.32 caliber inline

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No one at the moment that I know of. You pretty much have to build one, either like Squeeze or I did. TC did make the Fire Hawk at one time, I think that was the model. Don't see them much on Gun Broker, but it was a nice looking rifle.
 
Yes I have seen the Fire Hawk and it is a very nice looking gun. I love squirrel hunting in the fall and just thought what fun it would be with a .32. Shame nobody makes one. I'd buy it in a second. I might just look for a Fire Hawk even though not an inline.
 
I love squirrel hunting too, just don't get to go much. That is why I finally built one. The way I did mine was not too expensive. I started with a Donor rifle called a Ridgerunner since it came with a stock and the action was drilled and tapped. It looks sort of like a TC Black Diamond from what I was told. The Barrel on it is threaded to the action. So all they had to do was make the barrel I wanted and thread it to the action. I have mine set up as a #11 cap but it does come with a 209 bare primer module. You can have them leave it as a 209, then just unscrew the module and replace it with a 1/4" x 20 tpi Nipple and use #11 caps. I had mine built with a 1 in 30 twist so I can shoot lighter loads so as to not tear up the squirrels. I shoot .315 Hornaday Patched round balls patched with Pillow Tick and 20 grains of Pyrodex P. Shoots great. Most of the .32 caliber rifles including the TC Fire Hawk had a standard 1 in 48 twist I think but not too sure. They could be finicky and usually needed more powder to get them to shoot good. I did the finish work myself. When I built mine the rifles were on sale for $99 and last I looked they run $165 now. The company the did the build was The Gun Works and they own Oregon Barrel Company, they did nice work, and it did not take too long. The rifle is listed under Lyman on their web site.

Here is my build from last fall.
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=27208&p=209575&hilit=.32+Cal+inline#p209575

Here is the people that built it.
http://www.thegunworks.com/GunIndex.cfm ... N=40347291

I love these small calibers so much that I am seriously considering doing a similar build but with an Allen action with a real short barrel that is as thinly tapered as they will build, again with a 1 in 30 twist. The problem going with this action is that you would either have to modify a stock to fit or do as I plan and carve one yourself. The action cost a bit more than the whole Ridgerunner rifle but will be some lighter.
 
They are about as hard to find as Unicorn feathers. There were several made, or conversion barrels for a few TC, and oddballs. None had many produced and all were short lived runs. Even sidelocks these days are 3 times the price they were new. Traditions Crocket is the only current production .32 I know of
 
Totally forgot about the Crocket, but it is a Side lock. Still might be a neat rifle. I looked for one of the Traditions kits but I think they stopped making those. I think I like the 30 twist too much now to go back. :wink:
 
yep, at this point I dont shoot my 48 twist rifles. I really should sell them off, but they aint making no more, and they keep getting rarer. The market must be close to a peak now though. Much more and a custom becomes a financially sound alternative. I bet we could almost get a group buy going for a .32 inline. 30 twist or faster, ~.007 depth roundball rifling. Spend some time, make them nice, short, light. some open sight, some scope. Easily an under 6# rifle. Open could be under 5 I'd bet. Cover them in Black ice, nice light tupperware stock... :D Almost have myself sold on one
 
Shawn are you sure the T/C FireHawk .32 had a 1:48 twist? I know the .50 and .54 caliber were 1:38, don't remember the .32 twist rate. I had a .54 FireHawk, if I hadn't screwed up an had a QLA put on it I'd probably still have it...
 
toytruck said:
Shawn are you sure the T/C FireHawk .32 had a 1:48 twist? I know the .50 and .54 caliber were 1:38, don't remember the .32 twist rate. I had a .54 FireHawk, if I hadn't screwed up an had a QLA put on it I'd probably still have it...
I could be wrong but thought I read it was a 48 somewhere. :think:
 
ShawnT said:
toytruck said:
Shawn are you sure the T/C FireHawk .32 had a 1:48 twist? I know the .50 and .54 caliber were 1:38, don't remember the .32 twist rate. I had a .54 FireHawk, if I hadn't screwed up an had a QLA put on it I'd probably still have it...
I could be wrong but thought I read it was a 48 somewhere. :think:
Could have been, just too long ago...just seems odd they would make the .32 a different twist than the other calibers offered, unless it was due to the smaller bore.
 
Maybe it was one of your posts I read it. :poke: :lol:

viewtopic.php?t=27372

I found an old thread on Hunting.net and the poster said it was 1 in 38. Now I'm not sure. Cant fund much on the net about it.

One of the guys here got one last September, barnlek. Maybe he figured it out.
 
ShawnT said:
Maybe it was one of your posts I read it. :poke: :lol:

viewtopic.php?t=27372

I found an old thread on Hunting.net and the poster said it was 1 in 38. Now I'm not sure. Cant fund much on the net about it.

One of the guys here got one last September, barnlek. Maybe he figured it out.

That was squeeze, not me...I got CRS anymore!! :d'oh!:
 
Im pretty sure almost all were 48 twist. It being TC, anything is possible. They are the only ones that made anything else, and proved the faster twist was better. Any gun can be accurate, Its just that 48 twist are finicky, and need more load development for the sweet spot. the 30 twist seems to work well loaded light for squirrel, or loaded heavy for something bigger or farther. Its just a short range gun.
Roundball, (depending on size used) ~ 39-47 grns
Buffalo Ball-et 70 grns (no longer in production, I have a custom knockoff mold)
Maxi ball 108 grns
so it can be loaded down with a roundball and be close to a .22 short RF, or loaded hot with a maxi and be at least a .22 WMR
 
toytruck said:
ShawnT said:
Maybe it was one of your posts I read it. :poke: :lol:

viewtopic.php?t=27372

I found an old thread on Hunting.net and the poster said it was 1 in 38. Now I'm not sure. Cant fund much on the net about it.

One of the guys here got one last September, barnlek. Maybe he figured it out.

That was squeeze, not me...I got CRS anymore!! :d'oh!:

toytruck,

Yea I was replying to Squeezes post but you got in there before me. :wink: I know what you mean, CRS follows me around like a dog on a leash some days. :roll: :lol:

Squeeze,

I was trolling the net a bit trying to find some more on the firehawk and happened on this one. Its an old ad on Armslist. Ever heard of a Marathon? It looks pretty cool and seems it may have been sold in kit form at one time. It was also mentioned ion a site called The High Road. If that was a new add I would snatch that up. 8)

http://www.armslist.com/posts/3524123/v ... zzleloader
 
I believe those Marathon .32 rifles started as .22lr guns and we're reworked into muzzleloaders, forget why but I read that somewhere.

ShawnT. What grade steel is the barrel on your Ridgerunner?
 
Upper Hand said:
I believe those Marathon .32 rifles started as .22lr guns and we're reworked into muzzleloaders, forget why but I read that somewhere.

ShawnT. What grade steel is the barrel on your Ridgerunner?

I did see in one of the old threads on one of the sites that they were Spanish. One guy mentioned having a Kit that he put together. Could not find anything more.

Upper Hand

Sorry but I don't know the "Grade" of steel. It is an Oregon Barrel. I hear they are pretty much the only one that will make one in custom twists.

You might email them I'm sure Joe or Suzi would answer your questions. They are great to work with.
 
Reworked to an Oregon barrel co. barrel. years ago, they were just 4140. But these were made for roundball. I'm pretty sure they have a heavy steel option also
 
ShawnT said:
You might email them I'm sure Joe or Suzi would answer your questions. They are great to work with.

My 4140 barrel shipped from them Friday.
 

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