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Owning an MP 314-640 mold which gives me 115-123 gr bullets and I would like to buy a mold in the 90-100 gr range. Which mold is your favorite for use in a 32 S&W Long? My revolver is a S&W 31-1 4". My other 32 is the H&R Magnum in a 6.5" Ruger Single Six which really likes the aforementioned MP mold.
Thanks,
Alan
I have used this ... very accurate: LEE PRECISION Tl314-90-Swc Double Cavity Mold
Same except mine is a 6 holer. The TL314-90-SWC is my most used bullet in my S&W M31 and also in my Ruger 6 1/2" Single Six.Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeJames
I have a couple of the Lyman and RCBS 77gr RN molds and I made a set of swaging dies for my Herters 9 ton press.
I like me lighter bullets that tame the recoil.
RCBS 98 wadcutter, the 313492 and the RCBS 98 SWC.
Shot through a Police Positive and a Regulation Police. Have to conclude that at least some bad guys were shot by 32 Long armed cops.
Lee 9- gr swc, RCBS 84 gr wc, RCBS 98 SWC and 313492 Lyman all do well. In that range it is hard to find a bullet that doesn't shoot well in the 32 Long.
For me it's whatever mould I have a lot of product from when I want to do some loading. This is not meant to be a snarky answer, I have so many good bullet designs, all of which give good results, I don't have a single favorite. The criteria for the bullet that has the best performance in my herd of 32 S&W Longs are weights in the 90 to 105 grain weight range, a good fit to your gun's chamber throats and bores, and a fairly mild charge of a fast burning powder. At least that's what mine all like. I lean toward SWCs but also can get along with RNFPs and even the a few wadcutters. I've never reloaded RNs, but the factory loads in this configuration that I've shot seemed to do OK. I've got original 125+ year old moulds in RN, but I just cast a few of them once for a demonstration, loading 32 S&W ("short") with old hand tools. Sorry this went off on such a ramble, but I'm watching a rerun of NCIS Hawai'i and am getting distracted. Cliff's Notes version: any well fit bullet within about 5 grains +/- of 100, and it's pretty hard to go wrong. The 32 S&W Long is a very forgiving round to load for.
Froggie
I have a five cavity of copy of the RCBS 32-98 SWC that is superb, as well as a MP-314-640 100 grain HP. Either work very well for me.
Now that I’ve reread this thread without distractions, I didn’t say anything wrong in my previous answer but didn’t really give you the information you really want. In order to do that, first I need some more information. Are you casting a variety of other bullets or just the one MP mould you mention? I can’t believe this is your only mould, starting off with the Rolls Royce of moulds, but stranger things have happened. If you cast with other moulds, what brand(s) and styles do you like? Also is that MP aluminum or brass?
As I stated previously, it’s hard to find a mould in the range you mention that will not give you a good bullet for the job, so maybe you should concentrate on getting the mould you want. For instance, I notice Mihec shows a 314640 X 100 gr variant in brass, in short a lighter version of the same design you have and like.
Lyman used to make a mould, the 313631, that was designed specifically for the 32 H&R. It runs about 105 gr or so. That might not be different enough from what you have but that was one beagle had customized (no GC and one cavity HP) and I love to shoot bullets from the stash I got from him. If memory serves, someone is currently making one (NOE? Accurate?) and I’d probably chase down one of those if I were in the market. If you want to go lighter, the Lee tumble lube SWC might be worth a look for you, if you want to deal with that style of lube or perhaps powder coating. The Lee, if you’re not already familiar with them may prove to be disappointing after the MP (think Volkswagen vs Rolls Royce). I haven’t looked at the custom makers for it lately but I think one may offer their version of the same bullet.
Again, I’m sorry I was typing and only half thinking about it last night. Please don’t be offended. The truth in what I said last night still stands. In the weight range you mention, it’s hard to find one that’s not a winner. Look at the pictures and find one with features you like. It will be hard to find one that isn’t a good one.
Best regards,
Froggie
My current favorite mold for both the .32 S&W L and the .32 H&R Magnum is the RCBS 32 98 SWC, mainly because the two I have are so easy to use. There is no messing around with having to tap the handle hinge to get the new boolits out of the mold.
I have an old single cavity Ideal 313445 that is an absolute PITA to cast with, but it shoots decent groups from one of my little S&W I frames, so it hangs around until I get desperate enough to heat it up again.
I'd like to get a WC, but I can't really see the sights clearly enough anymore to justify one.
Robert
Green Frog- The MP 314-640 is not my first or only mold. I have a couple MP molds, a few Lyman, RCBS, and one Lee. Both my MP molds are brass and they truly are a fine piece of gear.
I have 11 different molds in the .313" - ,316" diameter range that give me boolits weighing from 85 grains up to 107 grains. Have tested all of them for group size over and again and still get the same results every time in 32 S&W Long and 32 H&R Mag. The clear winner for tightest group size begins with a Saeco #325 (98 gr.) followed closely by the RCBS "313-95-SWC" and/or by a Lyman tong tool that is branded 32 NP (Colt's New Police) that I bought just to have a mold in the original New Police configuration. As for the revolvers, I have 8 or 9 that I have used for this testing, always getting the same happy results. Maybe its luck, or Karma, or whatever, these 3 molds are the very last I would allow to leave my home.
Hi AlanF.
I’m glad my disjointed answers didn’t put you off completely. Now that I know what kind of casting history you have I’ll try to give some reasonably useful answers. If you like the MP mould you have, he makes virtually the same mould but shortened up to make a 100 gr HP and a 105 gr solid. If you’re going lighter for purely target loads, there are several wadcutter and semi wadcutter designs in that 95 to 105 gr sweet spot. I’ve been experimenting with the Lee tumble lubed WC and SWC in that general size range but I really prefer “real” lube, so they will probably fall by the wayside unless they start to respond better to a lube pump. I guess my next choice might be that discontinued Lyman SWC #313495. It’s sort of part way between a true wadcutter and a semi wadcutter. If didn’t already have one I’d probably go to one of the custom makers like MP, Accurate, or NOE who makes a faithful copy of it. If I were going to shoot bullseye only with my hypothetical new bullet, I’d probably get a 90-95 gr double ended wadcutter with grease grooves from top to bottom, or just give in and use the tumble lubed version.
As you can tell from my responses, I “flirt” with a variety of bullets and like a puppy in a yard full of squirrels I can’t seem to decide which one I want next. Fortunately, as a couple of us have said, it’s hard to go wrong with about any of these bullets… that’s what makes it so hard for me to choose just one.
Regards,
Froggie
PS. If you settle on a single bullet in this size range tha you really like, please share. I need to start settling on a smaller number of bullets to simplify my own loading!
I like the RCBS 32-098. They shoot well in all my .32 guns.
I also have a brass single cavity no name mold that drops a 115ish grain bullet that does great as well.
The RCBS 98's are tough ta vote against! They are probably most used. But the type three Lyman 313492 85g wad cutter is a favorite as well.