There are two sites with detailed instructions for converting a low wall 32 rimfire to 32-20--Larry Potterfield, owner of Midway, and Roy Bertalotto at RVB Precision. Neither makes any mention of a problem which I am having doing this conversion.
Per the instructions on these websites I have reamed the chamber and extracter, modified the breach block and installed a centerfire firing pin. As predicted by these gunsmiths the centerfire pin strikes the primer too low--about .040-.050 by my measurements. Non the less, I chambered some primed Starline cases and it fired about a half dozen. The tip of the pin strikes the very bottom of the primer but does not mark the case.
My rifle is a 32 long rimfire, so marked on the bbl. It has "32" stamped on the breachlock. The spacing on the holes in the link is .428". I carefully measured several times with dial calipers and made a new link with .478 hole spacing. I installed this link and reassembled the rifle with new link. The action will not close. The link pushes the breachblock (and firing pin) up in the mortices in the receiver at a slight angle to the face of the block so at a certain point the block cannot go any higher because the face of the breachblock presses against the rear of the bbl. In my case the block cannot go any higher than it is positioned by the original link.
Am I doing something wrong or forgetting something? Did both these gunsmiths leave out somthing important in there instructions? Any thoughts or suggestions greatly appreciated.
Steve K