32-20 WCF reloading question

[bobcat93]

Hello guys I have a Marlin model 1894CL 32-20 WCF.
The bullets I need to load for function need to be 1.595" -1.600" long.
I purchased starline brass and it seems shorter then spec for rifle.. probably good for pistol but not so for rifle..I shot and reload 2× hoping the brass may stretch a bit but had no luck..
Now I've never paid much attention to COAL because I would load to the crimp groove or load to what the rifle action was..in my Marlin it seems the lifter is a little long and if I load to the crimp groove my COAL is 1.560" ..the bullets shoot good but I get the gun jamming up so I need to load the case longer..it should be 1.593" any way to make brass longer..haha..
Any one load and crimp with out the brass hitting the top of the crimp groove..looks like if I do that the bullet will just push into the case upon loading

 

[Witchhunter]

Are you using lead bullets? Jacketed? Could you just use a longer bullet to make it work? If using Hornady Swaged lead, just load it to length and use a light crimp, you really don't need too much crimp with a 32/20, not much recoil. Use enough that they don't get pushed in deeper by the mag spring or recoil.

 

[bobcat93]

Im using meister 115 gr. (312 dia) RN/FP Lead bullets # M.B. 32-20 ..from tip of bullet to crimp groove is .260" I need something longer ..and I'm not so worried about recoil as I am seating the bullets deeper as I load the magazine tube of the Marlin..I cut about 5" off my mag tube spring to reduce tension on the bullets..man did that work good..it's perfect now and I can load 7 rounds instead of 6..
But I guess that is what I need to know where can I look to find a 115 gr. Lead .32 Cal bullet .312" / .313" dia. And from the head of the bullet to there crimp groove will be longer..is there a certain brand or style bullet that may do what I need..
thank you.. any help,tips is greatly appreciated

 

[bobcat93]

Maybe this will help
I need something longer

 

[Shaggy357]

X-Treme Bullets makes several different bullets that will fit your rifle. Some of the round nose version have the longer nose and will do what you want. In your measurements mentioned above, you state your COL is .033" too short. You also state the gun is jamming. I have friends that have 357 and 44 lever action rifles. They shoot the specials with no problem. Their special cases are .125" shorter than the magnum cases. If they do not have feeding problems.......then.....

Do you have a photo of your "jam"? The flat point of the bullet hitting too high coming off the feed ramp? The bullet above can be crimped just above the lube groove. Seat the bullet so the case mouth is about half way up the taper and crimp about half way to the deepest part of the crimp groove. I had some 110s I loaded for .30-30. I actually crimped just at the base of a lube groove. Had to be careful with that ammo as the lube was exposed and could have particulate stick in it. Kept them in a little ammo pouch to keep them clean. There are options out there, just need to know more about the problem so we can narrow them to the one that works best for you.

Good luck.

 

[lawman29]

Montana Bullet Works: https://www.montanabulletworks.com/product-category/rifle/?filter_caliber=3220

Click on the bullet and it will give the nose to crimp length....

 

[bobcat93]

The jam I'm having is the cartridge stop on the lifter is to far back for the brass I have..I have purchased starline 32-20 reloading brass. I believe it is trimmed to work in revolvers. As it is shorter then trim length.
What happens is I open the lever , lifter drops down and picks up a cartridge then ( if I cycle slowly ) the next case comes out of the magazine tube and the cartridge rim gets cought up in the front edge of the lifter and stops it cold...
I believe it is due to the short COAL of my reloads and if I load them longer it will not allow the next case rim to get cought up on the lifter..
Hope that make sense..if you have stripped your Marlin and are familiar with it's working you will know what I mean..

 

[lawman29]

Lets assume that with just one round in magazine and none in the chamber, if you cycle the lever the round will chamber. The problem is when there are two rounds in the magazine. This is not a "cartridge problem", but a "rifle problem". COAL becomes a problem when it is too long...

http://www.ktgunsmith.com/marlinjam.htm

http://marauder.homestead.com/files/Marlin94Fix.html

 

[bobcat93]

Thanks Lawman29..that is the problem exactly..it's a new gun with 200 rds. through it..
So if I'm reading in the( fix link ) you posted correctly, I just need to round the lever cam slightly, and by doing that it lowers the lifter?..
I'm going to read this 10 more times and try to understand what the writer is describing..it's very confusing to me..

 

[Outrider27]

What Lawman29 pointed you to. But also note that you are using a lead bullet here, and there is no law that says where in the crimp groove you have to crimp it OR that you have to crimp it in the crimp groove AT ALL to get adequate bullet retention. You have plenty of room to experiment with crimp location while still leaving the lube groove totally in the case. You can definitely increase COAL significantly while sticking with that bullet if it is otherwise satisfactory for your needs. Load for COAL, not crimp groove location, when necessity demands.

 

[bobcat93]

I was watching a video of Fortune cookie45 ..he seems to do alot off cast bullet stuff..any way he demonstrates the Marlin jam, but notes it's due to the bullet seating depth and / or bullet shape..I think I'll take your suggestion and try just seating the bullet where I need to so it adjust my CAOL to the dimension I'm looking for..I really think that will correct the issue..if not then I will follow Lawman29 link suggestion..
I like my 1894CL rifle..it's a JM. Stamped and not a Remlin , so I don't really want to mess with heating and bending parts just yet..I've already smoothed the trigger, action, changed springs..it just how I want it.. unfortunately Im dealing with this jam issue..
Thanks for the tips, and suggestions guy I appreciate you sharing your tips and knowledge.
Safe shooting.

 

[bobcat93]

I just wanted to add,... I made some new reloads using 100 gr. Hornady XTP # 32070 I seated them long and cycled them through the gun..the chamber pushed the bullet back in the case and my COAL is now 1.540" that is shorter then my original ones that gave me the problem..I have cycled the rifle about 40x with this xtp bullet and not one hang up or jam..must be the bullet profile..it didn't like it..but it seem to love the xtp.. figured..my luck now I have to feed it an expensive diet of ammo unless I can find a lead bullet that it close in profile to the xtp.

 

[Shaggy357]

Or play with the seating depth of the cast bullet and see if you can find the OAL that your gun likes.......