Build a K-Frame .32 Long?

[308 Scout]

Well, I had no intention of being harsh . So apologies if that's the way it comes off.
But if you review my post you may notice the "quote " and my entire answer were framed around the question
" Is there any other or better way? "
I can think of many. But if the end result is required to be S&W k Frame(not mentioned in the original post )the options become fewer.

The title of the post- Build a K-Frame .32 Long?

Asking if there is a better way meant is there a better way to convert a K-Frame to .32 Long.

Can that gun be made to work ,sure . All you got to do is get long action lockwork to turn a short action cyl. and get the sights regulated for one cartridge to point where a different cartridge is sending a lighter bullet.

I use(d) the exact same bullets in my HE 32-20 that I do in my I-Frame .32 Long. You're telling me identical bullets at identical velocities from these two cartridges fired from the same revolver will have different POI's???

Will it be simple? I doubt it. Will it be cheaper than a new gun after parts and labor ?I doubt it. Will it be better than a new gun, who knows , that's an eye of the beholder and a how good is the gunsmith thing .
The converted K frames shown are beautiful things ,,,,but they did not come cheap,,,, or quick.
If this is a Vision Quest thing sure, go ahead and do it, why not.
I mean guys still make hotrods outta flathead Fords cuz that's what they want. But sadly a new plain jane Nissan Altima will probably out preform it.
None of that means anything if its got to , got to be S&W
For me this is now the Golden Days of 32s with wonderful store bought , ready to be shot guns available. Sadly none of them are S&W anymore.

Again, my opinion only and worth no more than that. Not meant to be harsh . I have willingly gone down my own "rabbit holes" in attempt to turn a sows ear into a silk purse and often just end up with a different kind of sows ear .
Just trying to save some "hindsight".

I'm trying to figure out how fitting a K-Frame .22 cylinder to another K-Frame is all the trouble to which you allude. S&W cylinders of all shapes and sizes are routinely re-chambered and put into different revolvers. And this project has nothing to do with altering an existing revolver (not that it matters, I bought the revolver and it's mine to do with as I please), rather making a different cylinder work in said revolver.

If this were just a matter of buying a ready-to-go revolver I'd plunk down a few hundred dollars for an H&R and be done with it, but it's not.

 

[Bushog]

That's why I had a cylinder chambered in .32-20 too!

Well , a man's got to do what a man's got to do .
Just get your wallet open and keep it re-stocked

And Muley Gil is correct, no such thing as a post war K frame 32-20 S&W or Colt for that matter.

 

[308 Scout]

So Bushog this is the K-Frame to which I'd like to have a cylinder fitted.

If I understand you correctly, you're telling me the only cylinder that will work is one from a Model 17 or 18? A K-22 cylinder won't work?

Thanks!

 

[Muley Gil]

"All you got to do is get long action lockwork to turn a short action cyl..."

As I mentioned in my post above, a pre war .32-20 cylinder was a drop-in fit to my M15 donor gun. The cylinder doesn't care if the lock work is pre or post WW II.

 

[Bushog]

Well...I guess that is what I said. It really depends on what you want to end up with.

A K22 cylinder can be re-chambered but it is my understanding that they might not be heat treated whereas a M17 or M18 cylinder will be and will be considerably stronger. But, looking at your gun, there's a serial number on the cylinder so it may not be heat treated either and the .32-20 case diameter is considerably larger than the .32 long.

I did have mine chambered in .327 Federal and the pressure is sooo much higher so that's why I did mine that way. If you can find one it's the stronger gun.

This is what I've been told by several of what I consider the best custom revolver smiths in the country.

Maybe Hondo will chime in. He's far more knowledgeable than I....I only know what I know..

 

[308 Scout]

I don't have any need in a .327, really, but it had occurred to me to have it chambered to .32 H&R although I'd likely just shoot .32 Long's in it. But then again if I needed that kind of power I have lots of other revolvers.

As to the strength of the cylinders, to my way of thinking, worst case scenario, an untreated K-Frame cylinder in .38 Special (largest chambers, thinnest chamber walls) handles 17,000 psi .38 Special cartridges, so I can't imagine how even a non-heat treated cylinder in .32 S&W Long (smaller chambers, thicker chamber walls) would have a problem handling the 15,000 psi maximum chamber pressure of the .32.

It's my understanding that heat treatment of .32-20 cylinders began in 1919, for what that's worth.

Were it not for the extractor, I suppose one could have the chambers of a surplus 32-20 cylinder bored out, sleeved and rechambered by John Taylor or any other machinist who specializes in lining barrels.

 

[Qmark]

I know it’s a bit off subject. Back in the early 70’s at the then Maricopa County range. An old man attracted a crowd to his bench with impressive shooting of a S&W 32. I didn’t know that much about revolvers then, don’t know what model he was shooting. He was shooting one hole groups, no exaggeration at about 25 yds shooting 32 shorts. Somebody in the crowd told me he was a retired Veterinarian and once was an exhibition shooter.