Sometimes it is the simplest things...

[Bullshop Junior]

For the last several months, I have been playing with a older Marlin 336 in 32 special with a 24" microgroove barrel. I have been very frustrated with it, as I just could not get it to shoot up to what I expect from a Marlin. With Paper patch, it did pretty good, but not with standard lead bullets. I thought i had tried it all. Light loads. Fast loads. Different bullets, powders, primers. Even tried mounting a 10 power target scope on it. Still disappointing. Recently I discovered among all my treasure a ranchdog 32 mold I had forgotten I had. So I cast a few hundred up the other day. Went to size/lube/check them tonight. Unlike all the other bullets I have tried, the ranchdog does not have a front driving band shoulder. So when I ran them in my .323" sizer die when they came out, I was really able to notice the shaving. Dug out my caliper. Found a battery from a watch of Amandas that fit it, and.....yep. Fascinating. My .323" lyman sizer die was sizing my bullets to .320".

Just goes to show. Tools lie. Beware.

Now i gotta find all the stuff to try and hone it out.

[btroj]

Trust, but verify

[1989toddm]

Good reminder to check and double check all things casting/reloading. On second thought double check all things, will save your butt many times!

[Bullshop Junior]

Well, appently this was not my issue. I carefully honed the die to a nice even round .323" loaded up a handful of the 170gn ranchdog over 18.5gn of 2400 and they hit sideways at 20 yards

[1911cherry]

I have a Mosin that patterns like a shotgun instead of grouping like a rifle, I feel your pain, sideways bullets suck.

[Nueces]

Cleaning rod damage at the muzzle?

[Bullshop Junior]

Cleaning rod damage at the muzzle?

Thats what gets me. It has a brand new barrel, and slugs at a nice even .321" all the way down. No tight or loose spots.

[runfiverun]

it's a marlin you got throat and rifling issues to deal with.
things don't always go like you'd expect with them.
I had to go to 379 in my 375 win and harden up the alloy some [water drop] to make it work.