32 or 38 cal custom single shot!

I found a great 45/70 that I wanted. I took out a loan today and after really thinking about it, I have decided that I don't want a long range gun. I just dont shoot past 50yds very often.

I know that I have posted about this before. The difference is the money will be in my bank account Monday morning.

I recently bought a Uberti Schutzen in 32/20 and I'm having a lot of fun with it.

The Idea of a 32 s&w long or 38 spl is very appealing to me. If I'm going to spend a chunk of money I may as well get what I want and is not offered in a production gun.

A DZ Hepburn with 28" half round barrel chambered in 38spl with a MVA Schutzen sight seems to be about right.

I want a straight wall cartridge that's easy to load progressive and stingy with lead and powder.

Pedersoli makes a Crawford rolling block in 357 that can be had for around 1400.00 that would be a cheaper way to have fun. I'm going to do something in a small caliber.

A 41 mag would also be a option. Get a simi fast twist and the option to rechamber to 40-50 or 40-70

Lots of Ideas but only money for one rifle.

I've been playing with the .32sw long lately and having a great time. Started with a pair of H&R 2.5" double action revolvers. Then a Rolling Block takedown model in .32sw long. Now a Ruger New Model Single Six in.32H&R mag with 6.5" barrel and adjustable sights.

Yeah I am liking the .32's.

Virtually no recoil, low noise, extremely thrifty on lead and powder. Single biggest expense is a primer.

I have a .357mag in a H&R Handi Rifle. I have never shot .38's in it but I certainly could.
My standard load is 4.6 grains of Red Dot below whatever bullet I want to play with.
That too is easy on everything and thrifty.

As my eyes age I found myself shooting shorter distances, smaller calibers more and more.

Red Dot sights on at least half of my rifles.

Way I see it, tis your itch to be scratched. Best make sure any new purchase will scratch it before committing.

A 38 Special or 357 Rem Mag single shot rifle would certainly be lots of fun. However, I suspect even more accuracy can be had from a bottle necked cartridge. The 38/45 Clerk or 357/44 Bain & Davis comes to mind.

Does DZ even offer their Hepburn in any of the straight wall handgun cartridges?
The 32 H&R would be a fine 50 yard gun.

Seems like a waste of money to purchase a fine gun like a DZ and have it chambered in a straight wall pistol caliber. And I hope you never decide to sell it, as I'm betting it would be tough to ever get anything close to the purchase price out of it. Most people would want a straight wall rifle caliber, and not a pistol caliber in .32 or .38. The .32-20 being probably the only exception, as it has a good following.
I'd get it in .32-40 or .38-55 and it will be a great shooter, and retain it's value much better. And neither cartridge eats up huge amounts of powder charges.

For what you would spend building that, (about $2000) you can find and have shipped CONUS an antique real one. This Cogswell & Harrison from the 1880s started life as a .360 No.5 and was restored and rechambered to .38 Special wadcutters, using the original barrel having Henry-style rifling, by Angelo Carlini of Turin, Italy:

Attachment 224038Attachment 224039Attachment 224042Attachment 224040Attachment 224041

A necked down 357 case is a 32 Miller short. As far as dies,straight wall,loading and all of that. Get a breach seater and load at the bench. You only need a couple (really just one) of cases, save money buying dies as you will never need them. Stingy on powder, even a 32 40 only uses 14-15 grains of smokeless. Better accuracy is guaranteed.

There is a Belgian Martini Rook rifle on Gunbroker in 32SW-L for under a Grand also a 310 Cadet for under $500. :) Todd/3leg

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Originally Posted by WALLNUTT

A necked down 357 case is a 32 Miller short. As far as dies,straight wall,loading and all of that. Get a breach seater and load at the bench. You only need a couple (really just one) of cases, save money buying dies as you will never need them. Stingy on powder, even a 32 40 only uses 14-15 grains of smokeless. Better accuracy is guaranteed.

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7,65x21 Parabellum dies are the ticket for forming and loading 32/38 cases. I know because i do!

Not sure what DZ would be willing to do. If you did a 32Sw long it could be rechambered to 32-20. Actually the Idea of a 32-20 is appealing.

I'm just looking right now. If I run across a deal on a single shot even if it's not the perfect caliber for me I would buy it.

Just a suggestion here. Why not get one of the cadet martini's which is centerfire and have a good smith either reline it to 38 special or have a 38 special barrel blank turned down to the original shape as that of the martini and either refinish the cadet wood or go for a custom stock?. Douglas barrels may do a finish turned barrel for 38 special and have the barrel drilled and tapped for one of the redfield junior scope bases (check with DeHass book on single shot rifles for exact base) and you'd probably have money left over. Kurt Hardcastle if I got the spelling right does some fine single shot rifles. Never used him but have seen examples of his work. Google his website if interested. Frank

GARD72977: I've been very happy with the way my 357 Handi shoots 38spl. This is far easier on the pocket book than some of the options you are considering. I too, would enjoy a 32cal. single shot rifle. I'm hoping Henry decides to chamber their single shot rifle in 327 federal. Gp

Just picked up a nice little single shot last week. It's a brake open and has double set trigger, problem is the caliber, 8X48R. Have not seen any reloading dies but did find out a shortened 32-40 will work. Book says to use 303 Savage brass.

I also don't shoot long range anymore, mostly because I have mobility problems that make walking 100 yards out and back to change targets all but impossible. Backyard range is only 30 yards, but with small cartridges I can pretend it's more.

+1 on the .32 caliber pistol rounds. I'm hooked. Got a Favorite, a Hopkins & Allen 932, and an antique Bay State that all shoot the .32 Colt centerfire. (Favorite and the H&A are converted). Also a near-mint solid-frame #4 Rolling Block that has to be used with rimfire ammo, (I won't desecrate it by altering the breechblock). The Bay State I shoot with breech seated wadcutters, and in that mode it is quite accurate in the back yard, despite having a somewhat rough bore.

But I'll also stick up for the .32-20. In a past I'd like to have forgotten I sneered at it as being an inaccurate cartridge, but it ain't so. I bought a Stevens 47 chambered for it a while ago, and know now that it is very, very good when the loads fit the gun. Another one that I shoot breech seated.

Another virtue of the pistol cartridges is no more packing the car for a range trip and then driving almost an hour each way! Range trip now is one minute, and I can never find out too late that I've forgotten something. The little .32s are very quiet, being subsonic, so I doubt my neighbor, (400 yards away) can hear 'em at all.

Gard -

Howdy!

What about a .38-40 ?


With regards,
357Mag

Maybe you might also consider getting a DZ Hepburn in .22LR? A quality single shot rifle in .22LR is a lot of enjoyment, and most high end guns will shoot better than I can hold! I enjoy shooting my Cody-Ballard in .22LR as much as any other single shot I own. It's so accurate with it's match chamber that shooting tiny groups at 300 yds. will put a smile on my face.
I've shot it out to 500 yds., but the tough part of shooting 500 yds. is hearing hits, or seeing strikes with a spotting scope. The gun has no trouble doing it, just tough to hear or see results until I can stop and go check hits.

https://i.imgur.com/f9iG0e4l.jpg

I fitted a 2nd buttplate so I can shoot it off cross sticks more comfortably. Just takes a few seconds to switch them.

https://i.imgur.com/MI5lda4l.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/ypKU89Fl.jpg

If fifty yards is all you shoot and stingy is what you want the .32 is a great bet . I love my 32 WCF but for poking holes in paper the 32 S&W would be fine . Set up your progressive press , get a six cavity mold and make ammo for it by the bucketful ;-)

Jack

357 Martini, load it down or up or use 38s, a hoot to shoot.

Bob

I had my gun smith made a 327 mag for me out of a Handi Rifle .I can shoot all 5 32's that I shoot in my 327 Mag BH. I try to up load a photo of the rifle but it dose not download to here.

I have had my opinion changed a little during this thread. A 32s&w or 38 spl would be better suited to my encore Or maybe a Martini. I would like another 32-20 in a fine single shot.

A lowall all tricked out from C Sharps would be a fine rifle for the 32wcf.

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Originally Posted by gpidaho

GARD72977: I've been very happy with the way my 357 Handi shoots 38spl. This is far easier on the pocket book than some of the options you are considering. I too, would enjoy a 32cal. single shot rifle. I'm hoping Henry decides to chamber their single shot rifle in 327 federal. Gp

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Me too. Go here and request it. The more of us that do, the more attention it gets.

https://www.henryusa.com/henry-firearm-suggestion-box/

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

My crude .327 mag single shot. Made from a hardware store shotgun and an enfield barrel


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