Cylinder tolerence question

[Mbrgr1]

If a fired case is expanded in the middle, does that mean that the cylinder has expanded as well? Or could it just be sloppy tolerances form the factory?


This is regarding an older H&R 32 long. Tight gun, shoots great, just a little odd on the fired brass.


I checked the diameter of the cylinder with a micrometer and there is no indication of bulging on it.


Thanks

 

[STORMINORMAN]

Need to 1st determine if it is occurring in all cylinders (from an internal measurement?) or just in one. At a typical 8-11K cup I would think it unlikely that a steel cylinder would just "expand"?

Most likely the brass, IMHO.

 

[iouri]

I’d say it’s just the way chamber is cut. Brass takes form of a chamber when fired, I doubt steel chamber expands, at least I didn’t notice any in my 500 Mag, which operates at about 8 times higher pressure


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[__steve__]

Here's the chamber drawing

Got any pictures of this brass?

My uneducated guess on this is the chamber will do one of either two things during fire. It will expand normally and return to original shape, or it will expand too much and return to multiple pieces of its original shape.

Could the cases are too old or fatigued?

 

[chief38]

If the case is expanded more in the middle than I'd say the Charge Hole or Chamber is not cut properly and larger in the middle. Since it is not under any warranty (obviously) and if the gun shoots ok as you stated, then I'd just sort of forget about it as long as you can get the fired Brass out without too much force.

 

[reddog81]

If there’s a gouge in the charge hole and the brass expands to fill it, I don’t see how the brass would extract.

 

[2152hq]

Is the revolver chambered for 32-20.
They will chamber and fire 32Long, but the fired cases will have a bulge in the middle,,sometimes crack there if reloaded and fired again.
32Short won't show the problem as much if fired in 32-20 as the shorter case doesn't span the larger dia section of the 32-20 chamber. They just expand a bit at the mouth end.

None of this probably the issue here, but it's all I could think off unless the chamber(s) had been orig 32Short. Then someone recut them to accept 32Long.
In doing so and without a proper reamer (simple drill it out,,or an unpiloted cutter, ect), that operation may have left the middle section of the chamber(s) a bit larger in dia.

Just my thoughts.

 

[Mbrgr1]

Is the revolver chambered for 32-20.
They will chamber and fire 32Long, but the fired cases will have a bulge in the middle,,sometimes crack there if reloaded and fired again.
32Short won't show the problem as much if fired in 32-20 as the shorter case doesn't span the larger dia section of the 32-20 chamber. They just expand a bit at the mouth end.

None of this probably the issue here, but it's all I could think off unless the chamber(s) had been orig 32Short. Then someone recut them to accept 32Long.
In doing so and without a proper reamer (simple drill it out,,or an unpiloted cutter, ect), that operation may have left the middle section of the chamber(s) a bit larger in dia.

Just my thoughts.

I got 6 new load rounds and numbered the cylinders, fired the lot and then measured, they extract fine, it is the auto eject model and is 32 s&w and these are longs.


The pictured case at the top is the worst, the case is 0.336 just ahead of the rim, the bulge about i/3 of the way is 0.343


The deformation is not uniform all around but more on one side, the other cylinders have a little more or less than the 0.007 on the worst.


It may be much ado about nothing, but my other 32's do not do this and this is one of the tightest H&R actions I have.


Thanks

 

[Nevada Ed]

If factory ammo, you might try to find the lowest pressure load out there,
to try to fix the problem.

If you are loading, maybe a lighter load of fast powder or try a starting load of slow powder to see if the case will stop swelling.

Good luck with your problem.

 

[gwpercle]

Could it be the gun is chambered for 32 S&W and you are shooting 32 Long Colt ammo in it ?

I know 38 S&W isn't interchangeable with 38 Long Colt but not familiar with 32 S&W and 32 Long Colt .

Gary

 

[mtgianni]

H&R ran a little loose with chambers at the end of it's era. If you are reloading stick to lower pressure loads. If you want a repair your best bet is to look for a parts gun or a replacement cylinder. I saw a fair amount of them for sale cheap up until the last year.
I don't think there is anything that can be done to correct it other than a replacement cylinder. The next move would be to rechamber it to 38 special with a rebarrel. I don't believe the pressure would handle it or that H&R ever chambered a 38 so it would be a true custom job. Another option would be a 22 parts gun and having the chambers recut.

 

[2152hq]

I got 6 new load rounds and numbered the cylinders, fired the lot and then measured, they extract fine, it is the auto eject model and is 32 s&w and these are longs.


The pictured case at the top is the worst, the case is 0.336 just ahead of the rim, the bulge about i/3 of the way is 0.343


The deformation is not uniform all around but more on one side, the other cylinders have a little more or less than the 0.007 on the worst.


It may be much ado about nothing, but my other 32's do not do this and this is one of the tightest H&R actions I have.


Thanks

I'd then place the blame on someone lengthening the orig 32S&W chambers (S&W Short) to S&W Long. Do the chambers look reworked when you look inside of them? polished rear section but rougher forward section with tool marks..

The bbl marking is '32S&W ctg' which was the designation for the 32S&W Short.
I'd stick with the 32 Short, or reload the 32Long down a bit and accept the bulge as part of the set-up as it is.


Your H&R looks like it's in nice shape. They are very nicely finished revolvers. I had a 32cal that looked a lot like that one some years ago but in a nickel finish.

 

[Mbrgr1]

I'd then place the blame on someone lengthening the orig 32S&W chambers (S&W Short) to S&W Long. Do the chambers look reworked when you look inside of them? polished rear section but rougher forward section with tool marks..

The bbl marking is '32S&W ctg' which was the designation for the 32S&W Short.
I'd stick with the 32 Short, or reload the 32Long down a bit and accept the bulge as part of the set-up as it is.


Your H&R looks like it's in nice shape. They are very nicely finished revolvers. I had a 32cal that looked a lot like that one some years ago but in a nickel finish.

Pretty sure H&R never used cylinders long enough to ream to a long 32, I have several shorts and they all have short cylinders.


Pretty sure it's just sloppy on this gun for some reason.


Thanks for all the input, I'll shoot as is with my typical mild loads.


M