TargetTalk

Now here's a crazy thought: I have a Ruger .32 SA western style revolver, chambered for .32 magnum. It has a 4 5/8" barrel, beautiful stag grips: and fixed sights!

My question is not whether it would be a good chice for international centerfire, using .32 S&W loads: but I'm betting it would be legal?

Jim

Capt , you might even win because all the other competitors would be laughing far to hard to shoot. I once did something almost as strange. I put my 38 wad gun in a paper sack, strapped on a single action in a holster and fired a CF match in Houston. I had been tipped off about a Doctor who always took a position next to his wife so she scored his target and won week after week by on one or two points over a hoghway patrolman that was a much better shot than our Doctor friend. The cop put my gun box and scope on the line so I could check my target . I took the 38 auto out of the paper sack and began the match , True to form the Doctor ignored me and scoped my friends target. He lost the match by about 50 points and had no idea who had cleaned him out. Good Shooting Bill Horton

What's the trigger weight minimum for International Center Fire?

I'm guessing a lot of single action revolvers (or DA revolvers single- action/hammer cocked) triggers won't make weight without the addition of quite a few grams.

Steve

For many years, I had been using a semi auto (S&W 52) for Int CF. About a year ago for some reason, I tried using a common ordinary revolver with fixed sights. I really enjoyed shooting Int CF that day, so I bought a S&W mod 15 (4 inch barrel in .38 spl) added Nill grips, a trigger stop and a larger blade to the rear sight. I now prefer to shoot Int CF with a revolver. It is different enough to make it interesting to shoot, I do not have to pick brass off the floor, and I can use any bullet I want to. I shoot a sub-six sight picture, so I crank on 10 clicks going from prescicion to rapid fire.

If you shoot center of mass, there will be no sight change from prescision to rapid fire, so fixed sights are just fine if they are sighted in for 25 meters. Caliber .32 or .38 makes no difference, they are scored on the target the same. If you are comfortable with the round grips of the Single Action Army style of gun, then there is nothing to prevent you from using your Ruger revolver for Int CF. The gun must meet ISSF trigger weight (1340 grams or about 3 pounds) and size dimensions.

Have fun, but if you also want to wear a cowboy hat and boots while shooting, you might want to try cowboy action shooting.

1360grams !!!

I don't think I've ever had a revolver with a SA pull that would be legal then. DA pulls yes, but that's not how we shoot them.

Do competitors using S&W etc. type revolvers install spring kits or something to make weight?

Or do the international "competition revolvers" come out of the box with heavier SA pulls than most north american "competition revolvers?"

Steve

I don't think I've ever had a revolver with a SA pull that would be legal then. DA pulls yes, but that's not how we shoot them.

Do competitors using S&W etc. type revolvers install spring kits or something to make weight?

Or do the international "competition revolvers" come out of the box with heavier SA pulls than most north american "competition revolvers?"

Steve

Steve Swartz wrote:Do competitors using S&W etc. type revolvers install spring kits or something to make weight?

Most standard S&Ws I have seen over the years have easily been able to lift the weight, SA, straight out of the box. It's normally only when people start playing with the trigger that they get too light.

Most S&W both 32 and 38 need a little work to be ISSF guns. Generally, a spring kit with either a modified factory main spring (ground, tapered and polished) or after market pressed main spring and the trigger rebound spring (10 to 14 lb [trial and error]) changed to give approx 3lb 3oz (a margin over weight alows for temperature variations).
Also fit a .125" partridge front sight and a target flat blade rear sight (Millet .380 target).
A trigger stop screw or a blocking travel pin in the rebound spring can be fitted, as well as a good Morini or KN grip.

The Manurhin, Toz and Korth revolvers are all adjustable triggers (the Astra treat as a S&W clone).

If you can find one the K38 Masterpiece in single action make a great ISSF pistol (the K32 is very rare).

Also the 32 mag does not make a good target load (too much air space in the case).

Most people shooting targets shoot .32S&W's and .32S&W longs in these CF Ruger Single Sixes. not H&R magnums. The Single Sixes have adjustable sights, the ones with fixed sights are better known as "Baby Vaqueros", some having "Birds Head" grips, and are used by Cowboy Action Shooters
Paul

I've just tested my unmodified S&W K38, circa mid 1960's, in SA w/ my digital Lyman gauge

3lb 12.3 oz avg. over 5 pulls & a seperate test in kg of exactly 1700 grams avg (~3lb 11.2 oz ) over 5 pulls.

David M is right, the K32 is rare. They're also very collectible and so tend to be quite expensive. The K32's that I've encountered over the past year or so have been about $3,000 when in good+ condition.

But K38's are pretty common. You can find a good quality model 14 - the 6" bbl - for about $400.

I know a couple of guys in Sweden who came to a centerfire competition with a glock 19 and a glock 34... :)
Since they were shooting for fun the other competitors thought it was ok even with 9mmFMJ rounds (they didn't know about that rule). They didn't think they would stand a chance against the experienced shooters anyway.

As you can imagine the results were not very good, but they had some fun. :)

Here in Sweden a K38 in good condition will not run you more than 200-250USD. I bought mine for 1400SEK (~170USD) and sold it for 1500SEK.

Am I right in thinking (or just imagining) that the K38 was made in 2 versions; a DA model and a SA only model (that had a much better trigger).

I'm going back nearly 30 years but seem to remember considering used versions of both before (stupidly) choosing a Model 19. That didn't last long, quickly being replaced by a GSP and then a FAS603 (that lasted for years until we were forced to hand our guns in).

I don't think so - perhaps this was created by a gunsmith?

Both the K32 and K38 were available as a single action "Masterpiece" ,late 60's early 70's in the series -2 (if my memory serves me correctly).
The single action had a broard hammer spur and trigger shoe. I still have a couple of sets of hammer/trigger that will fit the later frames.

Even the 14-3 K38 was available with the SA-only option. I have one that I purchased new from an S&W dealer. It even makes ISSF CF trigger weight (1360 gms) without any mods being required.

Shows you what I know :P
These are a little before my time. I have a K22 Masterpiece which functions in DA - didn't realize that the Masterpiece designation differed for the K38 and K32.

Not to hijack this thread, could you convert an existing K38 to this SA type? - is there such a significant advantage?

S&W sold a conversion kit for changing the k-38 to single action only. It consisted of new hammer and trigger. I haven't seen one in a few years.

Going back to the original thread, Ruger made a Bisley Target model on the single six frame in .32 mag. They have a reputation of being very good shooters. They ae discontinued now.

When I started shooting at ISSF Centrefire open competition I found my S&W 586 struggled to pass gun check on the trigger weights. A new rebound slide spring, trigger and hammer combination was only marginally better and on cold mornings it was also touch and go. (I am not sure of the physics of why pistols struggle to pass gun check on cold days, they just do, but that's another thread)

Anyhow I solved the problem by getting some long nosed pliers and squashing a .177 air pellet. I dropped this pellet in behind the rebound spring and it has passed ever since. Eventually the spring will work its way into the lead and I'll have to reshape it but three years later I am still going strong.

didn't realize that the Masterpiece designation differed for the K38 and K32

I don't think it does, I have a SA/DA K38 Masterpiece (with the original box)