32 S&W Favorite

[badgeredd]

I received a Favorite through a trade that was in pretty decent condition overall. The barrel was chambered for 32 Shot Rimfire and is pretty much a sewer pipe. I saved all of the original parts, made a new centerfire breech block, rebarrel it with a barrel that was collecting dust which I chambered for 32 S&W (Short). I'm nearly done with the rifle but am having so much fun with it I had to show someone what a cute little rifle it is. Here it is:

http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee338/badgeredd/PICT0743_zps1f2bbe70.jpg (http://s533.photobucket.com/user/badgeredd/media/PICT0743_zps1f2bbe70.jpg.html)

http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee338/badgeredd/PICT0742_zpsc5f5bb52.jpg (http://s533.photobucket.com/user/badgeredd/media/PICT0742_zpsc5f5bb52.jpg.html)

http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee338/badgeredd/PICT0740_zpsc30a3dbc.jpg (http://s533.photobucket.com/user/badgeredd/media/PICT0740_zpsc30a3dbc.jpg.html)

http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee338/badgeredd/PICT0738_zpsd1fc5314.jpg (http://s533.photobucket.com/user/badgeredd/media/PICT0738_zpsd1fc5314.jpg.html)

Edd:grin::wink:

[Outpost75]

Lovely! How much does it weigh? What sort of groups do you get at "BWD?" ( 50-foot to 25 yard Bunny Wabbit Distance).

[John Allen]

I have been wanting to do the same thing to one I have but just have not gotten to it. Who did the breech block for you?

[badgeredd]

Lovely! How much does it weigh? What sort of groups do you get at "BWD?" ( 50-foot to 25 yard Bunny Wabbit Distance).

It weighs a whopping 3.59#. I haven't shot it for group yet, but I plan to in the next few days as spring is trying very hard to give us some warmer days in the near future. I can tell you I am having no problem hitting a soda can at 50 yards though.

Edd

[Dutch4122]

Neat, can't wait to see it in person!:awesome:

[badgeredd]

I have been wanting to do the same thing to one I have but just have not gotten to it. Who did the breech block for you?

I made the breech block. I didn't want to mess up the original and I left a couple areas square instead of rounded to make it apparent it is a conversion.

Edd

[Outpost75]

In my practiced opinion, I would surmise that reliable 50-yard can whacking equates to a serviceable small game rifle!

[357maximum]

I bet the guy that handed you that mess in a trade feels like he did the right thing......looking good mister.......cannot wait to try her out.

[Kermit1945]

I assume you are rolling your own ammo. Care to tell us about your powder/primer/boolit/methods?

[badgeredd]

I assume you are rolling your own ammo. Care to tell us about your powder/primer/boolit/methods?

I'm loading 1.2 grains Bullseye, under a BRP 78 grain bullet, with CCI SP primers. After a lot of looking through old manuals I'll try some other powders and a couple other bullets. This action is a fairly weak action so I'll be loading to factory ballistics or lower for pistols. I expect to try 700x, 231,RedDot, Unigue, and HP38.

Edd

[gnoahhh]

What a dandy little rifle! Envious here.

[Nicholas]

I am curious, why not chamber for 32 long which would be more readily available and could still use 32 short? And I agree with posts that you have a neat rifle here.

[helice]

Oh Edd,
How you can make us drool. Sweet piece with a very interesting tang sight. PM coming at you.

[badgeredd]

I am curious, why not chamber for 32 long which would be more readily available and could still use 32 short? And I agree with posts that you have a neat rifle here.

Like I said earlier, the Favorite action isn't a hearty action so I went with a cartridge that will be safe in factory ammo. The operating pressure on the 32 S&W is somewhat lower than the pressures for the 32 S&W Long/32 Long Colt N.P. The 32 S&W was developed in 1870 while the 32 S&W long was developed in about 1905. The 32 S&W brass isn't that hard to find and will last a long time so it isn't a matter of constantly replenishing the brass. Lastly, one can make 32 S&W from the 32 Long brass if necessary. Everything was done considering the fact that the gun will in all likelihood be around long after I am gone and will no longer have control of the events concerning the rifle.

Edd

[badgeredd]

Oh Edd,
How you can make us drool. Sweet piece with a very interesting tang sight. PM coming at you.

Thanks Karl. I'll give you a call soon and tell you the "rest of the story."

Edd

[mikeym1a]

What makes the Favorite's falling block a weak action?

[Nicholas]

Thanks, Badgeredd for your explanation on the cartridge choice. Makes really good sense. Given your other work on the rifle, who should expect anything else.

Nick

[Mk42gunner]

What makes the Favorite's falling block a weak action?

Mainly that it is not a falling block, but more of a swinging or pivoting block. There is a bit more to it than that, but I don't have my copy of "Single Shot rifles and Actions" handy.

Robert

[mikeym1a]

Just looked it up. A swinging block. Nice looking rifle, but.................

[helice]

Edd,
What is the barrel length on your 32 S&W. Rifles with short actions can make a barrel seem shorter than it is.

[badgeredd]

Edd,
What is the barrel length on your 32 S&W. Rifles with short actions can make a barrel seem shorter than it is.

The barrel is 16 1/2" long. I thought that since it is such a wimpy cartridge, that the short barrel would be about all it could use efficiently. That is also the reason I put on the tang sight...to increase the sight radius by a few inches. I'd bet that the bullet is actually running out of steam before it gets out of the barrel.:lol: It feels like a Daisy as far as handling and weight!;-)

Edd

[Ben]

A great idea , great workmanship , and obviously the little rifle will be ( and is ) a joy to shoot.

GOOD JOB !

Ben

[Denny303]

very nice! would be a great companion with my 32 break top! just started messing with 32 s&w, tried the 1 gr bullseye and it is indeed a light load, loaded a few cases with 3f black powder and to me it makes this caliber really fun to shoot.

[A pause for the COZ]

Oh man you doing my wish list.
Here is mine.
Have any photos/ Measurements of that breech block?
I will be getting a mill one of these days. Converting to 32 short would add some life to this old girl.

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d66/Kelly2215/100_8621.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d66/Kelly2215/100_8624.jpg

[Outpost75]

I think you were wise to use the shorter .32 S&W case. It will permit rifle velocities approaching 1000 fps or only very slightly more than that, and there is no temptation to load hotter. The .32 S&W Long case, while delightful in a stronger action where its greater powder capacity can be exploited, could be a distraction. Limiting case capacity provides the needed focus.

[helice]

As a "youngun" I was told of the old 32 rimfire in a Remington Rolling Block. I never saw one and have no knowledge of it's abilities. Some of the old farmers spoke well of it.
How does the 32 S&W compare to that old rimfire?

[badgeredd]

As a "youngun" I was told of the old 32 rimfire in a Remington Rolling Block. I never saw one and have no knowledge of it's abilities. Some of the old farmers spoke well of it.
How does the 32 S&W compare to that old rimfire?

Ballistics are pretty much the same for the two cartridges. Not a power house, but a decent short range squirrel, rabbit, and small varmint cartridge. Another way of looking at it is, it is a little faster (out of a rifle) than a 22 Short with a bullet of over 2x to 3x the mass.

Edd

[badgeredd]

Oh man you doing my wish list.
Here is mine.
Have any photos/ Measurements of that breech block?
I will be getting a mill one of these days. Converting to 32 short would add some life to this old girl.

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d66/Kelly2215/100_8621.jpg

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d66/Kelly2215/100_8624.jpg

What I did was to start out with a piece of 4140 steel and pretty much copied the existing breech block while leaving a bit extra on the back to allow me to fit it by hand for a tight, close fit. I also added a few thousanths of material on the width to fully fill the cavity it mounts into. I didn't write down the dimensions as it was a one off project. I also added a little stock to to back of the block to give myself a little working room for the firing pin. I spring loaded the firing pin so it is a rebounding pin now.

As Outpost75 recognizes, I chose the 32 S&W for it to deter people from trying to hot-rod it.

You have a fine looking example there and if the barrel is decent, it should be a great little rifle with a new purpose with a centerfire conversion. What is it chambered for currently?

Edd

P.S. I have another action (only) that I've given some thought to building a 25 ACP version on. Time will tell whether it gets past the thinking stage.

[leadman]

I use 700X in my H&R revolver with the top latch system. Can't remember the load right off the top of my head but think it is close to your bullseye load. Around 600 fps out of the 6" barrel.
I have often thought of having a Contender barrel made in 32 S&W Long after reading an article in the T/C club magazine. One guy hunted deer with it.
You did a great job getting an old unservicable rifle back in the game. The 32 S&W (short) was a great choice as it is safe and incredibly cheap to shoot. Primers probably cost more than powder and boolit!

[357maximum]

I use 700X in my H&R revolver with the top latch system. Can't remember the load right off the top of my head but think it is close to your bullseye load. Around 600 fps out of the 6" barrel.
I have often thought of having a Contender barrel made in 32 S&W Long after reading an article in the T/C club magazine. One guy hunted deer with it.



I would really like to meet that "one guy" ....I bet he is a bowhunter that just happens to carry a gun occassionally. I have thought of taking a deer with my H&A 32 S&W-Long falling block, just to do it and to make 35Remington go into convulsions while spasming violently on the floor. :mrgreen: But have resisted the urge thus far. :evil:

[uscra112]

I met a guy when I was still in Michigan who claimed he'd done it from a tree stand. I suppose it's possible, shooting straight down at a range of 20 feet, and you hit the spine. But I've always thought that he was just flapping his gums.

Is/was carrying a small-bore pistol during deer season even legal in MI?

[357maximum]

I met a guy when I was still in Michigan who claimed he'd done it from a tree stand. I suppose it's possible, shooting straight down at a range of 20 feet, and you hit the spine. But I've always thought that he was just flapping his gums.

Is/was carrying a small-bore pistol during deer season even legal in MI?


It all depends where one is standing in Michigan as to what you can use. 3/4 of the state can use anything that is not rimfire and .22 or bigger.

[John Taylor]

The original 32 short had 9 grains of black powder and the long had 12-13 with a 90 grain outside lubed bullet. I don't have a BP load for the 32 S&W short but 1.1 grains of bullseye is supposed to give the same velocity. I would probably go with a little slower burning powder to keep pressures down if I were doing it. I don't see a problem with the S&W short on the Favorite but the long S&W would most likely cause problems.

[badgeredd]

The original 32 short had 9 grains of black powder and the long had 12-13 with a 90 grain outside lubed bullet. I don't have a BP load for the 32 S&W short but 1.1 grains of bullseye is supposed to give the same velocity. I would probably go with a little slower burning powder to keep pressures down if I were doing it. I don't see a problem with the S&W short on the Favorite but the long S&W would most likely cause problems.

Thank you John. I have tried a couple slower powders for the exact reason you mention. I have a list of 8 powders to try if spring weather will get here and stay for a few days! I have a few rounds loaded with 700X right now to try next. Slow and easy I will go.

Absolutely my very thoughts about the Long version. The operating pressure of the long is quite a bit higher than the short (original) version.

Edd

[badgeredd]

Here are before and after pictures:

http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee338/badgeredd/PICT0744_zps9519f259.jpg (http://s533.photobucket.com/user/badgeredd/media/PICT0744_zps9519f259.jpg.html)

http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee338/badgeredd/PICT0748_zps5630a89f.jpg (http://s533.photobucket.com/user/badgeredd/media/PICT0748_zps5630a89f.jpg.html)

Edd

[MostlyOnThePaper]

Neat, can't wait to see it in person!:awesome:


x2, What a neat little rifle! I really like the sight too!

Randy

[bedbugbilly]

What a great little rifle! I'll bet it will be a lot of fun to shoot as well. As a kid, I started out with my Dad's old 1915 Favorite in .22 - man fond memories of that old rifle - still have it but it is now "retired". It went through a fire in 1956 and the butt stock got charred pretty good - I made a replacement for it and at one point, made a new firing pin as well. Thanks for sharing - nice to see the "ole girl refurbished and given a new life!

[trevj]

What makes the Favorite's falling block a weak action?

The whole of the forces of the cartridge firing are held in the chamber by two screws, the breech block screw, and the lever pivot screw. They are not very big screws, and the breech block screw for sure, and by memory , maybe the lever screw too, are unsupported for some of that distance. There is a larger void in the interior of the casting for the action, than the breech block fills. The length of screw between each side of the breech block and the action wall is where all the movement typically takes place when fired.

Others may vary, but none of the Favorites I have ever had or looked over, had any bearing surface against the action for the breech block to lock against. So, the screws is it, as far as holding things in place.

Good little guns, built to handle small BP rimfire cartridge power levels, and even at that, not a powerhouse of a rifle.

If you get a chance to look one over, it may answer your question.

Cheers
Trev