newbie reloader with .32 bullet questions

[Adam Lee]

Hey guys.
I have posted before that I own a Model 14 chambered in .32 Rem, and also managed to swing a trade deal with a friend here for an early/unmarked .32 Rem Model 8 barrel. That barrel is now sort of a convertible for my .30 Rem chambered Model 81.

So here's my reloading-related question for 'yalls!!!

The Model 8/81 feed system - magazine loading - allows for a variety of bullet profiles, from RN to FN to spire point and anything else you can think of - JHP, JSP, what have you.
However, some of you guys know how Model 14 pump rifles chambered in the rifle rounds (.30/.32 is what I mean) versus the pistol rounds that the carbines came in (.38-40/.44-40) have spiral mag tubes and not straight-walled tubes.
Well, the nature of how the rifle rounds chamber in the Model 14's and 141's apparently limits bullet profiles to round nose only - anything with a blunt tip/flat nose and/or a spire point will tend to jam right up and freeze your gun right quick.

(By the way, if anyone can counter this with other information that enables me to have success shooting .32 FN or spire tips I'd love to know how to!)

Well let's suppose that it is true - My Model 14 won't feed anything other than RN without jamming the action.
Then, why in heck doesn't there seem to be any bullet manufacturer out there making .321 dimension bullets that offer a round nose profile?

Joe, Carl, Roger you guys all probably know this and in fact when I feed 170-grain Speer FN rounds one at a time - directly into the Model 14 chamber - well, yeah they shoot great!
However, I didn't expect my Model 14 pump to become a single-shot weapon!!

I have a very limited amount of original factory .32 round-nose, but it all needs to be pulled and all the cases must be annealed. That's a whole 'nother project I've been tackling...

But what is the deal with nobody offering a .321 round nose projectile? What am I missing on my interwebs searching? I looked into the .32 Winchester Special, since that uses the same .321 bullet - but no joy there. I probably missed something obvious.

OTOH, maybe Lyman or someone makes a super cast RN .321 but I haven't looked into RN cast boolits just yet.

Here's another thought I had in this mega-long ramble...

What about swaging .323/8mm round nose bullets down to .321? Is this even possible? Or does this just illustrate how little I really know about bullets, reloading, and common sense?

Alright 'yalls go ahead and laugh at my expense - I admit I am completely in the "newbie" camp when you're talking about reloading. You have to admit, it's better than talking about going back to school and teaching a new school year!!!!

Adam

[Phyrbird]

Adam, you might try tweaking the overall length of the rounds to see if it helps. Big question mark Does the 35R rifle have the same problem?

I'm casting a flat point RCBS mould in 32 that could be near to round nose, check it. Joe (Sarge) has some for testing.

https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/ ... -flat-nose

The 323 or 8mm bullets can be swaged down to 321, but there is a certain amount of springback when done. They may be a little oversize. No equipment on hand yet, perhaps the local Tech school may be of help, they are trying to make me a set of repro CH swage dies in 308. Guess what would be the next project? I already have limited 357, 452, and 223 dies. It is a lot of work. For the record I would not try to use a cast lubrisizer for this reduction, they are not strong enough.

[Adam Lee]

Carl,

thanks again for your quick and relevant comments. I just got some luck on web surfing for a RN .321 bullet at the Hawk Bullets website.

They make a .321 RN bullet specific to the Remington Model 14! Just scroll down the page a bit. I am looking into this for sure!
http://hawkbullets.com/masterList.html#/

And as far as the troubles I encounter with my Model 14 loading anything other than RN profile rounds, it is a common thing for these guns. At various shooting forums online, you can find threads related to this problem. I have read one older example that some guy does have luck cycling the 170 grain FP .321 Hornady #3210 & Speer #2259's but that's it.

And I don't know about the Model 14's chambered in .35 Rem - whether anything other than RN profiles are also a no-no. Good question!

So maybe I will find out more on these Hawk bullets and get back to "yalls!!

Adam

[norm]

Adam, You should try tweaking the oal for your reloads like Phyrbird says. I am always surprised when someone has feeding problems with flat nose bullets in a model14/141. I had shot a couple hundred lyman 321297's in my m14 32 before I found out they would not feed. The 321297 is the Ideal/Lyman bullet for the 32 Winchester Special and Lyman Cast bullet Handbook lists loads for 32 Remington with the only warning that the Unique loads will not function the action of automatics. I have also shot an Old West flat nose bullet designed for the 32-40 which has a bigger meplat than the Lyman cast bullet. I do keep the OAL under 2.50 and never had feeding problems. I also use the RCBS 35-200-FN in my m141 35 Remington with no problems. If the lifter that raises the cartridge from the magazine to line up with the chamber does not lift the cartridge I would definitely say the cartridge is too long.

[Mikeshoe72]

I recently got a 141 pump in 32, and the Hornady 170 gr flat nose .321" bullet feeds perfectly through it, and quite accurate too. I am tempted to buy a box of Remington brand 32 Winchester Special ammo and pull the bullets and load them in the 32 Rem just to see how they do. Should be able to use the powder also. Remington doesn't offer this bullet as a component. Bummer.