What Cartridge Does This Belong In?

[smokeywolf]

Found what I thought were 32-20 gas checked hollow points in a jar that survived our move. Because it's in a glass jar I know it's something my father cast and likely cast them in the 1950s. He also could have cast them for someone else.
In the jar with the 40 or so bullets was a scrap of paper that said "32-20?".
They are gas checked, but unsized and not lubed. Dia. is .316" and weight is 147 grain. A little heavy and a little long for 32-20. If memory serves, 32-40 is closer to .320 dia.; or is that 32 Winchester Special?

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

Can ya post pictures?

 

[richhodg66]

.32-40 and .32 Winchester Special are nominally .321, I shoot bullets sized to .323 in both.

A weight of 147 grains sounds heavy for .32-20. If those were mine, I'd shoot them in one of the Milsurps with oversized .30 caliber bores like a .303 British.

 

[smokeywolf]

CW, I'll post a picture tomorrow.

 

[Bret4207]

Sounds like a light 30-30 class bullet. The move to heavier bullets in the 32/20 didn't come into fad until the 90's. There were different designs over the years for lighter bullets for the 30-30 class and larger 30 cals. 147 gr's in a HP sounds like a 150 that's been HP'd.

 

[Missionary]

I wonder how much they grew over the 60+ years in a jar ?

 

[Joshua]

Given those numbers, .316” versus .323”, I would think someone gave him a handful to try out in a 32-20. Or, he ended up with an undersized mold, and when it didn’t work he sent it down the road. And that’s why they ended up on a shelf for all those years.

 

[jnjproto]

Given the time frame and size, they would fit in a .310 Martini Cadet.

 

[Bret4207]

.316 is not all that fat considering back in the day Lyman would make a cherry and cut a mould whatever size you wanted. My 80's production 311316 drops .314+. A pic of the bullet might help.

 

[Glaciers]

.316 is not all that fat considering back in the day Lyman would make a cherry and cut a mould whatever size you wanted. My 80's production 311316 drops .314+. A pic of the bullet might help.

My 311316 drops right at .314 as well. Pictures were promised in post #4

 

[Snakeoil]

.303 British.

 

[Bret4207]

Could be, or 7.65 Argentine or a number of other cartridges. Or, a fat 30.

 

[smokeywolf]

Here is that picture I was supposed to put up yesterday.

 

[smokeywolf]

Can't see sizing this down .005" to shoot in a 30-30.

 

[Michael]

There are several that are close, but not exact, nose length, base band width, number of grooves. There are number of old .32 cal rounds dating back to the 1800s that may have used something like you have. Specified groove diameters may have varied from one to the next. Then of coarse the are the metric rounds out of Europe etc.

http://www.three-peaks.net/Lyman_and_Ideal_Bullet_Molds.pdf

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

If you're going to use that crimp groove, that overall length is going to be too long to 32/20. I agree that bullet is not designed for 32/20. Lesson yours is a single shot like one of mine. I have a MP 140 I like in mine.

 

[fiver]

nice looking bullet.

 

[richhodg66]

Can't see sizing this down .005" to shoot in a 30-30.

Shoot it in a milsurp. It oughta work great.

 

[smokeywolf]

Too short for the Krag. Not too sure I want to put an extra .005" squeeze (over and above a .311") in the 03 Springfield. Also, Dad had a thing for lino. He cast the 219 Zipper bullets from pure linotype. This is likely to be pretty hard. I think I'm going to pull the checks off and put them in the pot.

 

[Bret4207]

Here is that picture I was supposed to put up yesterday.
View attachment 32286

That looks like an old design to me.