Rim fire round

[texan connection]

I have a rim fire round with a P in the center looks about 32 cal, any ideas on age. no bullet was in it but it hasn't been hit.

 

[turtlefoot13]

I am guessing it is a Peters shell casing. There is the off chance it is a shell casing from the Phoenix Metallic Cartridge Co. (if it is a raised P in a circle). I don't know about the not being fired. Someone else will undoubtedly know though.

Doug

 

[texan connection]

hThe P is not raised, the shell 3/4" long and 7/16" at the base the actual dia. is probably around 3/8"

 

[kuger]

Sounds Like a Peters too me too.Not real sure on the dates though?

 

[Old Town]

Probably Peters. .32 rimfire was for a revolver. I'm guessing this was a roundnose lead bullet. Very common low pressure revolver round for the classic breaktop guns of 100 years ago like Iver Johnson. Other solid frame guns too, but the breaktop's were very popular years ago.

 

[Monty]

I'm pretty sure it's a .32 long rimfire made by Peters. The went to the centerfire about 1900. Monty

 

[texan connection]

Found several in the yard I been hunting, shorts and longs. Thanks all

 

[Monty]

The longs were also used in a Winchester lever action but if the short ones are there also it most likely was from a revolver. Monty

 

[Old Town]

The longs were also used in a Winchester lever action but if the short ones are there also it most likely was from a revolver. Monty

Monty, Winchester never chambered any of their lever guns in .38 Long. The only rimfire other than .22LR was the Henry .44 rimfire in the model 1866 which was a Henry design manufactured by Winchester under license.

I collect Winchester rifles and Colt SAAs along with 1911s and 1911A1s. No such thing as a .38 Long Winchester. They came in .22LR, .218 Bee, .219 Zipper, .25-20, .30-30 .32-20, .38-40, .44-40, etc up into the larger calibers and stopping at .50-70.

It's small thing but being a Winchester guy I couldn't let it go. LOL

OT

 

[Monty]

I know they didn't, but I was referring to .32 long and .32 short. I recently read quite a writeup on it in one of the cartridge collector's sites. The .32 short and long rimfire was used in the Savage rifles instead of Winchester. Memory not so good but I knew it was in a rifle. Monty

 

[Old Town]

I know they didn't, but I was referring to .32 long and .32 short. I recently read quite a writeup on it in one of the cartridge collector's homepages. It is a small thing, but you better recheck your references.Monty

Monty, no telling what a custom maker might have done to a Winchester rifle after it left the factory. But no rimfire other than .22 and .44 was ever chambered by Winchester. This is for certain. I have the reference books for Winchester and go to all the lever gun shows in the country that are big. I'm really into Winchesters and own 23 examples - all pre WWI.

One reason for no rimfires of .32 or .38 is the pipsqueak power level of the cartridge. The .22 is a cheap training round but the .32 and .38 were feckless and expensive. No thinking gun company would make such rifle chambered for these lousy rounds.

Then there is the issue of firing pin hole location in the Winchester 73, 92 and 94 bolt. It would cost too much for Winchester to retool for an offset rimfire configuration going into the age of centerfire arms. This is why all Spencer lever guns went from early rimfire to centerfire. Centerfire was superior. Winchester would not go backward and start chambering expensive firearms in an inferior ignition system.

No .32 or .38 rimfires came out of the factory. None.

OT

 

[Monty]

Whoa big fellow! I changed my post. Hope you are happy now. M nty

 

[Old Town]

Whoa big fellow! I changed my post. Hope you are happy now. M nty

Yes. Now I'm pleased. LOL

OT

 

[relichunter13]

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=191109478 (Winchester 32RF)

http://forums.gunbroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=477086 (Winchester 38RF entry from original factory ledger)

"OK, the following is the information contained in the original factory ledgers for your rifle;

Date received: November 11th, 1886
Type: Rifle
Caliber: 38 Long Rim
Barrel: 26" octagon No. 1
Trigger: Plain
Sold: November 16th, 1886
Order #: 12094 (with one other identical rifle serial 5582)

Thus far in my survey of all the various caliber/cartridges chambered in the Model 1885, I have verified just (36) rifles made in 38 Long rimfire."

 

[Old Town]

Relic, this Low wall style rifle is not a lever action in the sense Monty and I were discussing. The gun you picture is a single shot falling block. They also made a high wall design that looks similar. These are single shot non-repeaters. Nobody in the gun industry calls them "Lever actions."

We were talking about lever action repeating arms. Models 66, 73, 86, 92, 94.

OT

 

[DigginThePast]

Welcome to T-Net relichunter13.

 

[Monty]

I was just talking rifles in general, not necessarily lever action. Winchester made many rifles that were not lever action, but I misquoted on the Winchester and my memory failed me and I rechecked and found it was an old Savage rifle that fired the .32 long rimfire. The short rimfires were generally used in top break revolvers on the Smith and Wesson pattern. There were many copies of the S&W patent. Also if you guys will reread TC's original post it says they are about .32 caliber, not .38 caliber. Just trying to clear things up. Monty