Converting .32-20 (32 WCF) to 32 H&R Magnum?

[Dusty Chaps, SASS #5925]

Ok, the topic header asks it all. But it bears repeating.

 

Converting .32-20 (32 WCF) to 32 H&R Magnum?

How difficult in an old Marlin or Winchester?

 

I have a few older Marlin '94s and a Marlin 89 in 32-20 and two Winchester 92's as well a Lightning rifle. These are NOT collector grade, but cool nonetheless.

 

Is it feasible, cost-effective, reasonable, etc to convert these older 32-20 shooters to 32 H&R Magnum or even 32 Long or short?

Or would it be better to convert to 38/357?

Need new carriers? Tubes? Barrel sleeves? Cartridges guides? etc etc???

 

(I don't have a cartridge guide book to compare cartridge dimensions)

 

... a good question for our 'smithies....

 

Fire away.

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

I converted a 73 to .32 H&R Mag, but that's not on your list. Wasn't easy, but it works well.

[Dusty Chaps, SASS #5925]

A '73 ain't on my list cuz my toggle links are Big Bore: 45's.

[Doc Cuervo]

Why would you want to??

[Nate Kiowa Jones #6765]

Ok, the topic header asks it all. But it bears repeating.

 

Converting .32-20 (32 WCF) to 32 H&R Magnum?

How difficult in an old Marlin or Winchester?

 

I have a few older Marlin '94s and a Marlin 89 in 32-20 and two Winchester 92's as well a Lightning rifle. These are NOT collector grade, but cool nonetheless.

 

Is it feasible, cost-effective, reasonable, etc to convert these older 32-20 shooters to 32 H&R Magnum or even 32 Long or short?

Or would it be better to convert to 38/357?

Need new carriers? Tubes? Barrel sleeves? Cartridges guides? etc etc???

(I don't have a cartridge guide book to compare cartridge dimensions)

 

... a good question for our 'smithies....

 

Fire away.

 

To convert the older 1894 Marlin of the Win 92 to 38/357m isn't hard to do at all. I've done several by re-boring the barrel then opening up the inside of the receiver for the slightly larger cartridge.

Back in the 1950's and 1960's it was a common thing to rebarrel a 92 to 357m or 44mag. Usually it's just a matter of removing some material inside for the larger cartridge.

This Win 92 was made in 1897 and is now a 357m.

 

WINCHESTER 1892 DOM 1897 IN 357MAG

 

Going the other way as in 32-20 to 32 H&R, that requires add material to the inside. That’s one of the reasons Marlins 32 H&R has no loading gate. The gate would have to be really thick and probably wouldn’t open then. I don't see a practical way to do 32 H&R in a Win 92 either. Mainly because the lower part of the bolt has to pass between the guide rails and if you make the guide rail close enough to control the 32 H&R there’s not enough room for the bolt.

 

Even converting a Rossi 92 in 357m to 32-20 required adding some metal to the inside and removing some metal from the bolt to clear.

 

ROSSI 92 CONVERTED TO 32-20

[Dusty Chaps, SASS #5925]

Thanks Nate. I knew I had asked the correct forum...

 

I was thinking about changing cuz all my 32-20 rifles need a different cartridge length on the bottleneck and have different bore diameters. So, I have different reloads for different rifles.

So maybe changing to 38/357 would be the way to go then. Achieve some uniformity in my ammo. (and cheaper too)

 

By the way Nate, my last name is Young too - so I would expect to go to the front of the work order line. (just kidding)

[Greeenriver SASS #38681]

Thanks Nate. I knew I had asked the correct forum...

 

I was thinking about changing cuz all my 32-20 rifles need a different cartridge length on the bottleneck and have different bore diameters. So, I have different reloads for different rifles.

So maybe changing to 38/357 would be the way to go then. Achieve some uniformity in my ammo. (and cheaper too)

 

By the way Nate, my last name is Young too - so I would expect to go to the front of the work order line. (just kidding)

 

 

There are two ways to avoid having to build diferent length loads for your diferent rifles, neither one a great solution, but workable. The first, and best, is more expensive and requires buying a chamber reamer to ream all your chambers to the same length. This is probibly the best method as then, all your 32-20 rifles, or pistols, for that matter, will use the same ammo interchangable.

 

Teh second method is to simply set the shoulder back on all your loads so they will chamber in the shortest chamber, and still will work in all your rifles or pistols. This will lead to a shortened case life due to working them over and over in the longer chambers. I went this way myself, and ground a few thousands of an inch off the bottom of my 32-20 sizing die several years ago to set the shoulders back slightly, and have been using the sasme cases for about 5 or 6 years now over and over again with full case BP loads.

 

Having had both 32-20's, and 32H&R Mags, I have sold my 32 Mags a couple years ago and still have the 32 20's. The longer case with the slight bottle neck works much better in a lever rifle than the 32 MAG ever did in my Marlin, and it was tuned by the best Marlin Mechanic in the Nation.

 

As a side note, years ago, when I was just old enough to hunt Deer, I shot my first five Deer in five consicitave years with 32'20's. All five were one shot kills to the neck or head. Never tried a Deer with the 32 H&R when I owned it, but did take a couple 'youts with it.

 

Greeenriver

[Dusty Chaps, SASS #5925]

Good suggestion for me to try, Greenriver. Thanks.