My 32-20 is here, kinda!

[Canuck Bob]

My new Winruko 92 is at the dealers.  My PAL is somewhere between me and who knows.  It is a 32-20 as ordered and has the 24" barrel.

A couple of questions about a mold for the 32-20.

I am loading in the 1400-1600 range with full cases of powder.  I will follow your lead and not get a crimp groove and use the Lee FC dies, they do not have the carbide ring of the pistol dies.  My alloy will be 95-1.5-3.5 LTA. I like heavy bullets and 120gr looks like a good heavy weight for this cartridge.

Here's the embarassing part.  I want a pretty bullet dare I say elegant (I can assure you I'm no pansy, my knuckles have more scars than my face).  In my 444 a lead fist is a good looking bullet, matches the gun perfectly.  For this rifle I don't need a large meplat and would go with one of your .5 SP's except for the tube magizine.  Your 30 Cal bullet sounds close, what would you recommend, please?

[Veral]

  Definately the C or carbine bullet which is desined specifically for run smooth through 30 Carbines.  It has a nice flat to suit your tube magazine yet makes graceful looking ammo.  120 gr is best heavy weight for the velocities you are interested in.  I've use 130 and 140 gr but the 140 has to have fairly high pressure/velocity loads to stabalize it.    If you are using full cases of powder and can get the least bit of powder compression  you don't need a crimp.    In fact I never crimped ammo for my 32-20 Marlin even with partly full cases, and never had bullets move. 

  Bullet setback in the magazine tube on lever guns is caused by the stack of ammo slamming back under magazine spring pressure, both after recoil and after a cartridge is pulled from the stack and chambered.  Recoil isn't a thing that batters ammo because the spring absorbs that with a solid stack of ammo which is all in snug contact when the rap hits.   So, light weight and short ammo is far less vulnerable to bullets being driven deeper into the case, or having noses flattened, in the magazine, than cartridges which are long and heavy. 

[Canuck Bob]

Veral,

Ed Harris on the CBA site suggests that I will be happy with a case full of RE7.  He estimates about 1300-1400 fps with no pressure problems.

Would you advise a bevel base, plain base, or gas check bullet for this level of performance.  I'm thinking for this little bullet a bevel base will be as accurate as my iron sights will allow and make loading easier.

Also, I'm waiting on the RCMP to approve my PAL and am waiting to spend anymore shooting money until I'm licensed again.

[Veral]

  Your legal hassles give me the shivers!

  PB if you have an RCBS, Saeco or Lyman sizer, bevel base ONLY if you have a Star sizer.

  Bevel base don't make loading easier as the case mouths MUST be expanded slightly or given a gentle taper ream, or they will shave the lead.  You won't need to crimp with the tight powder charge, which is a real plus, as long as you fill it till there is good firm compression, but not excessive enough to bulge cases or mash the bullet.