Brad I know you have a 32 single six. I should have my Bisley when I get back in. Wondering what the max nose length would be. Have starline brass coming. Just have to get mold. Will be my first adventure with the 32 mag.
A few quick measurements get me these results.
Cylinder OAL 1.404
Starline case length 1.070
Max nose length .334
I like at least .025 in case of bullet movement so call it .3" max nose length.
I really don't think the cartridge works well over 105gr bullet weight.
I stuck with "traditional" bullet weights. That bullet does very well in mine with a charge of HP38. I have never tried to really push the velocity envelope.
I also have a 32 SSM. I tried an NOE 313640 GC at 118 gr, a pb Lee 113 fp and a 3118. They do fair accuracy wise but the champ is the RCBS 98 SWC. The most accurate groups with the 640 were when spanked with H110. Nothing comes close to 4 gr Unique and the RCBS 98.
I haven't done much with the Mag, but I've done a lot with the 32 S+W and 32 S+W Long. I think the cartridge does better with bullets in the 90-100 gr area than 100 grs +. That being said, I got by fine for many, many years with nothing but the 120 gr Lyman 311316. It was kinda dumb looking sticking out of a 32 S+W case, but it worked, especially in rifles.
With all due respects to the group I would suggest the term 'nose length' be "flushed". Other than aesthetics it can give a person a moving target of uniformity...... An untrimmed case for example...... and there are others.
OAL...... "OverAll Length" is the figure we should 'fit' to and with. Our guns function on OAL. The revolver example sees OAL at the recoil plate and the cylinder's chamber face, in this case adding rim thickness. Our seating die reads OAL. Yes, rifle dies usually contact the ogive and factory bullets can vary on this so called 'nose length' right out of the box! The die has it right though...... The Same Ogive contact(or clearance) is our goal for uniformity with functioning OAL taken into account. Some guns may need a deeper seating for functioning with certain nose shapes; but again OAL gives us a repeatable and usable number to trust, where 'nose length' may....... but just as likely may not...... .
Good point Pete.
I will say I ignore nose length for most rifles but for some lever actions and revolvers it is a tool I use when selecting a mould. I know a max case length and the max OAL the gun will accept. The difference between them is the crimp to nose length.
I have a little control as I can trim cases a little short. I can, in cases like the 44 mag, also trim back a longer case to actually increase case length beyond what is "normal".
Outside of revolvers, lever actions, and AR type rifles I ignore nose length entirely.
I flat forgot the crimp groove! And I did all that work with my .38-40 for the Canadian hunt! .38-40 molds are not crimp groove 'thought out' other than the Magma one. I retract my word 'flushed' in the above post!
I have a couple of manuals that call out a seating depth without an OAL .
Thankfully cast is all the same per bullet forever .
In an interesting note the 45 Colts SWC seating stem is the same dimensions as the 45-70 RN stem and may be just the ticket for those pesky ogive changes .