Charter Arms question .....

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wm
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Charter Arms question .....

Post by wm »

I'm not going to put anyone on the spot but rather ask where should I go to ask the following question and get a reasonably well informed opinion.

Can a Charter Arms revolver originally chambered in 32 S&W long (late 70s to early 80s vintage as near as I can tell) be safely reamed out & used with 32 H&R Magnum? I think it probably can, I know of a local revolver that is for sale and had this done about decade ago and seems to be in excellent shape but I do not know how many rounds and what sort of pressure rounds were put through it. I would only be interested in it if it could handle the standard to mildly warm variety of 32 H&R mag rounds on a steady basis without issue. The former owners son is selling it and all he can recall is his father sent it to a guy who was famous for working on Ruger revolvers to have the work done. But said son tried to convince me that Charter Arms is to Ruger what Chevrolet is to GM. :roll:

The fact that the specimen I am considering buying is in such good shape makes me believe it was neither carried or shot much. In fact it may have been simply sent in a night stand and sat for 20 or so years. It had a full box of Federal 32 mag JHP that is certainly that old.

Any opinions would be welcome.

Wm.
Pete44ru
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Re: Charter Arms question .....

Post by Pete44ru »

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I wouldn't dout about it...…. :)

The Charter has always been a far cry from the earlier/weaker DA revolvers - with a very strong frame and an unbreakable beryllium firing pin.

I would, however, suggest speaking to CA if the MUCH stronger .327 Federal was being contemplated, due to it's much higher pressure than the .32H&R.


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Pisgah
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Re: Charter Arms question .....

Post by Pisgah »

I'd hesitate to recommend that conversion. But, I will admit that for several years my little pocket woods-walking gun was a 3" CA Undercoverette using .32 Long handloads that you definitely would not find in any manual, for sure at least in the low H&R magnum pressure range. The gun digested maybe a couple thousand of those with no apparent ill effects, and it knocked the stuffing out of many a varmint.
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Ray
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Re: Charter Arms question .....

Post by Ray »

Check out the second and third gel block photo of the following article.

The 100gr. wadcutter at 639 fps. from the long does as well or better than the 85gr. XTP at 891 fps. from the magnum.

https://www.luckygunner.com/lounge/why- ... ber-is-32/
m.A.g.a. !
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Sixgun
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Re: Charter Arms question .....

Post by Sixgun »

Use a 115 gr. 32-20 bullet, seat it out as far as possible, and fill it with a fat charge of Unique. Start low and work up.....I've shot up hundreds of these in several 32 Long guns...all quality stuff, no top break junk. I'll dig out my notes tomorrow...if I remember.---6
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Pete44ru
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Re: Charter Arms question .....

Post by Pete44ru »

Sixgun wrote: Sun Sep 01, 2019 12:40 am I'll dig out my notes tomorrow...if I remember.---6
There's a lot of that going around, Six...…. :mrgreen:

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Sixgun
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Re: Charter Arms question .....

Post by Sixgun »

Pete44ru wrote: Sun Sep 01, 2019 9:34 am
Sixgun wrote: Sun Sep 01, 2019 12:40 am I'll dig out my notes tomorrow...if I remember.---6
There's a lot of that going around, Six...…. :mrgreen:
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Pete...thanks for the reminder..your "notification".....yea....forget a lot these days...but I think the forgetfulness comes from "who gives a " and not from an aging mind because I never forget the fun things in life, you know, shooting matches, gunshows, new Jeep parts, etc. :D

Anyway, original Western ammo from the fifties chronographed at 801 fps with a 77 grain bullet.

2.8 grains of Unique and a 115 gr. cast bullet chronographed at 789 fps.......I'd say that's a winner. Seating depth was normal so that means the 2.8 charge was about all that case could take.
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Bill in Oregon
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Re: Charter Arms question .....

Post by Bill in Oregon »

WM, let us know if that nifty little revolver goes home with you.
wm
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Re: Charter Arms question .....

Post by wm »

My buddy is going to buy it for his wife. It wasn't exactly the 32 I was looking for.

I'd like to buy a adjustable sight, 4 or 6" barreled, 32 revolver for plinking and small game hunting. A S&W 16 would be perfect but $1000 is too much of a budget stretch for me.

One idea I have and want to try is to buy a bag of #1 buck shot and try assembling some super cheap plinking roundball rounds. The frugality and fun appeals to my nature.

Wm

P.S. I just remind myself that half the fun of the project is hunting for the right firearm to do it with
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Old Savage
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Re: Charter Arms question .....

Post by Old Savage »

Bought an SP101 327 Fed.. 3" barrel. Will of course shoot any 32 straight wall including the ACP which has a bit of a rim. The Single Six 32 Mag is a good option.
In the High Desert of Southern Calif. ..."on the cutting edge of going back in time"...

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Ray
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Re: Charter Arms question .....

Post by Ray »

wm wrote: Mon Sep 02, 2019 9:42 am My buddy is going to buy it for his wife. It wasn't exactly the 32 I was looking for.

I'd like to buy a adjustable sight, 4 or 6" barreled, 32 revolver for plinking and small game hunting. A S&W 16 would be perfect but $1000 is too much of a budget stretch for me.

One idea I have and want to try is to buy a bag of #1 buck shot and try assembling some super cheap plinking roundball rounds. The frugality and fun appeals to my nature.

Wm

P.S. I just remind myself that half the fun of the project is hunting for the right firearm to do it with
Like this ?

https://shop.reedsammo.com/Czech-Point- ... ZPT741.htm

or this ?

https://shop.reedsammo.com/Czech-Point- ... ZPT761.htm
m.A.g.a. !
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