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

So I just recently acquired a Ruger New Model Blackhawk Buckeye .32 mag / .32-20.

The gun came with the .32-20 cylinder, but it was missing the .32 mag cylinder. I'm not having any luck locating a .32 mag cylinder. I contacted Ruger, and they do NOT have any available. The lady at Ruger told me that even if I did find one for sale, and sent the gun and cylinder in to Ruger, that they would not be able to fit it for me. It seems to me that a gunsmith would be able to accomplish this task. Is this a case of liability avoidance? Is this in the same light that gun manufactures discourage the use of reloaded ammunition? Nothing against Ruger, I love them. I'm just wondering.

Also, I was wondering what anybody thinks about the idea of fitting a .327 mag cylinder to this firearm? Could it work? I don't think pressure is a problem. I've compared the load data between .327 and .32-20 and don't see an issue there. And the gun is built like a tank

PS: Does anyone know of a 32 Mag cylinder for sale??

Best bet would be to keep an eye out on ebay and the various auction sites.
Good hunting,
Terry

Ruger's policy is to only install new parts to its revolvers. And if you found a cyl that was too short, they don't have the ability to modify it to work.

The 327 would be more than safe in your Blackhawk as you indicated. Many of the 32 H&R Mag cyls for your gun have been reamed for the 327. But Ruger never made any 6 shot 327 cylinders for the large frame BH. Only an 8 shot stainless BH model and they're very scarce guns.

32 Mag cyls for the BH are very scarce, but if you found one, it's a very simple conversion to 327; just ream the chambers .130" deeper.

Search ebay and gunbroker, and advertise in this forums classifieds for a 32 mag cyl.

A custom cyl 'blank' cyl like from Bowen Classic Arms is your only other option or a custom smith.

A practical, inexpensive solution and easier find is a 30 carbine cyl. It's an easy re-chamber to 327. Very little metal to remove with a 327 reamer.

But the very simplest is to run a 327 Mag reamer into your 32-20 chamber and just slightly open the neck area to fit the 327. You can safely fire both cartridges from the same cyl! The chamber mouth will be slightly oversize (.015") for the 327 and the neck will be slightly oversize (.010") for the 32-20, but both will shoot just fine. The 327 rim thickness is .010" less than the 32-20, but that's not enough to affect reliable primer ignition. This I've done and it works very well! You can rent a reamer, just google it.

I hope this is helpful,

m

Hondo,

Thanks for the reply!

I don't have load data on the .327 handy to compare, but is .327 mag longer in COAL than .32-20?

The .32-20 is relatively long compared to the other .32's, and certainly longer than .32 Mag. Is there anything preventing me from safely shooting, say, .32 Long in the .32-20 cylinder? I have some .32 Long and it fits right in there as it should.

Lastly, I want to consider modifications carefully since this is a rare gun!

You're welcome.

Yes, the 32-20 is longer, 1.315" and the 327 is 1.120", so not that much difference. But the 327 case mouth will not enter the 32-20 neck diameter in the chamber.

No, nothing preventing you from safely shooting the 32 long. Although the long bullet jump to the chamber throats will not be friendly to accuracy, I doubt it'll be noticeable.

And in fact what's also safe and works perfectly well is shooting the 32 H&R mag in the 32-20 cyl. It chambers right up to the 32-20 case shoulder cut in the chamber which aligns the bullet to enter the second chamber shoulder to the throats.

Now I don't go around telling people to use the wrong ammo in their guns just will-nilly! And of course Ruger will tell you not to do this just for the sake of liability. But in the examples above, I have tested them and wouldn't recommend it if they weren't safe. Many don't realize how much variance and tolerance there is in chamber sizes that exist from gun to gun and one manufacturer to the other.

Hondo, so in other words there is a bit more Free Bore shooting the shorter 32's in the 32-20.

Does your recommendation extend to jacketed ammo as well?

For what I paid for the gun, even missing the cylinder it's still pretty cool. And nobody at the range will have one Mission accomplished.

Exactly.

Yes jacketed ammo is fine for both 32 Long and 32 H&R Mag. A lot of 32-20 ammo uses jacketed bullets as well.

I've got load data on jacketed .32-20

But everything I've seen for sale is lead, and marked "Cowboy Action". When I see that I think "Powder Puff" loads. I''ll have to buy those so I can "Empty" them and load them with some real loads.

They're good loads and not 'mouse fart' loads. I'd call them moderate or medium.

All Hondo44 relates is true if you just want to shoot the gun and have no other ammo but,,,.
That gun is really the king of how to extract the most out of a production 32-20 handgun. When that gun was made the 32-20 was potentially far more potent than the 32 mag.
I say tool up to reload the 32-20 and with that gun in particular you can run neck and neck with any .327being made. In careful steps some fellas are safely going WAY beyond the loading manuals as most of those are held back to safe levels for pre-war guns. Your gun can do so much more.

That combo minus the 32 mag cyl. seems to be the fashion nowadays. Guys are striping out the 32mag to make 3 cylinder combo guns (32-20,32 mag, .327 ) then selling off the rest. Sad but that is how they treated Dan Wessons for years.

needsmostuff said:

That combo minus the 32 mag cyl. seems to be the fashion nowadays. Guys are striping out the 32mag to make 3 cylinder combo guns (32-20,32 mag, .327 ) then selling off the rest. Sad but that is how they treated Dan Wessons for years.

Click to expand...

Thanks for confirming everything.

The fact I don't have the .32 mag cylinder wasn't by design. I "Stole" the gun
It was a consignment sale and the lady selling her Dads gun collection couldn't find the cylinder supposedly, which knocked the price back considerably. Not a bad rare piece in my opinion for $300 OTD. The finish is near perfect and it shall make for a couple interesting reloading and gunsmithing projects.

I think Hondo should run Ruger.

What about the Lawyers?

Congratulations on getting that. I knew about it, and drug my feet. Glad someone here bought it

48flyer said:

Congratulations on getting that. I knew about it, and drug my feet. Glad someone here bought it

Click to expand...

Ha ha. You knew about the consignment gun I bought in Michigan?? :shock: :lol: :mrgreen:

Well I'm happy to report that shooting 32 Long and 32 Mag was uneventful in the 32-20 Cylinder. One ruptured case out of the whole bunch. Who cares.

After the first shot with 32 Long I actually thought it was a squib! The gun did didn't even move! But alas, there was a hole in the paper.

I actually think that due to the smaller case in the 32-20 chamber, gas leaked out instead of being forced down the barrel behind the bullet resulting a milder recoil.

But still, I think that gun is sturdy enough to be a .357. I can't wait to stretch it's legs with some hotter loads!!

Perhaps you could find a ruger cylinder in .30 carbine. I am sure that was a option years ago. I am not sure of the specks but possibly it could be reamed to .327 mag specks.

Yep.
Plymouth Rd in Livonia MI to be exact 8)
You done good!

markr said:

48flyer said:

Congratulations on getting that. I knew about it, and drug my feet. Glad someone here bought it

Click to expand...

Ha ha. You knew about the consignment gun I bought in Michigan?? :shock: :lol: :mrgreen:

Click to expand...

48flyer said:

Yep.
Plymouth Rd in Livonia MI to be exact 8)
You done good!

markr said:

48flyer said:

Congratulations on getting that. I knew about it, and drug my feet. Glad someone here bought it

Click to expand...

Ha ha. You knew about the consignment gun I bought in Michigan?? :shock: :lol: :mrgreen:

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Was it up on Gun Broker or something?