Mold suggestions for 32-20 need

[Schreck5]

What bullet mold would you recommend for a '92 win 32-20 lever action built in 1915?

The rifle is in very good working order and is a solid little gun. It was given to me by the family of a very dear friend of mine. He died about this time last year. Up until just a few years ago, he used to shoot groundhogs out of his garden with it.

I think he used a 100 - 115gr. bullet, but the family could not find any of his molds or loading info. I do know he used cast bullets.

Could I use a bullet of this weight to hunt deer out to 75 yds?
It would make a dandy little rifle for the women folk in my life. (Wife, daughter, dil's)

[Dom]

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010207210?pid=480790

This is the mold I use for my Marlin CL 32-20. It is a gas check design. Comes out at 118grs with my scrap wheel weights. Sized at .312, it is extremely accurate.

[Toolmaker TN]

I use the Lyman 311008 in 32-20 and 32 H&R. Also use it for plinking loads in 308 and 30-30. Around 115-120gr depending on alloy. This is the classic bullet for the 32-20.

[samari46]

311316 with gas check is another one around with wheel weights and 2 % tin. Frank

[Bad Ass Wallace]

Powder coated Lee 103gn works for me out of my 1908 Winchester. Perfect fot Cowboy silly-wets!

[Green Frog]

When it comes to 32-20 there’s the Ideal 3118/Lyman 311008 and there’s everything else. The newest 311008 is virtually identical to the original factory design provided by Winchester nearly a century and a half ago. Just about any loading manual covering cast bullets will surely contain several recipes to use this bullet in modern brass.
Froggie

[mainiac]

Rcbs 98swc,,,my favorite

[gc45]

An old 311008 is great in both my 92 and Colt Sa revolver. Also have a newer alum mold from Arsenal Molds that is a Lyman clone of the above and really accurate so far. I use 1680 powder for both bullets.

[45workhorse]

A little bit of information, and some loading info.
I haven't settled on a load for mine yet.
https://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/3220wcf.htm

[Larry Gibson]

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010207210?pid=480790

This is the mold I use for my Marlin CL 32-20. It is a gas check design. Comes out at 118grs with my scrap wheel weights. Sized at .312, it is extremely accurate.

As mentioned, this one or the Lyman 311316. Cast of 16-1 alloy and pushed to 1600 - 1700 fps with 2400, 4227 or H110 and when put in the heart/lung area it will do quite nicely on deer out to 100 yards.

[pworley1]

311316 with gas check is another one around with wheel weights and 2 % tin. Frank

+1 for the 311316.

[Outpost75]

In my fixed sight revolvers the 115-grain and heavier bullets hit high. That is why I standardized on Accurate 31-105T. Besides my normal 3.5 grains of Bullseye, 4 grains of 231 or WST work well and are safe in the older revolvers and the Winchester 1873 rifles.

[uscra112]

Not many states where .32-20 is even legal for deer, are there?

Yeah, I know it's been done.....heck, I met a guy back in Michigan who killed a doe with one shot from a .32 S&W revolver, but that was a freak set of circumstances. (Yeah, he was stone cold sober, vouched for by the friend who introduced us.)

[JoeJames]

Not exactly pertinent to this thread, but in loading for my fixed sight 32S&W Longs - hand ejectors - I certainly discovered the 115-116 grain swc's shot way high to a point I did not wish to up the velocity to lessen the "dwell" time. 98 grain cast swc boolits did the best.

[Kai]

Redding-Saeco #322. I cast for both winchester 1873 and 1892s rifles and carbines, s&w and colt saa revolvers, and a colt lightning alll using smokeless powder. I used to use the lyman 3110008 mold however those bullets will not function in the 1873 when seated to and crimped in the crimp groove due to the length of the bullets nose. The saeco makes a really nice bullet that proves quite accurate in all of my guns

[Green Frog]

Redding-Saeco #322. I cast for both winchester 1873 and 1892s rifles and carbines, s&w and colt saa revolvers, and a colt lightning alll using smokeless powder. I used to use the lyman 3110008 mold however those bullets will not function in the 1873 when seated to and crimped in the crimp groove due to the length of the bullets nose. The saeco makes a really nice bullet that proves quite accurate in all of my guns

This is strange… the one shortcoming of every 3118/311008 I’ve ever seen is the lack of a crimp groove! Are you leaving it too long by crimping in a grease groove, or crimping over the last bearing band? Or do you have a strange variant of the 311008 none of us have seen before?

Froggie

[35 Rem]

The only bullet I've ever shot in my 1990's Marlin 1894 in 32-20 is the Lyman 311008. For me, aesthetics and originality is important with these older cartridges and that bullet is correct for the time when the 32-20 was introduced. The flat meplate makes it a good small game bullet. But I don't try to make it a deer rifle so if you want that, you might want to go with a gas check bullet so you can push it as fast as possible. My usual load is 5.2 grains of Unique which gives about 1,280 ft/sec in my rifle. It thumps small critters harder than the numbers look on paper for sure. I seat it to crimp just in front of the front driving band and it feeds perfectly for me.

[Schreck5]

Well, I decided to order the 311008 clone from Arsonal Molds a couple weeks ago. Like others, I tried to leave messages but got no reply, so I just went on a wing and a prayer and ordered it anyway. Can't wait to start shooting this Ole girl.

[Kai]

This is strange… the one shortcoming of every 3118/311008 I’ve ever seen is the lack of a crimp groove! Are you leaving it too long by crimping in a grease groove, or crimping over the last bearing band? Or do you have a strange variant of the 311008 none of us have seen before?

Froggie

The 311008 is a bp design. Since i was using smokeless powder I was crimping in a grease groove. The reason for this was, since the case wasn't filled with black powder to support the bulllet and due to thin cases there is little neck tension, bullets were getting pushed into the cases when crimped over the front band. Hence the change to the saeco mold.

[Green Frog]

The 311008 is a bp design. Since i was using smokeless powder I was crimping in a grease groove. The reason for this was, since the case wasn't filled with black powder to support the bulllet and due to thin cases there is little neck tension, bullets were getting pushed into the cases when crimped over the front band. Hence the change to the saeco mold.

Gotcha. I just don’t load my 32-20s hot enough for bullet setback to be a problem… the front (driving) band can be used for a taper crimp. I guess I should rethink my specs for an “all around” bullet in this weight range for 32s to include a proper crimp groove. My comment re the crimp groove was based on the writings of “Outpost75” who called it to our attention several years ago. To be perfectly honest, I’ve neglected my 32-20s way too long in favor of the straight side 32 case family. I really need to get back to the 32-20, and one of the members here is working with me on a trade to replenish my supply of 32-20 brass, since it’s become unobtainium around here lately.
Best regards,
Froggie
PS Several years ago my friend “Beagle” introduced me to the now discontinued Lyman 313631 mould, designed for the 32 H&R. While about 8% lighter than the 3118, this bullet should be a great performer in the 32-20… and I had promised myself not to buy any more moulds for a while!