32 cal maxi?

[rewepython]

Hello, MY name is Chris, and I am on the quest to find a 32 caliber maxi ball mold. Along the way I have heard that some lads are using light weight cartridge rifle bullets, cast out of pure lead of course. If this is so, and if it is safe, I was wondering if anyone could give me any mold numbers to look at or try? I really want to shoot conicals from my Cherokee, and am willing to try anything sensible. Thanks in advance! Chris

[sharps4590]

If you can find one of large enough diameter I would imagine any of the molds for the 32-20, 32 S & W and the like would be fine. A bevel base would be best for starting the bullet in the bore. As to being safe, of course it is.

You could check with Accurate Molds. Tom will make any of the bullets he catalogues to your specs. That way you could get a bullet with tapered driving bands and it would load easily.

[Nobade]

Accurate makes one, as does NEI.

The thing with using rifle boolits in a Cherokee is the boolits are usually about .312" and the bore of the Cherokee is .320" or so. Just for grins I tried paper patching the Lee 90gr. SWC for mine, and it did show good promise. I didn't use any wads under the boolit and I think that's why I got fliers, but it would put three or four into one hole at 50 yds and then throw one a couple of feet away. So i think with a felt wad or whatever it takes to protect the boolit base you could likely make it work. But like Sharps 4590 says, get Tom at Accurate to make you a 100gr. or so grease groove boolit the right size and it likely would work quite well.

I have gone back to using "0" Hornady buckshot in my rifle with a cloth patch. It is actually faster to shoot since I don't have to wipe between shots like I do with boolits and it is extremely accurate, just blows around a little more in the wind. And best of all I don't have to make them. A 5 lb. box lasts a long time!

[wilded]

Hornady has discontinued #0 buckshot so if you find some buy it. If you find more than you need let me know. Thanks, ET

[2571]

Hornady has discontinued #0 buckshot so if you find some buy it. If you find more than you need let me know. Thanks, ET

+1

I CANNOT find #0 buckshot & have been trying 2 years.

[wilded]

I found this and it comes in many sizes but is very hard. ET

http://www.ballisticproducts.com/Super-Buck-Lead-Buckshot-0-8lb-320/productinfo/SBK10/

[Nobade]

Hornady has discontinued #0 buckshot so if you find some buy it. If you find more than you need let me know. Thanks, ET


Bummer, man. Guess I'd better keep an eye open for another box! I wonder how good those buckshot moulds are that the guy on Ebay makes.

[shdwlkr]

In the Cherokee I have found that either the .310 or .315 round ball work best. I have shot the 32 maxi ball and it works but I have moved over to using a round ball made out of ww because I can and it never touches anything any ways because of the use of patching.
Now if you want to use 32-20 bullets you will want at least a .314/.315 diameter mold and yes it is a little small but you can put a light patch around it and load it. or you can have a custom .320 mold made for you by several folks some of which are here.

I have found I like the round ball best as I can make my own or buy them. I have been thinking about the Lee buckshot molds just lack funds to jump in yet. From what I have seen on you tube they would seem to work.

One thing nice about lead and the firearms that use them there is always options and so much fun learning what works.

Take my .36 caliber Seneca it likes some of my .38 caliber center fire molds and some it doesn't. Nope don't remember as I am still looking for stuff after a divorce which is approaching 2 years may not ever find what I am looking for as the ex may have found it before me and trashed it. I am in a city so no way to just step out the back door and let one fly.

Let us know what you find out an learn.

Ps didn't know Hornady dropped the #0 size buckshot will have to keep my eyes open for it on shelves and load in my cart.

[HARRYMPOPE]

tom at accurate has a 32 maxi made from an original TC i sent him.

George

[HARRYMPOPE]

Bummer, man. Guess I'd better keep an eye open for another box! I wonder how good those buckshot moulds are that the guy on Ebay makes.

I have one in .310 and its OK.just dont grip the handles too much or it flexes and bullets vary in size.

George

[Boerrancher]

I know it is not a conical but I use the Lee .315 and haven't looked back. I bought 2 boxes of Hornady .310 round balls and they were horrible. Every one of them was out of round had several flat spots on them. I still have a box and a half or more left. The best they will shoot is about 3 inches at 30 yards, where as the Lee's are perfectly round except for the sprue, and it is front and center, and accuracy wise they cut bullet holes at 30 yards.

Best wishes,

Joe

[HARRYMPOPE]

All of my Hornady swaged balls are about perfect.You must have gotten a bad batch.But for some reason my cast balls in 50 and 54 often out shoot them?

George

[shdwlkr]

Joe
Melt those hornady misfits down and make lee bullets out them and then you can use them.

[Boerrancher]

Joe
Melt those hornady misfits down and make lee bullets out them and then you can use them.

I thought about that, and then decided that they would be the perfect tool to use when completing someones conversion to the dark side. All I have to do is show them the balls from the Lee mold, and then show them the unopened plastic bag in the Hornady box, and if that still doesn't convince then to cast their own, I let them shoot both. I don't know if this method will work for everyone but it did for my buddy Dave. Dave has been shooting MLs for 40 years and had always bought his RBs, until he saw the difference in looks and shooting. Now he has his own lead pot and RB molds. The way I see it, Hornady's poor quality control is the casting community's gain.

Best wishes,

Joe

[shdwlkr]

Joe
I am a tight wad so I would keep some of them and melt the rest don't need to have a whole box to show the poor quality control and I have never yet knock on wood got bad ones when I had to buy them but there is always the chance.
Me being a tight wad would have got in touch with Hornady and asked them if they needed a new mold or if all they could cast was junk.

[Boerrancher]

Joe
I am a tight wad so I would keep some of them and melt the rest don't need to have a whole box to show the poor quality control and I have never yet knock on wood got bad ones when I had to buy them but there is always the chance.
Me being a tight wad would have got in touch with Hornady and asked them if they needed a new mold or if all they could cast was junk.

I under stand your position and I am a tight wad myself, but since I am sitting on a couple tons of lead and continue to increase my free supply I don't have the need to melt them down yet. Maybe that day will come, but they are also good to let others shoot out of my gun when there is a friendly competition taking place. What they don't know won't hurt me[smilie=l:

best wishes,

Joe

[AR-15 Cowboy]

You can always use the bad round balls as media for your ball mill.

[357maximum]

You can always use the bad round balls as media for your ball mill.

Them balls are not big enough for my ballmill ymmv of course but I use .62 or .69 balls in my mill.

[AR-15 Cowboy]

I have a small ball mill from Harbour Freight and fifty of my .490 rb are just right for my mill.