I picked up a very old Stevens Favorite boys gun a while back chambered in .32 shot. Yes that's no typo shot not short and it's a smoothbore. It's an old obsolete black powder rimfire cartridge. The hang tag said curio and relic ammo not available so I took that as a challenge and figured It would keep me busy for a while.
So far I have located some brass from Dixie gun works that is supposed to be used with a .310 round ball. It has an offset primer pocket that uses a .22 starter pistol crimp for ignition. It is turned from bar stock and is pretty pricy as far as brass goes. I found some load data online for the black powder .32 rimfire and since black powder is relatively low pressure I'm comfortable with it. I have loaded 10gr of fffg behind a wad made from egg crate, (A .30 cal gas check was too big to fit in the brass) topped with a 70gr load of #9 shot encapsulated in a hand rolled tube of typing paper. I have also tried using a drinking straw (looks great) to contain the shot but it leaves the muzzle as more or less one piece and doesn't pattern. I'm also scared of melting plastic in the brass or barrel.
I have a couple of experimental ideas for working around the rimfire problem if I can find a suitable centerfire parent case. I'm thinking I could bore out the primer pocket to accept a .25 or .27 rimfire ramset charge used to drive nails in concrete which should provide a rimfire charge that the firing pin can strike and should drive my 70gr shot load quite well.
The dimensions of the current brass I'm using is .760 long, outside diameter of .315, Inside diameter of .285, the rim diameter is .375. if the brass was longer it wouldn't hurt my feelings at all as my OAL is 1.65".
Anyone with suggestions on a parent case that may fit or input on components that may help recreating this obsolete cartridge are welcome.
Yeah I did it, but their has got to be an easier way.
Pictures left to right
.38 special, .32 rimfire milled from bar stock,.32 rimfire shot experimental with drinking straw, .32 rimfire shot paper, .410 2 1/2" handgun load, .410 3" high brass birdshot
[Broken External Image]:
Any and all help appreciated. Thanks BHJ
So far I have located some brass from Dixie gun works that is supposed to be used with a .310 round ball. It has an offset primer pocket that uses a .22 starter pistol crimp for ignition. It is turned from bar stock and is pretty pricy as far as brass goes. I found some load data online for the black powder .32 rimfire and since black powder is relatively low pressure I'm comfortable with it. I have loaded 10gr of fffg behind a wad made from egg crate, (A .30 cal gas check was too big to fit in the brass) topped with a 70gr load of #9 shot encapsulated in a hand rolled tube of typing paper. I have also tried using a drinking straw (looks great) to contain the shot but it leaves the muzzle as more or less one piece and doesn't pattern. I'm also scared of melting plastic in the brass or barrel.
I have a couple of experimental ideas for working around the rimfire problem if I can find a suitable centerfire parent case. I'm thinking I could bore out the primer pocket to accept a .25 or .27 rimfire ramset charge used to drive nails in concrete which should provide a rimfire charge that the firing pin can strike and should drive my 70gr shot load quite well.
The dimensions of the current brass I'm using is .760 long, outside diameter of .315, Inside diameter of .285, the rim diameter is .375. if the brass was longer it wouldn't hurt my feelings at all as my OAL is 1.65".
Anyone with suggestions on a parent case that may fit or input on components that may help recreating this obsolete cartridge are welcome.
Yeah I did it, but their has got to be an easier way.
Pictures left to right
.38 special, .32 rimfire milled from bar stock,.32 rimfire shot experimental with drinking straw, .32 rimfire shot paper, .410 2 1/2" handgun load, .410 3" high brass birdshot
[Broken External Image]:
Any and all help appreciated. Thanks BHJ
Last edited: