.32 caliber inline

[Fat Cat]

Well I've never heard of one either but have often wondered why . Even a drop in barrel in a round ball twist in .32 or .36. Scoped it would make a fine little plinker might even be usable as a parlor gun with just a 209 primer in .32 . How difficult would it be to reline a barrel to do this? Or maybe the question should be how practical and would it work and how well and what kinda velocity could one expect and what if you used conicals or what if you really went tiny to.22. ha ha
Has anyone done this ? Ideas?

 

[GM54-120]

Oh but there was a sweet inline 32cal rifle that used 209s. Green Mountain Rifle Barrel made a few based on a Knight Extreme action.

Enjoy the read. Its rather long
https://www.modernmuzzleloader.com/threads/32-caliber-inline.28313/

 

[Fat Cat]

Oh but there was a sweet inline 32cal rifle that used 209s. Green Mountain Rifle Barrel made a few based on a Knight Extreme action.

Enjoy the read. Its rather long
https://www.modernmuzzleloader.com/threads/32-caliber-inline.28313/

Interesting read, seems others have a similar idea. I am curious how well these conversions preformed.
What I kinda wanted to try was putting a .36 barrel on one of these Wolf's I have laying around. Thinking it might be a light weight handy raccoon gun. The sneaky varmints come in around dusk , a .50 is a little much and tends to blow them sky west and crooked. I need a scope because it's often to dark to easily see the sights . Also my cats insist on positive target ID.

 

[GM54-120]

One of the vendors tried to get Traditions interested in a break action 32cal or 36cal. That discussion appears to have stalled out. Most the guys here wanted a faster twist than Traditions and a slower twist will need more speed which pretty much defeats the purpose of a squirrel rifle. Its a shame because the Traditions Ultra Lights are very very light weight and affordable.

Knight made a couple 36cal inlines but they were percussion or FPJ 209 only. Not a sealed 209 system. IIRC they had a faster twist (1-24 maybe) but are also very hard to find now.

 

[45-70]

52Bore made a round ball on a Knight action and Bestill built one for rounball on Omega action Rice .32 barrel, but don't remember the twist. Both these rifles used 209 primer and Omega used BH209 for powder

 

[Fat Cat]

You would think Traditions or CVA would be interested in this idea to appeal to the youth/ small frame shooters . An entry level gun that has minimal recoil and is relatively inexpensive to produce and sell. The Wolf just needs a barrel ,maybe a forend if they changed the contour to lighten it up a bit. Personally I wouldn't mind the extra weight up front.Im sure there are other platforms that would work as well.
Maybe someone will chime in with thier pet loads for these.

 

[ShawnT]

I have 2 .32 inlines and one .36 Knight. The First I had built by The Gunworks using one of their Oregon barrels with a 1 in 30 twist. The second I built from a Kit. I found it on Gun broker. Got it just because it is fairly rare and it was still an NOS kit. The company was Marathon and it appears to be a converted 22lr. Both of mine are #11 percussion but I can use 209 in the custom if I swap out the nipple for a 209 module.

My Custom, First pic is not a good one. Second is from just before bluing.





The Marathon. Rifle sans scope is under 5lb.



Knight LK .36.

 

[ShawnT]

In my custom with the 1 in 30 twist, I shoot 18 - 20 grnV of PyroP (with no Wind even 10gn shoots very good), Pillow tick patch with Hoppes #9 Plus and a .315 Hornady RB, Lit by a CCI Mag #11 cap. It will drill a squirrels head at 50 yards when I get the wind right.

The Marathon I seem to remember was same patch and ball but 25gn of PyroP and a Rem #10 Cap.

The Knight 36 last load was 50gn of 3F Swiss, CCI #11 cap, MMP gray sabot and 100gn XTP Knurled for a tighter fit.

 

[ShawnT]

As GM54-120 said we tried to get Traditions to build us a rifle, the only MFG that would entertain the idea, Lots of interest too. We wanted a barrel with 1 in 30 twist so we could shoot more close to a 22 target round velocity. Easier on the squirrels if you want them to eat. 48 twist might need to be pushed harder for better accuracy. In the end they just wanted to try to get us to take a .36 with 48 twist. Most Likely the barrel for the Crockett. Then they just sort of dropped it.

If I recall the one Bestill built on the Omega is shooting BH and it really shoots. Been contemplating doing one like it myself. Bet the owner of it chimes in.

I think the first one built here was the Knight done that was bored out and relined (not the one 52bore made) but the downside to that is that the rifle still has the 50 cal contour but the with .32 bore so it is heavy. My custom is a bit heavier than I would like but there was a little mix up in the barrel dimensions. In the end I could not bring myself to send it back because of how it shoots. Shoots great of sticks though.

 

[GM54-120]

One of the best routes is to look for a Knight Elite 45 that has a bad barrel but the rest is ok or serviceable. Have the barrel cut off and replaced with the same contour 32cal barrel but shorter. That way it all fits together right. Bestill has rebarreled Knights before. Wont be cheap but it will be nice and the Elite barrel contour is probably ok for a 32cal.

 

[ShawnT]

Yes it would. I have contemplated trying to talk one of them into doing that with my spare MK-95 so I can use the LRMP.

 

[52Bore]

Biggest issue I had with making a 32 feel small, was the stock. The laminated stock that GM showed in his photos, I have held one of those - The small feel of the stock is definitely noticeable.
So, I went with a Little Bighorn stock and cut out for the bolt.. I used a DE action, cut off the barrel and threaded a Rice barrel on to the receiver. Color case hardened the action and nitride the barrel.

 

[Fat Cat]

I'm impressed with all these not to mention a little jealous . Can't understand why Traditions is hung up on a 48 twist I'm guessing retooling costs maybe. What about the feasibility of having a liner installed in a wolf barrel (just what I have available at the moment) who could do it? I was thinking Oregon or maybe Bobby Hoyt.

 

[Squeeze]

a reline gets heavy. a 10 lb squirrel gun wont get used for long.
https://www.modernmuzzleloader.com/threads/50-to-32-caliber-knight-mountaineer-conversion.23917/
https://www.modernmuzzleloader.com/threads/allen-inline-build.26443/

 

[ShawnT]

In order to keep the Cost of the finished rifle down to something affordable they would have to by something like 5000 barrels, If I recall correctly. That's why we think they wanted to just use a barrel from a Crockett. We got pretty excited about it at first then real disappointed. If you are talking about a CVA Wolf. It could be done but still be quite heavy, since it is still a 50cal contour. Your not removing any barrel metal, really just adding it.

My understanding is that Bobby Hoyt don't want to work on inlines.

 

[Fat Cat]

a reline gets heavy. a 10 lb squirrel gun wont get used for long.
https://www.modernmuzzleloader.com/threads/50-to-32-caliber-knight-mountaineer-conversion.23917/
https://www.modernmuzzleloader.com/threads/allen-inline-build.26443/

Very interesting read, you guys have been there and got the T shirt years ago. That has got to be some fun shooting. Thanks for sharing that.

 

[ShawnT]

Sure is. Even more fun hunting with one. The sound of that small caliber in the woods is a blast. Pun intended. More fun than a 22LR.

2 nut eaters that got a headache.

 

[dbowling]

here is a picture of mine Jeff built me 1:48 twist rice barrel, 25 gr BH, .310 ball and .018 patch. Its very, very accurate even at 50 yds.
Picture is when Jeff still had it and before scoped.

 

[Fat Cat]

One of the best routes is to look for a Knight Elite 45 that has a bad barrel but the rest is ok or serviceable. Have the barrel cut off and replaced with the same contour 32cal barrel but shorter. That way it all fits together right. Bestill has rebarreled Knights before. Wont be cheap but it will be nice and the Elite barrel contour is probably ok for a 32cal.

I'll keepy eyes open for a knight el

Sure is. Even more fun hunting with one. The sound of that small caliber in the woods is a blast. Pun intended. More fun than a 22LR.

2 nut eaters that got a headache.

View attachment 4769

That has to be more fun than a .22lr!

 

[Fat Cat]

here is a picture of mine Jeff built me 1:48 twist rice barrel, 25 gr BH, .310 ball and .018 patch. Its very, very accurate even at 50 yds.
Picture is when Jeff still had it and before scoped.View attachment 4770

View attachment 4771

I love it but the tree rats don't seem real happy about it lol