Custom No 3 in 327 Fed Mag

[Green Frog]

I thought I had started a thread on this rifle, but can’t find it, so here we go again.a couple or three years ago I purchased a No 3 with the sole purpose of having it rebarreled to 327 Fed Mag. I putzed around for about a year or more then finally decided since I wasn’t getting any younger, it was time to git er done. I contacted John Taylor in Idaho and discussed what I wanted done, then sent the barreled action off to him with the expectation of a six month wait. As luck would have it, .douglas sent him my barrel blank and he was waiting for parts for a couple of jobs ahead of mine, so magically I got moved to the head of the line!

John threaded and chambered then profiled the barrel blank to octagon, roughly following the factory (round) dimensions of the original. He fitted the barrel to the factory fore arm, fabricated a custom Piccatinny rail and got the barrel blued and it was ready to come home.

I’ve been fighting health issues as well as laziness, so it took a while to get it shooting out at my local club range, but while waiting I bought a classic Texas made Weaver K6 with the rare post and cross hair reticle and dug out a NOS set of Burris Signature Zee rings I’d stashed years ago, and put it all together. I loaded 50 rounds of a load I’d worked up for my 327 handguns, and off to the range! Cool weather and breezy, but the little rifle really wanted to shoot! Hopefully come Spring I’ll be able to really get it right,

Regards,
Froggie

 

[hittman]

https://www.rugerforum.com/threads/...evolver-companion-options.306217/post-3242351

 

[azleite]

Please post some pics

 

[protoolman]

There was an article about a .32 mag rifle back in the 1990s by Jan Liborel (sp?) on some little single shot action that he had engraved. I wish I could find the story. It made me wish for a little.32 single shot all these years later. I'd love to see pictures of yours!

 

[Green Frog]

Prototoolman, ever since H&R and Federal introduced their 32 magnum Wanna-Be folks have been playing with it in various carbines and rifles. Of course Marlin made an 1894 lever gun in that caliber (which I managed to miss getting! ) Back then I was heavily into Winchester 'walls, so a gunsmith buddy and I cobbled together a 32 H&R low wall by converting a 32 rimfire. I kinda wish I'd held onto that one! The Buckeye Special 32 combo Blackhawk made a potentially great mate for that concept!

I've seen everything from low walls like mine to Martini Cadets and Stevens 44s getting this treatment and they make nice, light single shots. A late friend of mine espoused such a gun for "woods loafing", while others call them "bunny guns". Whatever you call them, they fit nicely in a well rounded battery for the shooting enthusiast.

I'm snowed in here today @azleite, so maybe I can get ambitious and take some pictures of the #3 to post. Check back this evening if you're interested.

 

[protoolman]

Winchester low wall would be just perfect!

 

[Green Frog]

Got struck by a case of the lazy today. Number 3 is in basement and I’m not! This picture shows it with the scope that came on the donor, but if you click on the thumbnail, you should be able to see the octagon barrel. The target shows the last 5 rounds of pistol ammo on the first trip with the Weaver installed. Note the near double and the true double. My only excuse for the flyer is that I was trying to adjust to that post and crosshair reticle; and no, I didn’t call it!

 

[jyo]

I went in a different direction and rebarreled a #3 to .454 Casull to partner with my Freedom Arms .454 revolvers! A Douglas barrel, installed by my gunsmith Dean Wilkerson here in L.A. Everything worked out just fine, but the little rifle has some kick to it with full-shout ammo! This was long before the newer 500 and 460 S&W rounds were developed... I'm happy with it just the way it is...

 

[Green Frog]

joy, I’m convinced that carbines and pistol caliber cartridges are a great match. The “big boys” of the handgun world kinda set the upper limit for what I would chamber in one I was going to shoot. My biggest bore handgun ever was a Model 29 S&W, and 44 Mag wis/was about the most powerful handgun round I could “enjoy”. Fortunately, the factory chambering of the #3 in 44 Mag would pair werfectly with that if I ever decide to go in that direction. At my age, that’s probably not in the cards now.

 

[jyo]

In addition to my .454 Casull rebarreled #3 rifle, I also have a minty factory #3 in 44 mag with the box... I understand these are kinda rare... It goes with my OM Flattop in 44 mag that rides in an original Ruger flap holster. One of the very last 44 OM Flattop's made, it has had the barrel professionally shortened in it's past to 4 3/4"---looks factory, but I know it's not... Still, this revolver has been a part of my younger years many outdoor adventures...

 

[protoolman]

What a beauty. Perfect woodchuck rifle or jackrabbits!

 

[Green Frog]

Finally got back to experimenting with my #3 now that the weather has cooled a bit. I did discover that just like with 38 & 357 revolvers, the chamber of a 327 will develop a ring of fouling when shooting H&R rounds, and a couple of shots with the FM length cases will turn it into a hardened mess that prevents loading more rounds. A little work with a bristle brush solves the problem but I’ll need to be aware of the situation, or better yet limit the #3 to magnum length cases as designed.

The break in period continues, and it’s looking promising. I’m now working with my 125 gr NOE SWC (314008) and a charge of H108 (think “Accurate #9”) that seems promising but may be too stout for even the big Blackhawk. More testing is certainly in order. The fun continues!

Froggie

 

[needsmostuff]

Certainly not in the same league but I too felt the draw of a single shot in 327/32mag.
Been watching these barrel liners for a while and figured it was a fun place to start.

Not a lot of time invested yet and still dialing it in, but.
So far not Camp Perry accuracy but better than expected. Seems to average about 2" at 50 yards. Have not really shot it past that but a bunny would be in trouble.
Chronograph numbers are IMPRESSIVE. With slow powders they easily get gas checked 120 grainers 1800-1900fps and I have not even pushed for the ceiling yet.

 

[Green Frog]

And it will easily switch back to 20 ga for birds, etc. that's a great package you have there. Congratulations.
BTW, who made that adaptor barrel? I have an OH shotgun that would work well with one of those!
Froggie

 

[needsmostuff]

BTW, who made that adaptor barrel? I have an OH shotgun that would work well with one of those!
Froggie

That would be Chazel and here you go. https://chaszel.com/#

They make a lot of them, but a lot are not in stock.
They will email you when they are in stock though. That's how I got this one.

 

[Green Frog]

Winchester low wall would be just perfect!

I don't think I've mentioned this here, but 35 years ago we took a low wall in 32 lrf and converted it to 32 H&R by simply bushing the block and running a reamer into the chamber. Easy peasy. The old BP barrel was about marginal, but it provided good proof of concept. Fast forward to the early 2000s, I was strongly advised against chambering a century old mild steel original low wall to the 40,000 PSI true magnums, hence my #3 project was hatched. I just had to find a good donor gun and the right gunsmith. A gun show @ Fishersville, VA provided the former and John Taylor became the latter (quite well, I must add!)
Now I'm trying to decide whether I want to have BRC make up a 327 FM cylinder for my Buckeye Special so I can keep the rest of that gun original as it stands now. I have the big stainless 8-shooter in 327, but there's just something about a blued, six shot single action!
Froggie