Since I picked up a couple more rolling blocks in .32 long and .32XL rimfire, I needed to make some more reloadable cases for them. So over the last couple days I made about 40 more.  I took a few photos along they way. 

For the .32XL I started with .25-20SS brass that had split necks. For the .32 longs I had some new .32 Colt brass.

Well done...

Do your acorn blanks stay in place with the hole reamed .224"?  I reamed a couple of my .25 Stevens conversions to .224, and even the Umarex blanks fall out if I so much as look at them crosseyed.

Sure shot wrote on Mar 29^th, 2023 at 12:14pm:


Where's the fun in that?

Reminds me to report that I bored a .32 Colt case on center for a 6mm acorn blank a few days ago. My #4 fires it just fine.  No more need to make adaptors with the hole offset.  Mind you, the rim recess I cut left the blank's rim about .010 proud, but by the same token I did not notch the rim the way most folks do when making the offset-hole adaptors.  If this became an issue, beveling the firing pin tip would take care of it.  

By extrapolation, of course, the unmodified breechblock would handle a barrel linered to .22 LR.  Up to now I would have said it wouldn't.  The secret,if there is one, is the large diameter of the #4's firing pin tip.  

uscra112 wrote on Mar 29^th, 2023 at 12:03pm:


Yes, they are a tight press fit. I made a soecial flat anvil for seating them in a loading press.

Regarding the firing pin relief cut. The rim is about .050" thick. I cut the relief .025" down, about half the rim thickness. The acorn blanks seat flush.

Less difference than I would have expected, and the consistency using RL-7 is another surprise to me.  Thanks!

Remind me - how much RL-7 are you loading in the regular Long Colt case?

Thanks.

Photo of the experimental centered acorn blank.  Much of the pin strike did fall on the case rim, but by beveling the firing pin nose this can be reduced.  Increasing the pin diameter in combination  with beveling even better. 

The obvious advantage for the shooter is that the rounds need not be oriented when loading.   

One swallow does not make a summer.  In between doctors I will make up a few more of these and try them in my Favorite as well as the #4.   

Well, my Favorite's pin hits too far from center, and wouldn't dent the 6mm blank at all, even if I relieved the rim.  To make this work I'd have to make a pin with an offset of ~.060.  Since I already have a spare breechblock converted to centerfire, I guess I won't.   

Now I'm wondering.....did Remington place their pin so that it would work for all three rimfires - .22, .25., and .32?  Would have been clever if they did.  Do parts list show different breechblocks depending on caliber?

Now, why didn't Stevens do that?   

One in the win column for Remington.

uscra112 wrote on Mar 29^th, 2023 at 12:03pm:


These are the acorn blanks I use. They measure nearly .027", which makes them a nice tight fit in the .024" reamed hole. I order them online.

The ones I'm now getting from Gun Dog Supply are either Walther or Umarex brand.  They both say Germany, but that may not mean much.  One of the Walther-branded ones mikes about .2255, and looks like brass.  One from an Umarex-branded package mikes .2275, about like yours. 

The Walther-branded ones I used to get are either copper or copper-washed, and they mike .2230".   It was based on those that I designed my pocket-reamer.  I'm saving those for the .25 adaptors which have such fragile rims. Once they're gone I'll have to do a second reaming operation to bring them up to an easy fit for the ones we get now.  
   
They obviously don't care much about the O.D., which I suppose makes sense since they are intended to fit into crude noisemaker pistols.

uscra112 wrote on Apr 2^nd, 2023 at 12:11am:


That's good back pocket information. I don't own a favorite. But who knows, one might reach out and grab me at a gunshow 

I've found Remington's quality, tolerances and consistency to be really good. In partocular when swapping breech blocks around, I've never had a problem with fitting or headspace.

It’s always interesting to see how people keep the old rifles shooting.

Yes.   Irving Page was CEO of Stevens, New England Westinghouse forced him out when they took over the company to make military rifles in WW1.  After the war, according to one source I've read, he tried to regain control of the company but failed.  Then he and Lewis, who had been and engineer with Stevens, formed Page-Lewis, making a very well-made little swinging-block rifle.  Page died after a couple of years, and his heirs didn't want the new company, so it was sold back to Stevens, (by now owned by Savage).   

I've long believed that Page, who had been Stevens' money-man, was over-leveraged, so when Westinghouse wanted  to do a hostile takeover, all they had to do was talk to his bankers.