32 RF casing vs. 32 CF

[desertjoe]

I have an old Sterling rimfire 32 cal. I've been thinking of getting some reloadable cartridges from Dixie Gun Works, so I can shoot it, hate having a gun I can't shoot. For the hell of it tried chambering a 32 CF I use in my S&W lemon squeezer and the round was to large. Maybe a stupid question, I apologize, Is the diameter of the 32 RF smaller than the 32 CF

 

[glowe]

There was never a "lemonsqueezer" made in 32 RF, only 32 CF, so it could not have been too large. If you mean you tried a 32 RF, that would also not be correct since the casing on the rimfire cartridge was smaller than the 32 S&W. The bullet diameter for the 32 rimfire tip-up revolvers is around .316" to .318" and the casing was the same diameter since the round used a heeled bullet like the 22 RF. The 32 S&W and 32 Long had a bullet diameter of .312", but a case diameter of .335" since that caliber was designed with the bullet fitting inside the case.

Those dimensions tell you that a 32 Short RF will drop right into the chamber of a 32 Safety revolver, but a 32 S&W will not fit into the chamber of a 32 RF tip-up revolver.

 

[jimmyj]

In the 1950 era, a neighbor had a "Hammerless" revolver in .32 RF.
Manufacturer unknown but perhaps a H&R or Iver Johnson ?

 

[DWalt]

I don't know what a Sterling revolver is/was, but there were a fair number of revolver makers of the late 19th-early 20th centuries who made guns in .32 RF. Also rifles. I know that DGW sold shells reloadable by use of primed .22 cases. I have never tried those.

 

[ol777gunnerz]

RF & CF

32 rimfire has the same dimensions as 32 Colt, which like rimfire is in short & long variety. 32 long or short Colt will fit in 32 S&W but 32 S&W will not fit in 32 Colt as it is slightly larger diameter. There are 32 Colt casings available that have been drilled out in the base to hold nail gun cartridges for reloading
that will work in the rimfires.

 

[dickydalton]

You can buy the heeled bullets on GB and the re-loadable cases if Dixie runs out. I have some and have used them.

 

[JSR III]

Just to clarify, the term "lemonsqueezer" is collector speak and not a real S&W term. S&W referred to these guns as the safety hammerless.

Also, there are no stupid questions. Not everyone can be a ballistics expert, me in particular, and I find these discussions and the very informative answers by my learned colleagues very interesting.

If you keep asking, we all keep learning.

 

[glowe]

Just to clarify, the term "lemonsqueezer" is collector speak and not a real S&W term. S&W referred to these guns as the safety hammerless.

. . . and when I read "sterling lemon squeezer" I was assuming that the OP thought he had a silver-plated S&W Safety!!!!!!!!! Sorry for not realizing that there were more brands out there than Smith & Wesson.

 

[Bobbysixkiller]

I have an 1894 marlin in 32 caliber. It is designed to change the firing pin from rim fire to center fire without tools. I only have the rim fire pin but have seen them online. It is designed to shoot 32 colt center fire with the change of the firing pin. I will add that 32 rimfire is very slow. My grandpa always called it the pow pecker because when you shoot it you hear a POW the a second later the peck hitting the target.

 

[merl67]

I tried the reloadable 32 rimfire cases in my S&W didn't work for me you may get better results ...