Lee Dies & the 32mag

[Rusty W]

I've just started loading and casting for my Single Six and noticed my boolit diameter is reduced when I seat the boolit. I'm using a Lee TL314-90-SWC mold with WW metal, BHN is about 12 according to the Lee tester. Boolits drop .316 from the mold. I loaded a few different powders and charge weights to find a good load only to find none of them would do better than about 2" @ 25yds. Using 3gr of 231 was the best but I felt something else was going on. I pulled the bullets from a few loaded rounds and found the diameter was .310. I started to blame the Lee FCD but that wasn't it. I ran a couple empty cases through the sizer and seated a boolit. I then pulled the boolit and it measured .310. I then thought too much neck tension so I started to look at the "M" die. The Lee has no expander so to speak, just a powder through flare/bell die. Next I thought about the RCBS die set. I've not seen them in person, just pictures online. It looks to have an expander similar to the "M"die.

I also performed a little BHN test to see how hard the boolit had to be so as not to change diameter. I had some lino so I cast a few just as a trial, BHN was a 22 again according to the Lee tester. I sized a case, flared the mouth, & seated a bullet. I pulled the bullet and the diameter didn't change. It stayed at .315. So my question is which die do I need to set the neck tension so as not to change the diameter of the boolit with a BHN of 12. I don't want to use all my Linotype on the 32.

[Bwana]

My water dropped ww boolits are hard enough that my thumbnail will not mar the surface. That may be your answer.

[Dark Helmet]

I use Lee 32 Long/New Police dies P/N 90624. The instruction sheet says that an oversize expander is available for .313 to .315 bullets P/N 90445.

[Guesser]

Interesting; I've been using a Lee die set for 32 Long/Mag for about 15 years, never had that problem. I cast Lyman designs and size .313 for all my 32 revolvers. My powder thru expander has always been .312 and a minor roll crimp works well. My dies came with the .312 expander.

[MT Gianni]

My throats slugged .3115 and my bbl 311 on my single six. I have been using Lee dies and sizing to 313.

[Windy City Kid]

I have never had a problem with the Lee dies for the 32 H&R mag.

I have shot thousands of the Lee TL314-90-SWC out of my single six and the S&W model 16, 32 H&R mag, both shot excellent groups @ 25yards. The S&W model 16 will shoot one ragged hole group @ 25 yards.

I size to .314, tumble lube with alox and dust with motor mica.

My load is 2.4grs. of Titegroup, and no crimp, just remove the bell.

[Rusty W]

I measured my expander in the Lee die. It's in fact .310. My barrel slugs to .311 and throats to .312, reamed by cylinder smith. I just purchased some Hornady dies and the expander on it measures .312. I performed the same test with it. Sized a case, used the Hornady expander, seated a boolit. Pulled the boolit and it measured .312. The boolits are .316 going in and .312 coming out of the case. I can't believe neck tension is sizing the boolit but tis so.
Bwana has the best idea I think, time for a little H2O.