32 short ammo

tksims

I have a small German revolver that assumed it chambers the 320 European load. Which is the same specs as the 32 short Colt. However that ammo still won't chamber in the cylinder. It's some kind of 32 not a 22 so what ammo is slightly small than the 32 short Colt?

Could have the cylinder chambers opened to accept the 32 short Colt ammo?

fordsix

try 32 smith & wesson short,, different cartridge

hrf

.32 S&W is larger diameter than .32 Short Colt: .32 S&W = .335, .32 Short Colt = .318

Are you sure the chambers aren't just a little rusty or cruddy? What's the headstamp on round you're trying?

And although quite a bit smaller than the .320 and .32 SC, a few of the European pocket revolvers were chambered for the .25 Auto round, but most are marked 6.35mm.

rufe-snow

You sure it's a centerfire. Some of their cartridges were metric rimfires/pinfires. That were denoted in round numbers. Such as 5mm, 8mm, 9mm, etc.

tksims

I guess it could be rusty and or cruddy. I do feel as if the chamber cylinders had a few thousands removed that the 32 short colt ammo would work. I can mic the chambers and perhaps shoot a few pics later.

The pistol does have a bushed firing pin, so I assume it chambers center fire ammo.

hrf

The old .320 aka .32 Short Colt round has an outside lubed bullet of same outside diameter as the case, and if ammo is old and corroded it might resist chambering.

Again, how is your ammo marked? If by chance it's marked .32 Colt N. P. that's "32 Colt New Police" ammo Colt had made up to avoid marking S&W on their revolvers, and it's identical to .32 S&W Long except for a flat nosed bullet.

tksims

The ammo says 32 short colt ww

Bullitt diameter is .308 +/-
Diameter around the casing at bullitt is .320
Cylinder chamber at both ends is .318 +/-
Barrel muzzel is .307 to .310 +/- depends on if your measure rifling or not.


By those numbers, if a few thousands where removed from the cylinder chambers the cartridges would fall in. Or is there another cartridge that fits those dimensions that I'm missing?

perry shooter

Sounds like it is a 32 SHORT COLT I would get a 38 Caliber MOP and short Pistol cleaning rod PUT some JB bore cleaner on the Mop and then work it back and forth in one chamber of the cylinder it will not remove metal just the crud many people that clean guns just use a bore size brush /mop /etc the chamber is biger than the bore so you need a bigger mop The bad thing about a brush is it folds the wires back and then lock up if you try to reverse the direction USE A MOP ONLY. If one chamber cleans up then just repeat for other chambers

hrf

Cartridges of the World lists .313 bullet diameter for .32 Short Colt, are you sure you don't have reloads with unsized cases?

If not, .002 is a tiny difference and I'd first try polishing the chambers as PerryShooter suggests.

tksims

Yes I'd say the ammo is reloads. I bought what I could find its not too readily available.

After some aggressive cleaning the dimension basically stayed the same. Now what?
Seems my only option is a few thousand metal removal?

rufe-snow

quote:Originally posted by tksims
Yes I'd say the ammo is reloads. I bought what I could find its not too readily available.

After some aggressive cleaning the dimension basically stayed the same. Now what?
Seems my only option is a few thousand metal removal?



Likely your problem is that the ammo has been reloaded using a oversized sizer die. There might be a dimensional difference between the sizer die, and the I.D. of the German revolvers chambers.

If you can't find a source of new 32 Colt ammo. The only thing I can suggest, is to hone out the chambers using a electric drill and emery cloth.

Make a hacksaw cut in a 1/4" brass bolt, with it's head cut off. Put a strip of emery cloth through the cut. So the abrasive surface is on the outside. Chuck the sawed off bolt in the drill and very carefully hone out the revolvers chambers.