Honey hole strikes again with a Colt.

[silicosys4]

I finally got the backorder of brass that I've
been waiting on so I've been feeling saucy about .32-20's.
The more I shoot the .32-20 the more I like it.

So when I was at one of my online honey holes clearing a layaway, I took a little time to browse the inventory and I found this for $600. Layaway is a hell of a drug.
These 4" Army Specials just look like the quintessential vintage working Colt revolver to me, like the S&W M&P does to S&W revolvers.





This will be the better looking sibling to the other one I have that is special to me but pretty beat up.

 

[Pat Riot]

Very nice! Layaway is a seductive temptress.
My LGS has a layaway plan. 20% down and payoff within 2 months. I am often tempted to try it out. So far I have been successful against the temptress.

When does your new beauty get out of layaway purgatory?

 

[silicosys4]

Very nice! Layaway is a seductive temptress.
My LGS has a layaway plan. 20% down and payoff within 2 months. I am often tempted to try it out. So far I have been successful against the temptress.

When does your new beauty get out of layaway purgatory?

It's a good way to lock down the snooze-you-lose opportunities.

This one is 20% down and I have 90 days but I don't go too crazy, I only commit to what I can have paid for in the next payday without stressing.

Unless something really nice comes along..

 

[Targa]

I would have been all over that!! Congrats on that beaut!!

 

[silicosys4]

Here are my other two...My original as I purchased it with its very professionally done custom barrel,



And with new barrel. I know, the history and mystery of that vintage old barrel...Could have been done by a prohibition era moonshiner to tuck more easily into his pocket....,



If so, he was drunk on his own moonshine when he did it.



and shield your eyes....for Rusty is about to make an appearance.
Rusty is about the polar opposite of anything you would consider "condition". Rusty has nothing to worry about though, I will always have love for Rusty...mostly because I doubt I could give Rusty away.







Rusty is beautiful on the inside though, you just have to give her a chance.



So the new addition will be the belle at this ball, lol

 

[ECVMatt]

Simply Awesome!

 

[Sarge7402]

Nice. Have had mine since 1972. It's a 5" in .41 Long Colt

 

[entropy]

You think layaway is seductive? Try working at a gun shop and having a house account. It's a wonder I bring a paycheck home at all!

 

[HB]

Is it true that there are 32-20 rifle loads and 32-20 pistol loads?

I have heard it is tough to reload for but I am guessing its no worse than others.

 

[silicosys4]

Is it true that there are 32-20 rifle loads and 32-20 pistol loads?

I have heard it is tough to reload for but I am guessing its no worse than others.

Yes. It started as a blackpowder round, then evolved into a smokeless powder round of about the same velocity. After a time smokeless powder developed to the point that "hi speed" loads were developed, intended for rifles only. This is because the powder did not burn consistently enough to be safely fired in a revolver. Sometimes the powder would burn too slowly and would end up getting the bullet only partway down the bore then venting through the barrel/cylinder gap, leaving a bullet stuck in the bore. The next load would burn normally, and then you'd get a ringed barrel. I do believe that is the reason my gun was originally cut down, if I had to guess.

Its a bit of a pain to reload for, because the case neck is so thin. I've crushed a few during the learning curve, you have to be careful how you set your crimp and seating die/s

 

[halfmoonclip]

Its a bit of a pain to reload for, because the case neck is so thin. I've crushed a few during the learning curve, you have to be careful how you set your crimp and seating die/s

I've stayed away from the hyphenated calibers, even though there are some interesting carbines and revos for them.
Good explanation on the 'rifles only' loads, thanks.
Yes, layaway is seductive (Get behind me, Satan!), though I use it now and again. I'm a regular enough customer at my local shop, that they will often just put a gun back for me, 'till I make up my mind. I won't let them dangle more than a day or two.
I was offered a job in a local shop, and turned it down, as it would have cost me money. It would have been worse than putting Bill Clinton in charge of a cathouse.
What is the vintage of your new to you Colt? I've stayed away from actual Colts, 1911s excepted, but for one Dick Special, like the one Broad Crawford had in Highway Patrol.
Your screw barrel special is interesting, especially the bubbasmithed front sight. Kentucky windage indeed.
Moon

 

[Jonny2guns]

For some reason I really like the looks of rusty. She's a keeper.

 

[IWAC]

I finally got the backorder of brass that I've
been waiting on so I've been feeling saucy about .32-20's.
The more I shoot the .32-20 the more I like it.

So when I was at one of my online honey holes clearing a layaway, I took a little time to browse the inventory and I found this for $600. Layaway is a hell of a drug.
These 4" Army Specials just look like the quintessential vintage working Colt revolver to me, like the S&W M&P does to S&W revolvers.

View attachment 1204403
View attachment 1204404
View attachment 1204405

This will be the better looking sibling to the other one I have that is special to me but pretty beat up.

Colts don't really speak to me, except the new Pythons and discontinued all-steel Diamondbacks, but this one I would definitely consider adding to my meager collection. You did good!

 

[vanfunk]

That .32-20 is be-u-t’ful. I’d have unhesitatingly bought it myself. Total score!

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

Liking this!

I recently went with two purchases from the other leading brand for this chambering, both veteran Hand Ejectors. The first was a circa-1910 example in very good condition, other than being bereft of its original finish. Tark provided a starter supply of 32-20 brass, and after shooting it once with the teensy original grips I stuck on Pachmayrs so I could actually hold in properly:



After being very impressed with function and handling, I threw more money at it and had the exterior Cerakoted. Shield you eyes if you're squeamish, but I thought I'd give this honey a better chance to survive another century:



More recently, Nightlord offered me a later-production Hand Ejector with a longer barrel and considerably more abuse to the finish. The pitting is harder to see due to the reblue job, but it's pretty rough. I think Rusty has it beat (pardon the pun) in the external abuse category, but she's still in time and shoots OK. I added Pachmayrs once again, but otherwise she's fine as-is.

 

[CraigC]

That's a nice one! Another example of Colt's fine pre-war carbona blue.

Dad has had one all my life, an interesting .32-20. At some point, somebody had a rifle type front sight added to it, reblued it and installed a Hutson 1x scope (external adjustments). It used to have Herrett Shooting Stars but I put some Python stocks on it.

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

As a very welcome follow-on to my earlier posting here, I just received a package in the mail today from Nightlord40K, containing a lovely supply of primed, unfired Starline .32-20 brass.



This was his remaining supply of 32-20 ammo, included as part of the revolver purchase I mentioned. Due to the silly restrictions on purchasing and shipping loaded ammo into the People's Republic of CA, Nightlord generously consented to pull the bullets and dump the powder.

He even included the original vintage-styled Ultramax boxes! Whoohoo!

 

[PistoleroWadcutterGANG]

Someone buy Night a beer! good on ya booth.

 

[Mark_Mark]

Someone buy Night a beer! good on ya booth.

I would love to buy all the members here a nice cool drink! Good People Here

 

[Jim Watson]

Yes. It started as a blackpowder round, then evolved into a smokeless powder round of about the same velocity. After a time smokeless powder developed to the point that "hi speed" loads were developed, intended for rifles only. This is because the powder did not burn consistently enough to be safely fired in a revolver. Sometimes the powder would burn too slowly and would end up getting the bullet only partway down the bore then venting through the barrel/cylinder gap, leaving a bullet stuck in the bore. The next load would burn normally, and then you'd get a ringed barrel. I do believe that is the reason my gun was originally cut down, if I had to guess.

Makes sense.
The other reason is that those rifle only - and not even “rated” for 1873 - loads were at substantially higher pressure.
The last catalog listing I saw was for .32-20 HV in the 1960 Gun Digest. But we are still warned against that old dusty box.