Can a .32 RF be converted to a centerfire?

I found a "Merwin & Hulbert Junior 32 Rimfire Falling Block Takedown Rifle" on another forum. It is chambered in .32 RF. It is being advertised as a "Wall Hanger" but looks to be in good shape. The ammo itself has become a collectible but you can still get it with a search & a heavy wallet hit!

Looks like a neat little rifle & neat round for cast bullet loading & plinking. Can the rifle be converted to centerfire? Can any existing cases be used to convert into suitable ammo?

I must admit, curiosity has got the best of me on this one....

TIA

I think I have read about some of the Steven's Crackshots in 32rf being converted to 32 Long. I think it can be done, but have not done it myself.

Does seem like a great way to bring back an old rifle! Plus, I really enjoy the 32's.

To measure is to know. Measure your bore and your chamber and then look up the SAAMI specs for .32 centerfire cartridges. You might have to shoot a heeled bullet depending on the chamber/bore relationship.

Not knowing what the action looks like, and given that there were in business in the 19th century, I'd only shoot BP loads in the gun.

The 32 rim bullet has a .316" diameter, where the 32 S&W short and long uses a .312 ' diameter bullet. Since the S&W bullet is about .004" undersized to the 32 rimmed barrel, I can only imaging the blow by and poor accuracy that such a conversion would occur. Now if you really like to spend money, the barrel could be relined and a new throat cut to the correct size.

Not all .32 Long RF or CF have the larger bullet, or the larger bore. I have owned numerous Ballard #2 rifles in .32 Long with the Marlin reversible firing pins that allowed you to shoot either RF or CF ammo. Never owned one with a groove diameter over .313" and most were .312"
Whether the M&H Jr. can be converted to CF depends on the firing pin setup. Some singles are easier than others. The real question is whether you can find .32 Long or .32 Short ammo, or cases for it? They are a smaller OD than .32 S&W Long or Short, so the more common S&W wont chamber in one. If the M&H is strong enough it could be reamed to the larger .32 S&W case, and loaded to appropriate pressure levels. But I'd check to see if it can handle the higher pressure case before taking on the project.

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Originally Posted by ohen cepel

I think I have read about some of the Steven's Crackshots in 32rf being converted to 32 Long. I think it can be done, but have not done it myself.

Does seem like a great way to bring back an old rifle! Plus, I really enjoy the 32's.

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Crackshot that I have is .32 short RF. YMMV. I do have a 1915 Stevens Favorite in 32 Long RF. You can buy swaged .32 Long Colt brass from Starline. It is swaged from .32 S&W brass. Not cheap, but doable if you aren't a fanatic. ;) Or you can swage your own. May have to make your own swaging dies. DIY, you'll also need to turn the base of the cartridge down. You will also need a heeled bullet, like the .22 rimfire cartridges.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.32_Long_Colt
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.32_rimfire
https://www.ammoland.com/2017/12/32-...axzz7seUHDhF3\

If you're well-to-do, you can buy what you need, if not, you'll need to learn how to make your own. I'm following that path. Been a little interrupted several times, health problems both mine and spouse, and our youngest moved back in with us, loosing me much of my workshop area.

Bill

Attachment 310233 Attachment 310234

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Originally Posted by Bruntson

The 32 rim bullet has a .316" diameter, where the 32 S&W short and long uses a .312 ' diameter bullet. Since the S&W bullet is about .004" undersized to the 32 rimmed barrel, I can only imaging the blow by and poor accuracy that such a conversion would occur. Now if you really like to spend money, the barrel could be relined and a new throat cut to the correct size.

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OR...MAYbe...you could use THIS mold to cast bullets and NOT size them to a smaller diameter? If the bullets, as cast, are a true .315" diameter, then the hollow base might expand enough to provide you with accuracy that ranges from "usable" to "surprisingly good". Polymer-coating the as-cast projectiles might enable them to engage the rifling a shade more completely.

https://noebulletmolds.com/site/315-90-wc-hb/

Since your rifle is a single-shot, the wadcutter's flat nose would not be a huge concern, except that it might shed velocity a bit fast. Since you are dealing with a firearm engineered for rimfire ignition, at black powder pressures, ranges beyond 40 - 50 yards were probably not contemplated, anyway.

To convert to centerfire, the link for the block only needs to be made a bit longer.
Then as said you can run 32 long or short Colt as is, or run a .335 reamer in just deep enough to take a 32 short or long Smith and Wesson.
They make a dandy little shooter.

Larry Potterfiled has a video where he converts a 32 rimfire to 32-20. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XZ7sQya7tyk

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FWIW, I long ago converted a solid frame (I wouldn't convert a take-down) Remington #4 Rolling Block from .32RF to .32 Short Colt (Winchester makes a few runs of the ammo per year).

The .32 Short Colt readily chambered/fired w/o issue after I changed the RF firing pin from RF to CF ( a 30min job, with common homeowner tools)

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I have a .32 RF Leader revolver from back like in the 1900's.
I couldn't find more than one box of ammo for it.
So I epoxied a turned down .22 barrel liner into the barrel.
Then I made some cylinder liners and epoxied them into the cylinder and reamed them to fit .22 LR.
The gun fires great , and is fun to shoot.
It shoots .22rf shorts as well.
Plus,
If I ever want to restore it back to .32 RF.
All I have to do is heat up the parts , and pull the liners out and clean up the parts.
The gun is not any kind of collectors piece.
Plus it wasn't in Perfect condition.
But I am able to go out and shoot it when I want.
Plus the cost of the pistol was next to nothing , and the conversion didn't cost me much to do myself.
But on some guns.
I would rather do a professional conversion or make up casings to fire the gun without making major conversions.
Too bad I couldn't find .32 RF casings.
I do reload .22 RF's also

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Originally Posted by Castaway

Larry Potterfiled has a video where he converts a 32 rimfire to 32-20. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XZ7sQya7tyk

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A very, very bad idea for a Hopkins & Allen Junior. I seriously wonder about Potterfield at times.

I have converted one to CF by fitting a longer link. Problem is that with the breechblock now riding higher in the frame there is interference with the extractor travel. You can relieve the top edge of the block, but only by a little.

.32 Colt brass is easily made by swaging down .32 S&W. The heeled 299153 bullets have been easy to buy up until recently, but Jack Harrison is having health problems, and isn't listing them at the moment. So maybe reaming the chamber to S&W is going to be the way forward.

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Originally Posted by LAGS

I have a .32 RF Leader revolver from back like in the 1900's.
I couldn't find more than one box of ammo for it.
So I epoxied a turned down .22 barrel liner into the barrel.
Then I made some cylinder liners and epoxied them into the cylinder and reamed them to fit .22 LR.
The gun fires great , and is fun to shoot.
It shoots .22rf shorts as well.
Plus,
If I ever want to restore it back to .32 RF.
All I have to do is heat up the parts , and pull the liners out and clean up the parts.
The gun is not any kind of collectors piece.
Plus it wasn't in Perfect condition.
But I am able to go out and shoot it when I want.
Plus the cost of the pistol was next to nothing , and the conversion didn't cost me much to do myself.
But on some guns.
I would rather do a professional conversion or make up casings to fire the gun without making major conversions.
Too bad I couldn't find .32 RF casings.
I do reload .22 RF's also

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I have not been able to get prime all to work in my 32s, don't know what I am doing wrong. I have a dozen I would like to make work. I have hundreds of 32 RF but I don't want to burn too much of it as it is quite valuable. I mostly shoot using ramsets in modified centerfire brass.

I have been converting 32 boolits to heeled boolits on a lathe. None of my 32s have groove diameter more than 0.313.

Tim

Hello pertnear,

I have a project in the works to make re-loadable 32rf.
I've taken .32 S&W cartridges, sized them down to .3167" all the way to the rim.
Next step will be to drill out the primer pocket to except a .27 Caliber Power Tool Cartridges for both primer & powder charge.
I will load a heeled base bullet above all and hopefully it will go bang.
As I've decided to make these rf cartridges, I didn't care if the primer pocket of passage ended up shrinking.

AntiqueSledMan.

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Originally Posted by AntiqueSledMan

Hello pertnear,

I have a project in the works to make re-loadable 32rf.
I've taken .32 S&W cartridges, sized them down to .3167" all the way to the rim.
Next step will be to drill out the primer pocket to except a .27 Caliber Power Tool Cartridges for both primer & powder charge.
I will load a heeled base bullet above all and hopefully it will go bang.
As I've decided to make these rf cartridges, I didn't care if the primer pocket of passage ended up shrinking.

AntiqueSledMan.

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AntiqueSledMan, I definitely want to hear how that comes out! Don't forget a picture or 2.

Thanks everyone for their replies - good info in this thread!

Get the March issue of the Rifle magazine. The article to read is, Reloading a Rimfire? Sort of...

Keep those nailgun loads mild - grey or at most brown. The hotter ones are too much for the old revolvers and boys' rifles.

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Originally Posted by uscra112

Keep those nailgun loads mild - grey or at most brown. The hotter ones are too much for the old revolvers and boys' rifles.

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Yes, no point in trying to make a magnum and ruining an old gun.

Tim

Hello pertnear,

I have so many irons in the fire that I don't know when I'll get back to the 32's.
For forming, I made a block 1 x 4 x 3/8" thick and put 4 holes in it.
The first was 0.332/0.330", second was 0.327/0.325", third was 0.322/.0320", and the forth was 0.317/0.315".
I pushed the 32 S&W case in each hole to the rim on my little arbor press, then flipped the block and pushed them out with a 1/4-20 bolt.
Like I said earlier I wasn't concerned if the primer pocket or passage closed up a bit,
as I planned on drilling through for the .27 Caliber Power Tool Cartridge.
I just didn't like the idea of turning the case down near the base, even though many do it.
There is a lot of information here about the .32rf, a very long post but lots of information.

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...highlight=32rf

There is a guy on gunbroker selling both sized cases and heeled bullets for the 32rf.

Hope this helps, AntiqueSledMan.

The "guy on gunbroker" is Jack Harrison.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/970346717

As I posted earlier, Jack is facing some health issues, and is scaling back his offerings. As of this morning he has bullets and .32 rimfire adapters for sale, and I'd recommend that anyone needing either one place an order ASAP, because it may be a while before he can make any more.

If nothing else, read the tutorials he posts in his listings.

if you choose the make your own brass, do NOT use Starline. Their walls are too thick, and you'll have to do extra lathe work to cope. Don't ask me how I know. Jack is using PPU cases from Graf's. To quote: "It's for this reason I use ppu brass from Graf's. The rim diameter is kind of variable, but not only is the brass thinner, it stays thin far enough that you can make shorts and still have a thin enough wall."