The Marlin that can be RF or CF, and a bunch of random old ammo.

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

I need to ask some questions about the Marlin model that can be either .32 RF or .32 CF.

1.  Which model is it?
2. Which .32 CF is it chambered for?  It is my understanding that it is not .32 S&W or .32 S&W Long.  I have a vague recollection of it being 32 Long Colt, but I am not sure.

Now, why, am I asking this?   

Well, today my local gunsmith/FFL gave me three small tubs of miscellaneous old ammo.   Mostly loose stuff that I am still sorting through, but there is a full box of .32 Long Colt ammo.    So....  I got to thinking about that Marlin....

Lotsa interesting stuff in the pile.   A couple of handfuls of various .22 RF, but also, a handful of .32 RF ammo of different lengths.   There's also some "big" RF ammo in various calibers with no headstamp.   A handful of .38-72, 1 round of .30-'03, a couple rounds of what appears to be GI .30-40, some .38 ACP, .35 Remington, .32 S&W, .32 S&W Long, a box of 44-40, some .45 Colt shotshells, a good amount of 6.5 Carcano, along with 3 clips, some made in Finland .30 Russian, 2 clips of 8mm Lebel, some .45-70, a handful of .38 S&W, some marked .38 Colt NP, and some blanks, and 11 rounds marked .380.  It's a rimmed cartridge and it looked oddly familiar, and then I realized that it's British .38-200 ammo.   (Basically, a hot .38 S&W.)  I never thought I'd find any of this, and I am glad I did.    There was one round of .50-70, and a curious cartridge marked, "50 CARB."   No idea what it is.  Also some other ammo similar in size to .45-70, but again with no headstamp, but clearly not the same round.   No idea what any of that is either.

And finally, one round of .45-85-285!  This is the .45-70 with a much lighter bullet for use in the large frame Colt Lighting rifle.  It uses a SMALL rifle primer.   This is one I never thought I'd never even see, let alone find.   But just one round..    Oh well

Moral of the story, it can pay off to be on good terms with your LGS Owner/Gunsmith.

So, based on all of this stuff it looks like I'm gonna have to buy some more guns....

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

Models 91 and 92.

 

.32 Short and Long Colt.