RCBS Mold (Is this right?)

[BobinIL]

I just bought a new lever gun in 32 special. To feed this gun I ordered the RCBS 32-170-FN 2 cavity mold, top punch and .321 luberisizer die. I started to cast last night using pure Linotype and my bullets were droping out at .325. Is this normal? How hard is it going to be to size these down to .321? Should I change alloy?

[Poygan]

A softer alloy should give you both a smaller diameter and will be easier to size. For those you have already cast, I would pan lube them first to keep the lube grooves from collapsing. Pure lino is most likely not necessary.

[cabezaverde]

Linotype is going to cast the fatest of the common alloys.

[chg]

I'm not familiar with the RCBS 32-170-FN mold, is it gas checked? If so, there might be more resistance when seating/sizing on the gas check. I don't think you'll need so hard an alloy as linotype, esp if the boolit design is gas checked. Try 50/50 WW/Lino, it should drop you a slightly smaller diameter boolit and still be around BHN 16/17

[BobinIL]

It is a cas checked design. How would 50/50 lino and Pure lead work?

[stocker]

My same mould also drops at about .3245 using W/W +2% Sn. It's a good thing as my 1949 M64 slugs at .323. I've also used the boolits in my 8 X 57.

[sundog]

Bob, I don't know about a lot of things, but I do know something about the 32 Win Spl and cast boolits. First, good choice on the mould. Next, alloy does not need to be all that hard, in fact straight range scrap from an outdoor pistol range has worked for me, as well as straight WWs. Third, if it were me, I would loob/size with .323 or even .325 unless you have one of the older Marlins with the skinny barrel.

I know you did not ask, but I'll offer anyway -- load data. Pretty slim data for real boolits in the 32 Spl. Just about any safe 30-30 data with the 311041 (plenty available data) will be an okay place to start with the 32 Win Spl and the 32-170-FN. The pressure and velocity will be a tad lower, so you can work up. 4227, 4198, 3031, and 4895 and their equivalents will all work. My best results have been with stuff in the 3031 range. There is some load data on castpics. Performance can be better than jacketed.

[R.C. Hatter]

While I don't have a .32 Winchester Spl., I do have a .32 Remington which is the ballistic twin of the .32 Winchester Spl. as well as the .30/30. I've used 27 gr. of Reloader 7 with much satisfaction under Lyman #321297 GC for several years. Of course, each rifle is a law unto itself, but you can't go wrong with #3031 or Reloader 7 for starters.

[jtaylor1960]

I size bullets for my 32spl. at .323.You should be in good shape if you don't try to go down too far.

[MtGun44]

Slug the bore and size to .002 larger than that.

Bill

[Bret4207]

I'd save my lino for special use and go with straight wheel weights. Size as large as your throat will handle or up to +.002 over bore size. I'd exchange my .321 sizer for a larger one when you find out what size works. The 32/30-30 class cartridges shine with cast and kill well with the good FN designs available. Plus, you can get near jacketed velocity with out having to resort to exotic alloys in many cases.

B ehappy they drop nice and plump. If it were me, I'd have ended up with an undersized copy!

[BobinIL]

Follow up

I mixed 50/50 lino and pure lead but it still was dropping out at .325. I have ordered a .323 sizer. The rifle I have just bought is a 1952 Marlin 336RC which from what I have read usually has a tighter bore than the Winchesters. One advantage I have is that I don't plan to push the high velocities with it. About 1600 fps will be about all.

[Irascible]

That should work out fine. I like H322 in my 32 Spcl for hot/hunting loads and 5744 for calm loads. I've had good accuracy with Lyman #2 approximation and for hunting 50/50 ww and pure.