32 Cal lever action mould help...gearing up for 2016

[vandeusenps]

Hello all, I am wanting a light cast bullet load for my Winchester 1892 lever in 32-20. Trying to get near or slightly above 22lr performance. My rifle shoots 115 grain cast bullets really well, but I was wondering if any of you have had experience with Lyman's 313249 mould out of a rifle? I understand this is more of a pistol bullet, but was thinking it would make a nice light load.

Trying to find an accurate load so I have something to shoot during next years election and probable reloading component storage. Bought myself a pound of trail boss to try for low velocity. Any thoughts/comments would be appreciated!

[Czech_too]

I'm just starting to work up a load for a 1889 Marlin in 32-20. To date, the only mould I've used is the RCBS 32 98 SWC and Unique. 4-5 grains isn't making it, accuracy wise, so I'm going to work my way up from there. I do have one other mould on hand which may work, the NOE 315 115 SWC, but I haven't made up a dummy round yet so see if it'll feed.

[vandeusenps]

Czech,

I'm having outstanding accuracy with the Lyman 115gr 313008 and 8 grains of 2400, although check to see if your gun can handle the pressure!

[Green Frog]

I've only used the 32-20 as a rifle cartridge in an old Winchester low wall, and used a 115 grain Ideal 3118. If I wanted to go lighter though, I'd probably look at the new NOE copy of a SWC that was just set up as a group buy or a similar one from Mihec. They both run around 100-105 grains and will have enough nose to probably feed well in your lever gun. Good luck with it!

Froggie

PS I would be concerned about whether that stubby nose on the 313492 would feed well(..)

[vandeusenps]

Froggie,

Good point about the feeding, I was thinking about that! Sounds like Maybe I should stick with the regular length 115gr. bullets. Was hoping to find a load where I didn't have to wear ear protection, but we shall see!

[ndnchf]

I've found the ideal 3118, Lyman 311008 and an original 32 WCF mold bullet all shoot equally well in my M1889 Marlin. It's easy enough to load them at the low end for an accurate and economical plinking load. The same goes for my #2 Remington rolling block.

[quack1]

I shoot the Lee 89gr round nose in my model 53. 7.5gr of 2400 with a small pistol primer gives me a little over 1200fps and no problem with feeding. Accuracy about 1 1/2" to 2" at 75 yards with a peep sight.
I also shoot the Lyman 3118 at a little over 1400fps with better accuracy. Also with small pistol primers.
Don't know about not wearing ear protection with either, though. I wear muffs even when shooting 22's. After almost 60 years of shooting, I wish I would have worn them more often.

[vandeusenps]

Quack,

thanks for the info...those loads would definitely need hearing protection...seems like a lot of these 32-20's like around 8 grains of 2400.

I've always been careful about wearing hearing protection, then one day I woke up and lost all hearing on my right side from an inner ear virus. Only have one good ear left. You should see me deer hunting...I've lost the ability to detect sound direction, so about 50% of the time I slowly look in the direction the deer is NOT coming in from!

[Green Frog]

I've found the ideal 3118, Lyman 311008 and an original 32 WCF mold bullet all shoot equally well in my M1889 Marlin. It's easy enough to load them at the low end for an accurate and economical plinking load. The same goes for my #2 Remington rolling block.

The 311008 is simply the modern re-numbering of the old 3118 design. The 3118 is virtually a copy of the original lead bullet Winchester designed for the round and sold as a mould in the early days. Within evolution due to reworking of cherries over the last century and a quarter they should be virtually identical. You can just about guarantee that this bullet will work in any 32-20 firearm because it duplicates the original design for which they were chambered. I'm thinking you could down load the charge on that bullet and do whatever you want, but of course you would lose your excuse to buy another mould! :roll:

Froggie

[vandeusenps]

The 311008 is simply the modern re-numbering of the old 3118 design. The 3118 is virtually a copy of the original lead bullet Winchester designed for the round and sold as a mould in the early days. Within evolution due to reworking of cherries over the last century and a quarter they should be virtually identical. You can just about guarantee that this bullet will work in any 32-20 firearm because it duplicates the original design for which they were chambered. I'm thinking you could down load the charge on that bullet and do whatever you want, but of course you would lose your excuse to buy another mould! :roll:

Froggie

Wonder if any of those original winchester moulds are still around? Would be cool to use one! I might just buy a box of cast 76 grain bullets from midway to check feeding before I drop yet another 80 bucks on another mould!

[Green Frog]

Wonder if any of those original winchester moulds are still around? Would be cool to use one! I might just buy a box of cast 76 grain bullets from midway to check feeding before I drop yet another 80 bucks on another mould!

They show up on flea-Bay regularly. I bought one about a year ago to go with my Winchester-marked tong tool. It may say 32 WCF instead of 32-20, so look for both. Some people have highly inflated opinions of what anything marked by Winchester should bring, but if you watch for a while you should find one at about the same price as a similar Ideal mould. I paid about $65-75 for mine, IIRC.

Froggie

[ndnchf]

The 3118 and 311008 molds I have are indeed just about identical. But the older 3118 has slightly larger lube grooves. The original Winchester 32 WCF mold I have is very similar, but the bullets are slightly different. But all three shoot equally well in my rifles.

[vandeusenps]

Just jumped on eBay and found a few for sale...I might bid on some of them, depending on what they're listed starting price is...anyone know what year Winchester stopped making moulds?

[ndnchf]

I'm not sure when they stopped making them, probably over 100 years ago. Mine is an early model without wooden handles. It casts easily and makes a great bullet. I paid around $50 off fleabay.

[vandeusenps]

I'm not sure when they stopped making them, probably over 100 years ago. Mine is an early model without wooden handles. It casts easily and makes a great bullet. I paid around $50 off fleabay.

Good buy! It's amazing those are still producing good bullets, being that old!

[w30wcf]

http://cowboybullets.com/32-cal-90-grain_p_8.html looks to be a nice lighter .32-20 bullet.
I have tried them in the .30-30 at 1100 f.p.s. and they shot into 1" @ 50 yards.:smile:

w30wcf

[stubbicatt]

The 32-20 mould offered by Saeco casts some beautiful bullets. Using 3.5 grains of 231 it shoots pretty nicely too. It is a pop gun load but it shoots good. Perhaps this will work for you. The muzzle report sounds more like an apology than a gunshot. :)

[cuzinbruce]

As Green Frog said, the Winchester mold is pretty much the same as Lyman's 3118. The main difference with the one I had was that it was a bevel base. Probably to make reloading easier for people using tong tools.

[vandeusenps]

The 32-20 mould offered by Saeco casts some beautiful bullets. Using 3.5 grains of 231 it shoots pretty nicely too. It is a pop gun load but it shoots good. Perhaps this will work for you. The muzzle report sounds more like an apology than a gunshot. :)

Thanks for the info...I haven't seen any 231 around in a while, but at 3.5 gr per round, a pound of it would sure last a while!

[Cherokee]

I have two 1889 Marlin 32/20's. Neither like the short stubby nose bullets for reliable feeding although they are accurate. The Lyman 3118 and a commercial 115 gr FN I bought from Penn Bullets give 100% feeding and good accuracy. My powder is AA-9 for 1250 fps but I have used WST and 231 for light loads. SWC style does not feed reliably in my two rifles but are fine in pistols. Always wear hearing protection, take it from someone that didn't when young and can't hear much now.

[ndnchf]

Here is examples. Bullet on the left is from my original Winchester 32 WCF mold, on the right is one from a Lyman 311008. They are clearly similar, but not identical.

[vandeusenps]

Great pics! Thanks for posting those! Looks like the original Winchester is a bit shorter, but less taper to the nose.

[quack1]

If I just saw ndnchf's picture, without knowing anything else about which bullet came from which mold, I'd choose the one on the right (311008) for no other reason than the wider base band. With the assumption they are both the right diameter for the gun to be used.
In my experience, a wide base band on a non gas checked bullet will be able to be pushed a little faster and with more accuracy than a bullet with a narrower base band.

[leadman]

I use the Lee 93gr RN in my 30 cal. guns for very light loads. Works excellent in my Contender carbine in 300 Whisper. With the round nose it should function thru a lever gun also. Has 2 lube drooves so one could be used to crimp in.