Rifleman Q&A: .32 Long Rimfire Shot?

by
posted on October 17, 2021
.32 Long Rimfire Shot

Q: I have three boxes of Winchester .32 Long rimfire shot cartridges, and I would like to know more about them and the firearm(s) they were to be used in.


A: The .32 Long RF pistol cartridge was introduced in 1861 with the Smith & Wesson No. 2. revolver. Small rifles from Stevens, Marlin, Ballard, Maynard, Remington and Winchester then followed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. With only limited dimensional information available, I believe these rifles could fire the shot cartridges, however, I doubt that the results would be too rewarding when used in a rifled barrel.

Stevens produced a smooth-bore version based on its diminutive Favorite model, specifically the No. 20, chambered for the .32 Long RF shot cartridge. From what I can determine, this was the only firearm specifically designed to fire the shot load in question, and .32 Long RF shot cartridges were only produced by Remington UMC and Winchester Repeating Arms, so I do not expect them to be very common.

—John Treakle, Contributing Editor

Latest

TRW163 Lexington Common,
TRW163 Lexington Common,

The Men & Guns Of Lexington Green

On April 19, 1775, 250 years ago, approximately 80 armed militiamen from Lexington gathered on their village green to confront 600 British infantrymen. The events of that morning began a conflict that would ultimately establish the United States of America.

"Battle Road" & The British Retreat To Boston: 250 Years Later

After the fights at Lexington and Concord's North Bridge, the British column had to return to Boston. On its way, the regulars were set upon by hundreds, then thousands, of armed militiamen hell bent on revenge.

Preview: Hawke Airmax 2-7X 32 mm AO

Shooters looking to add optics to their air rifles should choose airgun-specific scopes such as those in Hawke’s Airmax line—which offers four models.

The Shot Heard Round The World: The Arms & Events Of April 19, 1775

April 2025 marks 250 years since the momentous events at Lexington and Concord—the opening salvos of the American Revolution. Today, exhaustive research of primary accounts and surviving firearms and artifacts give us a clearer picture of what really happened.

Gun Of The Week: Browning Citori 825 Field

Learn about Browning's latest version of the famed Citori shotgun, the Citori 825 Field, in this week’s range video.

The Armed Citizen® April 18, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.