Simple Single Six 32 Conversion to 327

I've been saving my pennies to convert my Single Six 32 to 327. David Clements (about $600) and Bowen (about $800) both replace the cylinder, shorten the barrel to reset the cylinder gap, recut the forcing cone, and reblue the pistol.

In another thread, Hondo44 responded to my comment:

Hondo44 said:

MacEntyre said:

One day soon I hope to convert a Single Six 32 to 327 so I can compare.

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Simplest conversion there is. Just extend the chamber neck 1/10" with a reamer. Can be done by hand turning because so little material is removed.
...
Every single six .32 I've re-chambered shoots off the shelf spec length .327 factory loads!

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Hondo44 via PM said:

Clymer's finishing reamer from Brownells for 32 H&R. They don't make a 327 but you just grind back the step at the rear end of the flutes the same length as the 327 case is longer than the 32 H&R; about 1/10".

The factory rounds will stick out the front of the cyl .002" to .003" but the cylinder to barrel gap is wider than that so there's no interference.

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So, I figured it is worth risking $100 to save $600. If it doesn't work, I can still send it to Clements.

While I am waiting for the reamer to arrive, I looked a little closer at the specs. The rim is 0.055". The 327 OAL is 1.275" min and 1.475" max. American Eagle 327 measures 1.467" OAL. I read on MarlinOwners forum that Single Six 32 cylinders measure 1.396", and the Bowen 327 cylinder measures 1.47". I get 1.40" when I measure mine, so subtract for the rim and there still could be as much as 0.018" of bullet sticking out of the cylinder!

Is this going to work? I'll let you know next week!

WHY???
It's really sad to think of what happened to the 32H&R Mag,,,, back when it first came out it was hot, fast, a true MAGNUM, then as the story goes,,,, the Charter Arms guns were having problems and the 32 was scaled back to the current SAMMI specs.
It is of recent opinion that the 327 was introduced to get back to the what the 32 should have been.
So even though there are not published "RUGER ONLY LOADS" and no "writings" for the 32, they exist. :wink:

Why not???

Doing his conversion gives him the ability to shoot either, in case there comes a time he only has factory ammo available. especially if he is not a handloader...

i say, if you wanna tinker, then by all means... tinker...

no different that changing out a hammer on my blackhawks, or reaming my 357 mag handi rifle to 357 Max...

Brian Pearce has written in Handloader magazine about Ruger and S&W loads for the 32 mag. Try11.8 grains 296/H110 with the 100 grain Hornady xtp bullet.

But I do reload... Who wants to try to find factory ammo?

I agree with "Why not?"

Why not add 327 to a pistol that shoots 32 acp, 32 S&W, 32 S&W Long and 32 H&R magnum?

Hamilton Bowen says the Single Six 32s "are in my view, the natural home for the .327 in a single-action."

But this thread is not about the 327 vs 32... it's about Hondo44's simple conversion. There are other threads for debating whether it is morally right to do so.

WHAT about the strength issue here concerning the Single Six cylinder ? The 327 operates at twice---200%---the chamber pressure the 32H&RMAG does. Hmmmm....that would be a third more +- than proof loads if memory serves. IS Hamilton talking about a custom 5-shot cylinder to make it safe ? IF... IF this is really a safe conversion why didn't Ruger do it instead of making 327 SP101's and Blackhawk pistols in 327 ? THis all does NOT add up correctly, guys.

BTW, the 32 H&R has never been loaded flat out by the factory. Remember its history, it was originally designed for use in H&R revolvers, which weren't strong guns by any stretch of the imagination. Skeeter Skelton and others, started loading it hot almost immediately as soon as the 32 Mag Single Six was released. I've had a few of the original H&R guns, and also Single Sixes. The H&R guns simply won't survive long with the hot loads. There was even some jokes about the H&R not being a real magnum, and that it should have been named the 32 Banana Split.

WIL TERRY said:

WHAT about the strength issue here concerning the Single Six cylinder ?

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The gunsmith conversion cylinders are longer, not stronger.

WIL TERRY said:

The 327 operates at twice---200%---the chamber pressure the 32H&RMAG does. Hmmmm....that would be a third more +- than proof loads if memory serves.

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That's about right.

WIL TERRY said:

IS Hamilton talking about a custom 5-shot cylinder to make it safe ?

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Nope, Bowen and others make six shot cylinders. They have been doing it for a few years.

Bowen has converted Single Six 32s to 32-20 as well. Those are 5 shot cylinders, but only because the rim diameter is too large. The 327 case is the same size as the 32magnum, just a bit longer, so they remain six shot cylinders.

WIL TERRY said:

IF this is really a safe conversion why didn't Ruger do it instead of making 327 SP101's and Blackhawk pistols in 327 ?

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Because they didn't get around to it before the 327 flopped? Everything they ever made in 327 has been discontinued.

Edit: The Single Six 32 was discontinued in 1997, ten years before the 327 was invented.

WIL TERRY said:

THis all does NOT add up correctly, guys.

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Relax. It's been done already. It's a matter of full length fit, not safety. However, if you are uneasy about it, you don't have to convert your Single Six.

This is an experiment in being frugal. If I end up having to scrape the end off of bullets to make them clear the barrel, then I will get a Clement conversion.

Factory 85 grain stuff measures 1.460 and my SSM cylinder measures 1.404. the rim thickness is .052.
That leaves .004 sticking out in a .006 cylinder gap.
Now my SP-101 cylinder is 1.585. Plenty of room for a 327 case but I just ramp my 32 mag loads up and don't look back.

MacEntyre said:

WIL TERRY said:

WHAT about the strength issue here concerning the Single Six cylinder ?

Click to expand...

The gunsmith conversion cylinders are longer, not stronger.

WIL TERRY said:

The 327 operates at twice---200%---the chamber pressure the 32H&RMAG does. Hmmmm....that would be a third more +- than proof loads if memory serves.

Click to expand...

That's about right.

WIL TERRY said:

IS Hamilton talking about a custom 5-shot cylinder to make it safe ?

Click to expand...

Nope, Bowen and others make six shot cylinders. They have been doing it for a few years.

Bowen has converted Single Six 32s to 32-20 as well. Those are 5 shot cylinders, but only because the rim diameter is too large. The 327 case is the same size as the 32magnum, just a bit longer, so they remain six shot cylinders.

WIL TERRY said:

IF this is really a safe conversion why didn't Ruger do it instead of making 327 SP101's and Blackhawk pistols in 327 ?

Click to expand...

Because they didn't get around to it before the 327 flopped? Everything they ever made in 327 has been discontinued.

Edit: The Single Six 32 was discontinued in 1997, ten years before the 327 was invented.

WIL TERRY said:

THis all does NOT add up correctly, guys.

Click to expand...

Relax. It's been done already. It's a matter of full length fit, not safety. However, if you are uneasy about it, you don't have to convert your Single Six.

This is an experiment in being frugal. If I end up having to scrape the end off of bullets to make them clear the barrel, then I will get a Clement conversion.

Click to expand...

WOW MAC, you really know how to answer a fellow's question in fine style !! The extreme pressure thing in a pistol designed for half that does bother me. Let me note here also that I pressure tested a ton of loads for use in the SSM and then ran the same loads through an H&R 32MAG which took 'em all without a problem. These loads took 85grJHP's to 1500 and 100grJHP's to 1300 and THAT was as far as I would go in the pressures involved.

The advantage to go to the 327 are two fold. For those who only shoot factory ammo, they now have a choice of full power loads (327) or mid range loads (32H&R). For those who reload and want to shoot the heavy bullets (130+gr), the 327 is the way to go.

If you reload and only want to shoot 100gr bullets, the H&R does plenty. In my opinion, the H&R is better with 115gr bullets pushed as fast as possible. The only reason I use my 327 is to push 130gr bullets as fast as possible.

As far as the strength of the rugers, they can handle it. Did they have to increase the wall thickness of the 101s when they started making them in 327? The factory limits for the H&R are limited by the cheap H&R revolvers originally made for the round.

WIL TERRY said:

WOW MAC, you really know how to answer a fellow's question in fine style !!

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I was afraid you be upset with me for taking a cavalier approach...

WIL TERRY said:

The extreme pressure thing in a pistol designed for half that does bother me.

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It's a legitimate concern. Thank you!

However, many have gone before. I have not been able to find a single story about a Ruger 32 converted to 327 and breaking under pressure. If mine cracks, don't worry... I have another!

KodiakIsland, your summary is excellent. Thank you!

I love a good 32 Mag thread...

I've followed Hondo's conversion post with interest. I've got one of Hamilton's conversions. When I ordered it, I mentioned to Hamilton that I had loaded some ammo in expectation of receiving it. He suggested I wait to load further ammo until I had received the gun and checked for function with the ammo. I don't recall the overall length I loaded them too, but when the revolver arrived, they were too long to function. I reseated the bullets to 1.485" overall length and they are fine - barely, but fine.

I just went into the vault and measured a couple of cylinders. One on a stock Ruger Single Six 32 H&R and, with out the gas ring or the ratchet, it measures 1.405". My Bowen Single Six .327 Fed Mag measures 1.438". Tried to measure the rim thickness on a cartridge and got about 0.051". This leaves about 0.04" extra room to allow for a bit of creep if I crimp insufficiently. Double check my math - I didn't and since it is late (for me) on a Sunday, I may have flubbed it.

I wish the Bowen cylinder was 1.470" Then I could load much heavier bullets!

Tim

Princeout, that is a really nice looking revolver! Nice case coloring, hammer, grips and front sight.

If you loaded 327 to an OAL of 1.485", they were still longer than the spec: 1.475" max. What bullets were you loading?

Your cylinder measurement should be more than enough. The cylinder at 1.438" plus the rim at 0.051" equals 1.489", which is longer than your shortened reloads, and longer the max length of a 327 cartridge.

If you get tired of having to make short bullets, just send that beautiful pistol to me, ok?

Thanks MacEntyre.
I'll have to check the bullets - can't recall but think I can find my notes. We've moved twice since those were loaded and some things still haven't shown up.
Tim

Found 'em - Cast Performance 95 gr FNPB bullets.

Ok, the verdict is in...

The Simple Single Six 327 Conversion worked just fine. I was able to modify the chamber reamer using a diamond wheel, lengthening the depth of the cut by about 1/10". The 327 cartridges seat just right in the converted chambers, and it appears that the bullets reach right to the end of the cylinder.

However, the bullets actually reach a bit beyond the cylinder. Some of my American Eagle 327 factory rounds are as much as 1.473" long, and they would not clear the barrel. I measured the cartridges that had the end of the bullet shaved by clearing the barrel... they were 1.470" so I need to re-seat any cartridges that are too close to the maximum length of 1.475", according to SAAMI, and make them no longer than 1.470". When I reload 327, I will set the bullet seating die just right for my pistols.

I call this a great big success! For $100 I converted cylinders for two Single Six 32s, which would have cost $1200 to $1600 if I had sent them to one of the well known smiths.

Thank you, Hondo44!

[Edited after measuring more carefully...]

Or perhaps trim all brass a few thousandths.

That would ensure you could use existing bullet crimping cannelures. And sure won't lose much powder capacity.

Sound like a good idea?

Took the little 327 to the range this afternoon and found that all I have to do with lead nosed bullets that are 0.003" too long is force the cylinder around with the loading gate open... passing by the barrel trims them just right!

I just have to make reloads to a length of 1.470" instead of max OAL 1.475". That appears to be within the length required to use the crimping cannelures. Certainly, the 1.473" factory ammo I have has more than enough cannelure showing to shorten them to 1.470".

Today I got a Colt Lightening style grip frame from a member who took it off his Vaquero... it fits the little 327 Single Six like a glove! Now I have to decide whether to shorten the barrel to 4 5/8". If I do that, I might give it fixed sights.

MacEntyre,

I think I'd like to see that same gun with a 4 1/2" barrel. That little set of bird's head grips would be balanced very nicely by a shorter barrel. The grips give it a classy touch too. I guess I've gotta get a 32 SS now! :roll:

Froggie