Timing or Carb Issue? Or both? Neither?

Sounds to me like a big *** vacuum leak. Set the timing and leave it alone. If this is a mild stockish cam it should idle fine at 8-10btc

But suspect your timing marks are wrong. You know how to use a piston stop?

Also suspect the magnetic pickup wires need to be reversed. Google "rotor phasing."

Do you have another distributor, one that you KNOW was working?