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CajunRebel
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Marlin .32-40 Grove Diameter
Dec 18th, 2014 at 10:32am
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I have an Ideal Adjustable Reloading Tool #3,  purchased just for nostalgia purposes, marked .32-40 M, pat. 1884.  Just for grins I tried to size a .32-40 Pb bullet and it came out .319.  I thought .32-40 was .321.

Was Marlin's grove diameter different than Ballard or Winchester, or standardized later?

Since tool is adjustable, can it be used for testing (fixed cartridge) COAL or stick with current reloading dies and leave the #3 on the shelf?

  
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marlinguy
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Re: Marlin .32-40 Grove Diameter
Reply #1 - Dec 18th, 2014 at 11:42am
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Old Marlins generally ran fairly large on their groove diameter, but had fairly deep rifling. The bore drill spec'd for a .32-40 was .313" in old Marlin factory records. Unfortunately they don't list groove diameter, so I can't tell you what the norm was.
Most of my old Marlins and Ballards seem to have larger than expected groove diameters, and my .32-40's haven't been an exception to that. When I've slugged bores they generally run around .321"-.322", so not sure why your bullet mold is so small?
  

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frnkeore
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Re: Marlin .32-40 Grove Diameter
Reply #2 - Dec 18th, 2014 at 12:45pm
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I have a Ballard and a Stevens 44, both in 32/40 and both have .315 bores with .319 grooves. All my other 32/40's have modern barrels on them with .321 grooves.

Frank
  

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rustyrelx
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Re: Marlin .32-40 Grove Diameter
Reply #3 - Dec 18th, 2014 at 1:28pm
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I have 3 Ballards in 32-40 with 330 groove diameter.

         Don

  
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Quarter_Bore
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Re: Marlin .32-40 Grove Diameter
Reply #4 - Dec 18th, 2014 at 1:42pm
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My experience is the same as Don's. My .32-40 Ballards have been .330" groove diameter.
  
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SgtDog0311
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Re: Marlin .32-40 Grove Diameter
Reply #5 - Dec 19th, 2014 at 10:38am
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Marlin 1893 here with .3225, worn enough at the throat to warrant a .325 bullet --  but 20" of it's 26" is closer to MM's example.

My mid-century 32 Specials are .317 - .318,

My 1894 32-20 is 3.12, but that one is a Taylor reline.  Can't remember what it was before I relined it.

Afterthought:  I wonder, would the bump up of soft lead and Black Powder account for your .319, or the intent to PP to other than groove size?
« Last Edit: Dec 19th, 2014 at 10:49am by SgtDog0311 »  

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CajunRebel
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Re: Marlin .32-40 Grove Diameter
Reply #6 - Dec 19th, 2014 at 2:03pm
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I understand the tool resized but didn't crimp.  I best these cartridges would load in most rifles.

You may be right about the Pb bullets allowing obturation to occur.
  
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SgtDog0311
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Re: Marlin .32-40 Grove Diameter
Reply #7 - Mar 12th, 2015 at 11:06am
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Well, just for tabulation sake I'll update and say I added a Marlin Ballard #4 Perfection in 32-40.    Groove is a shade over .324.   Not so very worn either.
  

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John
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Ciao998
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Re: Marlin .32-40 Grove Diameter
Reply #8 - Mar 14th, 2015 at 11:43pm
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My high wall is 324 as well.

John
  
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marlinguy
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Re: Marlin .32-40 Grove Diameter
Reply #9 - Mar 15th, 2015 at 7:38pm
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I was just digging through some of my old loading tools, and found a boxed Ideal mold that was made in the pre WWI era when Marlin owned them. It's marked with Marlin's name on the box, and end of the box is marked ".319-165" and below that ".32-40"
  

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