Converting Marlin 1894 .357 to .327

deerwhacker444 · Post by **deerwhacker444** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 11:03 am

Have any threads looked into this? I believe the .327 is a bit shorter than the .357. What would have to be changed to do a conversion other than the barrel?

I like the loading gate of the .357 instead of the tube on the .32 H&R

Sure would be a sweet little gun.

Thoughts..?

Jason_W · Post by **Jason_W** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 11:11 am

If it were me, I'd wait a while. It seems likely marlin will come out with a production model 1894 in .327 before too long.

Lefty Dude · Post by **Lefty Dude** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 3:01 pm

They made a Marlin 94 in 32-20 I think. And not to long ago.

homefront · Post by **homefront** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 5:43 pm

I still don't get it.
The .357 is such a good round, especially in a levergun, that I'm completely missing the logic in the .327. What will it do better than the .357? Is it all about the reduced recoil?

Now, had they made it a .30, I might sort of understand.

TedH · Post by **TedH** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 6:41 pm

I'm betting Marlin will come out with one sooner than later. That will be a sweet little levergun. I doubt it will do anything better or worse than a 357 levergun, it's just something different, and it's an excuse to buy another gun.

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 7:10 pm

If Marlin is smart, they WILL come out with one, and Ruger will do a single action in it too. Maybe they're waiting for Hornady to make pointy bullets for it first...

On another thread somewhere it was commented that the innards of the receiver on the .32-20 were different, than on the .357, so probably would be the .327 as well.

I think it would be nice, in the same sense as a .32-20 vs. the .357 - lighter bullets less lead to buy and plenty of power for small and medium game. I'd say "just get a .32-20" but the older guns around mean you'll never see hot factory loads, and the wide variation in bore size can be annoying, plus the brass IS kind of wimpy. Maybe they could just drop the bore to .308 as standard, thicken the brass walls and make more .32-20's, but since they DIDN'T do that, perhaps the .327 Mag will fill that niche.

The annoying part of it (the gunmakers excepted) is that those of us who have .32-20's won't want to just up and get rid of them, so we'll eventually get hold of a .327, maybe in a little SP101 carry gun, and then of course we'll just HAVE to get a levergun to match, then a single action revolver, then a stainless one, then maybe a breakopen, then a longer barrel double action, then.... then....

Oh well, at least I can console myself that I never got into all the "short magnum" thing and duplicated all the old standards just to shave 1/2" off the action length.

Nate Kiowa Jones · Post by **Nate Kiowa Jones** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 8:51 pm

If they do make it I bet it will be made on the 32 H&R that they recently dropped. No loading gate, tube loaded. This time lets hope they make it as a round barrel carbine. The 32 H&R with it's oct 20" and twin mag tubes was just too front heavy.

Papa · Post by **Papa** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 12:44 pm

I'm with you Steve, short and light!! I was talking to Hamilton and his new guy Chris about this when I picked up my Buckeye's (chased the 32Mag out to 327) and they said the Mdl 92 would have to have different receiver guides to feed the round properly, so the Marlin would be the best choice at hand.

He also said the Remington model 25 would be and ideal candidate for this round http://leverguns.sixgunner.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=35484

Papa

Nate Kiowa Jones · Post by **Nate Kiowa Jones** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 5:52 pm

Papa wrote:I'm with you Steve, short and light!! I was talking to Hamilton and his new guy Chris about this when I picked up my Buckeye's (chased the 32Mag out to 327) and they said the Mdl 92 would have to have different receiver guides to feed the round properly, so the Marlin would be the best choice at hand.

He also said the Remington model 25 would be and ideal candidate for this round http://leverguns.sixgunner.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=35484

Papa

It's not just guides. The lower part of the bolt that carries the ejector has to run between the guides and the guides would have to be too close for the bolt to pass through.

Papa · Post by **Papa** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 6:39 pm

Yeah, I did a seach after posting that and saw where you'd explained it.

Taurus had advertised a 32Mag lever action last year and had it on their web site for awhile, but it's not there today. I'd wondered how they did it?

Maybe someday...

Nate Kiowa Jones · Post by **Nate Kiowa Jones** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 10:39 pm

Papa wrote:Yeah, I did a seach after posting that and saw where you'd explained it.

Taurus had advertised a 32Mag lever action last year and had it on their web site for awhile, but it's not there today. I'd wondered how they did it?

Maybe someday...

I saw that when it was first announced. The action was based on the 1890/62 Win 22 pump but used a lever instead and bumped up to 32. I suspect the action wouldn't handle the sustained pressure. Sorta like when Marlin announced a 336 in 454 casull. It wouldn't handle the pressure, either. And Taylors announcing an Armi sport 92 in 32 H&R but they found out it wouldn't work and even dropped the 32-20 version because of the extra work on the bolt and guides.
These makers put it out there mainly to see what the interest is but some never get done.

Papa · Post by **Papa** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 11:17 pm

Great post as always. Thanks again Steve

Papa

Jeff Quinn · Post by **Jeff Quinn** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 11:39 pm

For a hot .32 that will not require any action work, a simple rebarrel to a .357 Magnum case necked to .32 should make a dandy little lever gun.

There ain't no .327 Federal ammo available anyway, but the world is flush with fired .357 cases.

Papa · Post by **Papa** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 5:52 am

Kinda like a 32 Martin Meteor short huh? Rifle and a Sixgun!!

Oh Hamiltonnnn????

cecil · Post by **cecil** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 6:56 am

Would take a straight cased 32 over the 32-20, just for not lubing the cases. Was really anticiptating the Marlin 32 mag, till realized how heavy and oversized they are.

Maybe the new 32 caliber bullets will be sold for reloading? That alone may increase the versatility of the 32-20, from a rifle.

shawn_c992001 · Post by **shawn_c992001** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 10:30 am

Hopefully, Ruger will take a hint and put it out in a Blackhawk Convertable (327Mag/32-20) I'll Take Two!!!

gak · Post by **gak** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 10:46 am

Nate Kiowa Jones wrote:If they do make it I bet it will be made on the 32 H&R that they recently dropped. No loading gate, tube loaded. This time lets hope they make it as a round barrel carbine. The 32 H&R with it's oct 20" and twin mag tubes was just too front heavy.

10-4 to that -- plus, I sure wish they'd slim up the design a bit and give it the saddle ring carbine treatment - along the lines of the 1893 Marlin carbine -- like this http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewIt ... m=96178479 and this http://www.auctionarms.com/search/displ ... um=8560174 which was very nearly a Win 92/94 look alike other than the receiver top and lever design of course....but it had the early Win carbine type butt and nice slim furniture. These particular examples don't have the ring, but I have seen originals with them - and that really completes the picture.

.45colt · Post by **.45colt** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 11:57 am

The .327 is going to replace all the small bore "old" rounds .it is the new holy-grail of the cartrige world. I for one hope everyone who has a 218bee,25-20,or 32-20 will soon put them up for sale so they have plenty of funds for the "new" kid on the block. then I can stock up.

.Jim.

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 12:33 pm

shawn_c992001 wrote:Hopefully, Ruger will take a hint and put it out in a Blackhawk Convertable (327Mag/32-20) I'll Take Two!!!

I'd also like that combo, big time! I think it would be a big seller.