Author Topic: Need new Handi Rifle barrel * Rook Rifle (Read 2208 times)

doublegunner · « **on:** July 29, 2009, 02:44:12 AM »

I have a handi rifle in 223, 22 hornet and 28 ga. I got it for my daughter but I love to shoot it. I wanted to make the prefect walking around, small game rig and get a .32 long barrel for it but H&R doesn't make one in 32 and want sell a blank. Does any one else make them. Or how could I go about getting one?

PHATINJUN · « **Reply #1 on:** July 29, 2009, 02:48:28 AM »

My 32 H&R Handi is stubbed from a British 303 bbl. What's a Rook Rifle?
Kurt

Chas. · « **Reply #2 on:** July 29, 2009, 03:21:03 AM »

Rook rifle = http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=rook+rifle&btnG=Google+Search

doublegunner · « **Reply #3 on:** July 29, 2009, 05:22:04 AM »

OK I give up what is stubbed, how can I do it our who could? A Rook Rifle is a rifle from across the the big pond that they shoot Rooks (big Black Birds) with. I just think with lite hand loads it would be great for squirrels, bunnies, snakes, crows and an occasionally a democrate in the foot.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #4 on:** July 29, 2009, 07:04:08 AM »

See the thread down the page on stubbed barrels.

Tim

Tallwalker · « **Reply #5 on:** July 30, 2009, 03:54:47 PM »

One alternative though not as cool is to just get a 30-30, and load it with the swaged 32 bullets, or with a cast 115 gr. over 5 grains, or so of Unique, etc. It is very quiet, and accurate in the guns I've tried it in. I've shot the Hornady 98 gr HBWC over 3 grains of Red Dot too. They actually fed in my gun.

trotterlg · « **Reply #6 on:** July 30, 2009, 07:23:15 PM »

Making up a .32 barrel for a Handi is one of the best projects around. The .32 barrels are real cheap to find, they are take off 303 barrels and just the right size for the project. I've made up both the 32 H&R's and 32-20's, both seem to shoot great with cast bulles, the british 303 barrels have 5 groove barrels with very wide lands which seem to like cast bullets. I've made a lot but really haven't shot many, so people who have them now will have to tell you which ones shoot the best. Larry

lee1954 · « **Reply #7 on:** July 31, 2009, 07:22:42 AM »

Has anyone tried a chamber adapter?

http://www.mcace.com/adapters.htm
dan

PHATINJUN · « **Reply #8 on:** July 31, 2009, 08:13:37 AM »

I guess my .32H&R mag Handi is a Rook then as is the 357mag shootin .38 Short Colts or .38S&W or even the 38 spl. Or even my 20" 410 shootin those light slugs. Kurt

Badnews Bob · « **Reply #9 on:** July 31, 2009, 10:58:53 AM »

I really want one in .327 magnum. I will have one this fall I think, maybe get Wayne to rebore a .22 hornet for me.

trotterlg · « **Reply #10 on:** July 31, 2009, 12:31:08 PM »

I know someone on this board has one because I made it.

Larry

doublegunner · « **Reply #11 on:** July 31, 2009, 04:43:26 PM »

My original idea was to make it a .327 mag., that way I could shoot 327,32 H&R,32 long and 32 short. But I was told that the longs and shorts would not be very accurate because of the extra space in the chamber before it hit the rifling. And I mostly want it for squirrel hunting w/32 long lite loads. Does anyone know a smith that would take this on. I don't have a lathe or a milling machine.

Bob

45-70.gov · « **Reply #12 on:** July 31, 2009, 04:49:22 PM »

just get a 357 and shoot 38s most of the time

but what about the chamber adapters??

trotterlg · « **Reply #13 on:** July 31, 2009, 06:57:01 PM »

There is quite a difference in the 32 H&R mag to the 38 Special. Left to right is the 32 H&R Mag, 327 Fed. and the 38 Spicial. The 32 H&R Long and Short are even smaller of course. Because of the large differences in case length of the 32 H&R series, I don't think you would get much accuracy out of a 327 when shooting a .32 H&R short. I also don't think you can really cut a proper throat in a rifle to handle all of this series, remember, these are really ment to be shot out of a revolver the bullet goes from a straight cut chamber into a forcing cone at the breach of the revolver barrel. I have made up both the 32 H&R Mag and 327 Federal barrels, I don't think you could really successfully shoot a round it wasn't properly chambered and throated for. The case diameter of a 32 H&R Mag is .021 larger than the bullet, so there is a lot of slop if you are going to try to get it to go down a 327 Federal chamber and then hit the rifleing. Just pick one round and get a chamber cut for it. Barrels from British .303's work perfectly for this job. You can probably find a local guy with a lathe and look for instructions in the past posts about how to do this, it isn't rocket science. Larry

Badnews Bob · « **Reply #14 on:** August 01, 2009, 03:48:56 AM »

The thing about it is you can load the light loads in the .327 case, I have been reading about this a lot and some people are getting pretty darn good groups out of .327s loaded light. Also the jump for .38 specials out of my .357 Max would be about the same and they are plenty squirel accurate outta mine. They're are several guys here in handy land that shoot .38s, .38pecials, .357s, .360 DWs, and .357 maximums out of the same barrel with great results.

BTW Not to really step on your toes Larry our doublegunners , You certainly do fine work and seem to know what you are talking about. I would certainly like to have one of your barrels to try it with. I am going to buy a lathe I hope next summer and put some of your ideals to work myself. Cash is a little to short in supply for that kind of toys right now thou. Keep posting I need more input.

Buckwheat Jack · « **Reply #15 on:** August 01, 2009, 04:04:38 AM »

Seems to me the accuracy question hinges on what you want: tight groups on paper or hits on small game, empty cans, etc.

lee1954 · « **Reply #16 on:** August 17, 2009, 05:11:10 PM »

Well I got my chamber adapters That let me shot 32 APC in my .308 barrel ... I read that they can get stuck - when I did a search about chamber adapters..
So I put engin oil off the dipstick on the adapters and that was the trick -- I already had the 32 APC brass and dies -- otherwise I'd do the 32 H&R mag - or M1 carbine for less of a jump to the rifling...
Shot a few times and It won't be a tack driver --- but at close range I think I can get rabbits -- say 100 feet -- And will work more with it and hope for better...
But I think it was worth the $20 from http://www.mcace.com/adapters.htm
It will be in my pocket when I go deer hunting --But mosty just fun plinking .... And I like rabbit slow cooked in BBQ sauce
I think a tackdriving 32 H&R mag or .327 - barrel would be a lot more fun !! Those of you with a 32-20 barrel I envy you !!!! Dan

quickdtoo · « **Reply #17 on:** August 17, 2009, 05:22:15 PM »

Man, I can see it now, you're out deer hunting, load up the adapter for small game and get the dadburned thing stuck in the chamber... walking back to camp with no deer round in it you'll see the buck of a lifetime!! $:-\$ That reminds me of a time when I was in my early teens, Dad bought a 7.65 Russian semi-auto of some sort to hunt deer with, I carried it exactly one day, shot a porcupine and it pulled a case in half due to too much headspace and jammed the following round into the chamber, I was stuck with a piece of wood and metal to pack back to camp...on the way to which I saw several legal deer!!

Better carry some cleaning supplies to remove the oil from the chamber once you get the adapter out, H&R's don't like dirty, oily chambers.

Tim

lee1954 · « **Reply #18 on:** August 17, 2009, 06:12:32 PM »

That would make a good day go bad wouldn't it ....... I was wondering if you can make underbarrel lugs?(mabe a group buy of 10 people)...once you set up for one - more are less time per peice I have heard...
I haven't heard it called a "rook barrel" before -- but that is what I would like!

Or could I take a .308 handi barrel ---remove the lug - cut off the chamber so I'd have a blank barrel reattach the lug and rechamber to a 300 whisper and use a 223 extractor. I too, am trying to figure out a a rook barrel for less then $350..dan

quickdtoo · « **Reply #19 on:** August 17, 2009, 07:12:47 PM »

Most people use less expensive shotgun barrels for stubbing, see the stubbing projects Larry has done in the FAQs. A hornet barrel can be rechambered and rebored for less than $350, same for a stub, GBO sponsor Wayne York has done both for me.

Tim

http://home.earthlink.net/~oregunsmithing/

gatersb · « **Reply #20 on:** August 18, 2009, 02:08:07 AM »

Hey guys google ed harris "bunny rifle" he has a 32 S&W and a 32 auto barrel on a old 410 single shot shotgun frame. Amazing i have been contemplating doing the exact same thing for about two weeks. I guess its contagious.