While we are on this thread, I have a plain jane 44 in 25-20SS with a bad barrel.  I have been thinking about reboring the barrel to the 38 Special revolver cartridge.  Or maybe .32 S&W Long.  Any comments?

I have often though about the 32 S&W in a rifle. I load it for a nice old Official Police and also load the 32/20 for a Marlin 1894. Side by side comparison rifle for the S&W always comes to mind.

My take is it depends on what you want to use it for. 100 yard target shooting 32 S&W Long in a rifle could be a very good cartridge. I expect it would run out of gas at 200, my 32/20 with 115 gr bullets 1225fps muzzle velocity does. 

Cowboy Lever Silhouette 32's with 100-115 gr bullets are the ones to have. Adequate power, accurate, light recoil.  32/20 & 32 H&R Mag are most often used. 32 S&W Long would be just as good in a single shot.  It may be something unique to Lever actions, barrels, or the way they are loaded but 38 special Lever's don't do well in matches against the 32's. 

Boats

Waterman understand I am using the guns for Silhouette not precision targets but here is my experence

The 32/20 Marlin is 1/20 twist.  Regulation pistol caliber Rifle Silhouette is to 100 yards and my Marlin 32/20 will shoot scores similar to  my 39A rimfire same course of fire, (Rimfire COF uses thinner lighter rams).  Guys will use the 38/357 carbines with a 16 inch twist too but they never seem to shoot as good a score as the 32/20's Good grouping 32/20 lever actions are 2- 3 moa rifles at 100 yards. Nice single shot ought to do better

In regulation Silhouette the full rifle match is to 200 and theory is the 38/357 rifles can shoot the match well. They would have the advantage of one gun pistol or rifle caliber match, but again they don't often do well. You see a few that will shoot 4 inch groups at 100 200 it's even worse.  Rifles stocks and sights are identical 32 or 38 

Our  club gong match is limited to lever and single shots at 200 yards cast bullets no gas checks and has to be 32 cal or over. Have won it often with the CPA in 38/55 If not mine then another CPA in 38/55 is right up there.  38/55's are the cartridge that wins most of the time, About the only thing that edges one out is a well handled 40 or 45 Silhouette gun.

When I say it runs out of gas.  Tried to shoot pratice on the gongs with the 32/20 and it never performed. This from a rifle thats as accurate as any at 100. My guess is it's such a light bullet wind is the problem.   

Single shot you could build anything you wanted. 20 inch twist and bullets not too heavy 115's or even 100's would be the way I would go for a light handy rifle.  As far as case capacity the 32/20 with 4227 loaded to the old factory spec 1225 fps muzzle is a bit more than half full. Should be no problem to get the smaller 32 S&W long case up to that velocity with the same bullet, and have better load density.

Of course back in the day Center fire Stevens used the 32/20, 32 Long was Rim fire

Boat

Leadball no, You can't do any rebarrling.  You can re-line in the original caliber only.

Strict and it's a good thing too, one reason why it's become so popular.

Boats