32 H&R mag

ChestnutLouie

Active Member
I have a Ruger SP101 in 32 H&R mag and I have been casting the Lee TL314-90-SWC and tumble lubeing them with 45-45-10, they shoot well with no leading.
(925fps over 2.8grains of 700X) The problem is Lee only offers this mold in a two cavity design so it takes forever to cast even a couple hundred bullets. Lee claims that these will drop ar .314" but mine drop between .313" ~ .3125". My lee AAP press sizing dir sizes them to .3125".

Question: Lee offers the 311-93-1R in a six cavity mold but I feel like that will be too small (fit is king)

Thanks
Francis

ps: I want to shoot this gun ALOT and get good with it and that takes practice at the range, two bullets per drop is a pain.
 

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Petrol & Powder

Well-Known Member
.311" will likely be too small.
If that mold drop bullets at .311" or even .312", I don't think you'll be happy with it.

Accurate Molds has become one of my favorite suppliers for molds. It will be more money than a Lee, but it is a one time purchase and you can get exactly what you want.

waco's solution is also a good option.

I also think you're getting some advantage from that tumble lube design because .312" sounds a little small to me (if that's working for you, great but you may be getting lucky)
 

Missionary

Well-Known Member
Get another of the Lee mold and use the two in rotation.
Have done the same for years with a couple of paired molds from Lee.
 
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Petrol & Powder

Well-Known Member
Back when I was playing with the 32 H&R Mag, I wasn’t casting bullets. In those days I was using store bought bullets for both the 32 S&W long and 32 H&R Magnum. I really liked the 95-100 grain weight range and shot a mixture of wadcutters and semi-wadcutters. I got out of that game to pursue some long forgotten new adventure.

By the time I returned to the 32 caliber game, I was in the casting fraternity. Currently I don’t have any guns chambered in 32 H&R Mag (although I think that’s a GREAT cartridge) but I am playing with the 32 S&W Long.

That RCBS clone that Waco displayed looks like a winner and you can get that in a 5-cavity aluminum mold for less than $90. A 5-cavity aluminum mold from Accurate will set you back almost twice that but you get to tweak the design a bit if you want to. I don’t think you can go wrong with either.

For a more universal bullet, I would probably want a semi-wadcutter or full wadcutter and not a round nose. A flat point, round nose would be another compromise. In any event, something that dropped at LEAST .313” and preferable .314” would be a must. You can size down, but you can’t size up.

A mold is a one-time purchase. I’m a big fan of finding what works for you and settling on it! In the grand scheme of things, a mold that you pair with a revolver and use for decades, is a minor expense.
 

CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
I was lucky enough to be gifted the excellent RCBS 98 swc & bought a 98 WC molds.

Both are run @ .314.

I completely agree Accurate & MP are my favorite & go to mold makers.

Arsenal & NOE make fine products and I wont bad talk them. I just prefer the others.

CW
 

david s

Well-Known Member
As a couple of others have mentioned the RCBS 98 grain bullet works well in most 32's. It's also close to the standard weighted bullet so tends to land close for fixed sighted pistols. NOE makes a five-cavity version. One of my preferred bullets in the 32 H&R is the Lyman 3118/311008 bullet of about 118 grains or so. Just crimp it in the top lube groove, again NOE makes a five-cavity mould available.
 

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
The RCBS 98 grain SWC is an excellent bullet, but not for the 32 WCF. In that crimp groove location is too long for revolvers and lever actions. The 32/20 case is longer than the 357 magnum. Crimped over the front band, it pushes back in a tube magazine. If your cases are all the same length, you can crimp on the front band. Other bullets are better for the 32/20.
 

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
Ric's take is mine as well--85 to 100 grain bullets for the 32 SWL/Mag/327; 110 grainers to 125 grainers for the 32/20, That uber-long case has plenty of neck for longer bullets and enough powder space to send those heavies efficiently, even at lower revolver-level pressures.