I own both and have several moulds that I want to use for both. One I've got in particular is an RCBS .32-98-SWC, it throws a bullet .316 as cast. I thought that the bore diameter for .32-20 was closer to .312. No way will this bullet size down to .312/311, I think the lubri-sizer will snap before that happens and I know the bullet shouldn't be taken down more than .002 in any case.
Am I off on the bore diameter of .32-20? I haven't slugged the barrel of either firearm so i don't know for sure what either are, I'm just looking for general standards of bore size for this caliber.
RD
Several points, but a question first. Who told you that a bullet can't be sized more than .002", or that sizing more than that will be so hard that you could damage the lubri-sizer? There is absolutely no truth in either premise. Before going farther I will simply state I have been casting bullets for 50 years, several hundred-thousand bullets in that time, so I am speaking from experience, not "what I have heard somewhere".
While sizing over .002 is commonly believed to be detrimental to accuracy this isn't necessarily the case. When it comes to sizing effort, the chances are you will never notice any difference. If you are casting with straight type-metal any bullet will be harder to size than more usual alloys. Just for an example, I have sized bullets intended for .45 Rifle which cast as large as .461 clear down to .446 (That's .015") for my 11mm Mauser. This was somewhat more difficult, and quite a bit of the lube grooves disappeared, but they shot acceptably contrary to "common knowledge" that this will ruin a cast bullet.
Just for your benefit I just slugged my .32-20 1894CL. It isn't quite round and it measures .3115 to .3118 at the muzzle. I have fourteen or fifteen .32 caliber guns (not counting .32 ACP), the Marlin, and the rest are S&W, Colt and a Cimmaron/Uberti. Most are .32-20 and range from 1905 to ca. 1998 (Cimmaron) production. All the Colt and S&W guns slug between .311 and .312.
Of all of these the Cimmaron measures .310, so I shoot .311 bullets in it. For the others, since you should size .001-.002 over groove (or throat) diameter, I simply use bullets sized at .314 since that is the size I get from my nominal .313 sizer die. All shoot very well with this size bullet with the major issue being 66 year old eyes!
My K-32 will shoot (when I could) inside 4" groups at 100 yds. My Ruger SP-101 loaded to the nuts, see my post yesterday when someone asked about hot .32 H&R loads, shoots in this same range, 4-5" @ 100 yds.
My most used cast bullet for .32-20 and .32 S&W Long is the Lyman 3118 (311008 now) cast from alloy approximating Lyman #2. For my Colt Police Positive .32 New Police I use the same bullet as you, RCBS .32-098 SWC. I have never been a fan of using light-for-caliber bullets, especially cast. The RCBS bullet matches the shape and weight for the .32 New Police. The 3118 matches the original .32-20 bullets in both weight and shape and is excellent in anything I have ever shot it in.
One final suggestion, and this concerns bullet lube. Forget the NRA Alox mixes and the hard lubes that require heat. The last particularly do little to prevent leading. The best lube I have found is the Saeco Green which, i believe, is available from Forster. This is so good at preventing leading that it will even clean out a barrel badly leaded from shooting with other lubes. A little story. I have a USFA Rodeo .45. I had a box of Speer 250 gr. swaged LSWC bullets which i Just wanted to get rid of. I loaded these with a normal charge of Unique, something like 8.2-5 gr. I shot the entire box without concern for leading, but when done it was far worse than I had expected. You literally could not see any hint of rifling, it looked like the proverbial sewer pipe. Not thinking I had anything to lose I shot a cylinder full of loads with Lyman 454424 lubed with Saeco Green. After the first cylinder the barrel still had some lead, but probably 90% was gone and there was only some just ahead of the throat. A second cylinder and most of that was gone, and by the third cylinder the barrel was thoroughly clear of lead!
Several years ago I obtained the recipe for Saeco from a former Saeco sales rep. The lube I am using is mixed using his recipe so it may not exactly match what is available commercially. This was the first time I had shot any bullets lubed with this lube. To say I was pleasantly surprised by this experience would be an understatement! Currently I use two lubricants, this Saeco, and SPG for Black Powder loaded ammunition. I honestly cannot believe you will ever have better results with anyone's touted home-made lubricant or any commercially available lubricant than you will with Saeco Green.
Plenty good for the type of shooting I do and it only cost me $20 for a different mould and 10 seconds worth of time to switch handles from another mould. No honing, lapping or anything else. Maybe you are one that needs better accuracy from your lever gun, that's good. I just figure, for what I need my Marlin for, hunting shots at less than 100 yards, I have just what I need.
