Another New 32 H&R

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mrbumps

Blackhawk
Joined
Jul 18, 2007
Messages
634
Location
Sutton, VT
I just picked up this Single Six 32 H&R with the 9.5" barrel. Local FFL took in a bunch of guns from an estate on consignment. When I was cashing out, one of the employees said they had the box and went to get it. Not sure it's original. It's a long Ruger grey plastic box, but no label. It was definitely meant for a long barreled revolver. Anyway, when he opened it, to everyone's surprise there was another cylinder in there. Both cylinders have the last three of the serial number (535) stamped on the face, with a number 1 or 2 above that to tell the cylinders apart. Number one was definitely used, but it does not appear the number 2 cylinder was ever shot. I imagine he got the 2nd cylinder from Ruger, they fit it, and sent everything back in a new plastic box.

The only thing I can think is that he eventually meant to have the second cylinder reamed out to shoot 327 Federal ? 32 H&R round fit perfect, but of course the 327 will not go all the way in, and if they could, they would be too long for the cylinder (at least the 100 grain rounds I have).

Can anyone think of another reason he may have wanted that extra cylinder ?

Ruger_32HR_9_b.jpg



Ruger_32HR_9.jpg
 

BarryinIN

Bearcat
Joined
Nov 23, 2022
Messages
45
Location
indiana
Maybe different throat sizes?
Perhaps the throats were slightly oversize for the owner's intended bullet, so he sent it back. Ruger obviously couldn't make them smaller, so they fitted another cylinder with smaller throats and sent it back with the new and original cylinders. That's my best guess.
 

mrbumps

Blackhawk
Joined
Jul 18, 2007
Messages
634
Location
Sutton, VT
Maybe different throat sizes?
Perhaps the throats were slightly oversize for the owner's intended bullet, so he sent it back. Ruger obviously couldn't make them smaller, so they fitted another cylinder with smaller throats and sent it back with the new and original cylinders. That's my best guess.
Interesting thought. I'll have to measure those and see.
 

arcee

Bearcat
Joined
Nov 9, 2014
Messages
37
Check 32-20 and/or 32 APC if it's custom. I shoot the 32ACP in both my Blackhawk .327 Fed Mag and my Single-Seven. Just enough rim to work perfectly with the S/A ejection system.

I believe there was a 32-20 and 32 HRM set sold, but I am old so who knows.
 

mrbumps

Blackhawk
Joined
Jul 18, 2007
Messages
634
Location
Sutton, VT
Well, the throats in both cylinders measured .3105, which I thought was small, so I measured my other two SS 32 Mags and all the bores and came up with

6.5" Barrel : Cylinder throats .3125, Bore Slugged at .312 Gun made in 1985

9,5" Barrel: Both Cylinder Throats .3105, Bore Slugged at .312, Gun also made 1985/86, seral number about 5000 higher than the 6.5" gun

4.5" barrel: Cylinder throats .3105, Bore Slugged at .312, Gun Made 1992

So, doesn't answer the question as to why two cylinders with the gun, but looks like I may need to have the throats on the later guns reamed if I plan to shoot cast bullets ? She how they shoot first I guess.
 

kean57

Single-Sixer
Joined
Oct 29, 2005
Messages
100
Location
Akron, Ohio, United States
Check 32-20 and/or 32 APC if it's custom. I shoot the 32ACP in both my Blackhawk .327 Fed Mag and my Single-Seven. Just enough rim to work perfectly with the S/A ejection system.

I believe there was a 32-20 and 32 HRM set sold, but I am old so who knows.
The 32-20/32 H&R combo was a Blackhawk. The Single-Six cylinder is too short for the 32-20. If 32 H&R rounds fit in both cylinders, it isn't a "custom" .32 ACP cylinder. An interesting mystery! Checking the diameter of the cylinder throats would be my next step in trying to unravel it.
 

kean57

Single-Sixer
Joined
Oct 29, 2005
Messages
100
Location
Akron, Ohio, United States
Well, the throats in both cylinders measured .3105, which I thought was small, so I measured my other two SS 32 Mags and all the bores and came up with

6.5" Barrel : Cylinder throats .3125, Bore Slugged at .312 Gun made in 1985

9,5" Barrel: Both Cylinder Throats .3105, Bore Slugged at .312, Gun also made 1985/86, seral number about 5000 higher than the 6.5" gun

4.5" barrel: Cylinder throats .3105, Bore Slugged at .312, Gun Made 1992

So, doesn't answer the question as to why two cylinders with the gun, but looks like I may need to have the throats on the later guns reamed if I plan to shoot cast bullets ? She how they shoot first I guess.
Yes, you should definitely shoot them with different bullets/ loading combinations before you think about reaming the throats. All but one of my Ruger .32 H&Rs have "undersized" cylinder throats, but still seem to shoot better than I can hold. Bullet hardness is also a factor. If you're going to shoot lead bullets in a .32 Magnum at normal .32 Magnum velocities, a softer alloy bullet will be able to swage down in the throat and still obturate (expand to fill the lands and grooves) in the barrel. Jacketed bullets don't seem to have a problem with undersized throats.
 

joecrab

Bearcat
Joined
Mar 25, 2022
Messages
47
Location
mi.
Maybe 32-20 with the same limitation of shorter bullets.
Thats what I'd do with it.
Very cool gun any which way.
If he was gonna do that, he would have a 32/20 fired brass with a step on it after firing. The .32 Mg. is just a tad larger in diameter than the 32/20 at the point that the .32 Mg. ends. It doesn't affect the shooting, but is somewhat disconcerting when you look at the brass. Please don't ask me how I know this. 😁
 

joecrab

Bearcat
Joined
Mar 25, 2022
Messages
47
Location
mi.
Check 32-20 and/or 32 APC if it's custom. I shoot the 32ACP in both my Blackhawk .327 Fed Mag and my Single-Seven. Just enough rim to work perfectly with the S/A ejection system.

I believe there was a 32-20 and 32 HRM set sold, but I am old so who knows.
That was the Blackhawk Buckeye Special. I had a Buckeye Sp. in 38/40 - 10MM. They made a 32Mg-32/20 and the afore mentioned 38/40-10MM
 

joecrab

Bearcat
Joined
Mar 25, 2022
Messages
47
Location
mi.
Well, the throats in both cylinders measured .3105, which I thought was small, so I measured my other two SS 32 Mags and all the bores and came up with

6.5" Barrel : Cylinder throats .3125, Bore Slugged at .312 Gun made in 1985

9,5" Barrel: Both Cylinder Throats .3105, Bore Slugged at .312, Gun also made 1985/86, seral number about 5000 higher than the 6.5" gun

4.5" barrel: Cylinder throats .3105, Bore Slugged at .312, Gun Made 1992

So, doesn't answer the question as to why two cylinders with the gun, but looks like I may need to have the throats on the later guns reamed if I plan to shoot cast bullets ? She how they shoot first I guess.
 

joecrab

Bearcat
Joined
Mar 25, 2022
Messages
47
Location
mi.
Maybe he just wanted an extra cylinder for some reason and decided not to go through with whatever he had in mind.
 

mrbumps

Blackhawk
Joined
Jul 18, 2007
Messages
634
Location
Sutton, VT
Maybe he just wanted an extra cylinder for some reason and decided not to go through with whatever he had in mind.
Yeah, that is what I am thinking. Maybe he wanted to open the throats on one for cast bullets, and keep the other for jacketed ?? Or maybe ream one out to 327 Fed, but it seems the cylinder is too short to really be of any effective use for that. In any case, I guess I have an extra 32 H&R cylinder!
 

joecrab

Bearcat
Joined
Mar 25, 2022
Messages
47
Location
mi.
Yeah, that is what I am thinking. Maybe he wanted to open the throats on one for cast bullets, and keep the other for jacketed ?? Or maybe ream one out to 327 Fed, but it seems the cylinder is too short to really be of any effective use for that. In any case, I guess I have an extra 32 H&R cylinder!
And that can cost you money. Having an extra cylinder eats on gun people until they figure out what to do with it. Hmmmmmm. :unsure:
 

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