Project Stevens model 44 in 32 S&W long

Part 2
As I said earlier the Henry rifle in 327 Federal is the only rifle I am aware of that is readily available but the 327 cartridge is a different animal. The 327 is a magnum class cartridge that works at a chamber pressure of well over 40,000 psi where as the S&W 32 long works at a chamber pressure of 12,000 psi on the high end. This difference in pressure completely changes the usage range of the two cartridges. The 32 S&W long is a very low noise moderate velocity cartridge while the 327 is an ear piercing magnum that is entirely too destructive in a small game cartridge. In fairness the 327 was never intended as a small game cartridge but instead as a concealed carry self defense cartridge for which ballisticly it would seem to serve well.

The real beauty of the old small boys rifles is that they were so well suited to girls being absolutely un-intimidating in both noise and recoil. That is exactly the quality I wanted in my rifle.

When I bought this rifle as a 32 long rim fire I had intended to re-line the bore because honestly the bore does not look good having some pitting throughout with a very rough section near the middle. That in mind the first step was to have the breach block converted to center fire. That and while it was out at least try the bore before re-lining just to see if it might deliver acceptable accuracy.

The first step and as time would tell last step was to send the barreled receiver off for the breach block conversion as well as having the chamber opened slightly for the S&W cartridge that is ever so slightly larger in diameter than the original rim fire chambering. For this work I employed the services of Taylor Machine of Puyallup Washington. The conversion to centerfire and re-chambering was $150.00 plus $29.00 return shipping. The work done is top notch and I can give them high praise not only for the excellent work done but also for what I consider a reasonable price.

Now as my Dad used to say for the meat and potatoes how does it shoot. Well in hindsight I can say I am glad I decided to try the original bore first before a re-line. After soaking the barrel in solvent and shooting a bit it has cleaned up to at least fair to good condition and is shooting great. My level of acceptable accuracy for this gun is that it has to be capable of staying on a rabbits head at 25 yards and body at 50 yards. A look at the target fired at 50 yards from one of my first loads shows that the rifle exceeds my minimum requirement by staying on a rabbit head target at 50 yards. In short it is wonderfully and pleasingly accurate.

So far of the bullets tried from 80 to 115gn the 115gn bullets have shown the best consistency but I must admit I have only just begun with load development. So far two loads both the gun and I seem to like are with the 115gn bullet one being pushed by 2.2gn of Red Dot for an average of about 900 fps and a top end load of 6.8gn of Accurate Arms #7 for an average of 1370 fps. My girls have just fallen in love with this gun shooting the 2.2gn RD load as well as a neighbor that popped in and joined the fun. After a short shooting session the neighbor asked of the possibility of being talked out of the rifle to which I replied, "slim"

One interesting obstacle I have found is that all load data I can find for the S&W long cartridge is for small week revolvers. Not that the Stevens model 44 is a strong action but by virtue of the rifle length barrel in my opinion can utilize powders of far slower burn rate than the very fast powders shown for use in small short barrel revolvers. Attesting to this is the fact that the 2.2gn Red Dot is a published load but the 6.8gn AA#7 is a load I developed using substantially slower burning powder than is listed in published data. In this case the slower powder increased velocity of the 115gn bullet by 400 fps at seemingly safe normal pressure. I feel that even slower powders can be used to take advantage of those 24 inches of barrel length but powder burn rate will likely max at somewhere between 2400 and H-110 before a point of diminishing returns is reached. I do plan to find out and have much more shooting to do before I can claim a real understanding of the cartridge in a rifle.
At allowable pressures for both the rifle and cartridge I see absolutely no need for gas checked bullets. The target I will try to get Tina to post for me is with what I will call the magnum load with the AA#7 powder and the 115gn bullet at 1370 fps fired at 50 yards. This is fairly representative of the accuracy I am getting though I think the standard velocity loads at about 800 to 900 fps may show a slight accuracy edge. The bullet used for the target is the Ranch Dog bullet at 113gn and is being used without a gas check even though it is a gas check design. At these pressures I have not found any accuracy issues caused by the absence of a gas check and in some cases may even shoot better than with a gas check at these pressures, Please refer to thread on "" shooting gas check bullets without gas checks"".

So in summary at this point I am pleased with the project and it makes me feel like a kid again so what's not to like with that!.

Hopefully Lord willing MUCH MORE TO COME !!!

I spent my day off this week trying to gain some experience with the little Stevens and so I have. I did a little research on the 32 long rim fire cartridge which my rifle was originally chambered for. What I learned about original bullet diameter in the rim fire round is that the bullets were .316" diameter !!! Wow !!! That's fat for a 32 !!!. I have been running .313" and .314" diameter. With that information I couldn't help but wonder what my barrel groove diameter was so set about to find out. Now the real shocker is that my barrel slugged right at .308" diameter, INTERESTING !!!
Something else I am seeing with this rifle is that it seems to have no tolerance for bullets in the traditional weight range of from 80 to 90 grain. It just refuses to shoot well with those bullet weights for reasons I do not yet understand but have an idea its something to do with the long and large diameter throat. The 32 long rim fire shot bullets from 80 to 90 grain to about 900 fps and this rifle shoots extremely well at that velocity range just not with traditional weight bullets. To get the accuracy from this rifle using what I have available I am seeing a preference in bullet weight from 113gn to 120gn. Best results so far have been achieved with the traditional bullet for the 32-20 the Lyman 3118/311008 at 115gn and the original Ranch Dog bullet at 113gn. The Ranch Dog is a gas checked design but at the allowable pressures with this rifle/cartridge it seems to make no difference weather used with or without gas checks.

So far two loads have stood out in accuracy one a magnum load (for this rifle) and the other a more traditional load. The magnum load is with the Ranch Dog bullet loaded with 5.6gn 2400 to a velocity of about 1200 fps. A three shot string went 1194, 1152, 1194 for velocity. The more traditional load with 2.2gn Accurate Arms #2 and also with the Ranch Dog bullet not yet chronographed but estimated in the 900 fps range. Both these loads shoot likely better than I can do with the original silver blade front sight that at times seems to employ a Clingon cloking system allowing it to disappear then re-appear at intermittent intervals.

With this small case cartridge length has a profound effect on pressure especially with the faster powders. Trying to compensate for that long throat mentioned by seating to a longer OAL drops pressure and more importantly working up a powder charge with a longer OAL then seating the bullet deeper with no powder reduction raises pressure sharply so BE WARE !!!.

A very interesting occurrence was noted when using a custom mold that drops a hollow point and a solid nose of the same design. The mold is marked .314-129 and I have found that with the pin setting being used the HP comes out about 10 grain lighter than the solid nose. In my learning from published sources I have found that it is bullet length not weight that determines the required rate of rifling twist to stabilize the bullet but in this case it was not at all bullet length but bullet balance that made the determination. In this rifle the hollow point bullet shoots very well cutting round holes in paper but the solid nose groops poorly and shows a profound wobble passing through paper. Also very interesting!!!

I have more to say and much more to learn but at this moment have family arriving so must cut off.

I wish a blessed Christmas to everyone !!!

Lord willing more to come.