#4 rb rim fire to centerfire

[kckid101]

hello i was wondering if any of you have converted thesr from rimfire to center. if so what is the procedure. seems fairly straight forward but sure there are some better and some bad ways to do it. i have 2 #4 in 32 rimfire. seeing ammo is basiclly gone was going to the 32 long are short colt. wanted to go 32-20 but got leary of the pressure even with light loads. any info on the proper and best ways will be very much appreicated. line drawings pics anything at this point. thanks kevin

[Bret4207]

Here's my response to another member who asked about my experience with the same thing-

"
The 32-20 and 25-20 are too hot, too large in diameter too. A 25Rf, if the barrel is good, could be converted to centerfire using 22 Hornet brass as the parent case. Moving the FP is pretty easy really- weld up the old hole, drop a sharp rod to mark the CF location, drill, make a new pin that fits and (here's the tricky part) works correctly. I forget the case you end up with, but it's a fairly well know wildcat. Dies are the expensive part with this conversion.

The 32 is the same thing. I'd use the 32 S+W Long, not the Mag. In the #4 Rolling Block you can push a 90 to 120 gr boolit well over 1200 fps because the long barrel allows us to use far slower powders than a 2" revolver barrel would. You will end up with one of the finest small game rifles ever made. Darn fun too.

My #4 is currently down due to a lack of a barrel. Should you run across a decent 32 barrel for a solid frame (screw in, not a take down) I'd sure like to hear about it.

Best wishes, Bret "

I strongly recommend you go with the 32 S+W Long- not the Mag and for goodness sakes, not the 327! Using the Long chamber you can shoot the 32 S+W and the Long, both will easily break 1K fps, both are real cheap to shoot and brass is obtainable. The 32-20 is a no-no for the #4.

[kckid101]

thanks bret for the info. still not sure if the 32-20 on light loads isn't under the pressure of the 32 s&w? can't copare cup's to psi? have a few 32 long colts which should be fine as is. thanks kevin

[Cactus Farmer]

Make it a 22 RF. #32 S&W conversions are a bit iffy. There are but two small rings that hold the breech block in place,not like a full size RB. A #4 will send the breech block off to nevernever land if it is loaded just a little too much. I did two of them,both are now junk. A 22 RF conversion is easy,no reheat treating of the breech is necessary because you never had to soften it to machine the new firing pin hole.
If you deside to do the 32 S&W anyway I hope you don't get a chunk of the action in your forehead. An unattractive hood ornament to say the least.

[pietro]

[i was wondering if any of you have converted thesr from rimfire to center. if so what is the procedure]

I was able to restore my .32 rimfire #4 Roller to shooting condition by converting the breechblock to centerfire, with no other work.

That enabled me to use currently-available Winchester .32 Short Colt ammo in it, w/o any fears of excess pressures harming it.

I first marked the center of the closed breechblock face with a centered marker (Sharpie) downbore, then removed the breechblock from the rifle for the conversion.

After removing the RF firing pin, I ground off the RF tip, and re-installed the FP into the breechblock so it would be marked for the new FP when I drilled the breechblock from the face for the new FP (hole) with a 1/16" drill bit.

After drilling the new CF hole in the breechblock face (the breechblock ends up with two FP holes), and with the FP later removed, the new/central marked spot on the ground FP is fruther drilled for a new FP tip - I used drill rod/shank.
I used epoxy to set the new FP tip in place.

Someone more skilled than I could just use the RF FP to make a CF replacement, then have two different FP's to switch as ammo came available.

With the FP re-installed into the breechblock (some small fitting may be needed), the FP tip protrusion can be measured and reduced as req'd.

Reassemble in reverse order.

.

[Molly]

I have five boxes of .32 Colt shorts and longs, if anyone needs them. What's a fair price, and how can I ship them legally?

[calaloo]

Molly:
I am interested it ihe long colts. No idea of worth but I bet we can figgure something out.

[Marvin S]

I converted my stevens favorite to 32 S&W long from 32RF. I have fired a couple hundred rounds through it with great results. The beauty of it is a cheap .336 chucking reamer from MSC is all you need to cut the chamber.

[Bret4207]

My #4 in 32 Long and #6 in 32 S+W have digested thousands of rounds with no signs of trouble at all. I don't hot rod but find both rounds respond nicely to slower than normal powders while giving a nice boost to speeds.

[Bret4207]

thanks bret for the info. still not sure if the 32-20 on light loads isn't under the pressure of the 32 s&w? can't copare cup's to psi? have a few 32 long colts which should be fine as is. thanks kevin

The back thrust is different and it's just too big.

[Molly]

Molly:
I am interested it ihe long colts. No idea of worth but I bet we can figgure something out.

Hi Callaoo,

I'd like to sell all of them if you'd be interested. I figure the shipping on a single box would make the overall cost rather high. I have one box of longs, four boxes of shorts. All are leftovers from my own #4 RB that I converted to CF years ago. Had great results on squirrels too. I overcame the case / bullet diameter problem by loading the 32 colt cases with the powder charge, and carried them in one shirt pocket in the woods. Another shirt pocket held bullets, unsized and unlubed. Drop a bullet in the chamber and push it home wiht a charged case. Takes longer to tell than to do, and was never a handicap in the woods.

[John Taylor]

I have done more than a few conversions on the #4. The action is strong enough for the 32S&W and no more. A 32-20 is asking for trouble even tho I have seen one. Plugging the old firing pin hole is no problem, have soldered and threaded plugs in them. To find the center a transfer punch is used, just drop it down the bore with the breach closed. Getting the proper angle when drilling the new hole is a little tougher. A strait edge and layout die helps. I go from the breach face with a .075" drill after starting the hole with a center drill. Then I come from the rear of the block with a piloted drill, stopping about .150" from going through. A good drill press is a must, I use a milling machine. I make my firing pins from pre hardened spring stock, it machines OK with carbide.