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I recently inherited an old 32 long with an Octagon barrel and am trying to find out its value. The serial number on it is 24293 and it has a stamp that says Pat Oct 7th 79.
I have pictures of it but dont see anywhere on here to upload them??
Hello Al,
You have a Winchester Single Shot model (often referred to as a Model 1885). The serial number tells us that it was manufactured in the year 1889. It is chambered for the 32 Long rim fire cartridge (obsolete since the 1930s).
As a Guest on the WACA website, you do not have the access rights to directly upload pictures. We do that to prevent Spam from being posted. What you can do is post a URL to a photo hosting website where you have stored your pictures, or you can email them directly to me.
Bert – [email protected]
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Thanks Bert. I just sent you a few pics but from the pics you have above it definitely looks like the one in the middle but with the octagonal barrel.
Bert H. said It is chambered for the 32 Long rim fire cartridge (obsolete since the 1930s).
Sometime between 1932 & 1939, both Stevens & Rem dropped their SS models chambered for it, but the ammo remained in production for some time after that; a huge number of guns by many makers were built for it.
.32 RF can easily be rechambered for the accurate .32 S&W Long, which is a GREAT small-game cartridge. So little metal has to be removed from the chamber walls, that it can be done with a hand-reamer. Of course it would have to be converted to CF, but if a CF breechblock could be found, I don’t think any other fitting would be required.
clarence said
Bert H. said It is chambered for the 32 Long rim fire cartridge (obsolete since the 1930s).
Sometime between 1932 & 1939, both Stevens & Rem dropped their SS models chambered for it, but the ammo remained in production for some time after that; a huge number of guns by many makers were built for it.
.32 RF can easily be rechambered for the accurate .32 S&W Long, which is a GREAT small-game cartridge. So little metal has to be removed from the chamber walls, that it can be done with a hand-reamer. Of course it would have to be converted to CF, but if a CF breechblock could be found, I don’t think any other fitting would be required.
It is very seldom ever worth the time & expense to convert a Single Shot rifle from a 32 rim fire to any 32 caliber center fire cartridge. That stated, the most logical choice would be to convert it to the 32 S&W Long.
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
32 Long rim fire ammo can be found but is pricey. Navy Arms made a batch some years ago. You see it at gun shows for a little over $100 per box of 50.
Chuck said
32 Long rim fire ammo can be found but is pricey. Navy Arms made a batch some years ago. You see it at gun shows for a little over $100 per box of 50.
Chuck,
It wasn’t actually made by Navy Arms… they contracted with Brazilian ammo maker CBC to manufacture it and then imported it to the USA market back in the early 1990s (more than 30-years ago). The only thing that could be said about the Navy Arms 32 Long rim fire ammo is that most of the time they went “bang” when the trigger was pulled.
When (if) you find it today, it is seldom ever priced under $150. Here is a partial box for $119.
Navy Arms Co. 32 Long Rim-Fire Ammo. 45rds. (gunsinternational.com)
This was a recent sale on GB – NAVY ARMS, FULL BOX (50) 32 LONG RIMFIRE CARTRIDGES NO RESERVE – Vintage Ammo at GunBroker.com : 1014464045
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Chuck said
32 Long rim fire ammo can be found but is pricey. Navy Arms made a batch some years ago. You see it at gun shows for a little over $100 per box of 50.
It’s GARBAGE. And the Canuck isn’t much better…unless you’re satisfied with about 10 MOA groups. I’m convinced it remained in production in Canada long after it was discontinued here because Canadian trappers used it to dispatch whatever they were trapping; yes, it’s good enough for that purpose. I can’t believe anyone would pay $50, let alone $150.
Was hoping Al would send photos of his high-wall, if that’s what it is.
clarence said
Chuck said
32 Long rim fire ammo can be found but is pricey. Navy Arms made a batch some years ago. You see it at gun shows for a little over $100 per box of 50.
It’s GARBAGE. And the Canuck isn’t much better…unless you’re satisfied with about 10 MOA groups. I’m convinced it remained in production in Canada long after it was discontinued here because Canadian trappers used it to dispatch whatever they were trapping; yes, it’s good enough for that purpose. I can’t believe anyone would pay $50, let alone $150.
Was hoping Al would send photos of his high-wall, if that’s what it is.
He sent pictures to me… it is a standard low-wall rifle in “fair” condition.
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Bert H. said
Chuck,
It wasn’t actually made by Navy Arms… they contracted with Brazilian ammo maker CBC to manufacture it and then imported it to the USA market back in the early 1990s (more than 30-years ago). The only thing that could be said about the Navy Arms 32 Long rim fire ammo is that most of the time they went “bang” when the trigger was pulled.
When (if) you find it today, it is seldom ever priced under $150. Here is a partial box for $119.
Navy Arms Co. 32 Long Rim-Fire Ammo. 45rds. (gunsinternational.com)
This was a recent sale on GB – NAVY ARMS, FULL BOX (50) 32 LONG RIMFIRE CARTRIDGES NO RESERVE – Vintage Ammo at GunBroker.com : 1014464045
Bert
Bert, I know. I kept in touch with Navy Arms during the manufacturing process, the shipping and then the delivery. I bought a handful of the 32 RF and the 41 RF that came from S. America in the same shipment. I think I paid $15 a box for the 32 and $18 for the 41. I use this for pistols. Never had a 32 RF rifle.
Winchester manufactured several thousand low-wall Single Shot rifles in 32 RF. Many of them can be purchased relatively cheaply today.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
clarence said
Chuck said Never had a 32 RF rifle.
WHAT! Oh, the humanity!
I know. I probably won’t sleep tonight thinking about this. 
Bert H. said
Winchester manufactured several thousand low-wall Single Shot rifles in 32 RF. Many of them can be purchased relatively cheaply today.
In the BP era, .32s were more popular, & more effective for hunting, than .22s; smokeless made .22RF the success it became. No less than a zillion .32s were built by Stevens, & plenty by Ballard, Rem, every other rifle maker. There was even a CF variant called .32 Long Rifle that could be used in Ballards & Wessons, which had interchangeable RF/CF firing pins.
Many Colts, Remingtons and Smith & Wesson pistols used this caliber. When I was collecting pistols I always preferred a caliber that you could find ammo. Many RF calibers were never manufactured so a Collector couldn’t shoot the pistols. The few RF pistols I still have are either 22 or 41 RF. I have some of the Navy Arms 41 RF and I use CB or BB caps for the 22’s.
You have to remember that the CF cartridge didn’t become easy to find until 1873. Colt did have a 44 Colt for some of the conversions and the 1871/72 open tops but that was about it. When the Patent that S&W held expired in 1872 that opened up things for all of the other manufacturers.
Chuck said I have some of the Navy Arms 41 RF and I use CB or BB caps for the 22’s.
The Navy Arms .32 & .41 RFs would do nicely for hitting the cheat on the opposite side of your poker table.
clarence said
Chuck said I have some of the Navy Arms 41 RF and I use CB or BB caps for the 22’s.
The Navy Arms .32 & .41 RFs would do nicely for hitting the cheat on the opposite side of your poker table.
Yep. The pistols I have it doesn’t matter what ammo you use they are only accurate for man size targets at a few paces.
Chuck said
Yep. The pistols I have it doesn’t matter what ammo you use they are only accurate for man size targets at a few paces.
Well, I can’t do much better than that with my Chief’s Special; though it hits a lot harder. If Navy Arms had sold this ammo in the ’80s or earlier, I might now be the owner of a Rem double-derringer. I always admired them, thought more than once about buying one I saw at a show, but just couldn’t bring myself to fork over my very limited “gun-money” for something I thought at the time would never be more than a “conversation piece.”
I have 2 Rem DD’s and a Colt #3 Thuer that shoot the 41 RF. Here’s a picture of the better Remington.
Chuck said
I have 2 Rem DD’s and a Colt #3 Thuer that shoot the 41 RF. Here’s a picture of the better Remington.
Very nice! I never aspired to an engraved one. Paladin always carried one, with which he saved himself more than once when his SA had been taken away by some bad guy…if your memory goes back that far.
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