doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com .32 Rimfire Ammo for H&A Junior 932?

28 years ago my 91 year old great uncle handed down his two guns to me... one a Meriden hammer 12 side-by-side with twist barrels, and the other a Hopkins & Allen Junior 932 .32RF.

I had the great pleasure of killing a wild pheasant with the Meriden a month or so ago after recently learning about the low pressure shot shells from RST. Now I'd like to find a few rounds of ammunition for the rifle and shoot it to honor my great uncle.



Since the rifle is a falling block single-shot I guess it qualifies for discussion here...

I'd like to learn more about this "boys" gun... even if the Blue Book shows little value, it is valuable to me.

Does it take the .32 RF short or long cartridge?

When was it manufactured? (Serial # 199XX)

Any ideas on where/who may supply a box of ammo? I see Old Western Scrounger referred to, but they don't show any on their website.

Thanks in advance,
Bryan

Do you have access to the series of single shot rifle books by James Grant? I've loaned mine to a guy locally, so I can't check for you, but I'd expect one of the volumes to have information on your Hopkins & Allen.

Sven:
Some years ago Navy Arms was manufacturing this RF ammo in short and long, but they're somewhat hard to come by now. I have a #2 Ballard in .32 Long, and just found one box at our local gun show. That may be your best bet to finding some shells, browse the gun show circuit; best of luck, and Merry Christmas.
Craig Libhart

Sven,
Much of the Navy Arms ammo had problems with miss fires some lots were fine others not to good. You should be able to find some from CIL Canadian Industries Ltd. It was the last I remember was marked Canuck and was very good quality.
Cheers,
Laurie

No way to say for sure if your H&A is a .32 Long or Short, but I'd be betting on the LOng myself. If you find .32 RF Shorts they will work regardless. Try this link for ammo:
http://www.ows-ammo.com/catalog/

If it's marked 'Hopkins & Allen Manufacturing Co' is made before 1898. 'Hopkins & Allen Arms Co' is made after 1898 till they stopped making sporting arms in 1915. May also be marked Merwin & Hulbert on the first marking as they were the mfg of that companys goods.
In 1915 H&A started making Mauser rifles for Belgium and lost their shirt doing so. Went bankrupt and Marlin & US Gov't Ordnance Dept. took over the plant to help them produce BARs in 1917. In the early 20's Marlin bought the backrupt H&A Company,,everthing except the building. Marlin owned the H&A name till just after WW2 when they sold that trade name to George Numrich and he used it on his muzzle loaders.
I don't know of any serial number data base on H&A's. The shape of the lever (the downward arc) was the earlier style but that was used till about 1911 or 1912. So that's not much help!
The 932 series was chambered for 32RF short or long cartridge according to the catalog ads.
The companys 1902 catalog lists the 922 and 932 models as costing $5.50. I believe they also made a 938 in 38 center fire (38Colt). Upgraded models with checkered stocks MOdels 2932 (2922) were available. The top of the line was the 3932 and 3922 named the Junior Schuetzen Models. Octagon barrels, Lyman tang sites, Scheutzen butpates, semi scheutzen stocks, etc. The 3922 was in cal 22rf of course but also available in cal 25-20Single Shot caliber.
Nice little rifles. I have a 3922 and have had a couple of the 922's. Much stronger than the Favorite Stevens model and with the lever spring in front, never a loose dropping lever problem.
>
32RF ammo is available on a hit and miss basis. Old stocks of modern mfg Navy Arms brand shows up from time to time. It was made in Mexico IIRC. I see it a shows quite often. Pricey but it's not something you normally plink with anyway. SOG (Southern Ohio Gun) used to have it listed in their ammo section for sale but I don't see it in their latest flyer. I think it was about $30/box of 50 last time I saw it. Boxes of Canadian CIL (?) ammo also shows up at shows.

Thanks for the replies... I will keep looking for ammo but suspect that my best chance will be at a gunshow or one of the on-line auctions. Sounds like the CIL Canuck brand is the way to go, but since I will be shooting targets a few misfires can be carefully managed.

The chamber appears to be about 3/4" long... Craig, could you measure one of your longs? Then I will know if can look for both shorts and longs.

Terry, I don't have access to the Grant books. My recent edition of the Blue Book says they were built between 1887 and 1914. I may have a later one as it says those with Junior 932 were made after 1902.

The Blue Book refers to a Lyman tang sight... any ideas what that would look like? Here is what I have:



Thanks again!

Bryan

According to Cartridges of the World which is not always correct
this is all of the .32RF they list
32 extra short .398
32 short .575
32 long .791
32 long rifle .937
32 Extra long 1.150

The short will work in either chamber so get which every you can find.

Cheers,
Laurie

Great information Kutter. Thanks. It is appears to be a later gun as it is marked Hopkins & Allen Arms Co.



Reading the posts on the brown guns here motivated me to dig it out from the back corner of the safe and pull it apart... I cleaned out decades of crud. Was impressed at the quality including the roller on the lever and hammer. And it breaks down to a small packable size by removing the thumbscrew. Neat little gun.

Bryan

Thanks Laurie! I will be looking for shorts or longs.

Bryan