doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Cartridge question

After looking back at a couple of posts I realized that I had not mentioned the age of the gun in question. It did not look old, i.e., and antique arm. I took it for a reproduction run made by Winchester from only a few years back. If it was in fact an antique or at least a very old, original Winchester then it was in really, really good shape. I had no interest in it due to the caliber and butt stock configuration regardless of its age or its value.

I cast, size and load .323 bullets in a Lee mould for 8x57.

Am I missing something in the OP, or am I not remembering what I do correctly?

Alan

Alan,
If you are asking me this question I have to say I don't know of anything that you are not remembering correctly. However, your statement above simply confirms what I had originally said about the old gentleman who owned the gun in question, that being that he had not actually looked for a mold or bullets, etc. He just wanted to get cash for the gun. Sorry for any confusion.

The question was not to you, but rather a response to him not being able to find bullets or dies. From a quick look around the 32 Ideal wouldn't be my first choice for a project. From what I read it was a round chambered for the Low Wall.

Alan

We all want to get cash for our guns when we sell them. Or something of value. This complaining could be better directed toward the sellers who lie about condition, cheat widows, have vague or non-existent return return policies, and who engage in sucker fishing by relisting guns over and over again at prices only a fool would pay. The seller in this tale did nothing wrong to note that Winchester High Walls have desirability, demand, and value in any kind of usable condition. Sellers try to get top dollar, and buyers try to get a bargain.

Nothing to see here folks. And certainly no double gun content from one of the guys who complains about what does and doesn't belong here.

I would seriously doubt that Winchester would have produced a .32 Ideal in a Hi-Wall action any time in recent years.

Ideal Handbook #27, the first one printed by Lyman after purchasing the Ideal company in 1925 lists bullets & loads for the .32 Ideal. Bullet # 32359 is listed for light loads @ 115 grains with 12 grains Fine black Powder, 6 grains Dupont #1 or 4 grains Unique.

For heavier loads bullet 32360 is recommended in a 150-grain weight with 25 grains 2FG Black, 20 grains King's Semi-Smokeless or 10 grains DuPont #1.
These powders are all obsolete except Black & Unique.

The 32360 bullet was available in different lengths varying from 75 grains up to 225 grains. weight in 25-grain steps so was useful for many cartridges using a .323" diameter bullet. .323 would thus seem to be the recommended bullet size for the .32 Ideal, so a bullet mold should not be that hard to find. A continuous supply of brass would likely present a greater problem.

As stated though, a chamber cast & slugging the more should be done.

Hi wall was the old gentleman's description of it. I was not familiar enough with it nor did I have enough interest in the piece to challenge or question him further on it. My interest was only in his statement that no bullets nor a mold could be found after three years of his looking. I even mentioned to him this bulletin board and the knowledge base that exists here and almost bet him I could find what he was looking for, which of course, many on here have so abundantly provided. As I stated before, his only interest was getting out from under this piece that he could not "readily" acquire the necessities for shooting and nothing else.

A High Wall at the right price would get my attention, obsolete caliber or not. Highs Walls were very much in demand by wildcatters and were a strong action for some pretty high intensity varmint cartridges. The supply has all but dried up because of demand by collectors and people who used them for custom conversions.

Recently, I bought a Hopkins & Allen model 932 falling block rifle in the obsolete .32 rimfire chambering. The price was right and condition much better than average. I'm trying to decide whether to keep it original with little chance of finding ammo at a decent price, or making a new link so the falling block firing pin will hit the center fire primer of a .32 S&W long after a little chamber reaming. It is a relatively simple and economical conversion. The bore is excellent and it would make a nice falling block squirrel rifle. It could also be relined and chambered in .22 rimfire. An obsolete caliber does not mean it is destined to be a paperweight.

Perry;
The difference in the High & Low Walls can be seen at a glance. Just look at the top line of the receiver & breech block. On the low wall, the top of the receiver slopes down at the end of the barrel threads, at the front of the breech block. The top of the breech block also has a slope to it. They have a very pleasing appearance to them but the breech block remains unsupported up behind the cartridge, depending on the strength of the block itself to contain the load.

On the High Wall, both the top line of the receiver & the breech block extend straight back beyond the block, This leaves a shoulder in the receiver wall all the way up behind the chamber to support the block, thus greatly increasing its strength. The high wall was used for large & hi-intensity cartridges while the low wall was restricted to lower power rounds. The first gun I ever fired in my life was an 1887 (model 1885) low-wall chambered in .22 Long.