Bullet for .32 Win Special?

[THerbert]

I shot my first cowboy match in the Cody-Dixon class today, using my '94 in .32 Win Special. A problem cropped up that I hadn't run into before, while just shooting on the range -- I should have noticed it before, but I guess I wasn't paying sufficient attention... The load uses the Hunter's Supply 170 grain .322" LRNFP, and the rifle doesn't like that boolit -- it doesn't feed smoothly off the lifter into the chamber mouth, and takes a couple of jiggles of the lever to get it in. A definite problem when trying to shoot quickly. The OAL of the loaded ctg is 2.397", well below the max length listed in the Lyman CBH of 2.565". I think it may be that the meplat of this particular boolit is a bit wide, and it's catching on the mouth of the chamber. The only reason I'm using this boolit is because it was available when I bought the rifle, I haven't yet gotten around to buying a mold. The more rounded nose of factory ammo feeds smoothly.

Does anyone have a suggestion for a boolit it may like better?

Thanks very much,

THerbert

[TXGunNut]

What's the approximate vintage of your rifle? My newer 32 likes a NOE 323-170 (180) and my older rifle (with a tighter throat) likes the Accurate 322-170A IIRC.

[Hick]

Your post got me worried because I just loaded 50 rounds of those Hunter Supply 170 gr boolits for my 32 WS-- so I just put a couple in the magazine and chambered one. Mine slid in smoothly-- BUT, I'm using COL of 2.450 (I can't think of a good reason why mine being longer would help). Last time I was out at the range I had a similar problem-- but I discovered one of my cartridge guides was beginning to get a little loose.

[richhodg66]

My .32 Special likes the NOE bullet TXGunNut references for deer loadings.

I have a plain based bullet mold designed for the .32-40 (can't remember the mold number now), about 165 grains if I recall that shoots well and functions well with 9 grains of Unique. For your cowboy loads, that would be great, I'd think.

Lee makes a bullet designed for the 8mm Mauser that is a 175 grain RN, I haven't used it, but a fellow forum member here has used it with good success in the .32 Special. For the cost of a Lee mold, it would be well worth a try.

[THerbert]

What's the approximate vintage of your rifle?

My '94 is a carbine, SN143XXXX, and appears to have been one of the last ones made in 1942. They suspended production during the war, and started up again in 1948 with SN1500001, according to sources I've seen online.

[THerbert]

Last time I was out at the range I had a similar problem-- but I discovered one of my cartridge guides was beginning to get a little loose.

I just checked them, and both of the cartridge guides were tight. But it was a definite possibility!

[THerbert]

My .32 Special likes the NOE bullet TXGunNut references for deer loadings.

I have a plain based bullet mold designed for the .32-40 (can't remember the mold number now), about 165 grains if I recall that shoots well and functions well with 9 grains of Unique. For your cowboy loads, that would be great, I'd think.

Lee makes a bullet designed for the 8mm Mauser that is a 175 grain RN, I haven't used it, but a fellow forum member here has used it with good success in the .32 Special. For the cost of a Lee mold, it would be well worth a try.

I was looking at that mold last night on the Lee site; I may pick one up next time I place an order with Midway. I was using 10 grains of Unique under that 170 grain, and it shoots well, also. Once I discovered where on the target to to place the front bead! It turned out that right smack-dab in the middle of the plate was where it needed to be.

[6pt-sika]

I've used three molds for the 32 Special . The first being the RCBS 32-170GC , the second being the Lyman 321297 and finally the Ranch Dog 323-170GC . All worked well for me on paper with 20-22 grains of XMP5744 in the 32 Special . I might add the RCBS and RD bullets also worked well in a circa 1906 Marlin 1893 in 32-40 with a touch less 5744 . The RCBS bullet in a circa 1950 Marlin 336SC did admirably on a whitetail at about 40 yards .

[nekshot]

any of the 8mm molds will work as you will have to size them down.

[bruce drake]

I use the LEE 8mm 175gr Roundnose bullet mold for my Win94 in 32 Spl. I first started using it with the gascheck but realized that for SASS shooting the gas check wouldn't be needed. I then modified the mold to cast a plainbase bullet (179-180gr depending on the alloy) by drilling it out the check area with a 21/64 drill bit (.328" on base when As-cast before sizing through a .323 LEE Sizer) and it feeds without any issues in my rifle because of the RN profile.
Would I use it for hunting deer? No, because the round nose would probably just punch on through without any major expansion but for punching paper or targets, it's a very effective bullet. I size my bullets to .323 for the 32 Spl rifle. Not a bad deal on a double cavity mold for 17.99 at the time. Even today's prices make it a bargain for a first mold.

Bruce

[jtaylor1960]

I have shot both the RCBS 32-170-GC and the Ranch Dog bullet.The RCBS worked best as far as feeding but the Ranch Dog was more accurate.For the RD bullet I had to trim the brass a hair shorter or it would jam into the rifiling when crimped in the crimp groove.The RCBS was not as sensitive in that respect.Both bullets shoot well with full power loads.

[TXGunNut]

My '94 is a carbine, SN143XXXX, and appears to have been one of the last ones made in 1942. They suspended production during the war, and started up again in 1948 with SN1500001, according to sources I've seen online.

It's quite possible the RD boolit's nose will be a bit large for your rifle, PM me if you're interested in that boolit and I'll send you some samples to try.

[THerbert]

It's quite possible the RD boolit's nose will be a bit large for your rifle, PM me if you're interested in that boolit and I'll send you some samples to try.
TXGunNut, the nose of the Hunter's Supply boolit is about 0.230" at the meplat, as closely as I can measure, it's a bit difficult because of the ogive. Unless the RD boolit is smaller than that, allowing for more taper to the nose, it might just have the same problem. It does look like the RCBS bullet might be smaller, just looking at the illustration of the bullet with the mold on Midway's site.

I'm not a hunter, all of my rounds are expended on either paper or steel. I'm not looking for benchrest accuracy. As long as the bullet is accurate enough for me to hit a 12" plate offhand at 100 yards, that's good enough.

[THerbert]

I was just looking at the Accurate Molds site, and it looks like the #32-160G (http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=32-160G-D.png) or the #32-170D (http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=32-170D-D.png) bullets might work well -- especially the latter, because it's a plain-base, and I'm only driving it at about 1350 FPS with the 10 grains of Unique.

[runfiverun]

play with your oal.
the round becomes part of the machinery in a lever gun and the nose and rim being in the right place at the right time makes the difference between slick and hinky.