Finally Found a Cherokee

[Garbler]

I bought my first T/C 32 Cherokee around thirty-five years ago. I loved that little rifle and living down the road from the factory in Rochester and having friends inside I planned on upgrading the wood to nice cherry as T/C had lots of it. Then a friend of family moved out from Nevada to take a position. He was Wes Ugalde of TCU fame and he said he’d take care of my desire. So I gave him the rifle around Feb of 97 hoping to get a nice upgrade. Well as everybody knows the plant was pretty much destroyed by fire in March along with my gun. I couldn’t put in a claim since the gun was never signed in as it was a back door job. Thirty plus years it took me to find another that was within a reasonable price. So today I picked up my $325 replacement and it’s really clean and early as the ser# is 5657. Still have my balls and fixins so tomorrow we will see how she shoots. I guess I got lucky.
Rick

 

[rangerod]

I bet you'll have a lot of fun with that!

 

[deermanok]

Good for you. I bet she's a shooter.

 

[JIMYJAC]

Happy for you! Congrats and enjoy.

 

[Garbler]

I sure hope she shoots as well as my old one. Got it home and put a scope down it and there some light rust on the landes, nothing deep and looks like BP residue in the grooves from the muzzle down about 8-10”. I’m in the process of lapping the bore with some JB compound and see if I can clean it up before my shoulder gives out. I’ve got some .310 lead balls and .015” patches so tomorrow we will see. I forgot how well this rifle points for me.
Rick

 

[Tony gilbert]

I bought my first T/C 32 Cherokee around thirty-five years ago. I loved that little rifle and living down the road from the factory in Rochester and having friends inside I planned on upgrading the wood to nice cherry as T/C had lots of it. Then a friend of family moved out from Nevada to take a position. He was Wes Ugalde of TCU fame and he said he’d take care of my desire. So I gave him the rifle around Feb of 97 hoping to get a nice upgrade. Well as everybody knows the plant was pretty much destroyed by fire in March along with my gun. I couldn’t put in a claim since the gun was never signed in as it was a back door job. Thirty plus years it took me to find another that was within a reasonable price. So today I picked up my $325 replacement and it’s really clean and early as the ser# is 5657. Still have my balls and fixins so tomorrow we will see how she shoots. I guess I got lucky.
Rick

View attachment 35880

Wow looks amazing

 

[Garbler]

What I’m about to say will make safe stashers grimace but the bunch here don’t seem to fit that profile. I’m thinking most here are shooters and not collectors. Anyway every time I get a really clean gun I’m never truly relaxed handling it until it’s been scratched or nicked then it’s over and all is well. I’m the same way with a new knife until it draws some of my blood. Why baby a new gun for somebody else after I’m gone.
Rick

 

[Ron Huff]

My current 32 Cherokee and Seneca both love 15 grains of powder with a 315 ball and a .010 patch. You got a great deal on your Cherokee.

 

[bronko220002]

Congrats on your find. I had one years ago too and sold it. I now have a Seneca in .36 that's fun to shoot. I'm hoping i can get a few tree rats with it this fall.

 

[user 31408]

Wow that's a nice rifle! I just purchased a like new T/C Hawken at a yard sale for $275 with a bunch of add ons and 500 percussion caps! I shot it the other day and it's a shooter! Nice find sir!

 

[Kelljp]

Congratulations, 12 to 15 grain of FFFg is all it takes in that 1:30 barrel.

 

[Garbler]

Kelljp so you’re getting good performance with only 12-15 grains of FFF. I would never thunk it possible. As I recall many years ago with my original Cherokee I always shot around 30 grains + -. I loved to shoot Jack rabbits out West with that load but here in MI it’s squirrels so I’m betting your load, if it shoots so well, would be good medicine.

can you fill in your load specs ? Ball size, patch thickness the material and lube. Do you put a wad atop your powder ?

Thanks Rick

 

[Kelljp]

The load Ron Huff mentioned above is pretty typical of what I shoot. Great for squirrels.

 

[Kelljp]

Kelljp so you’re getting good performance with only 12-15 grains of FFF. I would never thunk it possible. As I recall many years ago with my original Cherokee I always shot around 30 grains + -. I loved to shoot Jack rabbits out West with that load but here in MI it’s squirrels so I’m betting your load, if it shoots so well, would be good medicine.

can you fill in your load specs ? Ball size, patch thickness the material and lube. Do you put a wad atop your powder ?

Thanks Rick

Here's TCs load data, but I checked my notes and I'm using.310 Hornady rb, .015 lubed patches and 15 grains of FFFg goex with great results. By the way you got a great buy, the locks alone are fetching $275 on the market now.

 

[Garbler]

Thanks for the dope appreciated. Now to test

Rick

 

[GREENSWYLDE]

I bought my first T/C 32 Cherokee around thirty-five years ago. I loved that little rifle and living down the road from the factory in Rochester and having friends inside I planned on upgrading the wood to nice cherry as T/C had lots of it. Then a friend of family moved out from Nevada to take a position. He was Wes Ugalde of TCU fame and he said he’d take care of my desire. So I gave him the rifle around Feb of 97 hoping to get a nice upgrade. Well as everybody knows the plant was pretty much destroyed by fire in March along with my gun. I couldn’t put in a claim since the gun was never signed in as it was a back door job. Thirty plus years it took me to find another that was within a reasonable price. So today I picked up my $325 replacement and it’s really clean and early as the ser# is 5657. Still have my balls and fixins so tomorrow we will see how she shoots. I guess I got lucky.
Rick
Hi Rick, Is that a Stevens Favoite on your bench. Is it Round tube or Octo? I'm lUcky,Mine has both. O.D.
View attachment 35880

 

[Garbler]

Greenswylde yes a Stevens Favorite 22 cal round barrel. It’s kind of a project as it needs a new extractor fitted up and it has the common droopy lever syndrome. I’m a sucker for old Steven’s rifles.

Rick

 

[Hanshi]

Congratulations On a very fine rifle. I've found .32s work well with a number of powder charges. My .32 SMR really likes 20 grains of Swiss 3F but needs more experimentation to satisfy me. Here is a target with multiple shots with 20 grns of 3F Swiss. When I hunted I used 30 grains of Goex 3F and it was at least as tight as the 20 grn load. I only shoot targets nowadays and my eyes are not good. So this group is better than I can shoot now. I can no longer do the 3/4" groups at 30 yards as I did back then. Except for the little ball "fumble factor" the .32 is easy to load, accurate and with little noise. In fact my best shooting was years ago with my Traditions "Crockett" and large squirrel count.

 

[BP Addict]

That's a great price. They usually command a couple of hundred dollars more.

Walt