320 SHORT CF
| Calibre | 320 |
| In the cabinet | IMPERIAL HANDGUN .30" up .349 · 95 images |
Research notes
For a cartridge that has been in existence probably since around 1867 there is a lot of contradictory information on the internet, starting with the exact date of introduction, but it was in all probability a British design. The 320 Short Centerfire resembles the earlier 32 Short Rimfire cartridge that was introduced in the Smith & Wesson 1½ revolver in 1865. Colt introduced this cartridge in the US in 1875 as the 32 Short Colt, and although it would be safe to fire the old European 320 Short CF in the 32 Short Colt, the opposite might probably not be safe as the 32 SC is seen as a more powerful loading of the cartridge. There is also a wide margin in manufacturing tolerances with cases differing by 2mm or more. The 320 Short CF was, although an underpowered and inaccurate revolver still very popular as can be seen by the number of different manufacturers offering loadings for it, both center fire and internally primed. With Smith & Wesson acquiring the Rollin-White patent in 1855, it gave them exclusive rights to the fully drilled cylinder for revolvers, but that did not stop European and British revolvers being imported into the US and they then used the British Tranter revolvers to modify the old 32 Long Rimfire into a more powerful centerfire version, the 32 Long Centerfire. The 320 Short CF was produced in Europe until the early 1950’s. (Erlmeier, Brandt Ref. 338).
