With a 5"or 6" barrel in .32 long. Would love to see one made. Larry
K .32 Long classic
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I would pay to have a K22 or Model 17 converted to 32 before I would buy a newly made K32 with lock and MIM parts. At least you could be certain of getting one that way; I wouldn't hold my breath for Smith to make them. There's virtually no market. That's why they are so collectable today! Almost no one bought them when they were made.
K22s are plentiful and you'd have a K32 for half the price of an original and about the same price of a new one if it were made.
OP
Jim, what do you think the price would be to convert one? Larry
Hi Larry,
To give you the bottom line 1st, my guess is not under $400 plus shipping. You'll need a K22 to have the barrel rebored, the cylinder rechambered, K frame centerfire hammer (readily available) to replace the rimfire hammer and the frame mounted firing pin replaced with a centerfire aperture. Extra if you want the barrel stamping changed to .32 Long and/or reblued.
Bowen, Clements, Hovarth and Gallagher are probably your best choices by reputation. Bowen uses Jim Dubell for barrel reboring and Jim quoted me $150 to rebore a 357 barrel to 44. Bowen's website has quite a few packages for caliber conversions that will give you an idea of price.
I would go to each of their websites and send them the exact same e-mail message asking for a quote and turn around time if you supply them with a K22.
OP
Jim, I actually have a .22 cyl to convert and a 16-4 4" full lug bbl that I bought. It wouldn't have the classic lines of the original .32 but the bbl could be used. All I would need is a host gun to swap parts to. I have one project in the works right now and I'll get it back with in 4 mos. The gunsmith has a 6 mos. back up and he's had it for 2 mos.
I'm sure that if Smith would make a classic .32 long it would sell. I'm sure if they would limit it to 500 guns, they would sell them all. It would be a fun gun to shoot.
The original ones are pricey and too collectible to be shot.
Larry
I'm sure that if Smith would make a classic .32 long it would sell. I'm sure if they would limit it to 500 guns, they would sell them all. It would be a fun gun to shoot.
The original ones are pricey and too collectible to be shot.
Larry
Hi Larry,
Sounds like you're all set, it'll be a great project. I have removed part of the full lug on one of those barrels, it gives a more traditional look to it. There is a 16-4 4" for sale on Gunsamerica now for about $1000. By the time you get done, you might have close to that in your project.
I think you're right, a limited run classic edition for one of the big distributors like Talo, Davidsons or Lipseys of 500 would probably sell. It would still have the safety lock and MIM parts though. Keep us posted on your progress.
OP
Since we have a good conversation going, Ill tell you abt the project in progress. Found a M&P made abt 1910 with a cut bbl, timing good and the collector value destroyed. Always wanted a ppc gun but with the long action. Gunsmith is cutting the slab side bbl to 4 1/2" so it will look different. Cutting the rib to match and remounting the front sight. Adding a ball-detent lock up and re-blueing it. Cost is 50.00 in the frame, bbl free when I bought the 32 mag bbl, rib abt 35.00 and abt 350.00 in gunsmithing. Will post pics in the competition section when I get it back. Larry
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The only way to get a S&W that shoots .32 Long these days, is to get a .327 J-frame.
Well that will be a unique piece. Was it a target model already with an adjustable rear site? Is it a 38 Special or 32-20 M&P?
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Its a 38 spec. non target. I bought a mod 13 that was already made into a ppc with the 6" bbl and it seemed too muzzle heavy. The club shoots a double action only match for 7 weeks after the winter bulls-eye league. I always wanted something custom built. Larry
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This conversion sounds interesting. Keep us posted and add some pictures.
OP
Hi Larry. That's not the host gun for your K32 project is it?
Did you get your PPC M&P back yet?
Did you get your PPC M&P back yet?
OP
Hondo44, yes I did get the gun back in July. Didn't know how to post pics but I found out how. I'll take pics tomorrow of the gun I had done and the other PPC I bought.(excellent price). Thanks for remembering. I shot the 4 1/2" one and it shoots great, very happy with it. Larry
Cool, nothing like being happy with a custom project.
OP
That's a pretty gogeous PPC gun, a 5 screw with mushroom head ejector! It looks like a gun w/o original adjustable rear sight like yours has more pleasing lines when the rib is added.
I find the mushroom head more comfortable to eject cases with, I imagine especially in a hurry like in a match! I think I would have cut the notch under the barrel for it on the same radius as the ejector swings so it didn't break up the edge of the PPC barrel. But that's just me. Two very nice PPC guns!
I'd like to see them make K-32 masterpieces again in the hopes it would help bring down prices on the really rare old k-32's and early model 16's. The prices have gotten so high on the old guns that even if they were cut in half, they'd STILL be very high. Neat guns, though.
OP
I actually wanted the gunsmith to turn the ejector rod cause I figured it would be hard to notch the bbl like he did. Now that its done, I would have scalloped the bbl by the frame so they would mated better. It also has the original detent to hold the cyl open, kinda neat. It needed to be bead blasted to remove the very light surface rust/patina. Had a pic on the wall in the basement of a gun like this for years and now finally own one like it. Still happy with it. Larry
I do too. But I don't think it would accomplish what we want; lower prices on the originals. Some that want one just to shoot might buy a few but they aren't competing with us for the originals. Those of us who appreciate the originals for their craftsmanship and panache would never settle for a new one with lock and MIM parts.
It would take a distributor exclusive order to get Smith to make them. And I don't know that any distributor would want to take a chance that they could sell 500 or 1000.
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