Converting 32 HE to a snub

I have a 32 HE sn 103673 that I bought to steal some parts off of for my 32 Target. After that, I put the HE back together with some left over parts and all works as it should. The finish on the barrel has some minor issues, so got the idea to convert it to a snub.

I bought a 2" barrel that looks to be off of a model 30, and an extractor star and extractor rod for the 2". The HE has a right hand threaded extractor rod and the replacement is left handed.

In disassembling the extractor and extractor rod I noticed that the old rod has a flange on it and the new one does not. I know I will have to shorten the center pin, but will the newer extractor parts work with the old cylinder?

It's not that I need to do this, I could just sell the piece, but I thought it might be fun to put this together.

Thanks in advance.

Robert,

Sounds like a fun project. Your .32 #103673 is a .32 Hand Ejector Model of 1903-5th Change made from 1910 to 1917. And The extractor parts were not changed until the end of WWII when the RH thread was changed to LH. So parts can be readily found.

This is a simple project but there's a lot of little details to consider:

1. I frame extractor rods didn't change to LH thread until soon after the WWII ~ 1948-49 (whenever pre war RH threaded parts inventory was exhausted.)
So RH Ext rods are numerous.

2. If you want to use the LH Rod replacement you already have, you'll have to change the star extractor. You'll run into little issues like the LH star needing fitting to your cyl. Also matching alignment pins in cyl with holes in the star. So simpler to start with RH ext rod parts.

3. The 'flange on the rod is called a collar. It's sometimes integral to the rod but most times it's a separate piece. So it's simpler to use a rod of similar vintage to your gun to get the same collar style and location as your gun. In that case, all you'd have to do is cut the front ends ctr pin and rod to proper length for the snubby barrel, and re-knurl the tip of the new rod.

4. Also to use the later vintage LH rod, you'll have to match the collar placement of the new rod to your old rod for the large diameter spring to work properly and not bind. You may have to trim the rear threaded end of rod and threaded front end of star shaft to locate the collar to match the original rod/collar location. Then cut the front end of the ctr pin and rod and for proper overall length. And re-knurl the tip.

5. As you can see, it's much easier to start with a matching vintage rod with RH thread. So just get another rod that matches yours or cut down your original rod, but you likely want to keep the original to convert back to longer barrel if you ever want to.

I hope this helps, any questions just ask,

Hey, Robert...this would be a great project to document with pictures!! I love these sorts of projects, and it is fascinating to follow them. Hondo is a great mentor, as well. I'll be following this thread!!

Good luck!!

Best Regards, Les

Unless the extractor rod has a large barrel or mushroom knob on the end the simple solution is to use the orginal rod and center pin, just shorten close to correct length , then use a fine file to get just right. Then take the rod to a machinist and have him chuck it up in a small lathe and reknurl the tip. I have done it on 4" to 2 1/2" conversion and even fixed up the end of a rod some idjit had smeared up with pliers or something. If I wanted to shorten a rod with a mushroom end and keep the mushroom I would cut off the mushroom shorten the rod, drill the mushrom to fit the rod, then silver solder it on.

This will be a very interesting project and you have a couple of the very best experts weighing in .Pleaes keep us updated as you move along.Also as les.b said please document with pictures.

steelslaver said:

Unless the extractor rod has a large barrel or mushroom knob on the end the simple solution is to use the orginal rod and center pin, just shorten close to correct length , then use a fine file to get just right. Then take the rod to a machinist and have him chuck it up in a small lathe and reknurl the tip. I have done it on 4" to 2 1/2" conversion and even fixed up the end of a rod some idjit had smeared up with pliers or something. If I wanted to shorten a rod with a mushroom end and keep the mushroom I would cut off the mushroom shorten the rod, drill the mushrom to fit the rod, then silver solder it on.

Click to expand...

Based on Hondo's advice I bought a spare rod and center pin so i can modify them and still have the original. Plus it gives me two chances to get it right. I can use a small lathe at the plant i run, and since i spent years running a lathe, i plan to try this all on my own. The extractor rod has the large knob, and i thought to turn it down and knurl it rather than mill a flat on the barrel for clearance. The silver solder idea will be easier than rethreading the rod.

Question, is the barrel pin straight and can it be pushed out from either side?

I will post pictures along the way, but be patient with me....i tend to procrastinate.

Robert

Ok, i started....got the barrel off, measured the recoil shield to the old barrel before i removed it. New barrel will need trimmed to get it to top dead center....It is about .015" shy of the dimension of the other barrel to shield space....if i cut .015, i think the barrel will be off the other way, so I'll trim the barrel to get it centered and see if the cylinder gap is acceptable...if not, i will have to cut more from the barrel shoulder and trim the forcing cone to get the proper cylinder gap... .i removed the barrel by clamping the barrel in a vice between two boards and turning the frame by hand.

The grips are off of a j frame so i filed them to fit....i will get a checkering tool and recut the checkering and finish them. The original plastic grips get put away....
Slow progress, but i advised that it would take time...


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Robert

raljr1 said:

The extractor rod has the large knob, and i thought to turn it down and knurl it rather than mill a flat on the barrel for clearance. The silver solder idea will be easier than rethreading the rod.

Robert

Click to expand...

You picked the right option! If you kept the large knob on the rod it wouldn't move far enough back to eject shells. The straight rod with knurled tip came about on snubby barrels so the total length of the rod including the knurled tip will fit in the yoke hole flush for the rod to extract cases.

raljr1 said:

Ok, i started....got the barrel off, measured the recoil shield to the old barrel before i removed it. New barrel will need trimmed to get it to top dead center....It is about .015" shy of the dimension of the other barrel to shield space....if i cut .015, i think the barrel will be off the other way, so I'll trim the barrel to get it centered and see if the cylinder gap is acceptable...if not, i will have to cut more from the barrel shoulder and trim the forcing cone to get the proper cylinder gap... .i removed the barrel by clamping the barrel in a vice between two boards and turning the frame by hand.

Robert

Click to expand...

Good progress so far!

What was the old bar/cyl gap, was it a tight gap?

The barrel in bottom photo (if tight) looks like it has an 1/8 of a turn to go. The barrel threads are 20 TPI so one turn is .050" and an 1/8 turn will need .0063" removed from the shoulder. That still leaves you .0087" short to have the same bar/cyl gap you had before. If the original gap was only .004", that plus .0087 = .0127". It's large but it'll work.

But the barrel may not tighten sufficiently w/o turning past top dead ctr. So the trick is; when you turn back the barrel shoulder .0063", only turn the diameter of the bar shank down to .003" larger than the inside diameter of the hole in the frame. This will create an interference fit to assure the barrel tightens before it goes past top dead ctr!

Worst scenario if it still doesn't tighten straight up, or it spits lead at the gap, you can always go around another full turn as you suggested by turning off a little less than another full turn (< .050") off of the shoulder.

Good luck and have fun!

Hondo44 said:

Good progress so far!

What was the old bar/cyl gap, was it a tight gap?

The barrel in bottom photo (if tight) looks like it has an 1/8 of a turn to go. The barrel threads are 20 TPI so one turn is .050" and an 1/8 turn will need .0063" removed from the shoulder. That still leaves you .0087" short to have the same bar/cyl gap you had before. If the original gap was only .004", that plus .0087 = .0127". It's large but it'll work.

But the barrel may not tighten sufficiently w/o turning past top dead ctr. So the trick is; when you turn back the barrel shoulder .0063", only turn the diameter of the bar shank down to .003" larger than the inside diameter of the hole in the frame. This will create an interference fit to assure the barrel tightens before it goes past top dead ctr!

Worst scenario if it still doesn't tighten straight up, or it spits lead at the gap, you can always go around another full turn as you suggested by turning off a little less than another full turn (< .050") off of the shoulder.

Good luck and have fun!

Click to expand...

Jim. I checked the barrel treads with a thread gauge and the barrel is threaded 36 threads per inch. If that is so, 1/8 turn would only get me .0035, So I'll likely need to go a full turn plus and then trim the back end to get my gap. So is the max recommended gap 0.012"?

raljr1 said:

Jim. I checked the barrel treads with a thread gauge and the barrel is threaded 36 threads per inch. If that is so, 1/8 turn would only get me .0035, So I'll likely need to go a full turn plus and then trim the back end to get my gap. So is the max recommended gap 0.012"?

Click to expand...

Sorry about that, I don't know what I was thinking (Ruger I guess).

No, as I said .012" would likely work ok, but when I can make it what I prefer; a gap of .004" to .007".

Hondo44 said:

Sorry about that, I don't know what I was thinking (Ruger I guess).

No, as I said .012" would likely work ok, but when I can make it what I prefer; a gap of .004" to .007".

Click to expand...

I appreciate your help and guidance...and all the time you put in helping anyone and everyone who has a question.

Robert

Update, Finally got some time in the shop now that they plant isn't working OT. Can't bring firearms into the plant, you know....So Friday afternoon, no one was working I cut the barrel to fit correctly, modified the ejector rod and fiddled a while.....the cylinder gap is .010", a little on the large side, but not much different thatn the original barrel. Need to do something about bluing, and I think I'm just going to linseed oil the grips as they are. I don't think it's worth the effort to checker them. Also did not have the proper tools to knurl the ejector rod. All is functioning, and I'll drop by the range tomorrow and see how it shoots. I have determined thru this process that I am not a gunsmith. Maybe not quite Bubba, but no gunsmith for sure.

Robert,

Looks mighty fine for a non-gunsmith. Bravo!

It looks good so far.
Maybe consider rust bluing if you want to do it yourself. I like the “softer” look of rust blue. It looks old school classy to me.

You may not be a certified gunsmith , but you are a craftsman . This is one of the things I like about this Forum . Someone posts about what he's doing or trying to do , and at least one (usually more) jumps in to help . For the most part we don't know each other , wouldn't know each other if we met in the street , but when someone needs help , it's there . You can't buy this type of comradeship .

Here are a few "before" pictures

Robert

So range report, the little rascal has a heavy trigger whic doesn't help accuracy, and it shoots left about 2-1/2 inches left with 32 longs and 3 or 4 inches with 32 s&w, at 20 feet.....and a few inches low....i can file the front site down a bit to raise the POI, but not too sure what i can do about the righty-lefty thing..

Robert

The barrel is just a few degrees off. Needs slight tightening.

First make an ink mark on top of the barrel where it meets the frame and extend it onto the front of the frame.

Then loosen the barrel and re-tighten it to just a tiny bit past where the lines line up.

What a great job and I appreciate you posting the steps. Makes me want to find a project pistol to try something along those lines as well. Thanks for sharing all the information everyone!!