Ruger Blackhawk New Model Buckeye .32 Mag / .32-20

M

markr

New member
So I just picked up one of these at the LGS on consignment. It's missing the 32 Mag Cylinder, but for $299.00 OTD how could I NOT buy it??:D:) And I haggled the price since it sat for so long

So I'm looking to confirm what I've found investigating other sources, or NOT:eek: if that is the case. I like my hand the way it is. The question is this: Have any of you safely fired, 32 Long or 32 Mag in the 32-20 cylinder?

The gun is in perfect working order and shape, and built like a tank for what it is. I'm thinking I'm good to go, except the added "Free Bore" may affect accuracy?:confused:
 
For that price I would of jumped on it also. Thoes are great setups with both cylinders, I wonder if Ruger has anymore 32mag cylinders that they could time for your gun if you sent it in? I love my little 32 birds head, always brings a smile when shooting it.
 
Smee78,

I already barked up that tree. Ruger doesn't have any .32 Cylinders. The lady at Ruger also told me that even if I were to find a cylinder and send it in with the gun that they would still NOT be able to fit it for me. All they offered was if I send the entire gun in, they would put it's value toward a new Blackhawk. Nahhh.

Right now I'm looking online at cylinder blanks from Borchardt. If I do that I would have it reamed to .327. Then I would have a gun that shoots like 5 different bullets. 32-20, .327 Fed, .32 Mag, .32 Long, .32 Short.
 
@ Markr: To revisit your basic question, I tried to chamber a .32 H&R in my .32-20 contender and my marlin 1894 .32-20. The .32 H&R would not chamber completely in either gun. It stuck out about 3/16 of an inch. The situation for a .327 federal would be even worse.

A .32 S&W long did chamber, and so I assume a .32 short would also chamber. The problem with the .32 long or short in a .32-20 chamber, (as T O'Heir pointed out), is that the body of the .32-20 is quite a bit larger in diameter, and I would expect that the .32 long/short would rupture or split. Not a good situation.

Actually with a .327 federal cylinder, you might be able to fire six different cartridges: i.e. the additional .32 ACP. Since the rim on the .32 ACP is thinner than the .32 revolver cartridges, the .32 ACP might not fire reliably. I just don't know. It would depend on your firing pin protrusion. However, it is not something I would want to do regularly unless it were apocalyptic conditions, and .32 ACP ammunition was all that Mel Gibson and I could get at Bartertown.

In any case, the revolver was quite a find even with a missing cylinder, and it seems you have it all figured out with a new .327 federal cylinder.
 
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I'm not going to try .327 in in the 32-20.

32 long and 32 Mag fit in the cylinder fine. The different in case diameter is noted, as a previous poster was so kind as to point out.
 
@markr: What I find surprising is that a .32 H&R would chamber in your .32-20 cylinder, but wouldn't chamber in either my .32-20 contender or marlin. You wouldn't think that chamber dimensions would vary that much, but obviously they do. Although, reflecting on it, the .32 H&R stuck out more in my marlin than in the contender, which is just the opposite of what I expected since the contender is not a true .32-20 and should be a little tighter. Don't know. Maybe SAAMI chamber dimensions aren't as standardized for these older cartridges. I do know that I've seen 44 WCF (.44-40) chambers vary quite a bit.

Anyway, you have a neat revolver and a fun project. I envy you.
 
Hammie,

Well the 32-20 is longer and the case is bigger in diameter. So there is nothing to stop say a .32 Mag from fitting in there.

I've inspected the cylinder outside the gun, from the front with both 32 long and 32 mag in it. They both seem to line up nicely with the narrow part of the cylinder that engages the bullet. There is just a little bit of "Freebore" from the ogive of the bullet to that part of the cylinder. I was more concerned with the case rupturing.
 
Ok I just shot 32 long and mag in the 32-20 cylinder. It was pretty uneventful. The first shot of 32 long I actually thought was a squib!! But there was in fact a hole in the paper! Only one ruptured case out of the whole bunch. I actually think it wasn't reaching it's full potential because of the smaller case not sealing against the cylinder walls and letting pressure out.
 
Well the 32-20 is longer and the case is bigger in diameter. So there is nothing to stop say a .32 Mag from fitting in there.
Click to expand...

While the 32-20 is longer and larger in diameter at the back of the case, it has thinner case walls and if a 32 H&R mag or 327 Fed may chamber it might not have enough clearance to release the bullet properly. it'd be a lot safer to just shoot 32-20 in the 32-20 cylinder
 
IIRC, there are two levels of .32-20. I've seen one revolver with a swollen barrel from shooting the higher pressure fodder. I've also heard that .32-20 revolvers were considered high performance handguns, in their day.
 
@Strafer Gott: I think you're correct. From what I can find, the .32 WCF (.32-20) was loaded at 16,000 CUP for the standard load, and at 26,000 CUP for the high velocity rifle load, which was intended for winchester 1892's and marlin 1894's. I don't think I would want to fire the rifle load in a smith & wesson M&P, (now the K frame) or a colt revolver. I'm not sure if this is still an issue for factory ammunition, because I don't think the high velocity .32-20 has been loaded for a long time. I have never even seen a box of high velocity .32 WCF, and I would bet that it is now a collector's item.

As for the ruger blackhawk, if it can take the higher pressure .30 US carbine, it should be able to take higher performance .32 WCF handloads, but I don't know what those blackhawk load levels would be. And, actually, there are now three levels of .32 WCF performance to include the thompson center contender.

The contender is sort of a .308 - .32-20. (It has a .308 groove diameter barrel.) The contender is supposed to be able to accept regular .32 caliber ammunition but mine is tight on closing and sticky on extraction with an unfired case, loaded with a .32 caliber bullet (the end of the cartridge even shows a bit of burnish), and so I've been wary of firing .32 caliber bullets in it. However, the contender seems to work just fine with .308 diameter, 110 grain carbine bullets and different .308- .32-20 dies.
 
Well I still would love to have a Blackhawk in 32-20, should be a fun shooter. Let us know if you get the additional cylinder and what you have it cut for.
 
Well I got a real quote to have the work done. For the cost of the cylinder alone, I could just about buy an entire Buckeye set up with both cylinders. I'm not too surprised I guess.

So for now the focus will be re-loading some HOT 32-20. And keeping my eyes open for that elusive .32 mag Cylinder.
 
There are several blackhawk cylinders on ebay. If you could find the proper length I bet you could have it bored out and then sleeved and timed to your gun.
 
Why not jus shoot what was intended to be used in it - 32-20?

Starling makes 32-20 brass (32 WCF). Reload your own. Lee makes inepensie molds that will work or you can buy commercial cast. Dies are available. The cartridge uses very little powder - can be loaded in either smokeless or BP. While the 32-20 brass in thin walled, it isn't that hard to reload it.
 
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