What about this "back to the future" notion?

[BluesBear]

RyanM is thinking along the same lines as me.

Take that old design like the H&A (which was also produced by a dozen or so companies) and stretch the frame and cylinder to .32 H&R Magnum length, with a 2" barrel and there you go.

It would make a great boot gun.




As for the comment that "nobody's buying the J frame .32 Magnum revolver S&W does make," perhaps if S&W would just make a plain blued or stainless steel model people would. Even a model 37 black style alloy frame with steel cylinder & barrel. Forget all of that Scamminem and Tittytwistem stuff with it's patented Peeloffwhenyoucleanit™ finish and make a real revolver.

Maybe THEN people would buy a .32 J-frame S&W.
But then again Taurus would do it just as well, with a better lock system, in more materials and finished for two-thirds the price, so maybe not.


I tend to agree with those who ask, "Why buy a .32 that's the size of a .38? Will one more shot make the difference?"
Make a five shot .32 with a smaller in DIAMETER cylinder if you want to sell them.
Let's face it folks what killed the Walther PPK/s is that you can now buy 9mm pistols that are the same size or smaller.
Most people who are going to carry a .380 will get a NAA or similar.

As for me? If I stuble across a well worn Colt Detective Special in .32 CNP at a decent price I'll buy it. Have it rechambered into .32 H&R and use it for ammo testing and plinking.
.32 S&W case + .05gr Bullseye + 00 buck = .32 BB Cap

 

[Old Fuff]

Blues B.

You can also rechamber a Police Positive or Pocket Positive .32 Colt N.P into .32 H&R Magnum. Until they ran out, Numrich/The Parts Corp. was selling replacement cylinders already rechamberd. These cylinders were 6-shot and about 1.250" long. You can also safely rechamber a late-production I-frame Smith & Wesson.

Since the Colt's have a "V" mainspring you can substantially shorten the butts ...

And no locks ...

 

[BluesBear]

Great minds think alike.

 

[only1asterisk]

I would have trouble shooting one, but I want a 5 shot 32 Mag, a 85 grain Gold Dot at 1100fps and I want them both by Christmas.

David

 

[Old Fuff]

Blues B.

>> Great minds think alike. <<

Yes indeed: And the best part is that these .32 revolvers are not particularly popular with today's buyers, so they are often found at very reasonable prices. This is especially true if you find one with enough finish wear to turn off a collector that's looking for a mint example, but is still in great mechanical shape. Such guns sometimes go in the $150 to $200 range.

 

[grendelbane]

I have never handloaded for any of the .32 clan. Is there any great ballistic advantage to the .32 H&R over the classic .32 S&W long if the long is loaded warm?

Please note that I said warm, not proof loads. I realize that you would pick up a little powder capacity with the H&R case.

Seems to me that the big advantage of the H&R case is keeping warm loads out of unsuitable guns.

If I had a .32 revolver, I suspect it would see more wadcutters than anything else. So maybe I am not won over by the concept of a powerful .32.

 

[Sam]

For some reason I have accumulated a bunch of those little top breaks. They are just a tad smaller than a "J" frame and fairly easy to carry.

Been known to carry one ocassionally, Usually my grandmothers New Departure. Shoots pretty good too. I load it a bit heavier than book(but not much) and feel pretty comfortable with it. Have an old "Owl Head" (Iver Johnson in 38 S Colt that carries well too. Loaded with a 125 TC at 850 fps, not a powerhouse but better than a 380. And a Forehand and Wadsworth with a bobbed hammer that I like. All smaller than a "J"

Sam

 

[BluesBear]

An Iver Johnon in .38 Short Colt? That's gotta be a rare bird.
All I have ever seen were in .38 S&W.

I had an old Forehand & Wadsworth "Safety Hammer Double Action" chambered in .32 S&W Long that was a great pocket gun.
In the 70s I carried it loaded with .32ACP Silvertips.

I recently saw a more modern Harrington & Richardson that was made exactly the same but it wasn't for sale.
It was a bobbed hammer design that was safe to thumb cock AND uncock.

 

[scbair]

Old Fuff,

>>Finding a .32 "I-Frame" with a 2 inch barrel would be difficult. A J-frame would be another matter.<<

Yep, I've only seen one in .32 S&W Long,and one other in .38 S&W. Beautiful little gems, but (due to their pristine condition) priced too high for my wallet.

I adore the idea of the sub-compact, 5-shot .32. Double-action would be nice, but I'd gladly settle for the predecessors of the current NAA .22 minis.

 

[GEM]

About the SW new 32 HR guns. I see them around for about $330. It's tempting. The 632 - Al and SS didn't sell well.

The smaller gun from NAA might be interesting.