Re: TC FIREHAWK 32 cal
cherokee and seneca are the only factory .32 in the 1-30 twist. they are sidelocks, built on a bit smaller frame. almost a kids or ladies gun. Discontinued after most of the machines were lost in a fire just over 25 years ago. they have 13/16 octagon barrels, and are light at about 6-1/2 lbs. The cherokee was typically available in .32 and .45 (the .45's even lighter with the same barrel just a bigger bore) seneca was a bit more fancy, with a patchbox and a bit more brass. It was typically available in .36 and .45. But it is not uncommon to find either gun, factory custom in any above caliber. Many were switch barrel, with an owner commonly having 2 or all caliber barrels. Your firehawk, typical of many guns fitted with a smaller bore barrel, yet keeping the same outside barrel diameter of a larger bore barrel, has the usual weight and balance additions on a small bore, large diameter barrel. (To fit the same channel in the stock, and mate to the action, as its .50 cal original) They end up much heavier, and usually front heavy. Almost all .32 cal factory guns were a 1-48 twist. TC was the exception with the 1-30 the theory was to load as light as possible, while still retaining accuracy. It was designed as a working squirrel gun. Head shots are always desired, but a body hit, with some heavier loads would split a squirrel clean in 2, spoiling a lot of usable meat. A typical .32 roundball comes in at around 40-46 grains, closely comparing to a .22 rimfire. the .30 twist can be loaded down to 10-15 grains and still retain great accuracy, yet be in the ballpark of a .22 rimfire short for ballistics. It can also be loaded hot, (30-35 grains powder) putting it up near the ballistics of a .22 WMR load. This can be pushed even farther by loading a .32 maxi ball (108 grain) and making a very capable short range varminter. Any .32 can be just as accurate. Its just that the 30 twist for a .32 cal seems to be a sweet spot for across the board accuracy with across the spectrum loads. the typical 48 twist just requires a bit more load development, and has a much more finicky palate for exacting charge size for optimum accuracy performance. Anything small caliber are for the most part discontinued, so the price and demand skyrocketed. Especially anything inline. there are still a few present day available sidelocks (traditions crocket/ deerhunter, etc) available in .32 but getting harder and harder to locate. Barrel makers just dont do production runs anymore for the small caliber stuff, so most people end up paying high prices for a custom. It is also much easier to find custom builders, who work in the sidelock/traditional field. most of these types scoff at anything "modern" or inline. It is much harder to find a gunsmith willing to create a custom modern. those with the talent are already heavily booked, and hesitant to take on much new contract work. first it requires a custom barrel and parts order, that could take months or years just to assemble the desired parts list, then to schedule it into the smiths workload. Many are even just part time gunsmiths, with a garage machine shop, and a full time career going already, just doing smith work after hours and weekends. The better they are, the more in demand their services.