown is a 124gr HPGC that I resized to .311 and loaded it over 3.1grains of 231/HP38 and a standard CCI primer. COAL is 1.54" and it's a light load for this elderly Smith to fire. Had to seat the bullet fairly deep due to bullet ogive and the chambering of this Smith. Frank will receive his package back this week, probably Thursday. Will grab a photo of him with his "operating" family heirloom. 1915 and she's still mechanically sound. Only Superman can get all the potential out of the sights, though.

A Single Seven if one were to pursue 32s with fine accuracy as a goal. IMHO Thanks again for your help and interest in this project.

Tom

[45MAN]

GOING BACK TO THE OP, AND WONDERING IF GRANNY REALLY SHOT DEER WITH THAT REVOLVER, IF SHE DID THEY MUST HAVE BEEN CLOSE.