DWF Supporters
March 28, 2023
So I got the 32-20 today. The case is original! Has a side label. It's a Hunter PAC I think by looking at the side label (has HP-2 on the side label). What do you think? also only one barrel between the two shrouds is that how Hunter pac's came? It looks to be unfired or if it was, no signs on the slam plate or cylinder. Dam guys from Cabela's put the scope barrel back on the gun to ship it and tightened the barrel nut so it will not come off. I know this because they have pics of the gun with both shrouds on it. Soaking the nut in some WD-40 Why did Cabela's sell this for $1399? someone dropped the ball on the value of this gun!
DWF Supporters
March 28, 2023
I forgot. Sometimes we assume things and don't think that some people do not know about pics. so if you click once on most pics on the forum they will enlarge (once enlarged you have to click on the X in top right hand corner to get it to go back to regular size). If you double click on a pic it will open a new window with an even larger pic and then click again and some but not all will get really big. I posted the email I got back from Eric Wesson about the gun so some that did not see it. He was saying it's a gun show gun or a rep they would pay to take their products out in the world and sometimes they never got them back. That's the story about how the gun has a Monson frame and Palmer barrels. I also forgot to ask, will a .32 mag barrel also fit a 32-20?
Dans Club
February 24, 2013
Ole Dog, I think Stan is not asking about the barrel tool, but rather he wants to know whether the barrel itself will work in both a a 32-mag pistol and also in a 32-20 pistol.
Stan, that is one fine revolver! You may wanna soak the nut in Seafoam Penetrating oil. That stuff is amazing!
DWF Supporters
March 28, 2023
Got it off last night! Should be a disclaimer with every Dan Wesson "Do not over tighten nuts of screws" My two questions were about the gun coming with only one barrel and two shrouds was that normal? If so I wonder why they included only one barrel with the two shrouds. I kind of get it, meant to slide the scope mounted barrel on for hunting and then slide the 8VH barrel on for whatever else. Then he answered my question if I could find another 8 inch barrel and nut any .32 will work. Another question I asked is I wanted a confirmation that it ts a Hunter pac. I am going off the side sticker that has HP-2 on it. This is by far my most rare and best find. I guess if I was going to list my top five guns behind the 32-20 would be the 45 Colt 10VH, the IHMSA 7445 8VS, 740 Pac, and Gold commemorative. Me love Dan Wessons! Now I can lay low for the next year and save up for something really special.
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Dans Club
December 4, 2011
I've got a Palmer era 44 mag fixed barrel hunter pack in the same case you have. I suspect it is an original Hunter Pac. Two shrouds, one barrel tube was common in the IFP series guns. You can call DW and order a new barrel tube to have a second/spare, that's what I would do.
BTW, that is a very nice looing pac and an uncommon caliber. I'm still looking for a stainless 732-20 to fill in some holes in my collection.
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My father
If a man designed it, and a man built it, then a man can fix it.
My grandfather
February 29, 2020
If I remember correctly, it is not a Hunter Pack, but Field Pistol Pac for IHMSA Field Pistol competition. Two 8 inch shrouds, one for Scoped discipline and one for Open sights discipline. I think they were shipped with one barrel only, but I`m not sure, it was almost 40 years ago...
DWF Supporters
March 28, 2023
If it's a field pac why does it say HP on the label? I think the field pistol pac's barrel was also marked as a field pistol. Those were all Monson were they not? I will let the experts weigh in. I think it's a Hunter pac they also had one barrel. I have a magazine with a spread about Hunter pac's and it shows them with one barrel also. I have another question for you all. I was looking at my 32 magnum next to the 32-20 they look almost the same. Could you put a 32-20 cylinder into a 32 magnum and shoot it? The cylinders look the same size but not sure if the cylinder would line up correctly?
Stan, you seem to have a mental block about 32 mag and 32-20. They are the same caliber, the same barrel diameter. The cylinder is the same size as are 357 too. What is different is the reaming of the chambers in the cylinder. 32-20 is a longer cartridge. A 32 mag will fit in a 32-20 cylinder but a 32-20 cartridge won't fit in a 32 mag chamber. If a chamber is reamed to fit 327 Federal it will chamber 32 mag and 32-20.
And YES, it is a Hunter Pack. The IFP has two slotted VH rouds and IFP is in the serial number. If it was just a 32-20 it would have come in the Styrofoam box. Definately a Palmer since the grip has the gold plastic medallions and the roll mark is one line on both shrouds.
DWF Supporters
March 28, 2023
Yea but my question is if I took my 32-20 cylinder out of the original gun and put it in my other gun a 32 magnum would it work and shoot a 32-20? Otherwise if I swapped out the cylinders on both guns would that work. Another way to put it if I had a spare 32-20 cylinder which is made for a 32-20 and I had a 32 magnum and I took out the 32 magnum cylinder and put in the 32-20 cylinder would everything line up and could I then shoot the 32-20?
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Dans Club
December 4, 2011
DWF Supporters
March 28, 2023
I have no plans on doing it. Was just wondering if they could have sold one gun with two different cylinders on 32 magnum one 32-20 and you could swap out the cylinder and shoot two different ammo's out of one gun. high Standard did this with a .22 LR and a 22 magnum many years ago. You got a extra cylinder you would swap out to shoot two types of ammo.
Stan, what Scorpio said!!! I have been trying to say that, now we both are. You CAN put your 32-20 cylinder in your 32 mag and it will chamber both 32-20 and 32 mag. Or you can chamber 32 mag in your 32-20 I believe, without swapping cylinders. Scorpio is right about also swapping the extractor star to insure correct timing but I have found that since MIM parts are all alike the hands are basically fitted identically.
Dans Club
DWF Supporters
April 20, 2010
I am not completely sure I understand all the questions and answers in this post, but I do want to point out a few things about the calibers in question. the first pic shows from left to right, .32 S&W Long, .32 Magnum, .327 Federal Magnum, and .32-20. The first three share basic case dimensions, the magnums being lengthened versions so therefore a .327 gun will chamber all three. the .32-20 shares bullet diameter, however the case has a modest neck and a larger case head and therefore none of the other three are to be used in a .32-20 chamber. .32 mag and .327 Fed Mag will not physically fit in a .32-20 chamber. And a .32-20 bullet will not come close to fitting in a .327 chamber. All 4 use the same diameter bullet, I have revolvers in each of these calibers and handload for all 4 of them. I will add to the OP that you have lucked into a fantastic package, very nice. .32-20 is an interesting and versatile caliber if hand loaded. any factory ammo is expensive, low powered and dirty shooting.
"The lion and the tiger may be more powerful, but the Wolf does not perform in the circus"
DWF Supporters
March 28, 2023
The question was always are 32-20 and 32 magnum frames the same? Could you swap out the cylinders and shoot a 32-20 in your 32 magnum if you had say a extra 32-20 cylinder? Everything i'm reading is yes. Dan Wesson could have sold a convertible (like the High Standard Convertible it had the same problem as you could not chamber a 22 magnum shell in the 22LR cylinder so they had to sell them with the extra cylinder you could swap out) 32 and you could shoot both cartridges by swapping out the cylinders as long as the 32-20 cylinder had the 32-20 ejector in the cylinder. Thanks for showing the different ammo. It looks like the 32-20 was the largest of them all so better for hunting? I know the 32-20 has a weird smaller neck and larger case it almost looks like a rifle bullet. I understand what you're saying the 32-20 has a different cylinder so the 32-20 ammo will fit into the cylinder. Another question, if you just have a Dan Wesson 32 magnum can you shoot the 32 S&W and the 327 Federal magnum out of the 32 magnum gun?
Dans Club
DWF Supporters
April 20, 2010
.32-20 was originally a rifle cartridge, mostly in lever rifles. Later chambered in revolvers. It was sort of revived in the 1980s-90s for IFP handguns. In Thompson Contenders or robust revolver designs such as the Dan Wesson it can be hand loaded hotter than the old specs.
The external dimensions of .32 mag cylinders and 32-20 cylinders are the same so you could swap them. As Scorpio said proper timing could be an issue. Freedom Arms makes a single action revolver chambered in 327 Fed Mag, and you can purchase from them an extra 32-20 cylinder for it.
"The lion and the tiger may be more powerful, but the Wolf does not perform in the circus"
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