UPDATE: .327 Fed. Mag. conversion from 22 Mag OM Single Six

[Hondo44]

Just finished my latest project.

Here's pics of the 1959 vintage 22 Mag 'only' Single Six conversion to 32 H&R Mag.
Functioned well today and we sighted in the front sight for elevation. I'll shape a quick draw ramp, serrate with a checkering file, and blue it.

Had to enlarge the loading gate chute slightly for the larger cases.

In these two shots, you can see where I plugged and re-drilled to lower the firing pin and recoil plate for centerfire.

I have OM action parts on the way to convert it back.

Next thing I did is ream the chamber shoulder deeper to shoot .327 Fed Mags.
True all the 'professional' conversions use a longer custom cylinder. But loaded factory cartridges are only .003-4" longer than the factory cylinder. And believe it or not they function perfectly by using the barrel/cylinder gap spacing. After reaming and shooting my first five H&R Mag cylinders to .327 I've yet to experience any problems. If one reloads with heavier bullets the extra length is usually in the case rather than a longer nose. Even if the nose is a bit longer, the bullets can be seated in the cases a bit deeper so they don't exceed an overall cartridge length of 1.460" or your maximum cylinder chamber length. I know it might be counterintuitive but as they say, truth can be stranger than fiction.

I fitted the left over .22 Mag cylinder to this Ruger Lightweight and it also shot great today. The bore is .002" smaller than the current convertible Rugers so I think .22 WRF with its plated bullets are better than the jacketed .22 MRF in that bore. They are cheaper too, now that they are regular production once again and less pressure in the lightweight frame.

 

[GasGuzzler]

Very nice as usual.

 

[Hashknife Hartley]

Really nice, that conversion makes a sweet little piece. I had Alan Harton make me a set of them for Cowboy Action shooting a number of years ago, making them myself was a little beyond my capabilities; looks like you did great. One of mine was also a Magnum only starting out in life and the other a 20 prefix one. Sold them as I throttled back on CAS and put the money into collector Rugers. Would like the same thing but in 32-20, but they're too expensive to make.
HH

 

[Ruger36]

I Remade a colt Scout in the early sixties ,Not sure why just trying something different Changed it from a rim fire to a center fire used part of a 8mm rifle barrel ,bored cyl. 3/4 of the way used shotgun primers black powder and if memory serves me number 4 buck, Tied it to a tree and shot it with a pulled string , Did not blow up shot it quite often, later came across some 32 new police brass ,finished boring cyl. Not sure what came of it had a house fire it just disappeared [ Not recommended]

 

[Hondo44]

GasGuzzler & HH,

Thx for the kind comments. It went according to plan but of course the next one will be easier.

 

[timnc]

I never cease to be amazed at what someone with TALENT can do. Wish I lived closer so I could see your work in person. Why don't you move from the PRK to "Blue Heaven"? Tim

 

[Hondo44]

Tim,

Thank you. Moving to anywhere from here is becoming more and more attractive by the day, believe me. And NC sounds as good or better than most alternatives.

 

[JWhitmore44]

Nicely done, what a sweet little 32.

 

[Ethang]

Very nice. One of those built on a OM Super SS would be perfect.

 

[JTM47]

Hondo44
I'm curious to know what the length of your cylinder ended up being after the conversion. You mention that you intend to ream it for the .327 Federal.

I have a OM Single Six converted to .32 H&R by Alan Harton that has a cylinder length of 1.344", I think this is correct, I'm not where I can check it at the present. It will not accept standard .32 H&R ammo with some 100/115 gr. bullets without them extending past the cylinder face when crimped in the crimp groove. I have ended up trimming the brass to accomodate this ammo.
I would have thought that all OM SS cylinders would be the same O.A.L.

Looking at your first pic, it seems that the cylinder front face is closer to the frame than is mine.

 

[Bkat]

Jim, looks great! What length is the new barrel? As I recall, all of those .22 mag only models were 6.5".

Bkat

 

[Hondo44]

Very nice. One of those built on a OM Super SS would be perfect.

Thank you, that's next, just picked up a host gun for $300. Maybe another FT also like this one.

 

[Hondo44]

Hondo44
I'm curious to know what the length of your cylinder ended up being after the conversion. You mention that you intend to ream it for the .327 Federal.

I have a OM Single Six converted to .32 H&R by Alan Harton that has a cylinder length of 1.344", I think this is correct, I'm not where I can check it at the present. It will not accept standard .32 H&R ammo with some 100/115 gr. bullets without them extending past the cylinder face when crimped in the crimp groove. I have ended up trimming the brass to accomodate this ammo.
I would have thought that all OM SS cylinders are the same O.A.L.

Looking at your first pic, it seems that the cylinder front face is closer to the frame than is mine.

Hi JTM,

All OM SS cylinders are the same O.A.L. And just the cylinder bodys are the same length as the 32 Mag cylinder body, but the 32 cylinder body is farther forward in the cylinder window. In other words the ratchet length is longer and the front hub is shorter.

I used a standard NM .32 cylinder and 4 5/8" barrel. The cylinder actually fit the 1959 vintage single six w/o any modification once I pulled the 22 barrel. The 32 chambers are not recessed so the chamber lengths are the same as the cylinder body; 1.405 + or - .001". They will chamber any H&R factory Mags I have on hand plus any of my handloads.The original 22 LR and Mag cylinder body lengths that came out of this gun are also 1.405" and another OM 22/22 Mag is 1.409"; both including the rim recesses.

Alan must have rechambered one of the original 22 cylinders. And he obviously recessed the chambers if the 32 H&R Mag cartridges are a bit too long.
If he rechambered the 22 mag cyl he would have had to recess the 32 chambers for breechface clearance, and you lost chamber length. If he didn't recess he could have used either the LR or Mag cylinder but still had to create proper rim to breechface clearance by 'facing off' the rear cylinder surface. Again that would have shortened the chamber length. But either way would leave the chamber length just long enough for 32 H&R mags with standard bullets. And that's why your cylinder front face is farther from the frame than mine is, being as you said only 1.334" long.

My front and rear cyl to frame window spaces are within .003" of my factory NM .32 H&R Mag Ruger single six magnum.

You can get a 32 Ruger cylinder and install it in your gun just by shortening the barrel protrusion sticking thru the frame and have full length chambers. I found mine on GB but I've also seen them on this forum. The 32 cylinders have the smaller diameter ratchet hub like the current production 22s but it will work in any OM or NM gun as it did in mine. You might have to fit the pawl a bit as I did.

That way you'd be able to shoot as long a bullet as you want in H&R Mag and ream for 327s as I plan to do. The loaded factory 327 HP Fed Mag rounds I have on hand measure 1.406" - 1.407". Just barely longer than my chambers. I can stick them in my seating die and seat them slightly deeper or file a couple of thousandths off the bullet nose. And I'll just seat my reloaded bullets deeper the same amount. I just won't be able to use real heavy bullets.
Hope that helps,

 

[Hondo44]

Jim, looks great! What length is the new barrel? As I recall, all of those .22 mag only models were 6.5".

Bkat

Hi Bkat,

The new barrel is a Ruger 4 5/8". After taking about .020" off the front frame flat it allowed the barrel to tighten with the front sight and ERH screw hole properly aligned. I didn't have to shorten the barrel except by taking off of the throat end to adjust the barrel cylinder gap. That way I didn't have to modify the ERH length.

You're right, the old barrel is a 6 1/2".

 

[JTM47]

Jim,

Thanks for the response. I didn't realize you used a NM .32 cylinder in your conversion. Alan did indeed use the original OM cylinder I supplied for my conversion and like you said, by the time he removed the recess the O.A.L. was reduced creating the condition I described. I'm working around it by trimming approx. .020" from my cases so I can crimp in the crimp grooves of the bullets I use.

Wish I had known about these details before I started the project but the end result that Alan produced is a really nice balanced sixgun. I never intended to load it to .327 Federal levels so it fits my use just fine.
Mine is a OM Super SS. Early in the process of my project I considered using a standard SS like yours, I really like this model with it's profiled backstrap and simple sights, but the Super came available at a reasonable price. All in all very satisfied with the end result.

I did a little extra stuff to it after getting it back from Alan. I round butted and polished the grip frame similar to those done by Andy Horvath, made a set of walnut grips, added a trigger over travel stop, trigger and hammer shims...

 

[Hondo44]

JTM,

Sounds like a sweet little sixgun, especially with all of your custom touches!

I like the smaller XR3 grip frame from the pre 1962 single sixes like the .32 above. All the Super single sixes have the post 1962 larger XR3-RED grip frame and in fact I swapped to a steel XR3 size grip frame from a New Vaquero on the Super SS flat top above. I used the Clements Bisley OM adapter trigger to work with the NM grip frame & trigger spring. It has a built in over travel stop (the little bump in front of the sear) 2nd from the right:

_____________________________--------Clements adapter triggers-------
OM trig_______________________standard____&____Bisley w/over travel stop__________________NM Bisley

 

[JTM47]

Jim,

My trigger overtravel stop is really just an extension on the trigger return plunger...seems to work ok.
What is the trigger second from left in your pic, a standard NM?...I've never had a NM so am not familar with them.

You mentioned that you intend to perform a final profiling on the front sight of your conversion. Is your intent in doing this to settle on one or two loads and profile the sight accordingly?

I'm trying to decide about a holster for my gun, probably a crossdraw of some type...you have any suggestions?

 

[Hondo44]

JTM,
I have an old product return spring plunger made by Premier that is two pieces threaded together with a hole in the tip to turn with a paperclip to adjust. Pretty clever device.

2nd from left trigger is the Clements 'standard' adapter trigger. The Ruger NM standard trigger looks like the 1st on the right but straight.

Yes, I sighted it in for my standard H&R Mag handload. Shoots the factory load to same POA.
Shaped it like a NM factory 22 ramp and serrated the blade surface 50 LPI just like the factory. Like I did this one:

I use the old Bianchi Model #1 Lawman modified for cross draw for hunting/field use that's not made any longer but looks like the #111 Cyclone with quick release thumb snap shown here:
http://www.bianchi-intl.com/PRODUCT/CatList.php?numSubCat=1

And a Red Dog Leather "Double Loop" Cheyenne authentic western or Bianchi John Wayne rig for Cowboy Action Shooting; both 2 gun rigs with weak side crossdraw:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=red+dog+leather+holster&_sacat=0&_odkw=red+dog+leather&_osacat=0&_from=R40
On left and right in 2nd row.

But there's a ton of great products available these days.

 

[DGNY]

Well done, indeed, Hondo44. The .32 H&R in 4.625" is a supremely neat package. Your ingenuity has made it even more attractive.

[Mine are just factory spec.]

With thanks for sharing this project,

Dyson

 

[Ethang]

Not to hijack the thread but how is the Red Dog holster? I really want a full Duke rig for my 32 mag and his Ebay site looks like a good deal.