Abstract: A method for manufacturing a railcar coupler knuckle, said method includes providing a cope mold portion and a drag mold portion. The cope and drag mold portions have internal walls that define at least in part perimeter boundaries of a coupler knuckle mold cavity. At least one chill core is positioned within one of the cope mold portion and the drag mold portion. The cope and drag mold portions are closed, with the at least one core therebetween, and the closed cope and drag mold portions and the chill core define a parting line. The mold cavity is filled with a molten metal, which solidifies after filling to form a casting. The casting includes a pulling face portion defined by the chill core, and a central section of the pulling face portion does not contain the parting line and requires no finish grinding upon its formation.