Win 94 in 32 Special / Ranch Dog 323-180RF

[Doc65]

Well it looks like I'm going to be picking up an older Win 94 in 32 Special, anyone shoot the Ranchdog 323-180RF in this, how does it work out? Any other pet load/boolits I should look for a mold for? Finally anyone go an extra mold for one of the above boolits that they want to part with? I'm not sure if NOE ever made a clone of that one the way they did with the 311-165, but that would be good too.

Thanks for your input
Doc

[C1PNR]

I'm not familiar with the Ranch Dog 323-180RF but I have been shooting the RCBS 32-170 in my 94 for some years now. It works well ahead of IMR 3031. I think that style is still readily available from them.

[TXGunNut]

I have a RDO mould marked 323-170 but suspect it's the same one he has renamed TLC323-180-RF as it drops a boolit that weighs in @ 182grs properly dressed. Still working on a hunting load with RX7 and a plinking load with Universal. Lee is offering some RDO moulds on a special order basis, not sure if the 32 is one of them. I'd be happy to send you a few but it could be a few months before I limber that mould up again.

[jtaylor1960]

I shoot the Ranch Dog bullet in my Marlins and in a Model 64 Winchester.In most it shoots as good or better than jacketed factory loads.I have also shot the RCBS bullet in my rifles.While it shoots well it isnt quite as accurate as the RD bullet.I trim my brass so when chanbering the round the bullet engages the rifiling.This bullet works with full power loads.I size mine at .323

[Doc65]

I have a RDO mould marked 323-170 but suspect it's the same one he has renamed TLC323-180-RF as it drops a boolit that weighs in @ 182grs properly dressed. Still working on a hunting load with RX7 and a plinking load with Universal. Lee is offering some RDO moulds on a special order basis, not sure if the 32 is one of them. I'd be happy to send you a few but it could be a few months before I limber that mould up again.

What's left of his website mentions that it has been renamed to more accurately describe the boolit. We'll see how it shoots in the near term future, if good enough It'll stay a 32, otherwise I'll send it off to Jes for rebore to 35/30-30 which is what I originally had in mind when I started keeping an eye out for another decently price old 94

[TXGunNut]

I've considered a similar project starting with a Marlin or Rossi except was planning on a 38-55. The 35-30 chambering makes more sense. The 32WS has few advantages over the 30-30 but this rifle isn't a serious hunting rifle project for me, just a nice old rifle with an interesting chambering.

[GARCIA]

Got a 94 Win in 32 spl that I shoot with a accurate mold copy of the RCBS 32-170.
25.0gr of RX7, CCI LRP and whatever headstamp case i pull out of the box.
More than minute of whitetail for hunting close cover.
I should get some new factory brass and really see how the ol girl shoots.
She was born in 1941.

Tom

[Doc65]

I just kind like the idea for a truck gun that can ride around with me, don't really even need another one for that, but it seems like a lot of fun, the 35-30 that is. For serious hunting around there, TX, & some of here, yeah I'd want something that will reach out a bit further, my personal faves are dad's old Husky .270 or my built Rem 700 .308 either will do the job within any range I should be shooting deer or antelope around here, & in years past both have taken Elk with a single round each, so wouldn't hesitate there either.

[OverMax]

Never got into aluminum molds. Still old school here and cast my 32 boolit's with a Lyman 311297 now discontinued. Occasionally there seen on EBay. 180 gr Flat Point works good in all my 32s. 16.0-grs.-Alliant 2400 and Federal brass drops them boolit's nicely into a 5 dia Rd bulls/eye at 100 yrds. Whatever mold you decide on. My & jtaylor1960 advice is to re-squeeze those cast 32s into .323 dia. for best accuracy out of that 94 of yours. Great little rifles those 94-32 Specials are.

P.S. Curious. If barrel is bored to 35-30. Where does one find a new set of dies to match it?

O/M

[Doc65]

RCBS makes the dies for 35-30 or 35/30-30, whichever you call it. Don't think I will be doing that though, I thought I might be buying that 32 based on a phone call Friday, it went totally sideways(I wrote it all up in another post), I did get the gun, but under a whole other set of circumstances, and the barrel is nice, inside & out, though the receiver is missing about 99% of the finish(it is a 1964 vintage) hence my initial thought that it might need to be re-bored.

[358 Win]

Here's how the Ranch Dog 323-170 bullet shoots in my scoped Marlin 336SC. It weighs 182gr lubed and gas checked. This was shot with my target load using Alliant 2400 at 1744fps. The boolit is sized in my .323 sizer. It's a five shot group @ 50 yards. I also use that boolit in my two Model 94 Winchesters
in .32 Win Special.


Here's a group fired from the the same Marlin 336SC in .32 Win Special using the RCBS 08-170 boolit. This one also weighs 182gr lubed and gas checked. This load uses LEVEREVOLUTION powder and chronographs 2300fps. Group is also fired at 50 yards. This bullet must be sized @ .3225 or it just won't shoot worth a hoot.

358 Win